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Theodore hooted a laugh. “You really want to do this, boy? Your omega could serve the Conclave, the highest honor for a female of our kind. You invoke this and she could belong to anybody.”

Serve?My guts roiled at the thought. Sure, my alphas had needed to learn to curb some of their overly aggressive behaviors at first, but they had never,ever, made me feel like it was my job to “serve” them in any way. In fact, it had often been the other way around, whatwith their desire to provide for and protect me.

But being stuck with a group of alpha males who took gender roles seriously? Who actually expected me to be some demure little sex doll, batting my eyelashes and catering to their every whim?

My mouth was going to get me killed.

The slimy city manager poked his head out from behind the TV screen, where he’d apparently hidden himself during the earlier commotion. “I volunteer for the Rite!” he called. “It’s open to any pack, and I represent myself!”

This was getting ridiculous. It wasn’t like that twerp even had a chance in a fight against your average alpha, especially anyone from my pack. Who did he think he was kidding?

Eamon, the retired linebacker, looked at Roland, who nodded a wordless order between them. Then he walked up to the city manager and snapped his neck like it was a breadstick.

Bile crept up my throat as the room exploded into madness again. Now I was becoming terrified.

Shifters saw casual murder as a way of life, as a show of dominance and as a way to keep others in line. Not that humans had any sort of moral high ground when it came killing, but it was still a very different attitude than I was used to.

Would being a rare omega protect me from the Conclave? Or would my obstinance be seen as defective, as a reason to cull me from the greater pack?

Roland raised his hands and spoke again. It wasn’t quite a bark, but still had the same suppressing quality, and I fought the urge to shrink at the power he emanated. The other shifters in the room paused, anguish and rage trapped in their captive expressions.

“So be it,” he boomed. “Pack Wolcott has invoked the Rite of Dominion. In three days time, any pack that wishes to compete for replacement bonding rights with the omega will nominate a member to represent them in the sacred competition ring at the temple. Until then…” My skin crawled as his attention fell back on me. “She will stay with us for safekeeping.”

I could hardly breathe—replacement bonding?What did that even mean? And where was my choice in any of this? Would it even be possible to get human cops or lawyers involved? Surely shifter law didn’t supersede the rights I had as a citizen of this country?

Cam and Julian prepared themselves to fight again, but I reached out and grabbed them both. This was getting out of hand, and I wouldn’t be able to stand it if they got themselves hurt or worse. “Stop, it’s okay.”

“No,” Cam replied, his eyes filled with pain. His fists were balled at his side, ready to strike whoever approached us. “How can you say that?”

I wrapped my arms around his neck and stood on my tiptoes, whispering in his ear. “It doesn’t look like there’s any getting out of this for now, right?”

He grumbled his reply, a reluctant affirmative, and I closed my eyes, trying to hold back the tears and present a brave front. “In that case, I’m guessing Julian will be fighting for me. He needs you all to be there for him right now, and to help him train. I believe in you, you can win this.”

He grabbed me tightly and buried his face in my neck. “I can’t let you go again, I can’t let you leave with them.”

I breathed him in, my heart feeling like it was ripping into a million pieces. It wasn’t even thirty minutes ago we’d been dancing, teasing each other with light touches and smoldering looks for the night to come. And now we’d be separated. Again. And this time, I wasn’t going to be safe and sound with another alpha from my pack. Instead, I’d be held captive by the Conclave, a bunch of middle-aged creeps who saw me as property and status.

“It’s like with the scenting—we just have to play by their rules for now.”

“Fuck,” he sighed. His body shook and his hold on me tightened. “I’m sorry I told you to let them do that. I should have protected you better. I should have stuck up for you.”

Perhaps, but I had to stop thinking of myself as a human and start accepting that I was an omega shifter. And if these assholes wanted to think I was just a weak little female, then that was exactly what I was going to be.

Until they were at each other’s throats and positively sick of me.

“We survived my psycho vampyr ex, this will be nothing,” I laughed, trying to keep him calm.

I finally let him go, and then went around to hug each of my alphas.

Nolan was last, mired in a deep pit of despair and self-loathing

I didn’t even need a bond to feel. “I can’t believe I fucked up this badly, Marlowe.”

“Shh,” I said, brushing the hair out of his forehead as I looked him in the eyes. “I don’t blame you for this. The thing with thehandkerchief was messed up, but I get why you felt you had to resort to that. And the Conclave? How would you have known they were going to come here and pull this?”

He released a shuddering breath, his nose nestled into the crook of my neck. “I don’t deserve you. I don’t think I’ve ever deserved you.”

“Hush. We need to be united more than ever now. I love you, got it?”