6. Jeremy

Chapter six

Jeremy

A tense silence follows after I explain our situation to Barret and the rest of Pack Hart.

Gryphon had arrived in the end, just as Oliver promised, and I could tell from the moment the Alpha walked through the door that he was stressed.

He has a lot going on at the moment, and that is why I hate to pile even more onto his already full plate.

But when it comes to the woman I love, I will gladly pester him until I'm blue in the face.

Besides, I never expected that the pack would even want to hear me out in the first place.

They have enough going on in their own lives.

Gryphon rubs his thumb and finger between his eyes, and he's silent for a while.

Oliver never takes his eyes off him.

We all give him a moment.

Finally, he removes his hand from his face, and I meet those burgundy eyes. "I can do it. All I need is a name and description, and I can see what I can do."

My whole pack releases a collective breath, and poor Troy looks as if he's about to burst into tears.

He better hope we get her back. He's already on thin ice…

And if we do manage to get her back, then he has a lot to make up for.

Oliver smiles, gripping his Alpha's shoulder.

Mila is on Gryphon's other side, and I meet her sparkling green eyes.

I offer her a wink, and now we tell Gryphon everything that he needs to know about Belle.

The Omega who changed my life.

Barret was right. When you finally meet the one, you just know…

I sensed it the moment I caught her scent and looked into her blue eyes.

And I don't miss the smug look on Barret's face either as I know he's remembering our conversation from all those months ago too.

Rian meets my gaze before he proceeds. Then he looks at Leo and finally at Troy.

Troy doesn't meet his eyes. He's barely spoken since the Omega beat him to a pulp in the forest.

Rian finally addresses Gryphon's question. "Her name is Belle… She has long black hair and beautiful eyes the color of the ocean…"

Mila gushes, "Aw, Rian…"

Rian smiles at the other Omega, and the two share a moment of mutual understanding.

They both trained at the same school and were even drilled by the same instructor, so they go way back.

Back to the days before they even had a pack.

Of course, they both identified as Beta then.

Mila grins, glancing up at Oliver. "Funny, I always describe Oliver's eyes like the ocean too. I mean, just look at them. So pretty."

None of my pack looks at the Omega. They heeded my warning, and I'm glad.

Lachlan is present after all.

However, Rian actually gives the Omega a second glance, and his back goes ramrod straight.

Oliver looks a little freaked out. "Seriously… Why do you all keep looking at me like that?"

Rian blinks, shaking his head, and I watch him curiously.

So does Troy.

Rian speaks at last. "N-nothing… I just thought… it's stupid."

Oliver approaches Rian. "It's fine, Rian. You can tell us. Your Alpha looked the same when he glanced at me too. Like he had seen a ghost or something…"

Rian peers at Troy quickly before gazing back at Oliver.

Oliver smiles. "You're an Omega, aren't you?"

My whole pack freezes.

Yet Pack Hart doesn't look the least bit surprised, and if it's that obvious, then we need to be more careful.

Oliver laughs. "It's fine. Your secret is safe with us."

Rian relaxes his shoulders, then looks at the other Omega. "I'm just coming to terms with it myself."

Oliver gives a taut smile "Black market pills to block the scent?"

Rian lowers his head. Troy tenses.

He got those pills for our Omega, and always at his own risk.

"Yes. And desensitizer…" Rian admits.

Oliver nods and peers behind his shoulder at Mila.

"I used to be the same way. Ashamed of my designation. But it's what brought me to my Mila in the end. If I had never awakened as an Omega, then the government never would have sent her to me…"

Oliver and Mila share another adoring look, and it's obvious who the dominant pair in this pack is.

The two Omegas are the center of the pack, and we could have that too.

Rian and Belle could be our Omegas...

Oliver glances back at Rian. "We will find your Omega… Belle , was it?"

We all nod our affirmations.

"And we will protect you too, Rian. No more hiding. The government won't get their hands on you… If anyone has a problem, then you can send them Gryphon's way…"

Oliver turns to Gryphon now.

Rian is in total shock.

Even Troy looks speechless, and I can feel the knot loosening in my chest.

No more hiding.

Rian can finally embrace his identity.

Now we can all focus on getting Belle back.

Rian's bright moss-green eyes fill with tears, and Leo steps up behind him, purring softly.

"Thank you," he whispers.

Oliver's eyes find mine. "We owe Jeremy big time. Mila wouldn't be sitting behind me right now if it weren't for his help. So, we are going to help all of you now."

Troy resists the urge to go to Rian's side. Instead, he remains in his seat, keeping to himself.

Things are still awkward between him and the Omega.

Oliver nods at Gryphon. "Well, you know what to do…"

The Alpha stands to his feet and heads for the door. "Any more information about her?"

I wrack my brains. "She has the number twenty-three on her wrist."

The whole room falls silent.

Gyrphon is completely frozen.

Oliver breaks the silence. "Twenty-three? What could that mean?"

I glance at Gryphon again. He's still quiet.

"When you finally find her, there's more you ought to know. About my findings…"

His eyes flash, and I spy the brimstone in his burgundy irises.

He seems to understand the nature of the tattoos, and I bet there is so much he doesn't even tell his own pack.

We're not unlike in that regard.

The government has found more Omegas, and I bet they all have similar tattoos like Belle.

Gryphon nods. "Twenty-three. Got it."

Finally, he exits the room, and I guess the only thing we can all do now is wait.

Hopefully, Gryphon can bring her back to us.