Chase:
You could always burn the restaurant down.
I rolled my eyes, and Spence beat me to the reply.
Spencer:
No, she’s in the restaurant.
Chase:
Right, right. Suggestions?
Bear:
Maybe we just let her get a damn snack? She’s been putting up with your crazy antics. If she wants a burger, she can have a goddamn burger. I’m here. She’s safe.
I wasn’t the hard ass when it came to healthy eating; that was Spencer. If Flora wanted a burger, I wasn’t going to stop her. If she were mine, I’d feed her plenty of healthy food, sure, but moderation mattered. And that applied to junk food, too.
I knew Spencer, on the other hand, was a little overbearing.
But if giving her treats made her smile, I’d do it a hundred times over.
After a few minutes, with fries in hand, Flora walked out of the restaurant and started walking toward her apartment, a spring in her step. There was no missing the way her hips wiggled slightly when she took a bite. Her silent happy dance that she’d scored a treat.
As she approached her building, I slowed down again, wanting enough distance between us that she wouldn’t notice me. After all, Flora could easily recognize me.
We were only a few minutes away now, and I exhaled hard, knowing my time admiring her was coming to an end. But then I noticed it, the dark shape about the same distance away from Flora as me, but on the opposite side of the street. Whoever it was, they hadn’t noticed me, but they were also very focused on Flora.
What the fuck?
The guy, because I just knew it was, wore a hoodie beneath a thicker jacket, the hood pulled up, so I couldn’t make out his identity. Tension skittered up my spine, my stomach reflexivelyclenching. This didn’t sit right with me, and I’d know if something were up. It was my job, after all.
The hooded figure was gaining ground, walking straight toward her.
Was it another student who would pass right by her? Or maybe a friend who wanted to catch up and chat? Either situation was possible, but something about this shadowy figure set my teeth on edge. Speeding up, I hurried toward them.
Keep cool, Bear. Nothing’s happened yet. Everything’s fine.
But then the stranger reached out and grabbed Flora’s elbow.
He wastouchingmy omega.
I saw red and immediately sprinted toward them. They had no good reason to be physically making contact with her. Lunging forward, I was only a few feet away when I heard the tail end of their exchange, Flora’s voice shrill and loud as she called out.
“Let me go!” Flora cried, tugging desperately. Her hands were full—one holding her fries, the other feeding herself—so she hadn’t been gripping the taser in her bag.
“You need to come with me! It’s not safe! People are watching you! Always watching you!”
What in the hell was this guy going on about? He sounded crazed.Hewas the one watching her—terrifying her in the middle of the fucking street—unless he was talking about my pack.
One of his hands was gripping Flora tightly, and in the other was a knife.
No fucking way.
It was a small military-style knife, but no doubt alarming.
“Go away! You’re hurting me!” Horror and pain filled Flora’s voice, tears tracking down her face.
