Page 18 of The Packaged Deal

I half expect some catty comment, but she just smiles.

“You love him.”

It’s not a question. “I do. I have for years.”

“That’s good.”

I repeat those words to myself over and over, trying to figure out what they mean.

She calls out that she’s hungry. That tiny omega who ate her own weight tonight cries as she begs her mama to let her out. She says, “just a little crust, Mama, please?” and she cries. She cries in a way I’ve never heard an adult cry.

I lean up against the door, watching as she thrashes in the bed. I want to wake her up, but I'm scared that it will traumatize her more.

“Mama, I'm hungry,” she begs, she pleads. Over and over.

I hate every second of it.

She goes still, and I wipe a tear away from my cheek. I'm relieved it’s over. I couldn’t take any more of it.

“Don’t hurt me.” The whisper of sound comes as I’ve got my back to her, my hand on the doorknob. It’s said in a rush.

I turn back. She’s sitting up, staring at me with sightless eyes.

“Please. I don’t want to be your omega. Just let me go. It doesn’t have to-”

The sound she lets out is a shriek of pure pain. I rush to the bed and reach out, but I hesitate before we touch. I can’t leave her like this. The agony in her eyes. Even if she is asleep, I just can’t do it.

“Please. You don’t want this. I don’t want this. Trevor,” his name comes out in a desperate whine.

She yelps again, her body curls into a ball.

“How did you find me?” Her shout startles me. “Why? Why?” she wails.

I reach out, determined to end this. She twists, kicking out and fighting me.

I grab her and hold her tight. Locking my legs around hers to stop the kicking.

“Shhh, I got you.”

She sobs, and it’s only then that I become aware of the fact that she’s crying.

I stroke down her back. “Come on, little omega, wake up. I need you to come back to me now. Come on. It’s okay, Jade. You’re safe. I won’t let anyone hurt you. You’ve got me now. Wake up, that’s it.”

I shift as she starts to wake up and pull her so that she’s sitting across my lap, her face buried in my shoulder.

We don’t say anything for a long time. I just let her words play over and over in my head until they are so far sunk inside me that I'm not sure I can ever forget them.

“Do you want to talk about it?” I ask her softly.

She shakes her head. “I don't know how he found me. I was so careful to only order online or get my land lady to deliver the food. The money I had was running out, but I pulled it all out when I first ran. I was living in a shitty apartment, with no bed, and then he was there on the street. Saying I'm his in front of everyone. No one lifted a finger to stop him, even when I screamed. They just let him drag me away.”

I hug her tighter. “That will never happen again. I won’t let him take you away. I won’t let him lay a finger on you.”

She exhales and snuggles into me, and I realise something that was hidden from my perception. I like her. I like her the way I like Sven.

She’s fascinating and adorable, cute and vulnerable. She’s sexy and sweet. And an omega. And female. I take a moment to assess her gender and promptly dismiss it. I don’t care what gender she is. It’s what’s on the inside that’s shining out and is drawing me in. Much the same way Sven drew me in.

I go to move my arms, but she just snuggles deeper into me, and I find I can’t move away. I don’t even want to.