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“Okay, I’m ready,” Chase says, jumping up to his feet. “Onwards and upwards!”

I don’t know how that fucker manages to not fall on his face before he gets into the backseat. Knowing him, he probably made the hosts of that ball regret having an open bar. Kane joins him with a resigned sigh. Madden slides into the driver’s seat and I join him up front.

“How’re you hanging in there?” I ask him as he gets us out of the parking structure.

“Fine,” he shrugs. “You know how I feel about those sorts of things.”

As much as I hate going to these sorts of parties because of how stupid the people who talk to us are, Madden has it ten times worse. Our pack is pretty powerful, all things considered, especially according to their standards. Chase’s father used to be the mayor of the city and my father runs the omega center. Plus, we all run the biggest security company in the city.

That attracts the kind of people that are only interested in status and power.

And what do people only interested in status and power hate? People that’re different.

Those superficial bitches and douchebags can’t get over the fact that Madden was raised in the Southside of Riverwell. They completely ignore the fact that Madden played an integral part inbuilding the company that keeps their homes safe and only sees where he was born.

“Issok Madden,” Chase slurs, slumped over against the window. “We love you, man.”

Madden lets out a little huff, looking at Chase through the rearview mirror. “Can’t help but feel like I’m holding you guys back when we go to those things.” He shoots a look at me. “Especially when it comes to omegas.”

“You’re not holding us back from anything,” I scoff. “You’re protecting us from shallow, vapid bitches who only care about their status.”

“Or I’m scaring away perfectly sweet omegas who would make you guys happy,” Madden growls.

It’s a fact that Madden is intimidating. Even for an alpha, he’s one of the biggest people I’ve met in real life at six and a half feet tall and two hundred and seventy-five pounds. He’s covered in tattoos from the neck down, which isn’t something you see very often in our circles. Some guys will have the occasional sleeve or half sleeve, but those are the kinds of things you can hide in suits.

Madden really can’t hide much of anything about himself.

So he’s not exactly wrong that he can be a scary motherfucker, but I’d rather cut off my own arm than make him think that the issues we’re facing as a pack are his fault. He’s been through too much shit for him to feel like that.

“You’re a part of our pack. You’re the one we care about, not them. Nothing’s going to change that,” I say, squeezing his shoulder.

“But we’re going to need an omega soon,” Madden says, his knuckles going white with how hard he’s holding the steering wheel.

“We’ll figure it out,” Kane adds. “We haven’t really even tried the interview process.”

“I thought the goal was to find someone withouthaving to go through that system,” Madden sighs. “That way if an omega wants to run away from me she can.”

“The system is in place for a reason,” I add. “And going through the system doesn’t mean we’re forcing anyone to do anything.”

The interview system is where omegas find and get matched to packs with the Omega Center’s help. My father was the one who came up with the system after the big riot.

Fifteen years ago, a lot of people were upset that they didn’t have any chances to even try to court an omega. They decided to storm through the Northside of town where a lot of omegas lived and try to kidnap them and take them for their own.

It was a horrifying night for everyone. Families were torn apart. People were killed and raped in the street. It was insanity. By the time the police force got a handle on everything, it was obvious there had to be major changes.

Now, omegas are registered and all packs go through an interview process so these omegas get to meet different people to find the best fit. This gives as many alphas and betas as possible a chance to at the very least be with an omega for one of their heats.

It also led to the development of the pack system. There were packs before the big riot, but they weren’t the norm. Now, unless an omega is a bit older, it’s rare to find them with just one alpha partner.

“It could be fun!” Chase jumps in, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. “Who doesn’t like talking to a bunch of gorgeous, delicious-smelling omegas?”

“Me,” Madden says.

“Come onnn, you’re hot, man, don’t sell yourself short. I bet some wild omega would totally want to take you for a ride.”

Madden grits his teeth again.

“Shut up, Chase,” I growl.