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Are these alphas just less dominant than Alpha Niall?

No. No way.

I felt Alpha Madden—Madden, just Madden. I felt Madden’s dominance earlier out on the train tracks. I’ve never felt dominance that strong, and I don’t even think it was fully directed at me.

Could it be that these alphas are just so powerful that they don’t need to be referred to by their title to know that I’m subservient to them?

I don’t know how I feel about that yet.

It could be really good. It could mean they’re powerful enough to protect me. Especially because there are two of them.

It could also be really bad, because what would I need to do to earn the protection of such powerful alphas?

I’m jolted back to reality as Kane shifts closer to me. He takes off his jacket and sets it down on my lap, covering my bare legs with the warm fabric.

“I have to put on your seatbelt, little one,” he says, nodding over my shoulder.

When I give him a jerky nod, he reaches over. His bare forearm flexes in front of me as he slowly draws the seatbelt across my body, clicking it into place.

“Th—thank you,” I say. He’s so close I can feel the warmth radiating from his body. His pine forest scent wraps itself around me, soothing my frayed nerves.

As the drive continues, my gaze stays aimed out the windownext to me. I can’t think while looking at the two alphas next to me. It’s too confusing.

It’s obvious that the Northside is the exact opposite of where I grew up. Even though we were in the industrial part of the Northside, it’s obvious by the state of the buildings that everything is much more maintained than where I came from. As we move further into the city, the streets are full of shops and restaurants. Even at the late hour when nothing is open, it’s clear none of them have any bars over their windows or graffiti on the glass.

I feel the pit in my stomach grow deeper when Madden starts to drive us through residential neighborhoods that keep on getting fancier and fancier. When we get to a big gate that opens automatically to a long driveway up to a huge mansion, I can barely breathe.

The mansion is huge, three stories tall with floor-to-ceiling windows. The fear of my inadequacy that I tried to push down rises once more. If this is the kind of luxury these alphas are used to, how hard will I have to work to prove my worth?

Madden jumps out of the car as soon as he puts it in park, his door slamming shut with a bang that has me jumping in my seat.

“This is our place,” Kane says softly, giving me a soft smile.

I can’t help but feel a twist in my gut at the sight of his smile. It makes things worse for some reason. It’s like he has full confidence in my place here.

I hope he doesn’t realize he’s wrong.

“Th—thank you for having me,” I say. I take the jacket he’s rested on my legs and try to give it back to him, my chest twisting at the loss of warm fabric.

I’ve never made a nest, I’ve never been allowed to have one, but in the books I’ve read, I know omegas take articles of clothing from their alphas to provide a sense of safety and comfort.

God, what am I even thinking? Why am I thinking of keeping their clothes in my own nest? Only good omegas get nests. And I haven’t proven I can be a good omega for them. I don’t even know if I have what it takes to be a good omega.

But I’ll definitely try.

The door beside me opens, the chill of the night air biting against my cheeks.

I make a move to start getting out of the car, but Madden stops me with a grunt.

“I’m going to carry you in,” Madden says gruffly

“I—I can walk,” I offer, even though a shiver travels down my spine at the thought of the cold ground. “I don’t want to be an inconvenience.”

“You’re not an inconvenience,” Madden says, his expression softening.

He sweeps me up into his arms, bridal style as if I barely weigh anything. I can feel the strength and power of his body beneath me.

Kane steps ahead of us and opens the front door, revealing the marble floors and high ceilings of the foyer. The house is just as nice on the inside as it is on the outside.