"You think it's the Omega he's taken a liking to?"
"Probably." I rest my forearms on the railing, feeling the rough wood beneath my skin. "He likes taking wounded birds under his wing. Always has."
Kade makes a sound of agreement, moving a little closer until I can feel the heat of him against my side. His hand moves up my back and then settles around my neck, his fingers digging into my flesh with a touch that’s more possessive than anything else, a clear signal to anyone watching that I'm his. That I belong to him.
And fuck, I totally do.
Heat shoots straight down my spine. I bite back the sound that wants to escape my throat, but a small moan slips out anyway. "Alpha," I manage, my voice rougher than it was a second ago. "If you don't fucking quit that, we're going to have a problem."
I shift my legs a little, easing the growing pressure in my pants. Kade knows exactly what he's doing too, the bastard always trying to catch me off guard in public. If we wouldn't end up in jail, Kade would absolutely fuck me in public.
I'd be all for it, even if the world around us isn't completely on board with an Alpha submitting to another.
Kade squeezes a little harder, his thumb pressing into the side of my neck. "Dusty, if you end up coming without my permission, we're going to have a very different problem."
A growl rumbles from my chest. My cock twitches in my pants, my knot already starting to throb from the fantasy of Kade slowly bending me over in a show for everyone else to watch. Fuck. Not here. I hop down from the railing, putting some distance between us before I do something stupid.
"I need to go fix myself before I embarrass myself," I mutter, glaring at my Alpha. Desire wars in my chest with good ole rational thought the moment I really look at the man who’s had my heart for nearly half a decade.
He always looks good but when the sun is high up in the sky, just before late afternoon really sets in, it’s like the heavens gave him a little something extra to fuck with everything else.
Kade raises an eyebrow in jest as I shamelessly ogle him, the jeans I bought him last week that hesworehe didn’t need sit low his hips, paired with a bland black shirt. It’s simple but it showcases every last rippling muscle beneath his dark skin. His smirk widens a little as I continue to stare, the bastard knowing exactly what he does to me, a chuckle rumbling through him and shaking those broad shoulders of his.
I throw him the middle finger and stalk toward the bathroom area, forcing myself to breathe slowly. In through the nose, out through the mouth. Think about anything other than Kade's hand on my neck, his scent wrapping around me, the sweet promise in his words...
Another scent pulls me out of my head, reality slamming back into me. Flowers. Fresh ones? A mixture of vanilla and sweet orchids and something else I can’t quite place. I pause mid-step, the absolutely intoxicating scent taking over any rational thought. My Alpha instincts roar to life, every nerve ending suddenly on high alert. I've never smelled anything like it or felt this immediate pull toward someone I haven't even seen yet.
I scan the area, searching for the source, confused when there’s just…nothing.Until an adorable Omega steps out onto the pavement just outside of the bathroom.
She's beautiful, all gorgeous curves beneath a simple green dress, her braided hair pulled back in a neat braid. Those wild eyes and full lips draw me in closer, the Omega freezing when I step up in front of her, her pupils dilating until her eyes are nearly black.
Her lips part slightly as I take a tentative step closer. "Hello, sunshine," I say, my voice coming out as a low purr. "Name's Dustin." Her eyes never leave mine and I can’t help but wonder what it’d be like to stare at her for more than just the few minutes I’m sure we have. A woman like this surely has an Alpha or a pack. Still, I can’t help but ask. "And who might you be?"
"Solana." Her voice comes out soft, barely above a whisper, but the way she says her name feels like a present not so easily gifted.
"Solana," I repeat, tasting it on my tongue. "That's a beautiful name for a beautiful woman." Every one of those words feel cringey coming out of my mouth but it’s like I can’t stop whatever trainwreck this is supposed to be.
She blushes, the color rising in her cheeks as she glances away. "I really shouldn't be talking to you."
"Why not?" I ask, even though I'm starting to piece it together. The way she keeps looking around nervously, the simple dress that screams institution rather than choice, the fact that she smells this incredible but there's the chemical tang of suppressants underneath.
"I'm fromHarmony," she admits quietly. "We're supposed to stay with our group."
There it is. My jaw tightens at the name. I know about those places and what they do to Omegas under the guise of protection. "Just a conversation," I say gently. "Nothing wrong with that, right?"
She bites her bottom lip and I watch the way her teeth sink into the soft flesh as her emotions war across her expression. Want versus training. Desire versus fear. I can see it all playing out across her face.
"What brings you out here?" I ask, trying to keep her with me for just a few more minutes.
"The races." A small smile touches her lips. "I've never been this close to horses before. They're beautiful."
Some part of me immediately wants to drag her to where Thunder is but I’m not stupid.Harmonywould no doubt try to get me arrested for kidnapping or some bullshit. By the looks of it, Solana isn’t even that young but the hold those Omega centers have both on the law and their Omegas is ironclad. One step in the wrong direction and I wouldn’t just be ruining my life. I’d be ruining hers.
So, I decide to stay right here instead for as long as I can keep her. "They are," I agree, taking another step closer. She doesn't move away and that feels like a victory. "We've got a few running today. I grew up around them. There's something special about the way they move, all that power and grace together."
"That must be amazing." Her voice holds genuine longing. "To grow up with that kind of freedom."
Freedom. The word hits me harder than it should. Like it's something she's never had, something she's only dreamed about.
