Chapter Twenty

CHAPTER TWENTY

Now Playing: Comatose- Negative 25

This woman, my omega’s sister-in-law, is targeting Omen with such volatility she’s willingly drugged her with a potentially deadly drug not once but twice now. Apparently, Jacquelyn Montgomery is going to be a bigger danger than her husband. Sharing a look with my mates I see we’re all in silent agreement. As long as those two pose a threat to our girl, we aren’t going to leave her side.

I narrow a hard look at our girl where she is still staring down at the table, her eyes unfocused, not really seeing them. There is no way this woman is about to apologize for her psychotic family tracking her down.

“Sorry for what, Omega?”

Her eyes fly to mine when I growl at her. Daring her to try to take the blame for this threat. We may owe her a lifetime of pampering and groveling, but I’ll still take her over my knee and paint her pretty ass red if she tries to use this threat as an excuse to push us away again.

“I–nothing.”

“It isn’t your responsibility to bear the weight of your family’s actions.” Watery eyes blink up at me for several seconds before she throws herself into my arms. Sobs slip through her lips and I’m frozen in shock.

“Fuck,” Nebula growls. His big palm slides over the top of her head softly as he steps closer. “I’m an asshole, babygirl. I never should have blamed you for what your brother did. You aren’t anything like those brainwashed idiots. I recognize that now, and I’m sorry there was ever a time I didn’t.”

Omen shakes in my arms and my brain finally kicks back on. Shit, Nebula’s right. Our poor omega has probably spent the last week thinking we still believe she was somehow partly responsible for her brother rejecting Elizabeth. Damn idiots is what we are.

My arms wrap around her, squeezing her tight. A rough purr starts in my chest, the sound rusty. It works though, because my firefly goes boneless in my arms.

I settle us into a chair off to the side and keep purring for her through the FCDA agent’s investigation. They ask her a few questions but she doesn’t try to leave my arms to answer. My girl is exhausted, emotionally and physically. If she doesn’t want to face the world right now, then I’ll do my best to shield her.

“Hey starlight,” Callisto coos from where he squats beside us. The house is now empty except for the five of us, something we are all grateful for. “We have to go into the studio for a few hours to meet with our producer, Manny. Would you like to go with us?”

Omen’s sleepy eyes blink open. She’s a little disoriented, something I’ve noticed happens every time her body or mind starts to be overwhelmed with exhaustion. I’d like to assume it is a normal omega thing, but it is likely a side effect of the chemical rejection she’s still battling. She hums, a question sitting at the tip of her tongue. It’s easy to see she doesn’t really want to leave the house.

Unfortunately, her staying here alone isn’t an option. Not after the package we found this morning. Feeling the anxiety we’re all pumping into the room, she huffs and nods. Callisto takes her from my arms and they head upstairs so she can get changed.

I stand, stretching my sore muscles out. Each small movement sends a burst of her scent from my shirt. Hell, yes! I’m not washing this one ever again. The sunflower and honeysuckle blend makes my cock hard and my teeth ache. Omen is my own personal brand of heaven wrapped in a sinfully delicious omega body. I don’t know how I’ve gone this long without devouring every inch of her sweet body.

“You good?” Nebula questions from the doorway. Apparently, I’ve been staring down at myself like an idiot for the past few minutes. “Got knots for brains?”

“Fuck off,” I grumble. “Like you aren’t the same way when she lets you hang.”

Neb’s smile falls and I feel like an ass. But I don’t take the words back because he deserves it. We all do.

Omen is wrapped under my arm as we step into Brady’s office. A wistful pang shoots through my heart as I remember the first day we’d met her. Right here at the conference table.

If someone would have told me what we’ve gone through since then, I would have told them they’re crazy. Yet here we are, falling apart at the seams and scrambling to hold onto our girl.

“Omen!” Brady jumps from his desk to greet her, ignoring us completely. My firefly might not be aware, but our manager has been an absolute dick since she left the tour. He doesn’t know the whole story but he is smart enough to put the pieces together. “It’s great to see you, kid. Come in, sit down. Did these knotheads finally get their shit together?”

Omen smiles, this delicate turn of her lips that belies her discomfort. “It’s wonderful to see you again too.”

Before Brady can push our girl anymore, the door bangs open. The hint of Bea’s coconut lime scent I can smell makes my nose itch as she shoves past me to get to her best friend. “Thank goddess you are here! These men are driving me insane!”

Our manager leaves the two omegas to chat and turns to our pack. The warm smile melts off his face as he looks at each of us. I can’t blame him. I, too, will always take Omen’s side.

We go over some of his plans for the upcoming release of our album. Singles he wants us to drop, shows he wants us to play leading up to it. Normal managerial things. I tone him out halfway through. This is all up Nebula and Callisto’s alley. I’m just here to drum.

“You look like shit, Oms,” Bea whisper-hisses.

My girl rolls her eyes before responding with an annoyed ‘No shit’. Sure she looks like she’s going through hell, but she’s still so fucking gorgeous it hurts.

“Have you talked to the doctor? I can call Mom, maybe she will have some ideas…”

“I talked to Doctor Russell. She basically said my only option is to bond with Nexus to cancel out the chemical rejection.”

Bea’s shoulders slump and she shoots us a glare so harsh it has my balls shriveling. Scary ass omega. I feel for Caleb and his brothers since they are on the receiving end of her ire regularly.

“Are you going to take the bond?” Bea asks. “Well, I guess you don’t have a choice.”

Her scowl somehow deepens. I have to shift on my feet to stop myself from baring my neck in submission to this ruthless woman. My girl is damned lucky to have someone like Bea on her side.

“I don’t know,” Omen admits quietly. She averts her eyes when Bea’s head snaps back toward her.

“What do you mean you don’t know?!” Bea practically shrieks the words as the room floods with a wave of her distress. Even using strong de-scenting methods, our heaviest emotions tend to slip through, and the thought of losing her best friend is especially upsetting. Something I agree wholeheartedly with. The contents of my stomach threaten to reappear at the thought of Omen giving in to the rejection.

“Okay, sorry,” Bea mumbles when she realizes she’s drawn all of our attention. “They’re a bunch of jackasses who abandoned you over shit that was out of your control. I don’t know if I could ever move past their actions either. Hell, I’m not you and I’m tempted to hold this against them for the rest of their lives.”

Omen lets out a watery giggle that shreds my heart. The tear tracking down her cheek amps up my self-loathing. How many more tears does this beautiful girl have to cry? Hasn’t she dealt with enough?

“Do you think you could ever forgive them?” Bea’s question has the breath stalling in my lungs. I cling to every passing second, waiting to hear whatever verdict my firefly has settled on.

Omen lets out a slow breath, her eyes darting over each of us before she looks back at her friend. “I want to.” The breath whooshes from my lungs as relief settles over my skin. We still have a chance!

“But you’re scared.”

“Yeah,” Omen replies. She hugs herself tightly, nails digging into the thick material of my sweatshirt Callisto pulled over her head before we left. “They’re here and they are trying, but every time I’m alone my omega believes they aren’t going to come back.”

Fuck, firefly. I glance at my mates, noticing Nebula’s attention is also subtly riveted to Bea and Omen’s conversation. We share a long look and I can feel through our bond the moment we both come to the same conclusion–from now on one of us will be stuck to her side. Whatever it takes to ease her fears and the pain our separation is causing.