Page 5 of The Packaged Deal

Hazel puts a hand on her chest. “Me?”

“I've spoken to Simon. We believe that she’s an omega by the name of Jade.”

Hazel’s eyes widen. “Jade’s tiny. Who would hit her?”

Unfortunately, her comment adds more weight to the belief that this mystery omega is Jade.

“I'd like you to come in with me tomorrow,” I say. “Angel, I'd appreciate it if you could be there, too.”

“Sure, we’ll be there,” Angel confirms. “Can you go home now, so I can put my omegas to bed.”

“Kandi and I will take care of security,” Sven says.

“Oh, I have something for Kandi,” Angel says to Sven. “Come with me.”

I watch them leave, but it’s not until Soren and Hazel have me surrounded that I remember where I am. Damn my wandering mind.

“Doc, I’ve never seen you take such an interest in a patient before,” Hazel says with an undercurrent of pure mischief that makes me tense and wary.

“She needs help.” Even to my own ears, I sound defensive.

“Yes, but you're the lone wolf doctor. I can say on one hand how many times we’ve spoken, and here you are at my house in the middle of the night.”

“She needs help,” I growl.

“Interesting,” Soren says.

“Isn’t it?” Hazel purrs at him.

“What is?” I snap.

“You like her,” Hazel accuses.

“She is so injured she can’t sit up, and she can’t be identified. She is weak and vulnerable. There is no liking right now,” I protest hotly.

They exchange excited glances and turn back to me.

“Stop. I'm just her doctor,” I growl in my most fierce voice.

Hazel deflates, but when she looks up at Sven, she narrows her eyes and glares. “Impossible alphas,” she spits like a curse.

I turn around, moving until I can see Sven staring at me as he walks towards me. His lips creep up in a smile as his eyes drop down my body and back up.

I force myself to turn away and try to crush the part of me that has decided it belongs to him.

Because at the end of the day, Sven’s in a relationship with someone who isn’t me, and there’s no room for anyone else. He has made it clear that it’s never going to happen.

I need to get him out of my life forever. Whatever it takes.

two

Jade

The pain has eased this morning, but perhaps that’s because of the drugs the doctor gave me. I have this memory of him, a sturdy wall of safety and warmth. He had kind eyes. He was so big and gentle. Everything I’d dreamed my alpha would be.

Fran had helped me sit up and sip some water not long ago, but now she looks at me with pity. I'm used to people looking at me like that. As soon as they meet my parents, they normally look at me like that. I shift uncomfortably. My parents aren’t here, which I'm grateful for, but I wish she’d look somewhere else.

“So, you were saying the doctor is coming back?” I manage to get out with just a dozen or so winces.