27. Belle

Chapter twenty-seven

Belle

R ian has never looked so handsome as he lines up on stage with the other Omegas, and I'm happy for him. Truly.

But I just want to be beside him.

At least he has Mila though, his old friend from the Academy, and it seems they are thinking the exact same thing as they smile at each other next.

Mila's gaze falls on someone in the crowd, and that's when Rian's eyes search for me.

My world tips on its axis when I spy the longing in his eyes, and it appears he wants me by his side too.

Leo purrs softly, wrapping an arm around me.

Jeremy stands on my other side and I know I am safe…

But I keep getting the uncanny feeling that someone is watching me.

Somewhere in the crowd, I can sense his prickly gaze and a shudder runs down my back.

Leo looks at me. "All right?"

I nod, trying to push the weird sensation aside.

Surely, he can't be here. Not in a room full of Alphas.

He's Beta—an enemy of the state.

Gryphon's entire team is looking for him. They would kill him here.

Yet, I sense his loathing all the same, and I know he is angry and disappointed with me.

After all, my neck is exposed.

He always ensured that my hair covered my ears, neck, and shoulders.

He hated indecency.

My dress isn't as exposed as Mila's, but my corset brings out the natural swell of my breasts and accentuates my curves.

No longer do I wear a shapeless, white dress.

Now, I wear bold colors, such as red, pink, and orange.

"Where's Troy?" I ask next, trying to take my mind off the odd sensation.

Leo purrs again, pulling me in closer. "He can't hurt you here."

That's where he's mistaken.

I no longer fear Troy because I know that the Alpha wouldn't hurt me anymore.

It's just Leo's deep mistrust of the Alpha at play, but I do worry for Troy.

He is distant and he barely speaks these days.

I'm worried.

Jeremy searches the room next, and there's no missing the tension in his eyes. "He will be somewhere…"

"Shouldn't he be with us? We're his pack. Rian is his Omega. He shouldn't miss this," I say.

Neither Alpha responds, and it seems I struck a nerve.

It's Leo who speaks. "He made his bed, Belle. He threatened you and failed to keep you safe out of spite. So, no… he deserves to watch from afar."

I bow my head. "Well, I don't believe that. I think he's truly trying to make amends for his actions."

Leo and Jeremy don't know what to say to that, and it seems I'm finally finding my voice.

Francis forbade me from speaking my mind, so I'm going to take advantage of my newfound freedom.

I vaguely recall being an outspoken child. In that brutally honest way that children can be.

But then I became a mouse after I was taken, losing myself in the process, but I refuse to be that girl now.

So, I roll back my shoulders and hold my chin high, letting the whole room see my neck.

I peer at Leo. "Forgive him."

The Alpha doesn't reply. Instead, he plays with the sloping curls hanging down my neck, and I go on.

" Forgive him, Leo."

Because life really isn't as long as it ought to be, and people can be here one day and then gone the next.

Just as I learned the hard way…

I wonder if my brother lives his life with regret.

I know I do.

The Alpha closes his brown eyes. "Do you forgive him, Belle?"

The comment leaves me tongued-tied for a split second. Then I nod. "Yes. Troy is only human. He was acting out of fear. After all, he didn't know me. It was understandable."

Leo opens his eyes. "You're five-foot tall with doe eyes. Hardly a threat to his six feet—"

"That's irrelevant. Besides, I'm not all that innocent."

I'm referring to the night I killed that Alpha on their grounds.

Jeremy tenses. "Not here, Belle…"

He's right. But I am not completely fragile.

Just give me a rock.

Someone taps a spoon against a glass, and it sounds very similar to a tinkling bell.

My body goes rigid.

But it passes quickly, and a heavy sigh escapes me.

It seems that sound no longer affects me.

What changed?

I do have a pack now. I am not alone in this world anymore.

Governor Gryphon takes the podium, and the room falls absolutely silent. Then a woman takes up his right, and her hazel eyes asses the crowd.

There's something about the satisfied smirk on her face that rubs me up the wrong way.

She's smug, and she wants every Alpha and Omega in the room to know that she is better than them.

"Thank you all for coming tonight," Gryphon speaks into the mic. "I am proud to be hosting this event for all in attendance. This is an exciting time as many of you have an Omega presenting for the first time. Myself included…"

Gryphon stops to look at Mila behind him, and the two share a knowing smile.

Someone whoops in the crowd, and I find that blond Alpha with the wild blue eyes.

Jeremy sighs, shaking his head. "That's just Lachlan Hart. Crazy bastard."

I peer back at Lachlan. He's still whooping, and another Alpha yanks him back by the collar.

Jeremy chuckles. "And that is my cousin, Barret."

Wait. The cousin?

I meet Jeremy's stormcloud eyes. He nods.

Barret was the one who told Jeremy that he would know from the instant he looked at his Omega that she would be the one for him, and I feel nothing but gratitude as I watch the other Alpha across the room.

I guess I owe Barret a lot.

Barret is too busy to notice me staring as he tries to calm down Lachlan.

The blond male looks ready to swing from the grand chandelier at any moment, so Barret really has his hands full.

The woman beside Gryphon talks into the mic next, and her voice is grating. Too fake and overly pompous. "Yes. A room full of very lucky Alphas and Omegas indeed…"

No one applauds her. Lachlan even settles down and bares his teeth like a rabid wolf.

Even Barret looks pissed at the woman's tone.

She brushes her long red hair aside next, and that smirk never leaves her beautiful face. "Oh, and just in case you were wondering… I'm Governor Lavender…"

No one applauds her. No one even whoops.

She laughs, regarding the room with that overly authoritative tone again, and I don't miss the small glare in her eyes.

She's pissed that no one cheered.

"That's okay. I was recently appointed. So it's understandable you aren't as familiar with me. I'm here on behalf of the Beta population, of course. After all, it's important that these events cater to all three designations…"

Again, the crowd makes no sound.

This event is televised, so she is here on behalf of the Betas watching from home.

The Betas hate it when they don't get to be a part of these Alpha/Omega events. So her presence helps create stability and peace amongst the people.

I may not know a lot about this world yet, but I've learned enough.

Betas are protesting on the streets, and I think back to the guard who tried to murder me in my cell.

I knew too much, and that was why he wanted to end my life.

Gryphon takes the mic from Lavender, and he fails to hide his irritation as he addresses the room once again.

"Thank you, Lavender. That was inspiring… Now, enough with these formalities. Let's begin the Presentation."

Lavender smiles tightly, "Yes. Let's not deprive the people any longer."

Gryphon grinds his teeth at her tone and then introduces the first Omega.

She struts on the stage like a bejeweled peacock, and her pack cheers in the crowd.

I never take my eyes off Lavender.

She looks ready to burn the Omega to ash, and there's something about her that doesn't sit well with me.

There is a scheming bitch beneath all that makeup and coiffed hair, and I'm not the only one who senses it.

Jeremy and Leo are tense beside me, and fear slices through me for a split second when I realize Rian is third in line to Present.

Everything will be fine.

We're safe here.

It's Mila's turn next, and she tosses a satisfied glance at Lavender as she passes by.

The girl is bold, and I wish I had that level of confidence.

Lavender's eyes burn green with envy, but she hides it all with a faux smile and claps her hands as Gryphon introduces Mila.

There's no missing the pride and love in his eyes as his voice booms across the room. "Alphas and Omegas of the city, I present to you Mila Hart of Pack Hart!"

If I thought Lachlan was loud before…

The blond is out of control. He even blows a klaxon and the rich, snooty pack behind him flinches in disgust.

However, I can't stop the smile that forms on my face.

I like him. He's completely reckless.

An Omega appears at his side now and rips the klaxon from his hand, and poor Lachlan pouts like a child.

The world stops spinning as I gaze at the Omega.

He's much older than I remember, but his eyes are just as blue.

After all, they're the same blue as mine.

It's him.

My brother.

He's alive.

My long-lost brother pockets the Klaxon away in his suit, and then his eyes drift my way.

His face freezes.

For a moment, it's like we're standing on that hilltop again, and I wonder if the same memory plays in his mind too like an old movie reel.

I read the name on his lips.

"Isabelle…"

Isabelle?

A distant voice calls out to me from the deep recesses of my mind.

"Isabelle!"

"Isabelle!"

That is my name. My full name.

Belle is just the shortened version.

It's not the only name I remember at that moment.

"Oliver…" I rasp.

Finally, I remember the name of the boy who has starred in my dreams for all these years.

I go to step toward him, but then an explosion goes off, and Leo pushes me to the ground.

Now all hell breaks loose, and my brother is lost to me once again.