Page 34 of In Deep

My stomach sloshes and acid rises up into my throat. I swallow it down and try to modulate my voice. “It happens,” I tell her. “Omegas are rare these days. And you hear of alphas forming packs with one omega.”

“Lucky omega,” Sophia mutters.

A pack omega. A girl who belonged to the pack. Who was she?

And why do I care? Why does the nausea churn in my stomach just imagining her?

Am I jealous? Why? That’s not what I want.

Then I think of the fire in Duncan’s eyes, the intensity of his scent, the danger in his voice. And I shiver.

Chapter 12

Zane calls me later that day, wanting me back at his house that evening. But I make excuses. I’m confused and I can’t get a handle on my feelings. This mixture of shame and desire, jealousy and fear, spinning inside me and making me sick.

But he’s there outside my dormitory door that evening.

“How long have you been waiting there?” I ask as I unlock the door.

“An hour,” he replies. “You know, you could just give me a key to your room.”

“And have you snooping through my stuff while I’m not here, no thanks.”

“Now I’m intrigued,” he says, swinging his gaze around my room as he steps inside. There isn’t a lot here, just a few pictures of me and my sisters. “What do you have hidden away?”

“Only a dead body or two and some voodoo dolls of my enemies.”

I drop on the edge of the bed and he comes to sit next to me. For once, we’re quiet.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” he asks, taking my hands in his.

“What do you mean?”

“Not wanting to come to my house tonight.” His body seems tense next to mine and he pauses as if he’s searching for words. “Is it because of last night? What happened with Duncan?”

My body responds in a confused manner. My face flushes with embarrassment, but my gland buzzes with arousal. Last night was hot and erotic. I never knew being watched like that could turn me on so much. And yet, what does that say about me?

“I didn’t mean to push you. I got carried away …” Zane continues.

“You didn’t push me. I wanted it.” I chew my lip, my stomach churns. “I’m confused.”

He guides my chin around so that I’m looking into his eyes. “What’s confusing, sugar?”

“How I’m feeling.”

“You wanted to do it?”

“Yes.”

“But now you regret it? You didn’t enjoy it?” His body’s still tense, his eyes locked on mine. He’s trying so hard to understand me.

“I did enjoy it,” I whisper, finding it hard to admit the words out loud.

“There’s nothing to be ashamed about, you know that, don’t you?”

I laugh bitterly. “I wish I could believe that. But when you grow up being told exactly how a good omega ought to behave, it’s hard to banish those ideas from your head. What we did last night was–”

“You are a good little omega, Rosie,” he says, his voice deepening. “A very good omega. Do you know how proud I was to show you off like that? To have him watch you come on my tongue? It was one of the fucking greatest experiences of my life.” I shiver hard and he pulls me into his lap. “So now what?” he asks. “I can keep coming to this poky room of yours, or we can go back to my place. The decision is yours.”