Chapter 12

Chapter

Twelve

Oh my god.

I failed at doing the most basic thing an omega probably has to deal with in front of the alpha who probably hates me the most out of Cal's whole pack and then grinded on his junk like– like–

A horny omega.

I could barely control myself. It was horrifying and freeing and everything I feared and desired all at once. Yet still, I couldn"t believe that I just did that. I couldn"t figure out what just happened.

I covered my face with my hands the whole way back to the house. I curled my legs inwards up towards my stomach. It was no longer cramped like before– God, it was one of the worst pains I felt in years. It took me back to that day, those nights alone when Peter had…

I clenched my eyes shut forcing the memory far away.

Now after my little episode back at my apartment where Liam packed up a few more of my things and some clothes, my stomach only felt flat and empty. Hungry.

But not for Alpha.

Not Liam.

Of all of them, it had to be this alpha in Cal"s pack.

Pretentious, rude Liam had the audacity to laugh at my embarrassment. The worst part was as we made our way out of the house and down the road, I wanted to laugh with him.

I certainly would rather laugh than cry. I had enough of crying.

"Are you okay?" Liam murmured after a moment. He glanced over his shoulder towards me with his hands steady on the wheel.

I nodded silently.

"You sure?" he asked.

"I'm sorry."

"What?" He chuckled again. I shut my eyes to the pompous sound. "Don't."

"I need to be. I don't know why I did that. It was inappropriate and I know you didn't want me and then I just did that..."

"Ella. I'm telling you right now to stop apologizing before I pull over the car."

"But I–"

"You rubbed yourself on me because you needed me and then I came in my pants."

I froze. "What?"

"You heard me."

I did. But I almost wanted to hear it again.

"That was one of the hottest things I've ever seen and my alpha feels like I'm just about to die if I don't get into an extremely cold shower within the next few minutes because I can't help but replay you grinding your pretty pussy against my cock through our clothes like we were teenagers. So please," he repeated, "Don't be sorry."

"Oh."

"Yeah," he shook his head as if I was the stupidest person he ever came in contact with. "Oh. It's natural by the way."

"What?"

"I assume if you didn't know that you were going into heat, you likely don't know much about being an omega, correct?" Liam gathered.

I lifted my head to stare at him. "I know enough."

"Uh-huh." He nodded as if my lack of answer was one. "Omega's need while alphas are more programmed to provide in some ways. I don't want to tell you that you were wrong when you said that I didn't want you when you showed up to the house with Cal and Marko... this wasn't how it was supposed to go."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I was raised– Demetri and I were raised in a way that we always figured that we would have a pack and an omega together. There are ways that happens. The correct way."

"You mean the way that involves an omega being sold to you."

"Sold?" Liam gripped the wheel. "What are you talking about?"

"That is basically what happens. Omegas are rare and every alpha wants one," I said, trying to voice my fears through the years. "When an omega presents, they are basically… given. They don't have any choice."

"That's not how it works. Is that why you didn't want to go to the omega center?"

I didn't answer. I knew what I was saying and he couldn't convince me otherwise. If that wasn't what happened, then I wouldn't be here right now. If I hadn't been smart enough…

"Omegas are registered just the same as alphas are," said Liam. "Only once an omega presents and often when their heat becomes more imminent, they are matched to a pack. There are scent cards and background checks to find the best placement so that they can be taken care of. Ultimately, though, it is the omega's choice."

I snorted.

He narrowed his light eyes. "You don"t believe me."

"You aren't listening to yourself."

"Explain."

"You act like that's all every omega wants. Not to mention that all sounds fine, but how often does that happen?"

"Nearly all the time from what I'm aware. And in many cases, it is all the omega wants. They are raised that way most of the time."

"To be the perfect housemaid and breeder?"

"Breeder?" Liam's lip curled.

"Yes," I said, shaking my head as memories started to curl up and around my brain. I quickly shut them down. "Omegas are nothing but objects to alphas."

Usually anyway. That was exactly why she is here after all, even if she only lasted the past seven years.

Even if those seven years may have ended up being all for nothing now.

"No, they are the opportunity to become the family I always imagined they could be in my life, and I wanted to go through the process more than a few times to get it and have an omega that could hold my pack together and I could love and take care of for the rest of my life."

I blinked rapidly, trying to gather my thoughts. Unfortunately, we were in front of the townhouse again before I could. I hadn't moved until Liam came around the front of the car to help me out of the passenger seat and led me up to the front door I had run out of earlier.

"This conversation isn't over," he murmured in my ear before he reached for the doorknob.

I shrugged with a sigh. It was nice to like him while it lasted. At least for a little while, but it was fine. I didn't need friends. Not if I was going to figure this out and make sure I was safe again. On my own. Somehow. "What conversation?"

As soon as the door to the pack house opened, I breathed in the symphony of scents compiled together inside. I could barely catch a full breath however before being thrown back a step, Liam reached for my back so I didn't fall over.

Cal slammed into my chest, wrapping his hands around my center.

I gasped for air, unsure what to do with my arms before he picked me up off the ground, only putting me back down on my toes when there was a grumble from the other alphas slowly surrounding us, guiding us towards the living room where I had no other option but to be carried into.

"Oh fuck, I'm so glad you're okay and..." he paused, nose twitching before his mouth traveled up towards my ear. "You smell like Liam."

"Space, Cal," a raspy voice asserted, though he didn't come closer from where he stood in the space between the couch and archway to the kitchen. His tattooed hands slipped into his pants pockets as he took in the scene of us.

Marko.

"Are you okay?" Marko's dark eyes scanned me, voice gruff yet hinted with emotion. It was almost like they were all... worried.

About me.

But that made no sense.

The slam of the door made me jump as Liam's heady chai scent along with my own floated up behind me. "She's fine. Stop crowding her."

Taking another deep breath, I couldn't help the low buzz that settled in my bones since my time with Liam back at my apartment firing up another degree once again. Shutting my eyes, I held my breath until I could settle myself.

Cold showers for all, coming right up.

Wait, no. Not all of us– Not all of us taking a shower together at once.

I felt the heat spread up the back of my neck and into my cheeks, until I probably looked like a tomato.

As if a switch had turned, Cal took a step back to pace the room, giving me an open view to see not just an alpha or two like the ones I'd come in contact with within the house before, but all three of them standing around me, and they certainly did not look happy.