Page 300 of The Omega Exchange: Omnibus

“Yeah, she works at my bail bondsman’s office.” He smirks like he’s itching to drive that knife in.

“I told you to go home and sleep it off,” I say, chuckling to hide the fact I’m about to rip his fucking head off. There’s something about his entire vibe that is setting off every protective instinct I’ve got.

“You can stay the fuck out of this,” he snarls. “Why the hell would you want to have my baby?”

“Because it’s a human being, you rancid piece of shit,” Nik growls, coming around the back of the SUV. His entire body vibrates with tension.

“I’m having the baby,” Mel says with a quaver in her voice. “I’m too far along to even consider anything else. I’m almost seventeen weeks, and you know how I feel about that anyway.”

“Christ,” Ben says, taking a step back. “And you’re just now telling me?”

“I didn’t find out until later than normal because the baby wasn’t conceived during a heat. I thought about telling you over the phone, but I wanted to be here in case you wanted to come to an ultrasound with us. I’m far enough along that one of the 3D ultrasound places should be able to determine gender,” Mel says, rambling it all out super fast.

“You’re an omega. You know how they are. No one is going to want to bond with me when I have a kid with some random chick,” Ben says, like he isn’t ripping her heart out.

Mel sways into my side. “It’s always about you. How did I miss that for so long?” she whispers, taking a step back.

“Random chick?” Nik growls. “I think you need to take a walk around the block and come back when you’ve cooled off.”

“Random chick,” Mel repeats. “Yeah, so fucking random. You know what’sreallyrandom, Ben? That I let you dick me around forten years. You dangled a bond and having a family just out of arm’s reach. The really ridiculous part is that I let you. I put up with it like that was all I deserved because I loved you. Or maybe all these years I was punishing myself for what I did to Luke. But guess what? Your brother is happy. And I finally am too.”

I squeeze her hip, pulling her closer into me, but my eyes fly to Nik. He’s got this low rattling growl coming from his chest.

“Oh yeah?” Ben snorts a derisive laugh. “You won’t have heats for a year and then you’ll pop out some other guy’s kid.You really think they’re going to stay faithful when you’re out of commission?”

I don’t see the punch coming until Ben hits the ground. He slides back a few feet and my eyes widen.

Nik shakes out his hand. “I told you to take a walk.”

Melody gasps, her hands flying to her mouth.

I chuckle.

“You fucking dick,” Ben snarls, pushing himself off the ground. He makes it to his feet and moves to swing at Nik, but Nik tackles him. Nik is used to being on the other side of that equation, but it is a solid takedown.

I snort. Cow-bro definitely deserves a little pain and suffering.

“Ohmigod, please stop,” Mel begs as the two alphas roll around, punching each other in the kidneys.

“That was assault,” Melody’s mom calls out from the porch. “I’m calling the police.”

And that’s how Nik ends up in cuffs in the back of a podunk police car, while Mel has a panic attack, Miller keeps packing, and Oliver quietly tries to negotiate buying off Mel’s ex.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Melody

“Iswear on the sweet baby Jesus that if you don’t stop laughing, I am going to hurt you,” I tell Carver.

“I’ve never seen a police officer stop and ask if they can take a selfie with the person they’re arresting...” He pulls me into his chest. “Nik will be out by morning.”

I glance down the dirt road where the police car disappeared a few minutes ago. Poor Nik.

My heart aches, and not because of the crap Ben said. Some part of me was always expecting that reaction.

What I wasn’t counting on was my mom to be quite so spiteful to call the police, nor did I anticipate Ben gleefully spewing his side of the story.

What an asshole.