4
Flint
IheardCharlie’s gasp and then instantly felt him stiffen beside me. Immediately my attention was on looking for Casey - thankfully, she was off to the side hidden among the treetrunks.
From the strange alpha’s scent, I knew he was from Scarlet Ridge. His eyes narrowed at Charlie but his mouth was screwed up in a coldsmile.
“Who are you?” I growled, stepping in front ofCharlie.
“Hector,” Charlie said infear.
“You know him?” Iasked.
“I would be surprised if he didn’t,” Hector growled in a low voice. “I’m from his pack, afterall.”
A sickening tension soaked through the air. Charlie’s fear scent reached my nose. I instantly hated Hector for making Charlie soafraid.
“What are you doing here?” I growled, stepping forward so I stood in front ofCharlie.
Hector’s cold smile fell into a frown. “I’ll make this short. You are harboring a viable Scarlet Ridge omega in your possession without our top alpha’s permission. I’m here to take him back to his properpack.”
His words hit me like a smack to the face. The hairs on the back my neck bristled and a deep fury ran through myveins.
“Who do you think you are?” I growled deeply, getting into Hector’s space. “Charlie is not anobjectfor you talk about possessing. He’s a living, breathingindividual.”
Hector looked almost bored. “Yes, I understand that. He’s also bound to Scarlet Ridge by pack law. So no matter howIfeel about the situation, Gunner won’t be pleased if I return without theomega.”
I was getting increasingly pissed off at the way Hector kept talking about Charlie like he wasn’t a real person. I didn’t know who this guy was or why he was so obsessed with Charlie away, but I wasn’t going to take any more ofit.
“I don’t care about Gunner, or your pack law,” I snapped. “Now get off my property before I physically makeyou.”
A flicker of fear flashed across Hector’s eyes but he didn’t budge. “I’m afraid I can’t do that.” Now he turned to glare at Charlie directly. “Youwillcome with me. You don’t have any other options. You have nowhere to stay. Who will take care of you if you don’t come back to Scarlet Ridge?” His face hardened. “Or will you stay here and be a burden to these shifters who have no responsibility toyou?”
I heard a tiny gasp escape Charlie’s lips. His fear scent became stronger and I could feel his shoulders start totremble.
I’d had enough of this. My wolf quaked just beneath the surface as I snarled at Hector. “Get off my propertyrightnow!”
Hector’s face twisted into a snarl to match my own. I could tell his wolf was bristling as well. If it was a fight he wanted, it was a fight he’d get - and even though I could tell from his scent that he was an alpha, he was scrawny and thin, and I knew he had no chance in a real fight againstme.
But Charlie reached over and put a gentle hand on my arm. “No, Flint, please don’t fight him. I don’t want you to get hurt,” hemurmured.
“I won’t,” Igrowled.
A raging fire burned inside my chest. My wolf wanted to fight - badly. It was a sensation I’d only felt rarely before, and never this powerful. Every cell in my body wanted to shift into my wolf and lunge at Hector and tear him limb from limb. A low, deep growl rose from my throat, a sign that my wolf was close to thesurface.
Suddenly Hector backed off. I guessed he saw how serious I was about attacking him if I had to and decided it wasn’t worth the risk. He began edging away in a wide arc, giving me space to indicate he wasn’t going to fight. But his face was still furious and the glare he shot at Charlie was cold andpiercing.
“Don’t get comfortable,” he said venomously to Charlie. “Gunner knows your heat is coming up, and don’t think for a second he’s going to let a breeding omega go thateasily.”
“Get out of here,” I snapped. “Go snivelling back to your ownpack.”
Hector slinked away, glancing over his shoulder with contempt. None of us moved as Hector disappeared into thetrees.
Anger still surged within me. I pulled out my phone and calledJericho.
“What’s up?” heasked.
“There’s a Scarlet Ridge alpha skulking around my cabin,” I told him. “He came to take Charlieaway.”
