Chapter 23
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Conference Room, Omega Hotel
Icasually sprawl in the sapphire blue velvet chair at the head of the hotel’s boardroom, staring down at the dozen suited Alphas.
And it feels fucking incredible.
It’s vindication.
Triumph.
Justice.
The sophisticated boardroom’s large windows are battered by a snowstorm. The wild white is reflected back on the glass walls.
Even if the marble floors hadn’t been scrubbed with scent blocking disinfectant by staff, this room would reek with old wealth.
Lionzio and Icarus stand at either of my shoulders behind the chair, as if I am an Omega Queen and they are my prized Alpha warriors.
Hot warriors who look like mafia accountants, especially with Icarus wearing his black rimmed glasses.
I hear that’s how it works in countries that are Omegaocracies like Scotland that has an Omega King.
Just for this incredible moment in my life, I feel like I — a rejected and abandoned Omega — am the one with the power in this room of sleek, wealthy Alphas who normally use Omegas like they’re disposable toys.
But this Omega is overturning the chessboard.
Nothing will be the same after today.
Not in the Omega Hotels.
Not in the service industry across America.
Not for the rights of Omega or Beta staff.
This morning, only an hour before the annual board meeting, I finally came out of my heat.
I rose to consciousness, finally cool, to find that Zero was washing my face with a damp cloth, while Piper was hurriedly dressing me in an elegant purple suit.
Confused, I recognized it as the suit that I’d worn years ago to official events.
Did Dad manage to save some of my clothes? My other possessions?
I thought that everything was lost. Maya told me that she’d thrown them out.
Yet Dad must have cleverly found a way to save them.
I smiled, still dazed.
I had never felt so settled — right — inside myself.
After the painful but blissful bites, the bond had burst through me in a way that I hadn’t been prepared for.
This morning, when I concentrated, I was shocked that I could sense my pack’s emotions like threads connecting me to each of them.
I never believed that Omegas could be so close to their Alphas. I thought that it was just another way like the matching balls to encourage Omegas to willingly bond.
I had seen it represented in movies, for example with Jex, my favorite Omega movie star. He would act that he’d been bonded and then rhapsodize about being able to sense the emotions of his pack.
I thought that it was just a silly romance convention like the way Alphas seemed to only kiss their Omegas in a downpour.
Why didn’t any of them use umbrellas?
To be fair, Bird and I would mainly watch the movies when Dad and Papa were asleep and then giggle over the sexy scenes.
There was also a lot of Jex’s tight ass being spanked over various surfaces. Bird would always seem particularly interested in those.
So, it was a shock to find out that Jex’s acting was actually so realistic that it should have won an Oscar.
When I awoke from the heat to being hurriedly dressed by Piper, I could sense Icarus’ possessive love for me. Yet there was also an undercurrent of fear of abandonment, which was heartbreaking.
Feeling it like that punched the breath from me.
At the same time, Lionzio’s protectiveness ran deeper than I’d guessed, as did his lingering guilt.
Happiness surged through me.
“Hey, love, are you back with us?” Zero smiled, tucking my hair behind my ear.
“Still recovering from the best night…day…Christmas of my life.” My voice was raspy, but then, my throat was sore.
How many times must I have deepthroated my pack?
Piper finished doing up the buttons on my shirt, before kissing my cheek. “I ordered a drink to help your throat. It helped mine.”
Zero looked smug. “What can I say? This Beta doesn’t need a knot to be blessed in certain departments.”
I couldn’t hold back the grin.
Most Betas are shamed for not having knots and viewed as lesser than Alphas in bed.
Zero definitely proved how fucking ridiculous that was.
Not only does he have the largest cock in the pack and the most experience, he is also creative.
Piper rushed to the nightstand and picked up a stylish mug with the OMEGA HOTEL logo on the front. “Here, Gracie.”
Piper passed the mug to me, while snatching up my suit jacket from the end of the bed and draping it over his arm.
When Piper and Zero exchanged a glance, a restless anxiety spiked through the bond.
“Thanks.” I cupped my hands around the warm mug. “Hmm, delicious.”
I sipped at the green tea, which had been sweetened with honey.
“Like you are, love.” Zero’s lips quirked.
“Have you heard about Zoe?” My chest tightened, as I swallowed the honey thickened tea. “Is she okay? Did she miss me? How was her Christmas? Did she…?”
Piper cupped my cheek in comfort. “She’s fine.
Wings called to check on her as soon as he came out of his rut.
Ms. Fields and Lashonda, along with your awesome group of friends, looked after her like she’s a princess.
I bet that she’ll have the entire pack wrapped around her little finger soon.
Huh, I reckon she does now. Have I told you yet how happy I am to be part of the Sinners?
You’re a real family, yeah? For years, I only had my brother and sister to rely on. ”
“Now you have a family of hundreds. Be prepared that it’s noisy, chaotic, and filled with love.”
“Can’t fucking wait.”
I glanced at the two men who were dressed smartly in suits. Piper’s clothes were smarter than normal but with chains hanging from his silver waistcoat.
It felt strange to be able to see his neck and for him to be revealing that he didn’t have a bond bite.
I instinctively raised my hand to touch the bond mark on one side of my neck. It sent sparking pleasure through me. I edged my hand to the other bite.
“Where are our Alphas?” I asked.
“Preparing things.” Zero swaggered to the door.
“We have less than half an hour left. Are you feeling okay, love? Ready to do battle? I may be better on a stage than…well, anywhere else…but Lionzio is brilliant at this stuff. He’s been creating files on your business (after my darling Pip hacked them, of course), barely sleeping at nights to record everything he can.
Plus, he’s been meticulous about recording the abuses since he arrived as witness statements.
We all have. Then you broke into the safe, and Pip was able to steal the final pieces of evidence to take the owners down. ”
I stared at Zero.
Zero’s suit was white in startling contrast to his black hair, which he had allowed to hang free to his waist.
He looked like an angel on the way to a board meeting.
My eyes widened, as the last of the heat muddling my mind cleared. “The annual board meeting.”
“Careful, love.” Zero snatched the mug from my hands, before I tipped it over myself in my alarm. “We’ve only just got you dressed and presentable. Best not to face these bloody bastards looking like you’ve either pissed yourself or dripped slick through your pants because of my sexy ass.”
I blushed but pushed myself off the bed. “Give me my jacket. I’m doing this. It’s time that Omegas went to war.”
Now, I sit back in the velvet chair that Maya normally occupies, surveying the board members like I own the entire hotel.
Because technically, I sort of do.
Piper and Zero are walking up and down the table passing out packets of information to each of the board members.
Piper has an additional sheaf of papers under his arms. They’re the most important of the whole meeting, however, and he’s not to reveal them until Icarus gives him the go-ahead.
When my gaze alights on them, excitement blossoms through me. I struggle to look away and not give the game away too early.
This is hard and also, the best feeling in the world.
The pheromones of the Alphas are becoming stronger and more distressed, as they begin to flick through the images of abuse, including photographs, as well as the evidence of illegal tax evasion.
I’m certain that they’re more furious about the tax evasion.
Dad is sitting in the chair next to me, smirking as widely as I am.
After everything that has happened this Christmas, I have learned a lot about both Dad and myself.
Namely, that I inherited my recklessness, ability to hide my true scheming self, and my criminality from Dad.
Also, that Dad was always the one who was working on protecting everyone, while pretending to be the loyal Second Omega with little power.
Ellington, pampered First Omega with the authority over every Omega in the hotel, never held the true power.
I shoot Dad a sideways glance.
He smiles at me.
I’m warmed that we are finally able to be together. I wish that I could edge my hand along the desk and hold his hand. But I need to look strong for just a little while longer.
We both do because we’ve made the decision to take this risk together.
The hotel will belong equally to everyone in it, but we will be the first Omegas at the helm.
Sitting Dad at my right hand, however, at a table that he has never been allowed to join (despite this being his business), feels thrilling.
Dad looks just as elated.
Although he still has shadows under his eyes, a new energy is thrumming through him.
He is dressed in an aquamarine cashmere sweater and black trousers. His platinum hair tumbles over his face.
Despite how willowy Dad is, Papa still sits on Dad’s lap.
Papa is stiff with fear.
I offered Papa his own seat next to me as well, but he hasn’t been allowed out of the penthouse in years and even being able to take this many steps into a new room against the orders of the Chief Alpha who has terrorized him, takes huge courage.
Papa’s long black curls fall around his narrow shoulders, and he appears shockingly out of place amongst the glamorous suits and jewels in only a simple, faded jumper over joggers.
Maya deliberately keeps Papa looking like he’s low status, no more than a breeder.
My lips thin.