The facility is an awful place, but it is better to be there than with shitty Alphas who are thinking about other women constantly. Riley hiccups, frowning at me.
“The officers are out looking… Nobody got you right? They’re looking for you.”
Cold fear strikes me, and I barely even notice as Fury throws the drunken asshole out onto the street, knowing what this spells for my escape plans. If Anna catches me this time, I’ll probably be shipped off with some of the worst packs on offer here, the ones she offers Omegas to under the table for a hefty cut of profits. I tremble as I wonder about Jasmine, if she made it out safely into a decent pack. Something stutters to a halt, and the room starts to lose its chemical smell. It hits me all at once. The full force of Atlas in front of me, flooding my brain, taking over, and making a home for itself right here as the scent catches me with a whiplash. Fury exhales loudly from where he stands next to the extractor switch, cerulean eyes widening as his gaze darts between me and Atlas.
Scent matches.
We’re not just particularly compatible; we’re scent matches. Fated by whatever deities decided on partners for us. Going by how the man in front of me turned to solid rock, I know it’s dawned on him. And now I know that they are both wolves too,that primal, wild scent that underlined everything else bleeding from their pores.
Part of me can’t believe that this mischievous tatted Alpha and the big pissed-off beefcake are fate by whatever gods there are to fuck and bite me into submission, to live in a happy little group until the end. The other part of me is spiraling. Between being grabbed and nearly bitten by a strange, drunken Alpha, and the thought of being attached for the rest of my life with no escape… Being used for their pleasure, and my freedom at risk. Blackness swims at the edges of my vision, and a high-pitched whine leaks from my throat.Too much.Too much all at once. Glasses clinking and chairs scraping the floor are like nails on a chalkboard, grating on the last of my nerves. Too much at once, and no fresh air to breathe, my chest constricts with the stuffy claustrophobia. Fuck, I should have stayed at the auction. Air vents click back on, and suddenly, there is the sound of fans to contend with, too, drowning out my ability to think.
“Skye, darling, look at me,” A voice breaks through the haze. Warmth surrounds me, front and back, like a heavy blanket, blocking me from the lighting and surrounding me with the scents of the forest and smoky booze. Purring joins in, forcing the numbness to recede just a little, to soften my body between them. The final comfort comes in the form of teeth brushing across the scent gland in my wrist, and the world comes flooding back to me in full sound and color. For the first time in minutes, my lungs fill properly again, and I can breathe. Atlas is at my front, clasping one of my hands in his, tucking it against the shirt where bloody tears have appeared across his sternum, deep and crimson. My other hand is pressed to his lips, where he’s currently peppering kisses and nipping across the thin skin, then rubbing his cheek over it to mark us both.Had I thought his eyeswereangry storms before?They are the softest of rainclouds now, so heavy and bursting with emotion that I have to lookaway from him. I can’t see the longing in them and deny him, not when my own heart is so torn between the freedom I want and now the pack that I’ve fallen into. Fury stands behind me, nuzzling against my cheek, then resting his chin on the top of my head.
“Welcome back, lovely.” His voice is smooth and buttery, though there’s a sharp, unhappy edge: “You doing okay?”
“I will be. I haven’t had a panic attack in years. I just need a second to catch my breath.” He nods against my head, sweeping his cheek over my hair until he's resting on my shoulder, curled over my back to bring us closer in height. I want to stay here forever between them, but I need to get my shit together and get away before I lose control, or I end up taken back into custody of the Omega auctions again.
“I’ll give you all the time in the world, but the recovery goons won't.” Breaking through the warmth of their embrace, bumps rise across my skin as I try to turn, breaking away from the circle of Alpha, only to find the barrel of a gun pointed at us. Fury lends me his quietness, calm, and offers me his strength. The Omega Recovery Squad, despite their purpose being to help Omegas escape from bad situations or to reinforce contracted limits, is known for their brutality when needed, dragging escapees back to the facility to ensure Anna doesn’t lose her precious payday. I want the ground to swallow me up; every set of eyes in Bowline is on us, but neither Fury nor Atlas so much as twitches a muscle, just holds me solid as they purr.
Wiggling free, I take a step out of their embrace, but before the squad moves in to grab me, I tug my Alpha down by his beard, scenting myself against his face for a nice reminder whilst Anna takes the price of my escape out on my flesh this week for her troubles.
“Remember me?” I whine, hoping that they’ll come for me next week when the auctions run again, before one of the guardscuffs me, stepping on my dress and tearing it as they drag me out into the street. Fury watches with barely restrained anger at my treatment, whilst Atlas looks lost, wringing his hands together before he reaches to his Cardinal for comfort.
Less than a minute into my return, the ferocious hurricane of Alpha hits me with the rotten strawberries and sour cream scent. Mercy evades her as she cocks her arm back, her palm connecting and snapping my head to the side. It stings far worse than her earlier slap, and I really have to battle to keep my claws and fur in this time. Another slap hits the other cheek, and it would have taken me to my knees if not for the Betas holding me up.
“You rank little fucking bitch, I’ve had enough of you,” She spits in my face, wrath boiling her blood as pristine nails jab me. “By the next auction, you. Will. Be. Gone.”
Clay
As the glorified runner of the pack, it’s my job to sort things out that Teddy either can’t manage by himself or when he can’t be bothered and turns those big, begging eyes on me. That Beta would have made a better Omega than most, and he knows just how to play his Alpha. So, here I am, out in the city at the nearest supermarket to the ranch with a list as long as my arm. Not only that, but I’m standing in the pasta aisle wondering whether wholegrain is an acceptable substitute for the spaghetti on the list, or if another option like penne would be better. Theodore—Teddy—wouldn’t bother his ass, he’d just grab whatever fits. Lucas would scowl at it. Sighing, I grab a pack of each and throw them in the cart.
As always, I take a trip through the home section of the store, grabbing a couple of spare mugs and a spoon to replace the ones that Atlas bent whilst hammering through his very top secret ice cream stash. The one he still believes none of us know about, yet he never buys any new ice cream for it, because we top it up.
Something catches my eye, and I stop. A warm, tingling feeling spreads through my very bones as the shelf with the blanket draws me in. There, a dark navy blanket, threaded through with purples and silver streaks in some sort of galaxy print, and mottled with bright stars that pulls at my Alpha.Huh,I’d never say I’m out of touch with my instincts, but this is new and unusual. My Alpha side is pretty quiet, tucked awayat the back of my mind, but he is here now, insisting that there is some sort of importance to this. Drawing the blanket to my cheek, I rub it against my face, my Alpha nodding in delight at the softness I feel as the threads catch on my scruff. It takes a loud throat clearing to snap me out of my trance and turn to the teenage staff member glowering at me.
“Please don’t scent the products, sir.” She sighs in that world-weary way that can only be managed by retail staff, “I’ll have to de-scent it now.” When she reaches to take it from me without asking, we both freeze as the deep, possessive growl escapes from between my lips. My free hand flies to cover my mouth as the mortification sets in.
“My most sincere apologies, ma’am,” It comes out in a rush, “We just found our Omega and I… She… I’m buying it.” It’s a lie, well, everything but that last part. We’ve had no luck with the bonding agencies or scent searchers yet, but I’ve embarrassed myself enough for a lifetime, and it only took five whole minutes. Beating a hasty retreat, I groan, the guys are never going to let me live this one down. Bolting towards the checkouts, I know I’ve forgotten a few things, but I can stop at another store on the way for the rest. But I can’t stay here. Of course, my day isn’t going badly enough when I've paid and make my way towards the door, only for the heavy-built security guard to step into my way, shielding the teen from earlier. He’s got nothing on me, a few inches shorter than my six-foot-four, and I probably outweigh him by thirty pounds.
“I apologized already,” My shoulders slump as I remain still, letting the guard check me as I lean heavily on the cart, “I’ve never growled at anyone other than my pack in my life.”
The guard gives me an easy smile, holstering a little laser thermometer that he used to check my temperature and waggling his brows, “You’re running a temp, buddy, best warnthat Omega about a rut, yeah? And leave the shopping ‘til you ain’t growlin’ at kids.”
Bowing my head to hide the fresh flush of color and twitch of a smile, I bob in agreement and pass them both, offering another regretful smile to the staff member. The sight of the black four by four is salvation in the lot as I pile the bags into the truck and toss myself into the driver's seat. Just when I think it’s done, my head drops forwards to rest on the rim of the wheel, and I hit the horn. The resulting blaring beep nearly sends me through the roof. I need a drink or a nap. Anything to calm my shattered nerves.
Thankfully, the rest of the drive home is uneventful, the city left behind as the mountains loom to the North, and I watch the peaks as I hit the quieter country roads. The heavy tree line is the last stretch before the turn-in for the mile-long drive to the ranch, and Teddy’s big gray mare grazes along the fence line by herself. Pulling up in front of the rustic old house, I take just a minute to catch my breath. The open air out here is a salve on a wound, no press of bodies and overwhelming scents—just pack and home. Teddy’s ranch is far enough from the city to be a pain, especially in winter, but close enough so that it isn’t truly remote. Feeling the anxiety bleed from me with each rise of my chest, I don’t even jump when our sweet Beta knocks on the window to say hello. Smiling back at him, I can feel the stress of the day returning to tug the sides of my lips down.Teddy.He is my person, and I can never hide my worries from him, especially after his accident last year. Life is too short to keep secrets.
Stepping out of the car, I grab the collar of his shirt and tug him closer softly, waiting for him to rest his cane on the car so I can fully embrace him. There are a few inches between us; Teddy’s not the shortest, but Atlas and I easily outmatch his five-foot-ten frame. Fury’s only a little taller than him, and Luc is only an inch shorter. I’m still stuck in my head as he pullsme down to his lips, losing myself in the roughness of them. I need to remind him to use the damn lip balm again. It’s a chaste kiss, just a welcome home, but it helps ground me a little, and I wrap my arms around him, squeezing tightly before releasing. Everything melts away as we carry the groceries in, and by that, I mean I carry everything except the lightest bags that I give to Teddy. He insists he can do more… But he’s still healing, so I don’t want to push him.
By the time everything is in its place, and I’ve put the dishes away that Fury left drying on the rack before work, we start dinner. Teddy hobbles around me on his prosthetic, a little unsteady at times, but he’s walking freely now, and it gives me hope; maybe if we’re lucky, he’ll get back on the horses again. I know he misses it.
Both of our phones buzz at once, and I catch Teddy shrugging before moving back to the hob and setting the potatoes to boil. Pulling my own phone from my pocket, I open the group chat.
AlmightyLeader: Pack meeting when we get home
AlmightyLeader: I’ll bring dinner in
Me: Don't bother, Teddy’s already started on dinner.
