Page 16 of Omega Scorned

There was movement inside and then the door opened only a crack. "What?"

"Emilia, do you hate being in public?" Jude asked. "Also, we brought food."

The door opened wider and I could see her drawn face, mostly hidden behind her pale hair. Her eyes were rimmed with red, like she'd been crying. "What are you doing here? Aren't you having a party?"

"Yes, but your alphas showed up with Candace and not you, so we came to investigate," I told her. "May we come in?"

"Yeah, I guess." She shoved the door open wider and stepped back. She was still wearing her pajamas, light cotton ones with tiny rosebuds all over them.

Jude wasted no time in heading for the dining room where he set the plate on the table. "Come eat, Emilia."

I shut the door and followed her to the dining room where she stood frowning at the food.

"Why did you bring me food?"

"Because you didn't show up to the barbeque and we figured you'd be hungry," I told her. "Dig in."

She sat down, then jumped up again. "Do you guys want something to drink? Let me grab plates and you can share the food with me."

"We're fine. Sit down and eat," Jude said.

We sat down across from her and watched as she took the plastic fork and scooped a mouthful of potato salad into her mouth.

"This is really good!"

"Thanks." Jude gave her a warm smile. "Grayson made the meat. Everything else is mine."

Emilia ate until she seemed to be full and leaned back in her chair. "Aren't they going to miss you over at the party?"

"We missed you at the party," Jude said simply.

"Your alpha told us you didn't like to leave the house. Is that true?" I asked, not trusting Jude to be tactful with the question we both wanted an answer to.

"They've never offered. I didn't even realize until today that they don't take me anywhere because of my face," she said, sounding bitter. "I was such an idiot not to see it."

"Did they say what your role is now that they have Candace?"

"I'm the backup, I guess?" She shrugged like it didn't matter, but the pain was obvious in her eyes. She lifted them to look at me. "I get it, though. Who wants an omega with this stupid face?"

Jude jerked like he'd been slapped. "You're beautiful."

"No, Jude, I'm hideous." She lifted a hand to her hair and pulled it back, turning her head to show us the full extent of the scarring. The dark puckered line ran from her temple, over her brow and cheekbone, before splitting in two. One branch ran to her jaw and the other cut into the corner of her mouth, pulling her lips slightly to the side. The cut had somehow missed destroying her eye, despite running straight over it, the brow and socket protecting her eyeball.

"You're strong."

"Very," I said. "Your old pack died, right?"

"Yes."

"And you survived. That scar is evidence of what you endured. What you lost. It's a part of you that only makes you more stunning," I assured her.

Tears welled up in her eyes. "I wish I could believe that."

"Will you come meet our alphas?" I asked.

"No, my pack wouldn't want me there."

"Okay, tomorrow, then."