“Saving time. Lincoln, are you with us too?”
“Certainly am.”
“This is insane,” I splutter ungraciously. “I can stay at a hotel for twenty-four hours with Ares, and then I can go home in the morning.”
“No!” Valak growls.
“Look, I’m not disagreeing with Noah’s suggestion about tonight, or with Gabriel’s suggestion of hunkering down to hide for a couple of days, but four people accompanying me, even with all the explanations from Gabriel, it’s a bit much.”
“Our caution is for good reason,” Noah adds, turning to watch me through the car window. “Your scent is very strong, and you’re by yourself.”
“What does that have to do with anything?” I growl back at him.
“Okay, before we start discussing all this in too much detail, let’s at least agree to get out of the city. It’s the safest course of action. We have too many people out and about looking for lost omegas. And now there are calls coming in from local dispatch to be on the lookout for a blue Jeep.”
I shake my head to try to keep sense of what is going on, not with what has happened but with right now. I’m being railroaded by things out of my control in a lot of ways, but these guys aren’t being obtuse either. If anything, I am.
“I know I put in a call for help, but I still don’t think I need four people helping. I’m not disputing that I need assistance, at least until Ares is back on his feet, but this is overkill.”
“It is warranted,” Valak growls as he enunciates each word, making Ares rise up on his forepaws to see what the problem is. Valak continues growling, his eyes glaring at my dog until he catches me watching his interaction. And then I swear I see his lips pull together before he mumbles a nearly silent apology. Not sure who it is for though, for him or me.
“I’m walking down the side of Luke’s practice now, so no one shoot me.” Lincoln’s softly spoken words are sprinkled in warning.
The line stays open, but Noah and Valak move to the back of my car and take a more defensive stance.
“And,” Gabriel rejoins the conversation. “I’m logging our mystery omega into the centre under an alias, and then I am out of here. Where will I meet you?”
“What about the Walmart at Mount Blarmey?” Lincoln replies almost immediately.
“Yeah, I need to get food and provisions if I’m not going home tonight,” I add, realising I have nearly nothing but the clothes I’m wearing and my electronics. I twist around, watching and waiting for Lincoln’s arrival and find my emergency bag which will have a few things.
“For a couple of days,” Valak clarifies, still waiting for Lincoln to appear.
“Debatable, but we can argue later,” I grumble.
“I’ll meet you there. Park around back. I’ll be on foot, which means I call shotgun in the new girl’s car.” Gabriel does that laugh he’s so good at, and then in the background he gets busy. He thrashes his keyboard by the sounds, makes other calls that are barely audible and keeps checking in.
Lincoln, in the meantime, walks around the corner, stopping at a safe distance so Noah and Valak can see him properly. Like always, his silvering hair is brushed off his face, his skin is clear, and his navy suit is crisp; it looks like he just walked off set and into my wet dreams. Without any preamble or sense of self-preservation, he walks straight past Valak and Noah and tries my door, finding it locked. His eyebrow arches up, and he taps his finger on the locked door impatiently.
“Open up,” he commands. And there’s this rather large and surprising part of me that reacts before the other part of me catches up. The car is unlocked and the door is opened before either of us realise.
Lincoln in the flesh is a million times more intense than watching him on television and hearing him over the phone. It’s like getting hit by a truck; his juniper scent smashes into me, and his vibrant green eyes drill down, nearly making me whine like a bitch in heat. I catch myself, somehow, don’t ask me how, but I do. I start breathing through my mouth, because seriously the man smells like pure indulgence dappled with all these smouldering, sexy vibes. I manage to lock down my reaction and not leap at him. Only just though.
Ares, the big shit, turns his head slightly. Like, he doesn’t even get up, he just moves on my lap so he can stare at Lincoln. And unsurprisingly, Lincoln takes command of the situation and comes slowly towards my dog, giving him all the space and respect he should before he presents his open hand and waits as Ares accepts him. And then after a few moments, he pushes our meet and greet further when he zeroes his attention on me. I’m stuck like a deer in the headlights, unable to move a muscle as his hand moves just cautiously like I’m about to bite him, until he settles it over my shoulder, pulling me in for a hug.
“I bet you needed one of those, and I doubt any ofthemwould have had the insight to think that is what you need.” It’s seriously like he’s whispering sweet nothings in my ear. His voice makes me shiver, and his touch makes me sigh. “I hear you’ve had a bitch of a day, but I’m here now.”
“What?” I slur, so eloquently.
I’m not sure if he doesn’t hear what I say or if he just ignores me. Either way, he wraps his arms around me and pulls me for the biggest, tightest hug I’ve had in a while.
Lincoln has clearly got some full-on alpha genes going on because it’s like I’ve been spelled. One hug from the man and the car fills with my thickening scent.
He pulls back slightly, his vibrant green eyes sparkling. “Let’s go, dove. Time to go home.” And as if to emphasise his words, he purposely swamps my car with his own juniper inspired perfume that reminds me of gin botanicals. My mouth waters.
5
LENNON
