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“It’s pretty cold out here,” he says.

I don’t take it. His scent reminds me of black pepper, and the thought of being surrounded in it makes my throat close up.

It’s nothing like the scents of my guys. It would almost feel like a betrayal to smell like another alpha if I can help it. I’d much rather be cold.

“No, thank you,” I say.

Look at me now. I’m saying no to an alpha I don’t know. I never would’ve been able to do that before I met the guys, and they showed me how alphas are actually supposed to act.

His eyebrows go up in surprise at my refusal, and he just shrugs his jacket back on.

“Okay, well, let’s get you out of the cold then.” He turns back as he leads me into the station. “Do you have anyone we can call to get you some things?”

“Can you call any of the guys?”

“The Ward pack?” Officer Stone asks, wincing a bit. When I nod, he sighs. “No. I can’t call them to come here for you. I don’t think they’re gonna get arrested, considering what you told us about where you came from and how they helped you, but they still kept an unregistered omega. Other packs could get pissy since access to most Southside omegas is supposed to be regulated.”

“Will I ever get to see them again?” I ask, my voice soft, weak, and shaky. It’s like all the strength that I’ve managed to grow with them is slowly starting to disappear at the thought of never being able to see them again.

I hate this feeling of whiplash I get between moments of growth and reminders that not all things have changed: I’m still an omega. And that means the alphas around me get the last say.

“You should be able to see them again after your registration. It may have to be regulated for a little bit, but I’m sure you can make things work if you’re serious about that pack,” he answers, opening the door to a small, bare room with nothing but a table and a couple of chairs.

He gestures for me to take a seat. “Are you sure there’s no one I can call for you?”

I hesitate. “Could—could I call another omega? She’s bonded.”

“Of course,” Officer Stone says, seemingly a bit relieved that he can actually do something for me.

“Do you know her phone number so I can call her?”

“No, but her name is Charlotte. She’s Chase’s sister.”

Officer Stone nods. “I don’t know her number, but I know one of her bondmates. I’ll send him a message and ask for her to come and bring you some clothes and stuff you’ll need when you go to the Omega center.”

“Thank you,” I say.

“Do you want to wait until she gets here before we start any interviews?” He asks. “That way, you can have a bit of support before we get started?”

“Yes—yes, please. Will you be interviewing me?”

I hope I don’t have to talk to the Chief or any of the other officers there about my past. Officer Stone is still a scary, unknown alpha, but he’s a lot less scary than the others, since I haven’t seen him angry and he’s actually listened to what I have to say.

“Yeah, that’s why they called me in for this,” he says. “I’m gonna go make that call now. Anything you need before I go? Any water? Coffee?”

“Water, please.”

“Water it is,” he says, backing up towards the door. “I’ll be right back.”

I rub my hands up and down my arms, goosebumps still raised on my flesh. The police station is definitely warmer than it is outside, but it’s still too cold for me to be remotely comfortable. Maybe it would’ve been a good idea to accept Officer Stone’s offer for his jacket.

No. I shake my head, rubbing my chest to try and ease the ache in my chest that starts up when I think about being surrounded by another alpha’s scent.

There’s a knock at the door before it opens, revealing a woman in a police uniform. Her dark hair is tied in a slicked-back bun at the base of her head. She’s relatively tall for a woman and her light, mild scent of laundry detergent tells me she’s a beta.

“Hey there, I’m Officer Carleton, but you can call me Jess. Officer Stone told me to bring you some water and keep you company,” she says with a little wave.

“Hi, I’m—I’m Luna,” I say, taking the styrofoam cup full of water she’s extending out to me. I gulp half of it down in one go to try and ease the dryness in my mouth. “Thank you, OfficerCarleton.”