Page 9 of Dream Mates (Into The Parallel Omegaverse #2)

Chapter Six

Spencer

I t was a lovely spring afternoon, making me wish Grace was here to play chess with me in the backyard. I sat outside with Mrs. K’s folder and a bottle of merlot, mostly because it didn’t smell like Grace out here.

There wasn’t much, and it seemed that it was all regarding their dimensional mapping project. The idea that my father and Dr. K hadn’t been taken simply for a discovery was comforting. That meant if Grace stumbled on something accidentally then perhaps she’d still return to us.

A sigh escaped my lips as I continued to go through the documents. How long had they smuggled omegas? Months? Years?

Mostly male omegas, Mrs. K had said. Huh. The male omega population had grown in the past couple of decades. There’d been some miracle births by male omegas as well. Perhaps they had come from worlds where male omegas were capable of having children. Fascinating.

It was probably better that I didn’t know too much. The last thing I’d want is for any of those omegas brought here to be in danger.

If they were still even here.

Would the Temporal Police take them back to a world where their return could mean their death? They were sticklers for the rules, but were they that harsh?

It wouldn’t surprise me if they were.

I swirled the wine in my glass and shook my head. Omegas being illegal. I couldn’t imagine a world like that.

The few illegal designations on this world were supposed to prevent public violence, genocide, and other horrible acts.

At the same time, was the death of them all– even ones with no personal or familial history of violence, the answer?

The most well-known illegal designations were sigmas and omicrons–both offshoots of alphas.

Sigmas often passed as alphas, but were actually ultra-dominant, arrogant, violent loners who liked to exist outside the hieratical structure.

Something that many governments saw as a threat.

Especially since they had hair-trigger tempers and were prone to extreme acts of violence to make their points.

Many terrorists, anarchists, bombers, mass shooters, and dangerous sociopaths had been sigmas.

Same with omicrons, though instead of keeping to themselves, they were ultra-charismatic.

They didn’t exist outside the structure, they believed they transcended it.

They gathered followers and tended to be fanatics or zealots, believing they were making the world a better place with their often violent extremism–versus sigmas who did it to punish or retaliate.

Over the course of history many narcissist rulers, colonizing sovereigns, evangelical cult leaders, and perpetrators of genocide had been omicrons.

The illegal designations were also incredibly uncommon, even before they were illegal. Also, there were still very bad people in this world with perfectly legal designations.

My mate Elaris didn’t think executing them was the answer. That was a project she hoped our pharmaceutical company could accomplish. After her death, no one wanted to take over the project because of how politically volatile it was, given people who spoke of it often ended up dead.

But I wasn’t talented enough to continue it without her.

With a sigh, I continued to look through the old papers.

Once again, I glanced at my phone. No location for Grace. Just a photo of Riley and her sisters at a theme park and a lone text from Jett.

Jett

This might take a while. If you come, please bring food.

Perhaps I’d go up to the cabin in a day or two to clear my head and cook for them, even though I’d promised Riley that I’d stay. After all, they were my pack, and even if I wasn’t mated or married to any of them, I cared for them all.

When I was younger, I’d never thought much about having a pack.

I didn’t grow up in a pack, though many of my relatives had them.

Elaris and I were content for it to just be us, unless fate brought us someone.

After she passed, I was just trying to heal and survive.

My alpha instincts to care and protect were satiated by taking care of my mother, like I had since my father had died, as well as Evan and his family.

Joining Evan and his pack had never been a thought, until it was. There was no magic. I didn’t look at them and go, Yes, this is my pack . But it was comfortable and safe. The pestering about moving on after Elaris stopped. I was more on the outside of the pack, but content to be there.

Then Grace came. Intriguing me. Growing on me. She made me realize that being safe was complacency.

Grace. How scared she must be. I ached at the thought of her being alone and afraid.

My shoulders slumped as I shut the folder and finished off my wine. I couldn’t concentrate.

It wasn’t dinner time yet, but perhaps making something complicated would help calm me. I took the folder and the empty glass and bottle to the kitchen. As I contemplated what to cook, someone knocked on the door.

Odd. I wasn’t expecting a delivery or guests.

It could be one of the sisters coming to check on the house. I couldn’t remember if Lexi and Katie had been told that I stayed behind.

No. Not the sisters. They had access, they’d just walk in.

I opened the front door and there stood that man, the one who’d taken Grace, dressed in that same suit, once again smelling of neutrons.

He held an unconscious Grace in his arms. In broad daylight.

The world stopped.

“You brought her back.” The words barely escaped my lips as I stared into the face of the man who’d destroyed our world four days ago.

“Apologies for any worry. I couldn’t promise her return.” He thrust her limp body into my arms.

“She’s innocent.” I’d never seen the dress she was wearing. Her face was tearstained, and she reeked of fear and chemicals.

Oh, my sweet darling. What happened to you?

“She was never on trial.” His expression was impassive, unyielding.

Oh?

“Then why did you rip her from us? What did you do to her?” All my anguish, anger, and fear came out at the agent as I clutched her small body to my chest. Did they drug her? Was it the effects of being away from her mates?

“She should wake in a few hours this time. This is hers.” He dropped an unfamiliar backpack at my feet. His eyes swept the area, then he turned to leave.

“Will you come for her again?” I needed to prepare my heart.

“By the stars, I hope not.” The man walked to his strange car.

Using my foot, I scooted her backpack into the house and closed the door.

“Grace.” The growl was primal, possessive, as I buried my face in her hair, then made a face. So many strange smells.

She was here. Home. Not dead. They’d brought her back to us.

My good doctor looked so fragile and helpless, her skin clammy, breathing a bit shallow. Part of me wanted to take her to the hospital. But what would I say?

No, I’d care for her here and if she didn’t wake up by morning, or became distressed, I’d take it from there.

I carried her upstairs to her room, hoping that she’d forgive the intrusion into her most private space. Flipping on the lamp, I took her to her window seat, since it was perfect for helping her to feel safe.

Yes, that’s what she needed right now.

Wrapping her in her favorite fuzzy blanket, which smelled of her and Evan, I hauled us into the sea of pillows and blankets. Bringing down the net curtain that separated the seat from the room, I threw another blanket over us.

“I’m right here, Darling. You’re home, safe, and here in my arms,” I murmured, peppering her face with the lightest of kisses. I felt a hardness between her breasts.

What?

“Pardon me.” I put my hand down her dress, my hand curling around the rectangular object in her bra. “That is a strange place to keep your phone.”

It was also dead. I texted the group chat.

Me

Grace was just dropped off at the house. She’s unconscious and in my arms.

Immediately, I got a text from Riley with a screenshot of me holding Grace in the doorway, probably from the door camera.

Riley

Grace!!! I knew it. Did they take her phone? No location.

Me

It’s dead.

Riley

She okay?

Me

She’s unconscious. I’m not sure what happened other than she’s back.

I didn’t see visible injuries, though the brace on her wrist and walking cast on her foot were different.

Riley

Aren’t you glad you stayed at the house?

Me

I am.

What would have happened had I not answered?

Running my fingers through her hair, down her face and arms, I let Grace know that she was here with me.

I replayed the strange encounter with the agent over and over in my mind. If she hadn’t been guilty or suspected of anything, then why did they take her?

The idea of the Temporal Police bringing her back was bizarre. But, then so was her appearance on the exact park bench that was special to her and Wes, when she couldn’t even remember her name.

What did I know about the Temporal Police anyway?

I sat there, curled in her little window seat, talking to her softly, occasionally checking my phone to see if anyone responded.

Perhaps it was better that they didn’t reply. Wes and Evan would want me to take her to the cabin right now. While she’d want them, she had much more immediate needs. I’d care for her, then see if she was up to the drive tomorrow.

Holding her so that her head was on my chest, I dozed off. Whimpering woke me, as she thrashed in her sleep.

“Grace, it’s all right, you’re home and safe,” I whispered.

She continued to toss and turn. Panic rose inside me. I laid her so she was no longer on top of me, but in a nest of pillows and blankets. Gently, I covered her with my body, trying to position myself so she was pinned, but not squashed.

“That’s it, Baby Girl,” I purred, as her body relaxed from both my weight and scent. “Relax. You are safe and I’ll take such good care of you.” The tossing stopped. “Good girl. Just relax for me, oh yes, that’s it. So good. So perfect.”