Page 28 of Enticing Little Omega (Twisted Little Tales #5)

Christa

I woke up wrapped in them.

Drew’s arm slung across my stomach, his leg tangled with mine.

William curled at my back, warm breath at my neck.

Annerly’s hand tucked beneath my ribs, thumb brushing lazy circles over my skin.

And Anton, all his solid and steady muscles at my feet, one hand resting against my ankle like he couldn’t bear not to touch.

But it wasn’t just their bodies that held me. It was the bond.

Soft and warm, it hummed in my chest. I could feel them—really feel them. Their peace. Their love. The steady thrum of knowing I belonged. After everything, I was theirs. And they were mine.

It was overwhelming and quiet and perfect.

I smiled into the pillow, letting it sink in for another breath. Then another.

Eventually, my bladder won the war against my contentment.

I slipped out carefully, pressing a kiss to Drew’s jaw and skimming my fingers over Annerly’s wrist to keep from startling him.

William stirred but didn’t wake and I had to suppress the urge to not giggle when I saw Anton grab William's ankle instead.

I padded to the bathroom, cleaned up, grabbed one of Anton’s enormous T-shirts, and made my way downstairs, planning nothing more than tea, toast, and maybe the strawberry jam I’d noticed yesterday.

I didn’t expect to find her .

Tracy was at the kitchen table, legs crossed, holding a porcelain mug like it was a damn crystal glass, sitting on the kitchen stool like it was her goddamn throne.

I froze.

“Good morning, Cindy,” she said smoothly. “Sleep well?”

My heart jerked like a rabbit caught in a snare.

I forced my hands to relax. My scent to stay neutral. My voice to stay calm. “You’re not supposed to be here.”

She sipped the tea and smirked. “Neither were you, if I recall.”

I didn’t rise to it. Didn’t scream. Didn’t call for the others.

I stepped closer, pulling together all of my inner strength. “It’s too late. I’m bonded. To all of them.”

Tracy laughed. Laughed . A sharp, demented sound like glass breaking.

“Oh, sweetie,” she cooed. “That’s exactly what I wanted.”

I blinked.

“You think you’re clever,” she said, rising from her chair like a panther stretching after the kill.

“Running away, hiding out in that stupid little town. Pretending you could escape the system. But the truth, darling girl, you escaped nothing. I might not have been able to find you without my idiot sons finding you first, but the fact of the matter is I did find you.”

No. Just no.

“And to make matters even better you all played right into my hands. You’re underage and courting without your legal guardian’s permission.

No one of importance even knows you're an Omega and now... now you’ve handed me the perfect scandal.

” She leaned in, voice gleaming with satisfaction.

“Do you know what it means, Christa, that they mated with you without formal courtship? Without even declaring intent through one of the Omega Centres?”

I clenched my teeth. “It means I chose them. And they chose me.”

“It means,” she said, lips curling, “they’ve broken half a dozen federal laws and Pack Court regulations. And I have it all, right here—” she tapped her long red nail on a folder on the table. “Enough to blackmail them back under my control. Back where they belong.”

My stomach turned.

“You think they’ll risk their careers for you?

Their reputations? You think their Beta will keep his medical license?

That William will keep his company? You’re an Omega.

Emotional, soft-hearted, na?ve. The authorities will forgive you.

But them?” She clicked her tongue. “They’ll be ruined. Unless…”

I didn’t move. Didn’t speak.

She grinned. “Unless they do what I say.”

“You’re sick,” I whispered.

“I’m practical.” She tilted her head. “And you, dear girl, just made my job so much easier.”

She turned on her heel and strode to the door.

“I’ll give them the morning to realise what they’ve done.

Then I expect a call. Or I go public. And trust me, Cindy…

” She looked back over her shoulder, eyes gleaming with cruel amusement.

“The next time I come back, it won’t just be for tea and a chat. ”

The door clicked shut behind her.

I didn’t move. Couldn’t.

The bond hummed upstairs, full of warmth, still asleep. Unaware of the trap we’d all walked into.

I leaned against the counter. Trembling.

And I made a choice.

I wouldn’t let her win. Not this time.

The second I heard the door shut, I moved.

My hands were shaking. My breath came too fast. But I moved . I had to.

I ran to the living room, grabbed my phone from the charger, and called the only person I could think of who might know what the hell to do.

Honey picked up on the second ring, voice rough with sleep. “Christa? What’s wrong?”

“She was here,” I whispered, pacing. “Tracy. She was here , in the kitchen, drinking tea like she lives here. She's got something on us. Something that can get the men into a lot of trouble. And she's going to use it to blackmail them. It's all my fault!”

Silence.

“Honey?”

More rustling. “I’m giving you a number,” she said, voice sharper now. “I’m texting it to you. Call it now . And don’t say anything to the pack until after. Not until you’ve spoken to her.”

Her?

I didn’t ask. I just waited for the number. The second it popped up, I copied it and dialed.

The line clicked once. Then again.

Then... "Well, I have to say I didn't think I'd be hearing from you so soon. Thought you'd be shacked up with those lover boys of yours for a good long while to come before you came up for air."

My knees nearly gave out. “Marigold?”

A low, smoky chuckle. “Tigress, sweetheart. But I suppose I’ll allow it for you.”

I collapsed onto the couch, pressing a hand to my chest. “Fuck. Okay, give me a minute to process. I mean, I know you're alive. I saw you, but you disappeared again so quickly that I almost had myself convinced I had imagined it."

Marigold chuckled through the line, the laughter sounding hollow and cold somehow. "What can I do for you little runaway Omega?"

"It's Tracy. She showed up. Says she has proof that the guys broke a bunch of laws... which I guess they did by mating an unregistered Omega. She’s threatening to ruin them.”

“She thinks she's going to.” Her tone turned razor-sharp. “And she's got quite the cheek blaming the guys for breaking the law when she herself isn't squeaky clean. At all.”

“I don’t know what to do,” I said honestly, not able to process Marigold's words. “But I can’t let her hurt them.”

“I didn’t think you’d call me just to cry,” Marigold said dryly. “Good. I’ve been holding onto something for just this kind of occasion.”

I sat straighter. “What is it?”

“A little insurance. My own bit of damning evidence if you will. I’ve been doing this kind of thing for quite some time Christa. She might think she's got you trapped... but she’s just walked into the perfect trap. Mine.”

My mouth opened, but nothing came out.

“Don’t let your pack do anything rash,” she warned. “No threats or counterattacks. No press conferences. You hear me?”

“I... yeah. I hear you.”

“Good. Keep them close. Keep them quiet. And keep an eye on the news.”

“What’s going to happen?”

Marigold sighed like a tiger just waking up. Lazy, lethal, and getting ready to pounce. “Justice, darling. It’s about time someone put the evil stepmother in her place.”

The line went dead.

I stared at the phone in my hand, heart pounding.

Upstairs, the floor creaked. One of my mates was stirring.

I looked toward the staircase, then back at the phone.

Whatever Marigold was about to do, it was already in motion.

All I had to do was wait.