The day passes with a tension between the eleven of us that makes my skin crawl. Rojer, Nathan, and Kevin are outright hostile and rude, and I think if I wasn’t defusing the situation, they and the Prince pack might have come to blows already.
Worse still is the way they are watching me now. Like I’m something they want to break, like I’m weak.
Their eyes are an itchy feeling that follows me wherever I go. I don’t like it. My scent comes out a little more burnt as my irritation and fear merge.
Which just makes me a bigger target.
All the alphas are riled, and the situation is getting precarious. I’m close enough to the cabin now that if I take off, I’d be able to get out of here, but I can’t guarantee everyone would be alive at the end of it. And…I don’t know how my injured body would affect things.
I rub my head, feeling the lump.
I’m not at a hundred percent; that fall took more out of me that I expected, and the cabin is at least a few more hours away. Can I survive with seven alphas chasing me through the forest?
Probably not. My headache is throbbing, and I feel like I just want to sleep for a week.
Despite my cheerful narration and smiles, the alphas can sense weakness like blood in the water. Or smell it in the air.
“Let’s call for a break. Ten minutes, everyone,” I say with a smile that feels brittle.
Before anyone can stop me, I melt away, putting extra space as I quickly take care of business and right my clothes.
I’ve just done up my fly when I hear the sound of someone coming towards me. I expect one of the Prince pack, so I turn with a snarky comment, only to find Nathan bearing down on me, his eyes aglow, expression fierce.
“Omega, come here.”
The bark is sudden and intense.
I gasp, fighting, but my willpower is snapped under the alpha's power. Tears of pure frustration and fear well in my eyes, but I walk towards him on stiff legs.
“Nath..an, please, stop.”
He doesn’t seem to hear me; he doesn’t seem to hear anything. As soon as I get close, he grabs the back of my neck and drags me up against him, his mouth moving over the spot on my neck where the scent is strongest. His scent hits me hard, and I gag, desperate to get him away from me.
A sob bursts from me, and I tremble in his arms. I work my hand into my pocket, past that envelope, and into the emergency box I keep in there.
I flick the lid off and pull the syringe out of my pocket. I act quickly, depressing the sedative into the alpha before he can think. One second, two. He stumbles back, his eyes unfocused, the pupils huge black pools. Strands of saliva run from his mouth down to his chin, and then he drops.
I don’t even try to help him; I just stand there and glare. In all my years, no alpha has ever tried such an unscrupulous attempt at taking me by force.
He drops to his knees, and my lip curls. His scent is all over me, and my neck is wet.
“Piece of shit,” I hiss.
I reach into my pockets and pull out a packet of disinfectant wipes. I’d prefer to use anything else, but beggars can’t be choosers.
“What did you do?” he slurs.
“What did you do?” I growl.
I put the wipes back, and my fingers touch the envelope. I pull it out and open it. There are ten photos.
Ten very incriminating photos.
The omega is crying and screaming.
I still when I get to a photo where Nathan is poised, cock deep, smiling at the camera.
“I see.” My voice is crystal.
