Sage
Is my alpha betraying me? That scent turns my dreams into nightmares, and to smell it on my teddy bear alpha is horrifying. My omega cringes away, and my entire body starts to shake as the blood drains from his face and I lean back into Vee’s strong arms.
Is she in on it, too? What about Riley? Are they going to give me back to them now that they’ve had me?
“Shhh,” Neveah says behind me, her purr rumbling into my back. “He ran into them today, but he got rid of them. You’re safe.”
“You’re not going to give me up?” I ask, putting voice to my worst fear.
“Never,” Neveah says, her voice vehement.
Both Riley and Brooks surge toward me when I voice the question, but while Riley circles his arms around me, Brooks stops, freezing a foot away.
“I’ll be right back, Petal,” he says.
Then he disappears up the stairs, and it’s all I can do not to cry. The logical side of my brain is urging me to hear himout, but it’s the emotional side taking over. The side that’s been hurt over and over again. And that side is telling me to run, hide, make myself smaller, protect myself.
“Sweet omega, it’s going to be okay. I’ll let him tell you what happened, but please know we aren’t giving you up. It wouldn’t even cross our minds to do so.” Neveah murmurs soothing words into my hair as she holds me tight in her arms.
“Never,” Riley agrees. “Over my dead body will they get their filthy hands on you again. You’remine, Sage. Ours.”
“That’s right. You’re ours to love. Ours to protect, care for, keep safe and happy with all the sweets and little lambs your heart desires.”
I know they’re trying to distract me, and I latch onto their words desperately.
Then Brooks comes stumbling back down the stairs with a new shirt on, and he rushes over to kneel at my feet.
“Petal,” he says, hazel eyes wide and pleading. “Can I explain?”
“Yes,” I whisper, holding his gaze.
“They saw me working across the road. Recognized me. Came over and questioned me, then scented you on me.”
My eyes widen with every word, and my heart starts to pound for a different reason. This is not the story my panicked, insecure brain concocted, but it’s almost as bad.
“Josh put his hands on me, that’s why you smelled him on my shirt.”
“He what,” Riley growls, seeming to grow six inches next to me.
“I’m fine,” Brooks says, eyes darting to Riley as he tries to give him a reassuring smile. “They made threats, but didn’t actually do anything. They thought I had Sage, but I denied it. I think the brother may have bought it, but Josh…” He shakes his head, and I already know what he’s going to say.
“Josh didn’t believe me.”
Silence descends, thick and suffocating as we all absorb what that means.
“What do we do?” Riley finally asks. “How do we make sure Sage is safe?”
“I don’t know if there’s much wecando,” Vee says. “They haven’t actually done anything, and we’ve done all we can to protect you here. I think we remain vigilant and careful, but beyond that…”
I slump, feeling defeated. They’re going to keep coming after me, keep searching for me, and I don’t want to be looking over my shoulder for the rest of my life. But Vee is right. There’s nothing we can do, unless…
“Should we confront them?” I ask, irritated at how small my voice sounds.
Brooks tilts his head, and Vee hums thoughtfully.
“You know them best,” Riley says. “What would they do if you confronted them?”
I shudder. “They’d do everything they could to take me back. They’ve never cared what I want.”
