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Luna looks over her shoulder and up into his eyes. “You don’t like her?”

“Fuck no,” Madden scoffs. “None of us fucking do. But why would I like someone who thinks I’m less than the dirt under her shoe?”

Luna’s nose wrinkles. “She did seem like a bitch,” she says.

Hearing Luna swear has my lips twitching into a smile. God, she’s made so much progress from the sobbing, terrified omega on Madden’s bedroom floor. If only this bullshit situation weren’t so fucked up. My fists clench at my sides.

Why did things have to go so wrong?

“Why would she hate you just because of where you were born?” Luna asks.

Madden’s smile is forced. “Not all omegas are as nice as you.”

“Now do you get why the four of us are so crazy about you?” Chase jokes. “It’s 'cause you’re the closest thing to not-crazy we’ve seen.”

His attempt at lightening the mood doesn’t seem to have its intended effect, considering Luna’s stress is still obvious in every single line in her body.

“What—what does registration mean?” Luna asks softly. “Especially—Especially for an omega like me.”

I hate Brandy even more for making Luna think that her status as Southside omega is any less than anyone from the Northside. She doesn’t deserve to feel that way, regardless of what the rest of this stupid society thinks.

“Registration is the process of the Omega Center keeping you in their records. They’re in charge of organizing meetings between unbonded omegas and eligible packs,” Kane explains. He winces. “The right thing to do would’ve been to bring you there right when we found you, but we didn’t.”

“We need to figure out a plan,” Madden says. “I don’t know how much time we have?—”

He’s interrupted by all of our phones buzzing. I tug mine out of my pocket and glance at the notification on the screen. When I check the cameras a the front gate, there are four police squad cars with their lights flashing and their sirens on.

“Fuck. We’re out of time.”

CHAPTER 22

Luna

Everything is moving so quickly. I can’t seem to keep up. Hell, as hard as I try, I can’t even keep myself from shaking like a leaf.

“Holy shit, they’re here already?” Chase asks, checking his phone too. “What’re we going to do?”

“We cooperate with them,” Archer grunts, pressing a few buttons on his phone. “I opened the gate.”

“Seriously?” Chase says. “You’re just going to let them waltz in here and take Luna away?”

“The last thing we want is to actually get charged with something,” Madden says softly under his breath, his arms flexing around me. “This is already going to hurt the pack’s reputation, which’ll affect business, but we won’t be able to help Luna wherever she has to go if we’re in jail.”

All of their expressions are grim and resigned.

“Are—are you guys going to be in trouble?” I ask. I glance up at Madden specifically. From what I can tell, Southsiders aren’t treated as fairly by the rest of the Northside.

“You don’t have to worry about that, little one,” Kane says, stepping over and brushing some of my hair behind my ear. “Justfocus on taking care of yourself until we can get back to you, okay?”

The way Kane talks about me being taken away from them, of being all alone again, so casually has my hands trembling all over again.

Someone pounds at the door and Archer lets out a deep sigh before walking over and opening it.

“Hello there, Chief Spielman,” Archer says, opening the door. “How can I help you.”

“Don’t ‘how can I help you,’ boy,” A large, burly alpha growls. “I’ve heard a report that you’ve kidnapped an unregistered Southside omega and are abusing her.”

“What? We’re not abusing her!” Chase yells. “And no one kidnapped her!”