Page 43 of Your Wild Omega (The Feral Actress #2)

“Hey, that makes two of us,” Callisto says, flashing me a wry smile. He moves his hand to his hair but then jerks it away so he doesn’t spoil his neat styling. “Guess that makes us normal humans, right?”

I snort, and he relaxes. Fuck, Callisto must be the most nervous person here, considering everything rides on him presenting the evidence to the jury, but instead of stressing, he’s trying to help us relax. Can’t help wondering if any part of this calm persona is an act for him.

I wipe my cheeks to check my mascara, even though they’re dry. “You look good up there, Callisto,” I offer shyly. “Like this is your playground.”

He laughs. “You know, that is kinda how it feels.” He jerks a thumb over his shoulder. “I’d better get back in so I can claim the swings and deal with the bullies. Make sure you’re back by quarter to twelve, Ricky.”

Zack swivels, watching him go. He always monitors Callisto, but I haven’t heard him growl at the other alpha today.

I’d say he’s dismissed him as a nobody if it weren’t for the cool, alert feeling in my chest that’s not mine.

The unease is different to Zack’s usual wariness.

No, this feels more like a brewing storm, waiting for something.

Does Zack expect Callisto to meet his challenge one day?

Surely not. I must be mistaken. How could I, an omega, fathom the instincts alphas possess? I can’t even understand my omega ones most of the time.

What I’m sensing must be an alertness born from years of Zack fighting for his life. I shake my head, chasing the pointless thoughts away.

Rickon stares in the direction his friend left, eyes vacant.

“Do you mind him calling you Ricky?” I muse.

Rickon jerks out of his stupor and shades his face.

“Hmm? Who, Calli? No, not at all. Weird, huh?” He smiles wistfully.

“Rick is one syllable, and it sounds so sharp. My dad, well, he called me Rick, and it was never a good thing. But in the Wren family, everyone got nicknames. Lexi is British, you know, so the ‘ee’ sound just tags onto everything. She called me Ricky and him Calli, and it just stuck.” He shrugs like it means nothing, but he can’t hide the warmth in his voice.

“How about songbirdy?”

Rickon laughs and crowds Zack’s back, leaning over the bigger alpha’s shoulders to cup my cheeks. “It works. Barely.”

I squirm, and Zack sets me on my feet so I can cuddle my first alpha. “You were so brave in there,” I tell him. “Braver than I could ever be.”

Rickon’s grip tightens around me. “Don’t compare us, Biscuit. You walking in there at all is bravery personified.” Our mouths meet, drawn together by our mutual admiration. Rickon has naturally plush lips and I love the feel of them pressing on mine, soaking away some of the tension in my body.

“Gotta go,” he whispers against my mouth before drawing back. “You want to wait down the street at the cafe where we met?”

I hesitate. “I want to support you.”

His face softens, and he strokes a strand of my red hair off my cheek. “Biscuit, you being in my life gives me all the strength I need. Promise.” He lifts my chin until our eyes meet and nods. Sincerity shines through his lovely pale green orbs.

Slowly, I nod. He’s right. It’s a miracle I’m walking around on my own two feet after what Red Hawk’s been through. “Okay.” I turn to walk away, but he tugs my hand and spins me back into his arms.

“Try not to fuck your alpha in public this time, yeah?” Humor shines in his loving gaze. “If you both behave, I’ll reward you later.” He swings his head up. “Later, Zack. Remember that.”

A laugh bubbles up inside me, sweet and bright. “Not promising anything.” I stick my tongue out in mutiny.

We part ways reluctantly, Zack, me, and Agent Josef heading down the street and Rickon returning to his trial. The warm spring air thaws some of the ice in my soul, but not all of it. The shadows on the ground under my feet feel thicker, like they might swallow me up at any moment.

This is why I can’t be in a courtroom with the man who raped me. But what if I ran into him around a corner, at the cafe, or in a grocery store and saw him living his best life, carefree? That would be much worse.

Although I teased Rickon about it, I’m able to keep my hands off Zack in the cafe, more or less. We end up taking a walk after, but it’s only a few hours before I get the call that the trial is over.

My hands tighten around the phone. “And?” I ask cautiously.

Rickon heaves a sigh down the line. “We won. The jury gave the maximum sentence for domestic violence and coercive control.” He chuckles under his breath, and I can imagine the relief flowing off his thin shoulders. “Get back here so I can hold you.”

Damn, who could resist an order like that? We hurry back to the courthouse, moving against the flow of traffic as the building empties. Public servants and lawyers push past us.

A man bumps my shoulder, spinning me on my feet.

Zack growls a warning, but the two men don’t hear him.

“That fucker!” the guy hisses, loosening his striped tie.

“Ninety-five-case win streak. I’m not going up against that Wren brat until someone’s knocked him off his peg.

Just feels like bad juju at this point.”

His associate frowns. “Yeah, I hear you. It’s brutal; the legal version of the Midas touch. He’ll be a partner before the end of the year, for sure.”

The angry lawyer replies with a scoff. “And there just had to be press all over this one.”

I glare at their backs as they walk away. It’s not luck. Callisto is good at what he does.

“Ms Jones?” Agent Josef calls my attention. “We might want to wait here. I can see a crowd on the steps.”

I steady myself on Zack’s arm and jump up onto the stone-rimmed flower box beside the path.

Sure enough, press with their various cameras and microphones covered in news logos cluster around the courthouse.

One woman at the back turns and spots me.

Her eyes light up and she drags on her cameraman’s arm.

A moment later they’re in my face. “Ms Jones, how are you feeling about your alpha’s court case?”

“A-Ah—” I stutter, my mouth going dry. Rickon always guides me on what to say officially, and we hadn’t discussed giving a statement when we didn’t know the outcome or even if the trial would finish today.

Shit, I thought this was a private matter, so how did all these reporters end up here? Well, I guess court cases are public knowledge, and the higher I rise, the more this will happen.

Rickon and Callisto appear at the top of the courthouse steps, and my heart misses a beat. They look happy and relieved.

I draw myself up. Red Jones is no shrinking violet.

“It’s been a long day, and I just want to support my alpha,” I tell the reporter.

“We’ll release a statement once we’re ready to say more.

” I tighten my grip on Zack’s leash. “Agent Josef, will you lead the way?” I ask under my breath, pointing to the stairs.

A flash of resignation crosses the agent’s face, and he nods. “Please make space,” he calls in an alpha-ladened voice that gets the reporters skipping to the sides.

We walk through the parted waters, and I relax as Rickon spots me and waves, running down the steps two at a time to meet us. He folds me into his arms, and I smell traces of stale sweat on him from the long day. It must have been agony for him to sit opposite his ex all that time.

“Congratulations, alpha,” I murmur in his ear.

Rickon draws back a little, but the smile on his face dissolves into horror as his gaze lifts over my shoulder. I stiffen and turn. What on earth could make my sweet Rickon so frightened?

A middle-aged couple stand a few steps behind me and the woman lifts one hand. “Hello, son. It’s been a long time.”

The reporters shove their microphones forward.

Son? My blood runs cold. Rickon doesn’t have parents.

Does he?