Page 26 of Brave New Omega, Part 2

Chapter 26

KATIE

L oren hands me a drink and I sip from it, grateful for the burn of the brandy. Adrenaline still lingers in my body and I’m hyped up and horny and a little unnerved. Loren paces, talking to someone I don’t recognize on the other end of the phone. The video is off, but the other voice is clearly Alpha.

“They know there are Travelers who are Omegas. No, I don’t think they know who they are exactly, but it’s a matter of time.” Loren grunts at something the Alpha says. “Yes. He specifically said ‘ the Continent .’”

Max rubs my shoulders. “You’re safe with us, Katie.”

“I know,” I say, because I do know. As safe as I can be anywhere, I am safe with them. With my Pack.

My phone buzzes against my thigh. I grab it, hoping it’s one of my sisters. But it’s not – it’s Aurelia.

“Hello?”

“Oh good, Katie, I caught you. We’ve just heard there was an incident.”

“Uh, yeah,” I huff. Standing, I mouth to Max ‘AURELIA.’ He nods, and shoos me toward the stairs. I don’t bother with going up to my room. Instead, I sit on the bottom step as she talks at me.

“It’s so concerning that someone claiming to have connections with the Council of Peers would act in such an egregious manner– and in public! But I have been assured you are unharmed? Your Alphas took care of you?”

I sigh. “Yes, but Aurelia, you know I can take care of myself. I am not helpless.”

“Of course. Until an Alpha barks you into submission.” Her tone is sharp– odd for her.

“What’s wrong?” I instinctively ask. “Are the girls alright? Is Molly Beth…”

“They’re fine. All healthy and accounted for. Molly Beth is doing especially well. We’ve moved her breathing treatments to every other day.”

The vice around my chest relaxes. If my sisters are okay, then what is going on? She doesn't seem the kind to hover like this. I mean, surely other Omegas have had altercations? From what I can tell, an unbonded Omega is like a walking target until they find a pack and bond. Which is a shitty way to live.

“You remember that we reran your blood work when you came in for treatment last week?”

I nod, but Aurelia doesn't have the screen on– an odd practice, but maybe she’s caught too many Omegas in bed with their Alphas. I snort a laugh at the mental image of her calling while I’m riding Loren, or giving Max an epic blowjob. Or both.

“ Well , we found an anomaly in your hormone panels and the cycle charting.”

My heart skips a beat. An anomaly? Did that mean I wasn’t actually blood bound to Pack Murphy? I am free to leave–to go back to the Conservatory and my sisters?

My stomach tightens at the thought. Somehow, in the two last weeks these men have grown on me. Softened me. Crawled under my skin–in mostly good ways. Because I love them, damnit.

Fuck .

“What exactly does that mean?” I pinch the bridge of my nose. I feel the latent burn of a headache starting.

“We ran a test for all your levels, you see. And I’m afraid our timeline was off.”

“My…timeline?” I pause, rubbing one eye. “Not my bonds?”

“No, those came back the same–you are a blood bond match to all three of the Alphas of Pack Murphy. But we had hoped to give you two months or so before your heat came, so you could get to know them.” She hesitates.

Oh no, was it going to be years? Was I going to be in this hormonal limbo for years ?

“Instead, your heat will be in two or three weeks,” she says, her voice that kind of mock calm one adopts when giving devastating news.

“Two to three weeks?” I repeat, dumbly.

“Ah, yes. Possibly a bit sooner, since you’ve already been there two weeks. So, you should plan that in ten days you’ll need to have a secluded nest ready. I can come by and ensure that you have an appropriate set up, if you’d like. And your Alphas will need to be prepared by stocking your nest with food–calorie-dense foods, of course. And lots of water, too. Hydration is essential when you’re making all that slick. You’ll probably start experiencing hot flashes, increased appetite, and sex drive soon as well.”

“I –what?”

Aurelia says words, but only some of them make sense to me. Heats and secluded nests are so outside my vocabulary, outside my standard operating orders, that I feel like I'm trying to think underwater. My brain feels clumsy, the events of the last hour slowing my mental processing down.

“Heat? I need more calories?”

“This is a huge transition, and I think if you want to return to the Conservatory for a full tutorial on heat cycles I can–”

“No, thanks, I can take care of it.” I snarl, a hot spike of anger sweeping through me. First these fuckwad attackers and now Aurelia. Is everyone trying to take me away from my Alphas when I finally, finally am ready to be with them?

“But Katie,”

“Thanks Aurelia, but we have everything taken care of. I’ve got to go.” I hang up the phone, hot and cold shivers pulsing through me.

I need my drink.

I need to think without all this distraction and noise. I rub my forehead and force myself to stand.

I barely make it into the living room when a feral growl stands each of the hairs on my arms up at attention.