Omega

Chapter 8

Liam was alive. He was moved out of the bar to the back area, where it was quieter. A nurse was with him to ensure that his healing progressed well.

After the bleeding was stopped and Liam was moved, the elders demanded that I join them for an urgent meeting. If I was their alpha, then I had to step up and do what was expected of me.

"This is the opener. They have made their move and drawn blood."

Yes, this was the true marker of the beginning. Konrad's efforts to purchase the Jade and Pete's place were just a bit of harmless taunting.

I looked at Gus, who shrugged in response.

"We must respond. It is the wolf's way. There will be casualties on both sides of this, Megan. No matter what you think or want, this has to happen. If you do not respond, it will be seen as a sign of submission. I know what you want and that is not it. Submission to another clan puts you in the worst position possible. You won't have any say in what happens. Konrad will walk in here and he will lay claim to everything. Once he does that, you won't be the leader anymore. You'll just be another woman in the pack."

I sighed, putting my head into my hands. I knew what dad would have done in this instance, that is, if anyone was foolish to go against him in such a way. Dad would respond by drawing the blood of a Black Ridge member.

"Okay," I said reluctantly. "If I agree to a blood response, what do you propose?"

They all stared at me, and in the silence, my phone beeped. I pulled out my phone and saw it was from an unknown number. I opened it and knew who it was.

"I'll give you all a chance to think about it."

For betas and elders, they looked a little mystified. It wasn't a good thing.

Stepping out onto the balcony, I closed the glass door and looked at the message.

*Do I have your attention now, Megan?*

I didn't know how to respond to him. Lumping myself into the outdoor chair, I thought about the options. I could state that he'd crossed a line, but that was the point of it. Thinking about this if it were my father or Stephen, I tapped a response and hit the send button.

*You wouldn't demand this of my father or Stephen.*

It didn't take Konrad long to respond. When the phone beeped, I jumped. It was sad to admit, but my heart kicked up a beat and my stomach began to turn. Despite all the growing issues, I wanted more than the occasional hook-up in public places. There was a connection and I knew it ran deeper than what we had physically. Konrad knew it too. That's why he was putting so much effort into making me accept his offer.

He didn't have to offer a life as his mate. I could be relegated to the bottom of the pack, or I could be one of the women that would be seen as a potential mate for one of the other pack members. Instead, he was offering a place at his side. Not in leadership, of course.

*That's because I'm not gay. I would have thought that was obvious.*

*Maybe. Who knows what you get up to when no one's around?*

*How's the meeting going?*

I sat up as the anxiety rippled through me. Did he assume that, or did he know it was happening because he could see us?

Wandering over to the balcony's edge, I scanned the street and searched for familiar black cars. There was nothing which did not alleviate the tension.

*What are you talking about?*

*But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?*

I frowned as I read the message.

"Is he quoting Shakespeare?" I muttered.

Then it dawned on me, and I leaned over the rail.

"Hey," Konrad said, tipping his head with a smart ass smirk on his face.

"Are you mad? This place is crawling with my pack."

"This is a public street. I can't help it that the building goes to the edge of it."

"But you're in West River turf."

Konrad shrugged like he didn't care, which I knew he didn't. I sighed heavily, weary of the day, his nonsense and the elders who were arguing. There had to be a more straightforward answer than this.

Taking a leap, Konrad gripped the bottom rail of the balustrade, then continued to climb up. He leaned his arms on the railing with that infuriating smirk still shining bright.

"What about now? Am I on the packhouse land or the street?"

"You are insane. If the elders see you,"

"What?" Konrad interrupted. "They'll rush downstairs? I'll be waiting but just so that you know, I'm not alone."

I looked at the street and saw the bus that was parked on the other side of the road. It was black with heavily tinted windows, so I had no idea if it was empty or packed so tightly that it would burst at the seams. I had to assume the latter.

"You can't be serious."

I looked at Konrad and saw the amusement had left. He was serious, and it felt like the wind had dropped around us. I could barely breathe.

Lifting onto his hands, Konrad looked like he was preparing to jump the rail. Instead, he smiled and flicked his head.

"Kiss me," he whispered.

My nose curled with disgust.

"You bring a bus full of your pack into my land, threatening war against those I love, and you expect me to kiss you?"

"One kiss and they will think that I've made progress, then the bus will leave."

I glanced at the shiny bus that glinted in the sunlight. It was highly polished perfection.

"You're being serious? I kiss you, and that bus will leave my territory?"

Konrad nodded, biting his bottom lip. I had to say, he sure knew how to make himself even more gorgeous.

"God," I groaned. "You suck."

"Not yet, I haven't. If you're a good girl, I will though."

He leaned closer. The muscles in his arms strained but gave no indication that he was suffering.

"And lick. Hours of pleasure."

"Are you talking about me as your mate or one of your tarts that you'll be cheating on me with?"

"You make a lot of assumptions without knowing me."

"I know alphas."

"No, you know what you've seen. Just because your father,"

Konrad stopped and looked at the plain-faced stare that was directed at him.

"Be careful. One push, and I could make you fall."

"You could," he said simply. "But then you'd have to deal with the contents of the bus. Alternatively, you can accept that I was rude and forgot my place while accepting my apology because I am truly sorry if I offended you,"

"Did you kill my father and Stephen?" I asked, interrupting his ridiculously fake apology.

"It was a car accident."

Pressing my lips together, I nodded and stepped back.

"The circumstances were suspicious, and not surprisingly, I received a ticket to the Midnight Festival for the same night. I should have been in that car and yet I was far away and just happened to bump into you. Do you think that I can't see what this is? You take out the two strong males and leave a female to take up the leadership. A female that you can easily pursue and then dominate so that you can take over the territory."

"I'm sorry that you see it that way, Megan, but I promise that no one in Black Ridge had anything to do with it. If it was not an accident and you truly think that someone was targeting Anders and Stephen, then perhaps you should look at the other clans, not just mine. Or perhaps, take a look in your own backyard. Maybe you might see more than you want."

Jumping down, Konrad crossed the road and climbed on the bus. I watched as it pulled out onto the street, leaving me lost and unsure of so many things.