53. Levi
53
Levi
Nora is always beautiful, but as she leans over the sink to check her makeup in the mirror, I can't help but think this may be the most beautiful she's ever looked.
It's not her hairstyle, makeup, or even the clothes she's wearing that make Nora look so stunning. It's the light that has returned to her eyes that was somehow rekindled after her conversation with Dr. Linda. One session can't solve everything, but it's clear that something was said that has had a profound effect on Nora's perspective.
She touches up her pale pink gloss and catches my look through the reflection in the mirror. Her bright blue eyes have a subtle smudge of black on the upper lids and her lashes are curled, her blonde hair pulled up in a sleek ponytail. She beams, her broad smile showing almost all of her teeth and the bond between us buzzing with her sunny joy.
"Alpha Levi," she says softly, turning to face me. "You look so handsome."
I glance down at my outfit, an extra-soft plaid flannel and brown pants, and chuckle. "You picked this outfit out," I say.
"I picked it because I knew it would be handsome." She doesn't have to lift up on her toes much to kiss me, the sticky gloss coating my lips when she pulls back. Her black denim pants and pale pink wrapped blouse are simple, understated, and very much her. A light flush dances across her cheeks.
"Are you ready?" I ask, grabbing her hand and leading her out of the nest. "I think it's almost time."
"It is," Nolan says, from where he leans in the doorway. His red polo and jeans are pressed, and even though the clothing is casual, he manages to make it look expensive and stylish. "We're waiting on you two."
Nora gives Nolan a sticky kiss on the cheek as we pass him, and I watch him wipe it off when she's no longer looking at him. The look in his eyes implores me not to tell her what he did.
We walk into the formal sitting room. I don't know if we ever use this space. It's clean, of course, because of course Nora likes to dust while dancing around to impossibly loud music, but the furniture is stiff, and the aura is stifling. The white leather couch has been pulled into the center of the room, sitting directly under an abstract painting with blue tones and streaks of gold.
Joey sits on one side of the couch, and his beard must be recently conditioned and groomed because it looks so soft I just want to drag my fingers through it. His eyes sparkle as he looks at me like he can read my mind. Nora put him in all black, as she tends to, but the shirt has a unique texture of raised dots all over it. He's rolled up the sleeves, showcasing his tattooed forearms. I sit next to him, subtly pressing my leg against his and leaving space for Nora to join.
When Nora sits down beside me, Blaine leans down and kisses her from his spot on the other end of the couch. It's a soft, quick kiss, and then he places his hand protectively on her knee. I'm glad Nora chooses to dress us because Blaine is a fan of ripped pants and chained wallets, but today, his dark-wash denim is complemented by a short-sleeved black button-up with a bright green print of the binary code on it.
Beside the couch on either side are two armchairs. Nolan takes a seat in the one beside Joey, and Chase sits in the other, on Blaine's side of the couch. Chase is the one whose appearance is most changed by Nora's dress-up skills. His hair is still bleached, his roots badly in need of a touch-up, and there is no disguising the tattoos that cover everything but his face, but when he's put in black slacks and a crisp white button-up with a few buttons undone and a gold chain, he looks less line cook and more mafia boss.
It's a good look for him. If I tried the mafia boss look, it would be comically bad.
That's one of the best things about Nora when she plays dress up with us. She plays to our strengths and comforts and doesn't try to make us look like something we're not. She knows I prefer softer fabrics and looser fits, so she runs with that. It's little, but it makes a big difference in how comfortable I feel in situations like this.
"Are we ready?" Rebecca, the Beta reporter from LunarNews1, asks, kicking off this situation in which I am so not at home.
I know we need to do this interview, I do, but I also wish we weren't in the public eye. I wish the trial never happened and that we could just get on with our lives. But I also know that this is important. It can help us drive change and show the world that we are not broken by the words that monster spoke.
"We're ready," Nolan responds, doing what he does best and taking charge of the situation. When we all got together, there was never any question about who was going to be the pack leader. Nolan is like a steady stream that keeps us all on track, and I am very grateful for him.
"Then we're live in three… two… Good evening, Lunarcrest City. I'm Rebecca Kahn, and I'm here tonight with Pack Sloane fresh off the verdict of their recent criminal trial. Pack Sloane, how do you feel about your win?"
"Well, Rebecca," Nolan says, crossing his hands on his lap and leaning forward, "while we're glad the charges are dropped and this phase of our life is over, this is not a win."
"What do you mean by that?" She doesn't even attempt to hide the shock in her voice.
"A win would have been this asinine case never making it to trial. The fact that we had to argue in court at all that our Omega is a person shows the completely backward thought process of our government."
"Additionally," I say, careful not to interrupt but ensure I speak before Rebecca. "Our Beta was excluded from all of this. While in this case, it allowed him to be with Nora when we were incarcerated and support her through the trial, the legal system's continued refusal to acknowledge the integral role he plays in our pack is another slight that cannot go unmentioned."
Joey squeezes my knee and leans down, his whisper so soft I have to strain to make it out. "You've earned a reward, pup." The heavy promise in those words makes me feel a little dizzy, and I gulp, ducking my head to hide my blush.
"It sounds like Pack Sloane has a lot of criticism for the government today," Rebecca muses.
"Can you blame us?" Blaine says incredulously. "We seriously had to listen to a government employee trying to convince a jury of our peers that the woman we love is the property of an abusive monster. Did you know there were no Omegas on the jury? All of them were dismissed for the potential to be too biased."
"I was not aware of that."
"It's true. What does that tell you about how the government views an entire section of our population?" Blaine is fired up, and Nora places a hand over him with a squeeze in hopes of calming him down.
"Are you all going to fight for reform of these archaic laws as a pack?" Rebecca asks no one in particular.
"We deserve time with our Omega," Joey rumbles. "Our entire courtship, our entire relationship, has revolved around all of this. We will take some time, out of the public eye and support the movement, but we cannot lead it. Nora has been in the public eye since she was sixteen years old and presented as an Omega. It's high time to let Nora be Nora."
"I imagine that is going to gain you all some criticism."
"Maybe," Chase butts in. "But I really don't care. Nora has been used as the face of a campaign for a decade. Let someone else be the face of this movement. We will throw our money, our time, our resources into this, but I am not going to let anyone use my Omega again, even if their motivation is good."
Rebecca cuts her eyes away from Chase and looks at Nora. "And how do you feel about all of this, Nora?"
My Omega pulls her hands in her lap and weaves her fingers together. "You're in the public eye, Rebecca. People know your name and your face. And you chose that. You're excellent at your job, you're poised, and you're well respected in your industry. I was placed on billboards against my will. Every interview, even the one I did with you, up until my pack interview, was against my will. I was never given a choice. Most of the time, I didn't even have a heads-up. I was just led into a room and was expected to perform like a show pony."
Nora's voice is cool and calm, not far off from the gentle lilt she has when she's speaking submissively. "I would get stopped all over. People felt like they had some sort of ownership of me. I was everyone's Omega, to an extent, because I represented what everyone was supposed to want. I would very much like to find out who I am when no one is watching, Rebecca."
"I know who you are," I say quietly. Nora turns and looks at me, pressing her forehead to mine. In this moment, I forget we have the camera on us. I get lost in her sweet apple cider scent, the softness of our flesh, as I caress my thumb across the back of her hands. "You are Nora Sloane. You are the bravest person I know. You got up on that stand and told everyone what happened to you, even when it was clear they didn't want to hear it. You listened to days of testimony meant to make you seem like an item to be traded, and you're still standing. Well, you're sitting right now, but you know what I mean…"
"He's right," Nolan rumbles. "Our Omega is incredible. I do not think many could listen to others talk about them the way she has. Even if she hadn't gone through all of what Dr. Greene put her through it still would have been difficult. I'm just so glad I went to Roberto's that night and found her. I don't even want to think about what would have happened if she hadn't literally dropped into my life."
Rebecca straightens her spine, and I can tell a difficult question is coming up. "How do you feel about the fact that Dr. Greene will face no punishment for what he did to Nora?"
"Who says he won't?" Chase mutters. Rebecca clears her throat and shoots daggers at Chase in warning. "I mean, I would hope the Design Clinic blacklists him, he loses his license, and that his name is so tarnished no one will touch him."
"It will certainly be interesting to see how the Clinic responds to this situation. Their earlier response left a lot to be desired, and I have yet to get word on if they've removed the doctor from his position."
"I'm not surprised," Blaine says, shaking his head to get his shaggy black hair out of his eyes. "Must be bad for business to have it pointed out that their protocol allowed one of their doctors to try to create his own pretty little Omega from conception."
"Nora," Rebecca says, directing her attention to our Omega. She must be tired of hearing all the Alpha opinions that are flying around because there is a divot between her brows that wasn't there before. "Do you think you'd ever Design a child?"
Nora lets out an uncharacteristic snort of a laugh. "You really have to ask that? Of course not. While I am sure there are many positives to Design, I have learned firsthand that choosing the genome is only the first step in Designing the child. I want our children to be able to be themselves, who they were meant to be, from the moment they begin to grow within me."
I like Rebecca. She's been very fair to Nora, even in the interviews Nora didn't want. I'll never forget that she left her card so Nora could contact her privately if she needed to. That alone has endeared me to her, but what she does next cements it.
Rebecca's been off camera this whole time, but she stands and walks in front of it. The Beta's navy blue pants suit contrasts the ivory blouse and red lip she has, and she stands casually, her right hand in her pocket.
"It's not standard for news organizations to take a political stance. It's our responsibility as journalists to report what we see so you all have the information you need to make the decision for yourself. Let me be completely clear right now. LunarNews1 is free to fire me over this. It is my opinion and mine alone. Dr. Albert Greene should be arrested, tried, and found guilty. He deserves the death penalty for what he did. The Design Clinic needs to be shut down. This will be my last interview with Pack Sloane unless they specifically request one because we have done enough harm to these people. We all saw what was happening to Nora and did nothing. I will live with the guilt of not speaking up the rest of my life, and I hope all of you out there do too."
Her fist clenches at her side, and her knuckles turn white. When she speaks next, her voice is choked and filled with trepidation. "We as Alphas have a responsibility, and we have failed. Potentially for the last time for LunarNews1, I'm Rebecca Kahn. Remember, talk is cheap unless it's cable."