The Omega's Top Choice

Escaping This Mid-Terrace

“Hi Eleanor, my name is Charlie”

Charlie sat next to me and I automatically tried to squirm in my seat to give us a few more inches between us. A shiver of unease crawled up my spine. It must be because he’s an Alpha. Surely there will be others here soon. I knew straight away that he was an Alpha from his scent. He wasn’t giving off pheromones, but he was close to doing exactly that. Teenage Alphas find it hard to helm in their pheromones, so the scent surrounding them is strong. He couldn’t be more than sixteen years old.

“Don’t hog her to yourself Charlie, Hi I’m Greg”. I jerked my head up and saw that again it was another Alpha. What the hell? This is not good. Does Nav even know I’m an Omega? And a stage 3 Omega at that? I faintly smiled and murmured a greeting to Greg, who was looking at me with a hunger in his eyes that betrayed what he was really feeling. I checked Charlie’s face and saw the same thing. Now that they were both staring at me, the room went quiet and I could sense the scents getting stronger. The pheromones were building. I was grateful that Anders had been medicating me, otherwise I would have gone into heat immediately.

These boys were not here for the study group and I’ve never seen them before in school. I could feel my heart start to speed up in panic and I tried to search my bag, pretending to look for another pen while talking about my maths assignment. I couldn’t find my phone! Where has it gone? I remember coming in and putting my bag on the table while Nav talked and took out my files. That’s when it must’ve been swiped. Nav must have taken it when my bag was open and my attention was on the files on the table. I can’t believe I fell for his study group idea! The betrayal hit me like a ton of bricks. Was Nav trying to sell me to an Alpha family like back in the old days? Were they going to start bidding on me now?

“How’s things going on in here? Anyone need anything?” Nav came in with an amenable smile on his face and I thanked everything that’s holy that I managed to keep the panic off my face. He turned around to talk to Greg, who was on the other side of the table, and I saw it then. My phone had a pink cover on it, so the corner was peeking out of his back pocket.

“Nav?”

He looked at me and patted the free chair on the other side of me. “Come and help me, please?” I had already circled quite a few questions, so it didn’t look like I was lying.

He immediately looked pleased, while the Alphas had disgruntled expressions on their faces. I didn’t care. I needed to get that phone back and call for help.

He sat next to me and started to explain the problems I had circled and the alphas also leaned in to help, or just to get closer to me. The pocket that the phone was in was closest to me and before he could lean back, I quickly took it and leaned into him as if I was tired.

“I’m so sorry Nav, I think the fatigue is setting in. Can you hold me for a second?” I felt sick at my sugar-laden voice, but I needed to put on an act before escaping. He had to think I was into him. The more I paid attention to him, the better he was responding to me.

“Sure. Do you need another drink or anything?” So it did not surprise him. I was fatigued like Omegas can be. He reacted the same in the car when I requested not to sit near him. He knew I was an Omega, so this was definitely a set up.

“No, I just get like this sometimes. I might go freshen up, wash my face to wake myself up. Is that OK? Can you tell me where your restroom is?”

“It’s upstairs on the left. I’ve left the light on in there just in case anyone needs to use it.”

He had his arm around me and the nausea of being in his embrace was wrecking my stomach lining. Best to try to escape now before I throw up.

I pulled my head back, so I was close to his face, and smiled as best as I could. “Thank You for understanding me Nav, it’s really hard to find that with anyone these days. Sometimes I react to my fatigue in different ways, so if I take a while in the restroom it’s because, unfortunately, I’ve reacted badly. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” For extra effect, I put my hand to his cheek and I could see the ruddy colour of a blush appearing. Good. Believe I fancy you, you utter prick.

I staggered to my feet, and he made a show of helping me to the kitchen door and I smiled and, again with the fangirl voice, assured him that it was best if I went alone or I might end up throwing up on him. He did pale a little at that and secretly I was pleased. The Alphas stayed sat in their seats and I found the back door in the kitchen which was locked and no way of using any of the windows. I hurried upstairs and found the bathroom.

There was no way that the signal was going through when I tried to call the police. I was getting desperate at this stage and called Chase on the messenger app that the government had told us to use to communicate with each other. When I heard the ringing tone, it brought such a tremendous relief that I almost fist bumped the air, but instead there was no answer. I had to ring Gage. He’s practically a stranger, but he’ll help, won’t he? I messaged him first and when he rang me immediately afterwards, I sat down on the toilet seat as if the adrenaline was leading me up to this point.

I managed to make sense to him and within minutes he was at the door, he must have driven like a madman and I had put the little bathroom cabinet underneath the door handle of the restroom so that no one could come in unless I wanted them to.

When Gage arrived at the restroom door, I was more than ready to go and that’s when all the boys came rushing up the stairs. Gage’s pheromones were surrounding us like a cloud of dust and instead of sending me into a panic like Charlie and Greg did, Gage’s comforted me. I felt safe. He had lifted me into his arms and if this was any other time, it would have embarrassed me, but instead I felt like it was the most natural thing for us to be doing. I turned my head to his neck and started to cry again at the thought that the boys could take me away from him. I was still scared, but also confused. I had no idea what I was feeling right now.

I was swung in a way that I gently touched my feet to the floor and I buried my head into his chest. He got Nav by the neck because of the gurgling sound that went through me. I tried patting his chest to let Nav go. I can’t let Gage end up in prison because he lost it right now. In the end, the only thing I could do to get his attention was to bite him. I bit him hard enough to draw blood.

When he let Nav go and checked that he was still breathing, I led him by the hand to go outside. I was already calling the police as soon as we were outside the door.

I finally felt like it was over when Gage put me in his car and I locked it from the inside. I watched him as he talked on the phone to who I assume was Anders and when Nav stumbled out of the house as the police turned up, I could feel my chest start to tighten. Would Nav and the Alphas, if they caught up to them, lie and say that I’m making everything up? It doesn’t matter, I’d rather be branded a liar than be in that situation again.

I could see Gage turn to Nav and the expression on his face was nothing short of murderous. Gage was a force to be reckoned with, and Nav knew it. He put his hands up defensively and the police were already coming towards them both. I could see another car turn up and it was recognisable as my guardians. I could feel the tears gather in my eyes as she got out of the car and I unlocked Gage’s car and got out, running towards her. She opened her arms, and I jumped into them.

“I couldn’t call you. They had some kind of jammer in the house. I could only call Gage. They were planning something. I didn’t know what to do, Anders…” I started sobbing again, but this time it was in complete relief.

“Shhh, I’ll take you home now. I’ll stay with you tonight.” As she led me around the car, I nodded and looked back at Gage. I had this overwhelming feeling that I had to go and say goodbye to him. I ran towards him and dodged all the police and wrapped my arms around him.

“Be safe, I’m going home”. He put his arms around me and patted me on the back lightly. I looked up at him and he just stared at me for a few seconds.

“I’ll be there later after I’ve dealt with all this, OK? If you’re asleep, I’ll leave it till tomorrow,” I sniffed and nodded. My face must look a mess, but he didn’t seem to mind. I felt satisfied that we had said goodbye properly, and I tried not to analyse why I had to do that. The man did just save me after all. Maybe I just feel closer to him.

Anders kept looking at me strangely as we went back to the complex, but kept quiet as she took me into the apartment and ran a hot bath for me. When I got out, I was suitably pink from the scalding water and she had already made me sweet porridge. When I was eating, she told me that the police would come tomorrow to take my statement, but that Gage was acting as my de facto Alpha and he would handle the whole thing till then. I nodded and kept eating and noticed that Anders had gone silent.

“What?”

“Have you mated?” Her bluntness was something I really liked, but this time, she floored me.

“When on earth have I had time to do that? I’ve never had ahem… you know”

“You don’t have to have s*x to have mated. Did he bite you on the back of your neck, or did you bite him?”

Bite? I bit him to get his attention, but would that constitute an actual mating mark?

“I did draw blood with my teeth on his chest, but I swear it was to stop him killing Nav!”

Anders put her hand over her forehead and closed her eyes. Oh, no, this can’t be what she is thinking of. This was a little nip. How can an Omega mate an Alpha with one little bite? Does an Alpha have to now bite the Omega back? I couldn’t remember how it went!

“You are mated now. There is nothing to be done about it. Even though it’s an accident, you have chosen your Alpha. In the morning, we can inform the other Alpha and the government. At least now, Gage really does have the authority to deal with the police for you if you choose and you can just leave it in his hands.”

“Mated? I don’t know what to think of this..” When I thought of Gage, I felt warm inside and safe. I didn’t feel anything like love or those romantic emotions like Luelle had explained to me over and over again. Maybe this was a temporary thing?

“I think after a good night’s sleep we can talk about it tomorrow.”

“Gage will be coming later, but he said if I’m asleep, he will come tomorrow.”

She nodded and took her phone out and started tapping away. “There, I’ve informed him to come tomorrow, get into bed and sleep. No school for you tomorrow,” she put her hand up at my protests. “I will bring your work and only certain visitors are allowed, your mate and myself. We have to confirm that you are both mates and then we can let the police come if you want to deal with them yourself.”

I sighed and nodded. Best to do as she says. She’s very strict when she puts her mind to it.