Page 19

Madden and Chase’s expressions soften as they look at me, which is a good sign, but Archer’s gaze is still as intense as it’s been.

“I promise I’ll do my best to prove my worth to your pack,” I say, scrambling to find something to say that will please him. “I’ll be a good omega. I’ll do my very best to please you, I’m a quick learner and I know I don’t look like much, considering what you’re probably used to, but I promise?—”

“Stop. Just stop,” Archer sighs.

I flinch. I can’t help but wrap my arms around myself in an attempt to find some semblance of comfort. Archer is the pack leader. If I can’t please him, there’s no guarantee I won’t be thrown out into the cold with nothing, not even the shirt I have on my back.

“Do you want to stay with us?” He asks.

I don’t know how to answer that. I don’t know what answer he’s looking for.

I know I don’t want to be thrown out into the cold. I don’t want to run into any more alphas who may not be as kind orgenerous as this pack here. Which I guess means I do want to stay with them, at least for a little bit.

But why would they even want an omega like me?

Even if I knew the answer he wanted to his question, my throat closes as the tears I’ve been trying to hold back fall down my cheeks.

Archer’s growl cuts through the room and I curl into myself, hiding my face in my arms. Terror claws at my chest.

He’s absolutely furious, and I don’t know how to fix it.

Archer’s growl stops when the sound of a cell phone ringing cuts through the tension in the room.

Chase pulls out a phone from his pocket and lifts it up to his ear. “Perfect. I’ll open the gate for you.” He ends the call and does something on his phone before giving me a bright, reassuring smile. “We’ll figure all of this out later. My sister is a doctor, how do you feel about her helping you?”

I glance over at Archer, whose scowl is still deep. “Is—is that okay?”

“You don’t have to ask me,” Archer grunts, scrubbing a hand over his face as if he’s exhausted. “But yes.”

I glance down, wincing as I try to take a deep breath and give him a small nod in thanks. “If—if it’s not too much trouble, I’d appreciate it. I’ll find a way to pay you all back.”

“No need.” Chase slides his hands into his pockets, emphasizing how low-slung the gray sweatpants he’s wearing are.

“Please, I don’t want to be a burden,” I insist.

“Okay then, we’ll figure something out later. What’s important now is getting you all fixed up.”

I nod. He’s obviously the one that’s the most attracted to me right now, at least from what I can see. His sweatpants leave very little to the imagination. Maybe I can use that to my advantage. He stood up for me too, to his pack leader. Maybe if I can get at least a few of them to like me, they’ll keep me for longer.

“So this is where you guys are all hiding,” A feminine voice huffs from out in the hall.

A gorgeous woman with similar dirty blonde hair to Chase waves from the doorway and both Madden and Archer instantly move to the side. My eyes go wide with surprise when her scent hits me. Her perfume is like an apple pie, fresh out of the oven.

She’s an omega.

A very pregnant omega, too.

With the floor-length maternity dress she’s wearing and her hair piled atop her head, it definitely looks like she’d been woken up for this late-night house call. Guilt hits me at the thought of her having to get up for me.

I see the shadow of another alpha behind her and shrink back. His scent isn’t unpleasant, it’s far from Niall’s acrid burning plastic scent, but it’s also not like the scents of the alphas that’ve saved me. Their scents are special. These alphas are special.

I know nothing about this new alpha though.

A growl rises from Madden’s chest and he narrows his eyes at the alpha in the doorway.

“Hey man, calm down, I’m just here to carry Char’s stuff,” The alpha says, holding his free hand out like he’s trying to ward Madden off.

“Just set down my stuff over there, I’ll take care of everything from here, babe,” The omega says to her alpha. The affection in her eyes is obvious when she looks at him. It’s surprising. I’ve never looked at any alpha like that before. “Now then, sorry Madden, I know this is your room, but all alphas, get the hell out.”