Chapter 15 O is for Omega
O is for Omega
Aurora
“He’s not doing great,” Mads says from beside me. Yeah, he’s kind of right. Locke and the tiger are definitely going at it. And Locke is looking ragged.
Locke is fading.
The 500-pound tiger is not.
Great.
While I’m just frustrated, Mads is anxious.
The heel of his hand keeps digging into his thigh, and he’s hissing, but it’s an involuntary action. When he stops, he tugs at the ends of his hair behind his ears. He’s self-soothing. I know the behavior well. My acrylic nails click against the arm of the chair, and I bite my lip.
This can’t go on.
I grip his leash and make up my mind to intervene, pulling Mads with me to go to my father.
The plan is not going so great. I assumed the tiger would be easy for Locke. It’s almost better that that’s not the case. It will make defeat that much sweeter…right?
My dad and his cronies are piled together watching the fight and enjoying the pleasures this place offers.
All the girls are here. Sauvignon, Honey, Carmen, Lucy, and Tara.
I make eye contact with each one, even though they are working.
One is straddling an alpha that smells like wood and milk.
Another is getting her ass gripped by a man in a full-face mask.
The girls are serving drinks and their flesh up to my dad’s friends.
Each man has several of his own people here.
Bodyguards, companions, and a couple of their own friends.
These people are trash. But they are rich, connected, and powerful trash, so I’m wary. Always.
I avoid making eye contact with them, and I pull Mads up closer to me.
To them, he’s my pet for the evening, but to me, he’s my rock.
“Daddy,” I whine. Legs and all of his friends turn to look at me. I feel their clever smiles on me. I suppress a shiver.
“Yes, Little Bear,” my dad says while he’s got Carmen pulled into his lap.
I have to play this right. I can’t change the game. I can’t let things get out of my control.
I opt for petulance. “This is boring.”
My dad tilts his head to the side with an endearing look on his face, like I’m just the cutest thing. He turns to his friends so they can all enjoy this, too.
“Locke fighting for his life, trapped in a cage with a hungry tiger…is boring?”
My lips pout, and I cock my hip to the side.
“We all know he’s going to win. Look.” I point to the clock, which shows one minute left in round three.
My eyes quickly make sure Locke isn’t dead.
He’s fine. Sort of. He’s hunched over and swinging his arms like he lost all movement in them.
The tiger is cornering him. “We should put Mads in there, too. Make it a real challenge.”
Mads pulls back, and I tighten the leash. Don’t be scared, handsome beta.
“Clever girl, my omega.” Again, my dad looks at his friends. They agree I’m so clever, cute, and funny. The man who smells like wood and milk leaves his companion to side up with us.
He’s so abhorrent-smelling I have to work extra hard to keep my face from screwing up.
“Legs, now is as good a time as any to introduce me to my future omega,” the milkman stutters. Being around these people as long as I have, I’m usually good at identifying what substance they are on. Milkman is on ketamine.
Thank God the timer for Locke’s fight rings. My dad leaves us to speak to the audience at large. He pulls the mic up to his face.
“Locke survives for round four! The alpha gets five minutes’ rest! Round four begins in five minutes! Place your bets now!” Locke collapses, and two tiger tamers enter the ring to separate them.
Milkman takes a step closer, and Mads steps in front of me, getting in his way.
“Let’s give the omega some space,” he says like he’s my handler. Speaking of handlers, I notice Padrick is nearby, doing nothing. As usual.
The milkman is approaching me for one reason, and that’s to hassle me. My dad has been giving these men more and more access to me this last year. I don’t know which ones he’s made promises, but I can guess.
These men are a threat to me, and the only thing that stands in their way is my father.
Milkman spits on Mads’s shoes.
“Out of the way, beta. I want to talk to the girl.”
The girl.
“I want her to know all the ways she can service me and keep me happy.”
The smell of sour milk permeates the air.
“Leave her be, Kyle,” Padrick finally speaks up. “She’s not yours yet.”
Yet.
Kyle, the Milkman, ignores both of them in pursuit of being closer to me. I loosen my hold on Mads. Maybe it’s his pheromones I’m becoming accustomed to that alert me that he’s about to do something, but I feel like we are both thinking the same thing.
One more step, and Mads lunges. He grabs onto Kyle’s throat and squeezes so tight that he lets out a squeak. Milkman is an alpha and larger than him, but Mads lifts him off the ground and then down onto his back so fast, no one has time to react.
Well, that’s not true. I grab Mads’s cane before it falls.
There’s a pause as everyone sees Mads dominating this alpha in a primal way, body over his as he’s lying straight on his back like a corpse.
“Padrick!“ my dad barks, and Padrick pulls Mads off. His legs dangle in the air.
Mads points at Kyle on the ground and says through gritted teeth, “Don’t you ever fucking go near her.”
Legs, not to be outdone by my new beta pet, steps up to him, dismisses Padrick, and then socks Mads in the face. He crumples to the ground.
I want to kneel over him. Hold him. Cry. Scream at him. No, Daddy, don’t hurt him! I love him!
But I take a deep breath and toss my hair back.
I am actually impressed with Mads, but it’s not necessary to show it.
“Alright. Put him in the cage with Locke. Maybe we will get to see two men eaten.”
“Hopefully,” I sigh wistfully.
My dad looks at me through narrowed eyes.