“Bear is part of my pack’s security team,” Percy explained. “They were originally hired by the California Chargers hockey team—my pack mates play on it. They’re a legit company. They’ve protected us during some terrifying situations. My omega, Mable, can vouch for them.”
Flora stared at the screen, clearly still processing.
This was my best shot, and I really needed it to work. Someone had tried to snatch Flora off the street at knifepoint. I wasn’t about to let that happen again, no matter how she felt about me or my pack.
Chapter 20
Flora
“Ishouldn’tbe going with you,” I said weakly as Bear dragged me into his ridiculously large car. But I was numb, unable to process what had just happened, and moving on autopilot. A stranger had just threatened me with a knife. He’d nearly taken me Lord knew where.
“Going with me isexactlywhat you should be doing,” he said firmly. I inhaled deeply. My attacker had smelledbadlike sewage. It was so terrible, I doubted it was his real scent, probably something to conceal it. In comparison, Bear’s pumpkin bread scent was euphoric and the best palate cleanser.
Bear gently ensured I was fully in the seat before doing up my seat belt for me, which felt ridiculous, except for the fact that my hands were shaking too much to manage it myself. He was being so soft handed with me, and I knew deep down that Percy was telling the truth. Bear was legit, even if he was friends with Spencer-the-crazy-pants.
“He was going to—” I trailed off, unable to look away from my feet. I was cold, far too cold, considering the mild evening.
Am I in shock? What do I…
“Don’t think about that. We wouldneverlet it happen.”
“Where are you taking me?” Considering I had almost been kidnapped at knifepoint, I was alarmingly okay going with this stranger who’d saved me before. But part of that was from speaking with Percy. I knew him enough from class, and he’d said that Bear and his pack had helped them.
Helped his omega.
“My pack and I live close by,” Bear said. After sliding into the driver’s seat, he closed the doors and checked the mirrors several times before pulling out into the street, looking at me more than the road.
If I wasn’t still processing—unsuccessfully, I might add—I probably would have admonished him and told him to keep his eyes on the damn road. I was a stickler for road safety most of the time. But I guess that flew out the window when I was distracted by the burning throb in my arm.
My attacker had grabbed me so hard, I was probably going to have some bruising.
But then Bear’s words finally sank in.
“Wait—your pack. Spencer is part of your pack, isn’t he?” I asked, my voice turning angry.
“Please don’t hold that against me,” Bear said with a grimace, eyes forward now.
“I don’t see how I cannothold the fact that you choose to be in a pack with an absolute nutjob against you. It says a lot about your decision-making skills.”
“In my defense, he wasn’t exhibiting a lot of this crazy behavior before he met you. You seem to bring out the overprotective side in all of us.”
“Oh yeah, blame the victim,” I grumbled. All the adrenaline was seeping out of my body, that drop after something… traumatic occurred, and I couldn’t find it in me to be angry anymore. Iwas too damn exhausted to think that hard. But something trickled into my mind, the words “overprotective” and “all of us.”
“I’m not blaming you for anything,” Bear explained softly, one of his hands reaching out to grab mine. It felt comforting, his larger hand engulfing my smaller one. His skin was hot to the touch, too, and I didn’t want to pull away. “We’re going to keep you safe. I promise.”
“I do a pretty good job with the taser, you know,” I replied weakly.
A chuckle escaped Bear, filling the quiet car. “Oh yeah, I saw what you did to Spencer. I watched the security cameras at the library. I’m damn proud of you.”
Though his praise shouldn’t have an impact on me, my chest warmed. I should have been concerned about how he found that footage, but I was learning not to question how much they seemed to have ingratiated themselves into my life. Apparently, Spencer was one part of a pack of alphas who didn’t seem to give a shit about privacy and space.
After a few minutes, we pulled into an underground garage. Realistically, I should have been terrified about going into a parking garage with someone I hardly knew, but there was something about Bear’s pumpkin bread scent that felt so cozy and comforting. My stupid omega nose was going to get me into trouble.
Though he did kind of save me. Okay, hedefinitelysaved me.
Bear pulled the car to a stop, turning to face me with a sympathetic smile. In that moment, the adrenaline truly drained out of me, and the events of the night hit in full force. I looked down at my hands. My fingers were still shiny with fry grease, but the bag was long gone. Although I couldsmell the fast-food clinging to my clothes, the food was all gone.
Because someone had tried to?—
