Chapter 23

**Elise**


I try to bite back as smile as I take in the odd room we're in. Ezra has shut us inside and the whole place looks like it came off a movie set. You know the ones where spies are planning their next move or something. I hardly watched those kinds of movies growing up. Ezra though looks like he's almost excited to be in here. He doesn't show a ton of emotions so it's hard to tell.

"Okay, let's discuss Raya and our next moves." He says as we all take a seat around the table in the center of the room.

It's metal and has several bottles of water in the center and pads of paper and pens for note taking.

"He takes these meetings very seriously sweetheart, so no slacking off," Sawyer whispers in my ear from where he's sitting to the left of me.

I've turned my chair mostly toward the front of the room where Ezra is standing in front of a large TV screen, so Sawyer is mostly behind me. His breath against the back of my neck sends a shiver through me and heat starts to flare up again.

All these little things seem to elicit a constant reaction from me, but somehow I was able to suppress it after my moment with Ezra. I have no idea how, but I need to figure it out if I plan on being useful in whatever plan they have for Raya. I love that Ezra and the guys don't expect me to stay at home and play perfect home-maker Omega, but it doesn't mean I belong in this world. They seem to be in a dangerous line of work, and I can't really believe they would want me a part of it.

Learning to fire a gun and learning self-defense could be useful I suppose, but I doubt I'll be seeing much action even though they claim otherwise. It's probably just a precaution.

I was shocked at how easily I picked up shooting a gun. The guys seemed equally shocked and I wish I could explain it better but it was like an out-of-body experience. It was me but I didn't feel like the scared Omega who stumbled her way into a pack. Weak and scared. I felt...powerful. Like all my senses and instincts were heightened.

It seems silly to say this, but I almost felt like I had super powers or something. Of course, the ability to heal so quickly came from whatever I was injected with at the auction house but could it have enhanced me in other ways? I didn't think such a thing was possible. I mean this isn't an action or SyFy movie. That sort of thing isn't real.

"Last sighting of Raya Aston was when we were scouting out the second location for our last job," Ezra says pressing something, and an image of Raya pops up on the TV screen.

My heart cracks at the sight of her. It's a photo taken from a distance, but it's so clear that you can see everything clearly. She's mostly hidden by a car but she is accompanied by two men. The next photo is of her speaking to several men that look almost normal. Not what I would have expected to see for people dealing in the underground selling of Omegas.

The men who were in charge of us looked like hardened criminals, but maybe that is to scare the Omegas and keep us from getting any ideas about fighting back.

"She met with the Boston Cartel on Monday to discuss a new shipment. We were only able to get a short clip of sound before it was interrupted by too much interference. It was how we go the name of the man we were able to flip for information. Anton Fest." Ezra moves to a photo of a man meeting with the ones who had been speaking to Raya in the last photo. "We were able to intercept the transfer of the Omegas before they could be moved. That means they are going to be looking for new bodies and quick."

I tense up at the way he called Omegas 'bodies' and he must catch it because he gives me a remorseful look.

"I'm sorry love..." He hesitates before speaking again. "It's easier sometimes for us to put some emotional distance between us and who we are working to save. It helps us keep focused."

"It's how we did things in Special Forces," Weston adds and I realize they have made several comments about serving in the army which I am very curious about, but that will have to wait.

It also makes me wonder why they didn't act the same way when they found me. They could have simply removed me from the situation and handed me off but they didn't. I'm sure other Omegas they helped had begged them for help and yet those women didn't end up where I am. All those Omegas they helped and they never found one they wished to be part of their pack. What is it about me that they are drawn to?

"I understand." I decide to say so I can get their attention off me while I get lost in my thoughts.

He nods and turns his attention back to his presentation.

I try to mentally scold myself for letting all these dumb thoughts creep into my head. Why does it matter anyway? I'm here with them now and they seem to want to keep me around, so that should be enough.

"We need to find their supplier, and since Elise has given us the confirmation that Raya Ashton is a key member in that area we need to focus on her. She will need to arrange several abductions to replace the number of Omegas she lost. It is far too many for one person to accomplish without suspicion so there must be another location or way she will get the numbers she needs. We need to keep our focus on her for now. Tomorrow we will start scouting her every move. We have a short window here while they a scrambling, let's not waste it." Ezra says looking at each of the guys.

Then his eyes land on me and I see several emotions pass over his face.
It looks as if he has a war going on in his mind, and it has something to do with me.

"Elise, it hasn't escaped our notice that you have been having heat flare-ups since we found you. Your heat will come sometime soon and that is usually when a pack will claim their Omega officially. I want you to consider possibly doing it sooner." He says taking me by surprise.

Does he want to bond with me this soon? After one day together?

"What?" That is all I manage to get out.

"We want you there with us every step of the way, but you will be more protected if you are bonded." He explains but I'm still too shocked.

"Wait, what do you mean with you every step?" I mean I didn't expect to be in the front lines or anything.

"You will be safer with us, and you know more about Raya than any of us do. Your presence will be an invaluable help, but you are also our girl. That means your safety is important to us, and one very important way to keep you safe is to make you part of our pack officially." He reiterates.

"But this is too soon." I point out, but he gives me a soft smile and shakes his head.

"There is no timetable for a pack to claim their Omega, and we know we want to keep you with us. Does it matter how long we wait? We feel that it's right, do you?" He asks and I feel the heat of all the guy's eyes on me again.

Waiting. Expecting an answer.

What do I say?

Of course, I feel it, but I'm scared of it too. It's too soon. I agreed to stay and I feel a connection with them but what if they don't want me later on? What if I don't live up to their hopes? They seem to have an idea about me, but what if they're wrong? What if their expectations are too high to live up to?

They think I could be a kick-ass Omega who fights alongside them...or something. Sure it would feel amazing to have that sort of confidence and ability, but everything is still so fresh. I have been doing well so far but hardly any time has passed. What if the worst is yet to come? Nightmares and anxiety attacks...there is still time for those to creep in and ruin all of this.

Even now, all my fears are cutting away the excitement of being a part of this group. Even their sister and her mates are exceptional. I don't belong here with them...

Why did I think I could fit here?

"Elise." Archer's sweet voice pulls me back from the dark parts of my mind and I see him kneeling in front of me. "I can see you getting lost. If any of this is too much for you then tell us. We won't do a single thing you don't feel comfortable with. You are the most important thing in our life now, and we won't do anything to jeopardize that. Okay?"

My eyes burn with tears at the sincerity in his words and the pleading look in his eyes. He's scared...but so am I.