Page 105 of Pack Choice

“She’s not some amusement park, you punk,” I spit. “We brought her here for her own safety. Until her brothers can collect her and take her home safely.”

“That’s what she wants?” River says, peering at the omega, who’s sucking on Turner’s throat, her fingers straying up and down his torso.

“She doesn’t want a bunch of lone wolves who will rip her apart,” Turner says, his voice straining. “It isn’t safe.”

“So what’s the plan then? You hand her over to her brothers who, what? Take her home to suffer alone?”

The omega peeks up from Turner’s throat. “No.” She shakes her head violently. “Not alone.”

“I’m sure there is a pack who she has an arrangement with for her heats.”

“I don’t,” the omega squeaks, tears now bubbling in her eyes.

“Shit,” Turner mutters. A crying omega in heat is probably the worst thing an alpha can encounter.

“Then I’ll happily see you through your heat, little one,” River says, shaking the golden curls from his eyes and dazzling her with a half-cocked smile. “Stand down, soldier,” he adds, strolling towards the omega and slapping his hand on my shoulder as he passes.

I grab his hand and twist it behind his back, jamming him into an arm lock and up against the nearest wall.

“What the fuck, man!” he yells. “Get your fucking paws off me.”

“You’re not taking advantage of her!”

The racing car driver grits his teeth, struggling against my hold. “I’m not taking advantage of–”

“She’s in heat, River. She’s not in a state to make a decision about anything.”

The omega huffs loudly, wiggling out of Turner’s arms, her feet hitting the polished wood of the apartment floor.

“Would you stop saying that! I’m not in heat.” All three of us alphas glance at each other. “And I am in my right mind. I can make my own decisions. I’m a grown woman if you hadn’t noticed.”

“Oh we’ve noticed,” River purrs and I twist his arm more violently.

“I can make up my own mind and you are not, I repeat, NOT, calling my brothers.” I open my mouth to argue but she cuts me off with a fierce look. “I am not suffering a heat alone.”

“So, you are in heat?” River says with a smirk.

“No, I’m …“ She glares at him. “I’m …” She rolls her eyes. “I may be going into heat. And I am not spending it alone.”

“You have a pack lined up?” Turner asks gruffly.

“No, I … I …” She swipes her wrist around the back of her brow. “I am going to be spending my heat right here.” I can practically feel the self-satisfaction rolling off River. “With the three of you.”

I drop my hand from River’s arm and stare at her in disbelief.

“It isn’t a good idea,” Turner says. “You have to understand, Omega. Lone wolves don’t share. We’d be putting you at risk and–”

“Bullshit,” River says, stalking towards the omega now I’ve released him. “I’m happy to share this little one if that’s what she wants.”

“River,” Turner warns under his breath.

The omega turns towards him. “You say you want me, Colten Turner. You say you won’t be happy until you have me. Yet, you know what, your actions speak a hell of a lot louder than your words.”

“You bet they fucking do,” he growls, his tongue darting out of his mouth and sweeping across his bottom lip.

“Exactly,” she snaps, “first you turn my offer of a hook up with you and River down, then you don’t want to take me back to your place and now, you won’t see me through my heat when I need you.”

River grins at his friend with a look of satisfaction. He obviously thinks the omega has a point.