12. Reed
Chapter twelve
Reed
M y eyes never leave Opal as she steps out of the government car with her security detail, and she must have called in some favors from that insufferable school she trained at.
She may have the others and the whole world fooled, but I can see right through that beautiful Omega.
Opal is hiding something.
And you can bet on your ass that I’m going to find out what it is exactly.
A shame none of the pack could escort her today, and it will go against us.
The Academy keeps tabs on us for a few weeks after one of their Omegas joins us. It was the same with Zayden, but we’re all a little preoccupied at the moment.
Levi is constantly being called into Gryphon’s office, and Zayden is busy training.
Even Magnus is prepping at the gym, and it seems war really is on the horizon.
Still, the short Beta who accompanied her to our house seems to have no qualms where our personal care of her ward is concerned, and it appears Magnus really did charm that woman.
All it takes is one dismayed call from Opal, and the Beta will take her straight back to the Academy.
But the Omega seems happy enough with us.
She truly is complacent with our arrangements.
As she should be.
She’s our second Omega as Zayden always comes first.
I never wanted her to join our pack, but sometimes I thank Lady Luck for bringing her our way.
Because there is no other Alpha that would have sensed her deception.
Can my brothers truly not detect it? It laces her lemon cupcake scent, overriding everything else.
No, all they see is the beautiful face and the curvy body.
Even now as she makes her way into the shopping mall with her two bodyguards, I spy multiple males ogling her.
And I will put a dent in every one of their faces.
“ Fuuuck, ” one Beta male says, talking to his pal. “Alphas really do get all the fun. Did you see the ass on that Omega?”
His pal snorts. “Omega? All I saw was a fine ass. Hopefully, if things go our way, we’ll overthrow them soon enough and become the dominant designation. Then we'll get all the Omega ass we want."
A growl starts in my throat, and I come out from the shadows, stalking toward the Betas.
They turn as white as ghosts the moment they catch a glimpse of me, and I’m pretty sure the one on the right pisses his pants.
Yeah, what was that you were saying about Omega asses and overthrowing us Alphas, Beta?
I show him my teeth, and he drops to his knees, begging for mercy. I roll my eyes and leave him on the floor to clean up his own piss as I have an Omega to find.
Betas are the least of our problems. They can cause as much of a ruckus as they like, we'll never yield.
We Alphas will always be on top.
It doesn’t take me long to track her through the mall.
Sure, this place is an assault on my senses, but I've memorized her scent to memory.
It's imprinted on my brain, as well as Zayden’s scent and the rest of my pack's.
Soon, I find her by a water fountain, and now she waits for someone as her bodyguards disappear from sight.
Not very good at their jobs, are they?
They have not once suspected me lurking her like a shadow.
There’s no missing her anxiety as she looks around herself, and I ignore every man who stares at her as I keep my gaze on her.
Fuck. Opal really does stand out.
Her skin is perfect and not to mention soft .
For a moment, I was tempted to sink my teeth into her neck and claim her as mine.
At least then I would have been able to peer into her mind and figure out what she's really all about.
But bonds like that need to be earned, not forced.
We have rules to abide by. It actually goes against the Alpha code.
No forced bonding.
Still, I can’t help taking in every feature of hers, logging it away for later use.
I detect the slope of her nose and spy the peaks of her high cheekbones, one of her best features.
Then, I memorize her full, luscious red lips, and my Alpha rears his ugly head when he thinks about sinking his teeth into those lips, claiming her mouth.
Opal is dangerous. Not because she is deceptive, but also because she tempts me in every way.
I’ve taken note of all her giveaways. Parts of her body that showcase when she’s nervous or particularly wary.
I have that effect on most.
For one, her pulse beats faster. Not only do I hear it, but I see it thumping beneath the soft skin of her neck, too.
And her scent changes, too. Her lemon cupcake grows extra sour, extra potent as it seeps from her pores.
Also, her face, neck, and top lip shine with perspiration.
Her eyes brighten when she looks to her right, and then a small Omega with black hair joins her side, throwing her arms around her with a hug.
Then she’s joined by a brunette and a blonde, and I recognize Belle Snow and Ella Titan.
Pack Snow’s and Pack Titan’s second Omegas.
Both Rogue. Or were.
My good eye zeroes in on the tattoos on their wrists, and that’s when I steal a peak at Opal’s wrist.
No brand. No number.
Opal is not Rogue.
Yet why do my senses say otherwise?
Something is off with her.
And I am going to find out what.
Now the three Omegas depart, and I do my best to merge with the shadows, keeping my distance.
Well, until Ella Titan pauses, her baby blue eyes finding the spot where I've hidden.
What else would you expect of a Rogue?
They're honed like weapons.
“What is it, Ella?” Belle asks.
Ella narrows her eyes, keeping them on my hiding spot, and I have to hand it to the baby-faced Omega.
Not even Opal’s security guards have detected me in the shadows, and the girl is good.
She will be a great asset to our army.
“Nothing. Just got a whiff of self-righteous Alpha. But it’s nothing.”
I take back what I said about her.
Self-righteous?
In her defense, she lives with Pack Titan, and you can’t get more self-righteous than those dickish Alphas.
She won't be saying that when I save all our asses and stop Opal before she destroys us all and everything we've built.
The three Omegas stalk off, and I best hold back a while lest Ella gives my cover away.
Sooner or later, I will find out what Opal is all about.
And then I can expose her for what she truly is.