Emmett and Diego are uncharacteristically silent on the drive, though I can tell they’re almost as anxious as I am. Diego toys with the crucifix he wears on his neck, and Emmett’s so wound up he can’t seem to sit still. The closer we get to our goal, the more they fidget and squirm.
As we near the downward slope Olly mentioned, the scent of the omega reaches my nostrils, blown on a gust of wind. It’s muffled, muted, but there’s no mistaking it. Lemongrass and sunshine, plus the cinnamon and peppercorn Olly noticed earlier on. Both sweet and spicy, a tantalizing combination. I inhale a huge gulp of air through my nose, savoring her aroma.
I turn a bend and bring the car to a screeching halt. A wall of rock and leaves meets us at the base of a high hill, blocking us from moving forward. My fists slam into the steering wheel as I grunt with frustration. It can’t end like this! I can smell her, can sense her nearby … Where did she go?
Olly’s arm reaches out from the back seat to point at the verdant foliage in front of us. “Anyone else think that looks weird?”
Emmett scoffs. “We’re in a forest. There are plants. What’s weird about it?”
Squinting into the glow from the headlights, I inspect the wall of leaves and branches more carefully. As my vision comes into focus, I finally take note of the broken stems and branches, of the odd angles. These plants didn’t grow this way; they were placed.
Nested, almost.
“Good catch, Olly.” I cut the engine and hop out, creeping towards what I can now see is the hastily hidden entrance of a small cave. Auryn’s scent grows stronger with each step, quickening my movements. Breaking into a run, I crash through the wall of branches into the cave itself. I don’t have a flashlight, but I don’t need it; I’ll let my nose guide me.
Or my ears … The farther back I get, the more I hear faint crying and sniffles. Auryn’s definitely here, and she’s in distress.
She needs us.
That’s an understatement. My alpha really needs to chill.
“Auryn?” I call out as I race to the back of the cave. “Auryn, I’m here.”
As if she knows who I am. Would she even recognize me in the darkness, know who I am without the mask?
“S-stay back!”
The shout catches me off guard. What heated omega in her right mind would tell an approaching alpha to stay away?
Then again, maybe Auryn’s not in her right mind.
“Auryn, it’s Gage. We met on the cliff. Do you remember?” I slow my footsteps, hoping a more cautious approach might ease her fears. “I’m the pathetic alpha who could never forget your name.”
A peal of delirious laughter reaches my ears just as the rest of my group catches up with me. I gesture for them to stay back, though whether they can see my signal in the dark is anyone’s guess. I just hope they’re level-headed enough to let me take point on this, at least until Auryn’s safe and secure.
Something clicks behind me, and the cavern floods with light. Auryn’s slight form skitters back to the far side of the cave, and I want to curse Olly for his preparedness. Now she’s startled, and she’ll be harder to coax out. She probably felt safer in the dark.
“Auryn, I’m not here to hurt you. I’m here to help. You want help, don’t you?”
She shields her eyes from the glare of Olly’s flashlight. “Alphas don’t help. They only harm.”
Her words catch me by surprise. Alphas harm? What in the hell is going on? I’ve never heard of an omega who fears alphas, let alone one who declares us harmful. What the fuck is that Orion pack up to for her to react like this to an alpha’s offer of help?
These new questions, though valid, will have to wait. I’ve got to convince Auryn to let me help her, let me ease the unbearable ache she must feel.
Step by step, I inch closer to the cowering omega. Auryn shrinks in on herself, shaking and sobbing. The sight of her in pain is agonizing, and the pull I feel in my chest grows stronger. More even than my alpha instincts, I want to help her. I want to scoop her into my arms and protect her from anyone or anything that might try to hurt her.
Since she’s so skittish, I stop for a moment to appreciate the wild beauty about her. Her hair’s damp and muddy, but I remember the healthy glow to the dark locks when she stood up to me on the cliff. I remember the defiance inher darkeyes, the stark independence, the brazen challenge to her gaze. Even now, as terrified as she must be, she’s pushing back. She’s fighting with everything she has, glaring at me like she’s daring me to come after her.
That shouldn’t turn me on as much as it does, but my painfully hard cock twitches at the thought of a physical fight with her. Auryn might be small, but she’s fierce, and I bet she’s feisty, too. I lick my lips in anticipation and move forward in a lustful haze, so focused on my goal that Olly’s voice barely registers.
“Gage, you've got to purr first. No, don't pick her up! Oh, now you've done it. Watch out for her knee–”
That knee he mentions hits its target with laser precision. I fall to my knees, groaning and clutching my crotch as Auryn darts past me.
I hear scuffling as Diego and Emmett launch into action, diving on the girl and holding her down. Auryn screeches with frustration and lashes out. Both of my alpha comrades curse and cry out as she scratches and kicks them. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Emmett grab her from behind, pinning her arms over her head, while Diego wipes blood from fresh cuts on his face.
“Ella es una demonia,”Diego says as he wraps his arms around her legs to hold her still. “She’s fucking possessed.”
