I can’t forget the look on Ryker’s face when I first mentioned going on a normal date with all of them. He’d seemed shocked, then almost... hurt, as if I’d asked for the moon instead, shopping, then a movie and dinner. As if getting to know each other was blasphemous.
“Just one normal day,” I’d told them, trying to keep my voice firm despite how naked I’d felt after Marcus held me on his face, how my pussy still tingled from the orgasm he’d given me. “I want to get to know you all before I make any decisions about being your... omega.”
Marcus had laughed, his massive shoulders shaking with mirth. “Getting to know each other?” he’d said, his eyes twinkling. “We wolves don’t do all of that. Weknowyou’re the one. But whatever makes you feel better, little omega.”
I’d flushed at that, remembering how deep his tongue had gone into me. But I’d held my ground, insisting on at least one day of normalcy before I potentially go into heat.
And to my surprise, they’d agreed. So we went to the movies, then dinner at a fancy restaurant on the other side of the island. All five of them had come, though Ryker spent half the meal checking his phone, his jaw tight with tension.
Now, lying on my bed with my sore feet, I can’t stop thinking about how stressed he’d looked all day, how he’d kept glancing at me when he thought I wasn’t looking, like he was memorizing my face. Like I was about to disappear.
I sit up suddenly, my stomach twisting with anxiety. Tomorrow’s the deadline. Tomorrow, Keith will come back for his answer about whether Ryker is going to honor their agreement or not. Whether he’s going to hand me over or not.
My hands are shaking as I reach for the water glass on my nightstand, taking a long sip to steady myself. I’m not going to just sit here and wait to be traded like some commodity. I’m not going to wait around to find out if Ryker chooses his resort over me. The thought of being given to Keith makes my skin crawl. I can remember those cold, calculating eyes studying me like I’m a piece of meat, his smooth voice promising to collect me.
My eyes dart to the window.
It’s fully dark outside, the moon just a sliver in the night sky. The house is quiet. I slide off the bed and pad silently to the door, pressing my ear against the wood to listen for any sounds in the hallway. Nothing. I turn the lock with a quiet click, then rush back to the bed, heart hammering against my ribs.
It’s time to go.
I grab the clothes I’ve gathered from my drawers. My new clothes are too fancy, but the practical items I brought from home will work perfectly. I start knotting them together, myfingers moving quickly despite me trembling: t-shirts tied at the arms, leggings attached at the ankles, a sweatshirt to finish it off. The makeshift rope grows longer with each addition, sturdy enough to support my weight.
I’ve thought about this all day, planned it carefully during the boring parts of the movie, while my body still hummed with the memory of Lorenzo’s hands on my thighs under the table and of Rex’s lips brushing my neck when he leaned in to whisper something in my ear.
The rope is ready.
I heft it in my hands, testing its strength with a firm tug. It should hold. I hope.
I quickly slide the window up and secure one end of the rope to the bedpost, pulling hard to make sure the knots will hold, then throw the rest out the window. It dangles down the side of the house, just within reach of the ground.
Perfect.
I change quickly, pulling on a pair of purple sweatpants and a matching sweatshirt that I’d packed from home. Slipping my feet into sneakers, I look around for my backpack.
It’s already prepared, zipped, and ready by the closet. It has my useless, broken phone, charger, wallet with the little cash I have, a change of clothes, and a water bottle. Not much, but enough to get me to the ferry and off this island.
I sling it over my shoulders and take one last look around the beautiful bedroom. The alphas have been nothing but generous to me. I feel bad after they have been giving me clothes, jewelry, shelter, and pleasure beyond anything I’ve ever experienced.
They’ve treated me like a queen from the moment I set foot here.
I slide one leg over the windowsill, then the other, my heart in my throat as I grip the rope with both hands. It’s at least fifteen feet down, and my palms are already sweaty asI start to lower myself, hand over hand, my feet braced against the wall.
Halfway down, my foot slips on the smooth siding. I dangle for one terrifying moment, my arms straining as I fight to regain my footing. A whimper escapes me before I can stop it, and I freeze, listening for any sounds of alarm from inside the house.
Nothing. I’m still safe.
I continue my descent, moving as quickly as I dare, until my feet finally touch the soft grass of the backyard. I crouch low, scanning the darkness for any movement. The yard is empty, the patio furniture casting long shadows in the moonlight. I can just make out the outline of the infinity pool, its surface rippling slightly in the night breeze.
I take off at a run, keeping to the shadows along the edge of the property.
My breath comes in short, sharp gasps as I sprint across the lawn, my eyes fixed on the tall hedge that’s between me and the road.
I duck through a gap in the hedge, twigs scratching at my face and arms as I push through. On the other side, I pause, catching my breath as I scan the quiet street. The houses here are widely spaced, each on its own generous plot of land. There are no streetlights, just the weak glow of the crescent moon to guide me.
I dash across the empty road, my sneakers silent on the pavement, and continue along the shoulder, heading toward the town. I need to get to the marina, find a way onto a boat, anything to get me off this island before morning.
The sound of an engine makes me freeze. Headlights sweep across the road ahead, growing brighter as a vehicle approaches. I dart into the bushes at the side of the road, pressing myself flat against the ground as thelights pass over me.
