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But there’s nothing I can do now. Sleep needs to come first. Maybe my dreams will be kinder than reality.

CHAPTER 2

Archer

Ihate these sorts of parties.

Technically, they’re supposed to be fancy “gallery balls” where alphas mix with omegas outside of the official Omega Center hosted events, but they always seem to devolve into nothing more than a party quickly.

Based on the looks some of my packmates are shooting me across the room, we’re all on the same page.

“Archer, you aren’t paying attention to me!” The omega in front of me pouts.

“Sorry, Brandy, but I think I have to go.”

I look over her head and see Madden practically carrying Chase over to me. It’s obvious Chase is drunk out of his mind. I almost shoot a prayer over the open bar in the corner, thanking them for giving me an excuse to get away from this omega.

The moment Brandy sees Madden, her entire expression changes. She whips her head back around to me, her eyes intense with disgust. “Why do you even have a Southsider like him in your pack? Especially when the rest of you are so accomplished?”

I can’t help but roll my eyes. “Just because Madden is aSouthsider doesn’t mean he’s not accomplished. Why would you even talk with me for the entire night if you have issues with my pack?”

“Well, I imagined if we explored our connection you’d, you know…”

“Ditch a member of my pack for you?” I scoff, pushing away from the wall I’ve been leaning on. “Not happening. Any omega the Ward Pack takes in will accept us all.”

“But we’d be perfect together!” She reaches out, her scarlet-tipped nails filed so sharply they look like claws. “Our families?—”

“Our families have nothing to do with my decision.”

“My father is the chief of police! Your father is the head of the Omega Center! Think of the good we can do.”

“You’re asking to join my pack, not my family. My pack will not change. If you’re so interested in my father, go talk to him.” I take her wrist as gently as I can, given how irritated I am, and remove her hold on me.

“You okay?” Kane, my second in command, asks, appearing by my side as I head to the exit.

“Fine,” I say, my jaw clenched. “I just hate these fucking things. Sometimes I just want to say screw public perception of our pack and never go to one of these ever again.”

“Yeah, I get it,” Kane sighs, scrubbing a hand through his five-o’clock shadow. “At least it’s just a party and not an actual event for the Omega Center.”

“Not much of a difference,” I say, glancing over my shoulder warily, making sure that omega, Brandy, isn’t chasing us. The tension eases from my shoulders when I don’t spot her anywhere. “How are Madden and Chase doing?”

“Chase is hammered and Madden’s happy to have an excuse to get out of here. They’re probably waiting by the car by now.”

“Perfect. I’m sick of this party.”

Chase is throwing up beside the pack’s Escalade.

“I fucking told you to slow down, god dammit,” Madden sighs, scrubbing a hand down his face.

“Shut up,” Chase groans, wiping the back of his mouth with his hand.

“Hey,” Madden nods to me and Kane, crossing his tattooed arms over his chest. “You ready to go?”

“Yeah,” I nod. “Whenever Chase is ready.”

“You shut up too,” Chase says, his forehead pressed against the hood of the Escalade.

Madden digs around in the car and pulls out a plastic water bottle, tossing it to Chase, who drinks it like it’s the first drop of water he’s had in his life.