Page 10 of Claiming the Pack’s Omega (Riverwell Omegaverse #2)

Reyna

I can’t fucking believe it, but I haven’t hated going to work. It’s been two weeks since Theo slipped me five hundred bucks along with some medicine.

Theo’s bought my Saturday nights twice, just for us to cuddle. His favorite thing to do seems to be petting me until I fall asleep.

Petting is such a weird way of putting it, but I don’t know what else to call it.

He’ll stroke his hands up and down my arms or back, or run his hands through my hair until I fall asleep.

So far, he hasn’t pushed any further than that when it comes to touching me, even though he could be doing a lot more.

Especially for the amount of money he’s been throwing at Dom to book me.

Plus the money he’s slipped me as a tip every single time he’s been here. Five hundred each time.

It’s been such a bizarre experience. I actually find myself interested in getting to know him and hungry for the little bits of personal info he’ll drop about himself during our conversations.

I think back on one of my favorite conversations with him.

“So, I know you know about my family,” I say, playing with one of the buttons on his white dress shirt as I lay on his chest. “What kind of family do you come from?”

“You want to learn about me, do you?”

“Of course I do, you’re this strange question mark. You don’t fit any of the ideas I have of Northside alphas.”

“I hope you don’t want to just get to know me ‘cause I’m different,” he says, playfully.

I flash him a smirk in return.

“Okay, I’ll play your game Theo, I don’t mind inflating that ego of yours. It’s ‘cause I like you. I’m curious about you. I want to get to know you.”

“Good to know,” he winks. “And my family… things were difficult for a really long time. My mom was an omega with three alphas of her own. They… they didn’t care for her very much, from what I remember.

They were always off ‘working.’ It wasn’t a happy bond.

I’m pretty sure my fathers were… seeing prostitutes outside the marriage. ”

My throat closes up and it takes all my willpower to keep my hands from trembling.

His fathers—his fathers probably saw someone like me. Have I ever stopped to consider whether any of the alphas that came to see me were bonded or had children waiting for them back home?

Not really, and technically, I haven’t really had a choice, but still. Seeing this man I’ve come to respect, come to care about, hurting, makes my heart wrench in my chest.

“Oh my god,” I whisper. I blink, trying to process what he’s just shared. “Is that—is that why you came—fuck, I don’t know how to ask this without sounding like a fucking asshole. I don’t really know what your dads were like, but I do know you’re nothing like them.”

He lets out a soft laugh. It’s an exhausted sound. Like it drains him to talk about his past.

I can relate to that.

“Are my fathers why I came to a place like this? I guess, in a way, yes, a little bit. I wanted to see the kind of place they might have frequented. And then I saw you dancing on the stage and couldn’t look away.”

“Are they why you don’t, you know, do more than cuddle?”

He shrugs.

“I don’t know. If you’re asking whether I have an omega waiting for me at home,” he meets my gaze, his amber eyes boring into mine. “Then no.”

“Okay, good to know,” I whisper, my eyes darting down to his lips. I can’t help it. He’s so close and his smoked cardamom scent smells so good. I just want to comfort him in the only way I know how.

He settles back onto the pillows before I have a chance to lean in and close the distance between us.

“My mom was an alcoholic for most of my childhood. Then she got addicted to pills. She overdosed when I was twelve. My dads wanted nothing to do with me and renounced their parenting rights. I bounced around in foster care until after the riots, fifteen years ago.”

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry, that—that sucks.” My hand fists into his dress shirt as I imagine a small Theo, all alone. At least I’ve always had my parents, who I know love me with all their hearts. And I’ve never felt alone with my three siblings in the house.

“No need for you to apologize. Everything worked out in the end,” he says, a surprisingly genuine smile on his lips. “After the riots, a generous family who wanted to do good after everything went to shit adopted me.”

“So your brother, he’s adopted?”

“Yeah, technically he’s my adopted brother, but to me, he’s like an actual brother.”

“Of course, yeah, that makes sense.”

“I followed in my dad’s footsteps. My adopted dad, but I consider him to be my dad. I got my law degree and took over his law firm. So overall, I’d say things worked out for the better.”

“That’s—that’s a really good way of looking at things,” I say, softly. “I’m glad you’re in a good place now.”

“Yeah, me too.”

The vulnerability he shows me puts stupid ideas in my head.

Ideas like if we’d met in a different universe, a universe where I didn’t have to sell myself to feed my family, where he wasn’t from the Northside and I wasn’t from the Southside, where we’d just met normally, then maybe there could be something real between us.

He’s the kind of alpha I grew up dreaming about when I was a little girl: the kind of strong, confident, smart alpha who doesn’t need to dominate those weaker than him to know his worth.

I’ll get to see him again tomorrow. But tonight is the big fight night. Which means I also get to see Obsidian. We haven’t had a chance to talk all that much, considering he seems to only fight here on Fridays and Saturdays when I’m off working at Dom’s club.

Well, to be fair, we’ve talked more than I’ve talked to any other alpha other than Theo.

I find myself looking forward to our flirtatious banter in the locker rooms before his fights just as much as I do my nights with Theo.

It’s strange, finding two alphas at the same time who seem to respect and see the person I actually am behind just being a ring girl or a prostitute.

Part of my brain keeps on whispering about how I shouldn’t let my guard down and that things will fall apart soon, like they normally do, but I’ve been shoving that voice down.

My attraction to Obsidian and Theo helps with that.

I knock on Obsidian’s locker room door.

“Come in,” he calls.

“Hey,” I say, a genuine smile on my lips as I walk into the room, my normal, practically nonexistent uniform on.

“Hey to you too, Wildflower,” he nods, his eyes drifting down my body.

“Wildflower?” I say, raising a brow expectantly at him.

“I mean, it’s not like Raine is your real name. I think Wildflower is more fitting.”

“Really? How?” I huff, crossing my arms over my chest.

“You’ve got this wild energy to you. Plus, you’re stunning.”

I roll my eyes a little before giving him a little spin, gesturing down at my body playfully.

“You know it. Here I am, blessing you before your fight.”

“I quite like this pre-fight ritual we’ve got going on,” he chuckles, tapping the bench beside him and gesturing for me to sit beside him.

“Me too,” I say, plopping myself down. “So, how have you been?”

His expression instantly sobers. It’s enough to have me sitting straight.

“Is something wrong?”

“No, nothing’s wrong,” he shakes his head. “I’ve just been… learning certain things. I know we normally keep things pretty light-hearted, but could I ask you some questions?”

“I mean, sure,” I say, leaning forward and looking up at him. “Can’t guarantee you’ll like the answers, though. Like if you asked for that cut of the prize money I got that first week, I’d say no.”

“I don’t need the prize money from you,” he chuckles, leaning back against the lockers, drawing my eyes down to the abs he has on full display. “If I needed money, I’d just win more fights and make more.”

Is it cockiness if he’s right? Whatever it is, whether it’s cockiness or confidence, it’s hot as hell.

“Okay, then what’s up?”

“Do you know about the Sorel family?”

I freeze, my gaze instantly sharpening.

“Why’re you asking?”

He shrugs, nonchalantly. Too nonchalantly. He’s hiding something.

“I just know they’re who Razor got some of his new drugs from. The alpha enhancement drugs? I heard those things are powerful enough to even work on betas.”

I tilt my head, trying to figure out what in the world he’s hiding before nodding slowly.

“Yeah, those things have crazy long-term drawbacks, from what I hear. The Sorel family’s drugs tend to do that.”

“Do they?”

“Yeah,” I huff, leaning back against the lockers myself.

“You seem like you don’t like them. Why?”

I narrow my eyes on him, running my tongue along the inside of my mouth.

“The only reason why I’m answering your question is ‘cause I don’t think you should get involved with them.

They’re bad news, and they always have interest on any favors or loans you ask them for.

” I turn my gaze back down onto the floor.

“But I personally don’t like ‘em ‘cause I don’t wanna disappear. They have a reputation for taking girls who have no other choice but to turn to a family like that and poof.”

I wave my hand in the air, emphasizing my words.

Obsidian sits straight and leans in towards me.

“Are you at risk for something like that? Getting involved with someone like that?”

“No,” I shake my head. “I keep my head down. I don’t have the kind of debt the girls they take have. Or the kind of family that would sell me off like that. I just have a lot of people to take care of.”

I glance at the clock on the wall and see it’s almost time for Obsidian to go on for his fight. I stand from my seat.

“You should worry about yourself. Those kinds of drugs are a slippery slope. I’ve seen guys that use them go feral a lot sooner than they would have without it.”

“Got it,” Obsidian nods, his expression grim.

“Hey,” I say, waving a hand in front of his face. “Get that look off your face, you’ve got a fight to win.”

He closes his eyes briefly before opening them and flashing me his familiar smirk.

“Yes, ma’am.”