Page 3 of The Brooding Alpha’s Mate (Omegas of the Shifter Mafia #9)

Colson

I put a plate of pancakes that were made with no love on the table in front of Dean and his lion buddies. No matter how early into the morning they stayed up committing crimes and delving in evil, they were always up for breakfast.

No rest for the wicked or their slaves.

I hadn’t slept in for years. Years. No? No, I had only been here a few months.

The days and nights meshed together into one hazy nightmare.

“After you wash up that mess, you need to get cleaned up yourself.”

Fuck. I hated to ask questions, but it was seven o’clock in the damned morning. Were they really having a poker game this early? It was a Sunday. Not that I was religious, but in my experience, even those who had addictions respected the day.

I would regret the words I was about to say. “Why?”

“You don’t fucking get to ask why about anything, you filthy slave. You do as your told and keep that pretty mouth shut unless I tell you to open it wide, you hear me?”

Eeew. “Like for poker?” I asked. Dangerous to ask two questions in one day, but here I was. It came out of my mouth without permission.

“Yes. Dressed up for the alphas. Now go before you meet them with a fat, bleeding lip.”

I scrambled to the kitchen without another word. I ignored the part where I was dressing up for alphas. I probably shouldn’t have. Dressing up for alphas sounded nefarious at the very least, but the only other time I dressed up was poker and to go to town.

If there was the slightest chance I could get away from these people to escape, I would. It would only take a second. One second would change the course of my life, and I needed a sharp turn as soon as possible.

With clean dishes in the sink, I ducked into my tiny bedroom and changed into a nice pair of jeans, nice by cheap standards, and a clean polo shirt. Not at all my style, but it was what I had. I brushed my teeth and tried to tame my hair, which was way too long for my liking.

When I emerged, they were opening the door and waving me out in seconds.

Along the ride, Dean turned around while the other lion shifter drove. I never had found out his name and he rarely made eye contact. Didn’t slap my ass either.

He got some points, but when they were all negative infinity in my book, a few points didn’t count for shit.

“Just because we’re going to town and you’ve got good clothes on, let’s not get any ideas. You’re not around to think, you hear me?”

“Yes.” I knew a nod of the head wouldn’t suffice.

“And don’t even think of getting away or escaping. I see you move one hair in the wrong direction and you’ll be a dead wolf.”

“I understand.”

Fuck him. I hadn’t been to town in a few months and already, I was planning all the ways I could escape, from memory.

The thought of throwing myself from their truck, shifting and taking my chances in the woods had crossed my mind, but I was sure these lions were faster than me, especially given my weakened state and their overfed one.

It would take a miracle for me to get out of this.

Once in town, I watched as we passed right through it instead of stopping by. We kept driving until we got to a large cabin-like house set apart from the road, at least a mile back.

No one would hear you if you screamed here.

Running, even on wolf paws would only get you lost and hunted.

Fuck. There went my hopes of escape.

“Get out and don’t embarrass yourself.”

I got out and followed the alpha felines into the house. Inside, there was activity of all sorts. Gambling, sure. Drinking, always. But there was more. In the corner, huddled together like a shivering group of prey, was a group of omegas. Wide-eyed. Arms wrapped around themselves.

“Go over there with your kind and wait for instructions. Someone will tell you what to do.”

“The fuck?”

“Why are we here?” I asked once I joined the other omegas.

“We don’t know,” one of them said, covering their mouth, feigning a yawn.

The night waned on. The alphas, of all varieties of animal and designations ate, drank, acted rowdy, and laughed, all the while eyeing the bunch of omegas in the corner who didn’t know what would happen next.

A sick feeling settled in my stomach as I watched Dean and the others from the pride I’d been sold into, throw their cards on the table. Dean slammed his hand down and turned to look at me.

“Well, you won again.” They were really lousy gamblers. “I’m good for the money. I’ll bring it tomorrow.” Knowing Dean, he absolutely would not.

“Not good enough,” another shifter said. Pinstripe suit. Expensive cigar. Yeah, Dean had made a bet with the big man. Stupid lion. “I need some collateral.”

Fuck. That didn’t sound good.

“Take the omega. He’s new. No blemishes. Not used up either as far as I can smell. I’ll have to bring him back though. I can let one of my men stay here until then.”

“Why? Leave him here tonight. I can think of more than a few things to do with him.”

Terror streaked like ice water through my veins. I stepped back on instinct, but there was nowhere to go other than farther into the corner.

“Nah. I can’t do that. I’ve got something for him to finish tomorrow. Take one of my men and I’ll be back with the omega and the money. You can trust me.”

The big man laughed. “No one can trust a lion but that’s fine. Leave one of your men. If you’re not back by tomorrow at dusk, he’s dead, then I’m coming to your pride and taking it over. High stakes. High prices.”

“Fine.” Dean slid his chair back and stalked over to me, grabbing my bicep not gently at all. “Let’s go.”

On the way back, I was alone with Dean. He stopped in the town, this time at a gas station. It was late so there were no customers and only one cashier. “Go get me some beef jerky.”

I sucked in a breath. This was it. This was my chance.

“Go on, omega.”

I walked to the next aisle, pretending to look for the jerky even though my wolf nose knew exactly where it was.

The mirrors high on the walls told me where Dean was.

He was drunk and only halfway paying attention to me.

The door opened and the bell jingled, and in with the sound came a scent that nearly knocked me over.

Alpha.

Mate.

Mine.

I stumbled a bit down the aisle, getting the stink eye from Dean. I had to stop my legs from running right there in that moment to find the owner of that scent. The alpha who I belonged to.

“Get the damned jerky and stop fucking around!” Dean shouted, making me jump about a mile high. I gripped one of the displays, torn between running and not getting killed before I met my mate.

Certainly if I ran and caught him, my alpha, he would protect me against Dean.

But then again, Dean was a nasty male, and I knew he had a gun stashed under his semi-designer coat.

I was screwed.

So damned screwed. I walked slowly to the next aisle and got to the beef jerky and other meats. I could see Dean in my peripheral, considering the beer in the case. The front door was so close. So damned close. There was a chance I could make it.

Then again, there was a chance Dean would catch me.

He would kill me, bet or not.

Sale or not.

He would kill me and then I’d never meet the alpha who smelled like amber and oak and everything I’d ever wanted a den to be.