But the name feels wrong. Doesn't fit her.
Somehow I know, deep in whatever instinct drives me, it isn't her name at all.
She's hiding something.
Hidingfromsomething.
Or someone.
My shoulders tense. The urge to lash out again builds in my chest, but I don't have a target. Just the ghost of whoever drove her here, whoever made her act like she needs to hide in the tunnels beneath my arena. If it's ahim—and it's always a fuckinghim—I want to tear him apart with my bare hands.
But I don't know who he is.
Don't know anything about her.
Just her scent. Just those ocean eyes that held their own shadows when she looked at me.
The fresh memory replays in my mind. The way she stood her ground when my growl filled the narrow space between us. There was fear in her eyes, yes.
But not horror.
Would've been different if she'd seen my face.
My growls alone should have sent her running. The instinct to speak—to tell her I wasn't going to hurt her, to beg her to let me bask in her presence for just one more minute—was still there.
Even though the only sounds I'm capable of now are beast sounds.
Monster sounds.
But this brave omega heard my growl and just stood there. Watching me. And then the fierceness in her eyes softened, and then she was...
Lessafraid?
Don't understand.
Nothing about me should make anyone less afraid.
Never mind a perfect creature like an omega.
I push off the wall and force myself to move. One foot in front of the other. I should leave. Should get as far away from her scent as possible before I do something I'll regret.
Like go back and find her.
But I don't head for the exit.
I find myself moving deeper into the tunnels instead, following the fading traces of honeysuckle.
I know that look in her eyes.
Prey that's learned to bite back.
Whatever she's running from has left its mark on her, just like my own scars.
I settle into the shadows at the junction of two corridors, back pressed against cold concrete, and wait.
If whoever she's hiding from comes hunting, I'll be here first.
Chapter
