Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 103548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
The dick only laughed louder. “You’re the most beautiful woman who’s ever threatened me. I gotta say, it’s taking a lot of the sting out of it.”
I rolled my eyes. How did this guy turn everything I said into a weapon to hit on me with? “What more do you think I need to know about you, Clarke? I got the gist. You had a sucky childhood, all the alphas picked on you, you’re terrible with women because your teenage girlfriend was your right hand, and when you finally grew up, the bullied became the bully. There.” I smiled wide. “Did I leave anything out?”
His lamplighter eyes shone with amusement. “A lot actually. First off, I’m left-handed, and I’m no cheater.”
I snorted, a tiny giggle bursting out. I clamped down on my lip cutting it off, but it was too late. Paxton’s smirk turned smug as well as annoyingly hot.
“And I didn’t have a sucky childhood. I mean, for sure, I ran into more than my fair share of alpha douchebags, but life’s not all bad when your parents are millionaires.”
I froze, my jaw and the masticated beef I was tearing apart—hanging open. “What was that?”
“That’s million, baby, with an m.” I didn’t understand the phrase shit-eating grin until right then. “Yeah, I got expelled from school, but that only meant my moms got to homeschool me in between our trips to Rome, Dubai, Singapore, Thailand, Korea, and Brazil. I studied for the Corvin entrance exam while sunning myself on a beach in Monaco.”
“You’re lying,” I blurted. “You have to be. Because if that’s true, it makes even less sense that a pampered rich boy like you let yourself be ordered around like a servant by Badr.”
He rolled his eyes. “There you go again, playing Pampered Princess Priestess. It doesn’t matter how much money my parents have, Daze. I’m an omega full stop,” he stated. “So if I want to get ahead in this world, I need alphas on my side, not wealth. Can you guess who’s a good friend to have?”
Understanding dawned. “The son of the Sun councilman who is set to take over for his father one day.”
“Bingo,” he crowed, tapping his nose. “Yes, life is a lot easier for me being on Nyx’s, Edric’s, Orion’s, and Badr’s good side, but it also helps that they really are good guys. They’ve never used their power to force me to do something I don’t want to do, while every other alpha I’ve met didn’t think twice about it.”
“Alright, I get it,” I broke in, shaking my head. “I don’t know what it’s like to be an omega, so I should stop pretending I do.”
“Yeah, you should.” His voice was hard. “You’ve got no idea what it’s like having your moms sit you down and tell you they’re not handing the business over to you because any alpha anywhere could come along, force me to hand it over to them, and destroy everything they built.” He looked away. “They’re not leaving me any money or property either, because raging dick rules apply there too. A jealous alpha would just take it away.
“I was born knowing I’d have to make my own way in this world. No one’s handing me a piece of the pie, but everyone’s trying to take it.”
“Then I’ll change it. I’ll protect your pie.” The words were out of my mouth before I heard them, and how it sounded. “I mean, I’ll protect you and the omegas from losing all the things you have a right to. Stronger inheritance laws, and harsher prosecutions for alpha command–based thefts.” I nodded to myself, adding those to the list of the many laws I needed to change. “This is how they do it, isn’t it? How they force the omegas to be subservient.
“They force you all to live on home base, and the only way to make it around the field is to cling to their cleats while they drag you around behind them.”
“Now you’re getting it.” He smiled to take the sting out of it. “You really think you’re going to be my savior, don’t you?”
I warmed for no good reason. “I will tear down this backwards world and build a new one on its ashes, and I mean that from the deepest corner of my soul. No one is more committed, determined, or bloodthirsty than me.”
His grin shone over me, dragging my gaze to those full, pink, sinfully kissable lips. “I believe you. I don’t know why but... I do.”
I tugged at my collar. It was hot out here. Why was it so hot! It was the middle of autumn for Luame’s sake.
I roughly cleared my throat. “Anyway, what’s this million-dollar empire your folks run? Have I heard of it?”
“Most likely.” He reached into the basket and pulled out two more Maltas. “The laws may force us werewolves to hide our identities from the mundanes, but it doesn’t stop us from selling to them. My mom is the creator of the She-Wolf line of clothing, shoes, and accessories. My other mom is her co-founder and brand ambassador.”