Page 18 of Claiming the Pack’s Omega (Riverwell Omegaverse #2)

Reyna

“ I ’ve gotta go, Daisy,” I murmur, trying to get out of bed.

She lets out a little groan in her sleep, clinging tighter to me. I just flop back into bed. I’ll give her a minute to move on her own before I peel myself out of her hold.

She’s currently clinging to me like a spider monkey. It would be adorable, except for the fact I’ve got to get ready and I’m running out of time.

The blinds are drawn, so the room is still pretty dark, even though the sun rose a few hours ago. I’m used to sleeping through the day, so the light wasn’t what woke me up.

It was remembering that, now that the sun is up, my time with my family has ended.

Most twenty-four years olds would’ve probably already tried moving out by now.

Not me.

Not until now.

I swallow hard, scrubbing a hand over my face and trying to get rid of the lingering exhaustion that seems to have sunk deep into my bones.

Now I’m moving in with a whole pack of Northside alphas.

Daisy sighs in her sleep before rolling over and clinging to Savannah’s back.

I blow out a quick sigh of relief before grabbing my phone and bag before slipping out of the room.

10:07AM.

Hopefully I have enough time to shower and get ready before the Graylock pack comes and picks me up. Like hell am I going to face a pack full of Northside alphas without my armor on.

And by armor I mean makeup.

I’ve never met with alphas without it.

Like hell am I starting today. I don’t know if I have the strength to do so. The events of last night are still freaking me the fuck out, when I think about it too hard.

There’s a text message on my phone waiting for me.

Killian

Good morning, Reyna. Don’t forget to bring your things with you when we come to pick you up.

See you soon.

I toss my phone onto the countertop without responding before glancing at myself in the mirror.

What I see is off-putting.

There are dark bags under my eyes, even though I’ve gotten a decent bit of sleep. More sleep than usual, considering I’m used to getting home ridiculously late before getting all the kids to school. The majority of my sleep comes from naps I manage to squeeze in during the day.

Looks like I’ll have to use extra concealer today.

That’s not the part that bothers me, though.

Bare-faced like this? I look young. Vulnerable. Weak.

I’m an omega in an alpha-dominated world. My whole job was serving sleazy beta and alpha men who only saw me as a sex object.

But I was good at my job. I kept myself alive.

The last thing I was when I was on the clock was vulnerable and weak.

Now a big pack of Northside alphas swoops in and this is how I look?

Is this what they see?

Someone so pathetic?

Fuck that.

I push myself away from the bathroom sink and turn the shower on to its highest setting. The mirror quickly fogs up from the heat.

Good.

Now I don’t have to look at myself anymore.

I chuckle under my breath as I breathe in the steam. I’m glad my parents have such a nice house to stay in. The water back at our old place took a good seven minutes before it got warm.

Savannah timed it for us when she was bored a couple summers ago.

I leave my pajamas in a pile on the countertop before hopping in the shower. The water is practically scalding, making me wince, but I force myself to stay under the spray.

I let the water burn its way through me. Maybe if I spend enough time under here, all of my issues will melt away.

I’m no stranger to burning hot showers.

They’re a frequent occurrence after rough nights at my jobs. Fitting, that I’d need one now, considering there are four alphas I’ve got to deal with.

Once I’m done with my shower, I spend a bit of time putting on some makeup. It’s more toned down than my normal stage or ring-girl makeup, but it’s enough for me to feel like I have my armor on again.

When the mirror clears up and I look at myself in the mirror, the sight of my face doesn’t make me feel uncomfortable anymore.

By the time I’m dressed in a pair of leggings and a threadbare hoodie, it’s already 10:55AM.

The house is still quiet as I step out of the bathroom.

I peek into Daisy’s new room and see her, Eli, and Sav all still passed out.

“Goodbye, guys,” I whisper, not daring to step a foot back in that room.

I’m afraid if I go in there, I’m never going to want to leave.

I don’t turn back as I sling my duffel bag over my shoulder and head out the front door.

My breath billows out in front of my mouth in a cloud. It’s chilly this morning.

At least I’m not sleeping in that garage anymore. If anything, I was a bit warm, sleeping surrounded by all of my siblings last night.

My phone buzzes.

Killian

We’re here

Reyna

no you’re not

i’m waiting outside right now and I don’t see you anywhere

Silly

His one-word response pisses me off. I don’t know why, but it does. Something about him simultaneously scares the shit out of me and pisses me off.

A shiny Chevy Suburban with blacked-out windows pulls up into the cul-de-sac of the house, followed by a four-door sedan.

I expected a car like the Chevy Suburban for the pack.

I have no clue who the woman who steps out of the sedan is.

“Good morning,” a relatively tall beta woman with a slicked-back bun says as she steps out of her car.

Theo steps out of the passenger side door, his smoked cardamom scent swirling around me as he steps closer.

“Good morning, Reyna! Did you sleep well?”

I narrow my eyes at him. Why the hell does he seem so chipper? Does he expect me to get over the betrayal of learning where he’s from in less than 12 hours? I think not.

“Fine,” I grunt. I nod towards the woman, who’s walking towards us. “Who is she?”

“Hi, my name is Jess. I’m an officer at the Northside Police Department,” she says, extending her hand out for me to shake.

I take it, eyeing her up. She looks sweet enough.

“She’s here to help your family adjust to things. You wanted something like witness protection for your family, right?” Theo asks, his tone softening, as if he can see how spooked I am.

I can’t help it when part of me relaxes at his tone of voice.

Stop it.

Stupid brain. Don’t let that stupid-hot, stupid-nice, stupid-considerate alpha fool you.

When will he stop being stupid-hot, stupid-nice, or stupid-considerate and just be hot, nice and considerate?

It’s these ridiculous alpha pheromones in the air. They’re messing with my brain.

Jess takes a breath, tugging her bottom lip between her teeth before she steps forward and wraps her arms around me.

I stiffen in her hold.

“Wha—”

“Thank you so much,” she breathes out, taking a shaky breath in. “For saving Officer Stone. We’ve worked together for years, and he’s a really good guy.”

I have to bite back a snarl of jealousy that rears its head so suddenly, even I’m surprised.

Instead, I take her words for what they are: a show of gratitude for me saving her friend.

I’m pretty good at telling what people are feeling, my jobs require it—well, I guess technically they’re my old jobs now—and the only thing I can sense is platonic feelings between this woman and Obsidian.

I sigh before lifting my arms to hug her back.

“You’re welcome,” I say, a bit awkwardly.

After another second, she pulls back with a smile.

I hear the front door slam behind me and turn to find my Dad, his hair still mussed from sleep, coming out of the house in a white T-shirt and a pair of basketball shorts.

“Everything okay, Rey-Rey?” He asks, coming up to stand behind me.

“Good morning, Mr. Carver,” Killian says as he steps out of the car, slamming the car door behind him.

What is it with alphas and slamming doors this morning?

Milo is the last to exit the car, but he just awkwardly stands next to the back passenger door he stepped out of, his hands clasped nervously in front of him.

For some reason, that eases my nerves a bit and I edge closer to him.

Theo doesn’t miss it and there’s a flash of disappointment as I move away from him, but he quickly masks it.

“Ah, so you’re Mr. Carver,” Jess says, stepping up to my dad and extending her hand out for him to shake. “My name is Jess. I’m an officer for the Northside Police Department. I’ll be your liaison throughout the case, so it’s my job to get you and your family settled.”

“Nice to meet you, Jess. Call me Rick,” my dad says, giving her hand a firm shake before crossing his arms over his chest. He returns his attention to the Graylock pack, his gaze assessing. “And you lot are here to take my daughter from us?”

Jess freezes as my dad’s dominance starts to swirl in the crisp morning air, making it smell like a thunderstorm is approaching.

“Yes,” Killian nods. “There are more appealing ways to word that, but I believe you’re a man who respects honesty.”

See? Irritating.

The man could lie to my dad and say “nooo, this is just for a little bit while we figure things out for her.” Why the hell is he saying “yes” like that? That’s just going to piss my dad off?—

“Fine,” my dad sighs, his shoulders curling in on themselves in a way I’ve never seen as he tucks his hands into his pockets.

He almost looks defeated.

My dad.

Defeated.

That sentence literally doesn’t compute in my brain. Well, it wouldn’t compute if my Dad weren’t standing in front of me as living proof of that statement.

“I don’t know all the details about this case, or whatever, but I do know that you guys have promised to keep my daughter safe, correct?”

“Yes. We promise,” Killian says, in his matter-of-fact way.

My dad just sighs. “Okay.”

I drop my duffel bag onto the sidewalk and launch myself at my dad, jumping up and throwing my arms around his shoulders.

As he curls his arms around me in a hug, lifting my toes off the ground, I feel like a little girl again, safe in the arms of her dad.

But when he sets me down again, it’s like my world is crumbling and crashing apart.

Because my dad isn’t the one who can keep me safe anymore.

The alphas in this Northside pack are really the only people that are well equipped enough to handle a situation as crazy as this.