My alpha surges. “Saint.” My voice drops. “Don’t be rough with our omega.” The words come out as a bark before I can temper them. I hate using my dominance against my pack, but I won’t let her get hurt.
Saint freezes. Then his grip loosens. It’s not much, but it’s enough. Lark releases a breath letting me know she can breathe easily now.
Good.
Graham finally steps forward just a fraction and touches his fingers to her temple. “She’s not flushed,” he says, more to himself than anyone else. “Respiration appears normal. No visible signs of distress.”
The corners of her mouth lift. “I’m fine, giant. You don’t have to worry about me.”
He hesitates, like he’s not sure he can trust her. Then he straightens his shoulders like he won’t take no for an answer, and says, “We’re taking you home.”
She turns her smiling face back to Saint. “Would you like that?” she asks gently. “Silas and Graham will take us home.”
Saint’s lip curls and a low growl rumbles through his chest. She doesn’t flinch.
“No one is taking me from you,” she says. “I’ll stay right here. I promise.” She tightens her arms around his shoulders like she’s anchoring herself to him. “I’ll even sit in your lap the whole way.”
Something in him settles. Not completely, but it’s enough. Just shifts his grip on her, locking her more securely against him. Then he stands with her in his arms.
I exhale slowly. “Let’s go, then,” I say.
I glance at Graham. “Take Saint’s Jeep. Follow us.”
For the first time since I’ve known him, since he was ten and trailing after me like a shadow, Graham shakes his head.
“No.”
I blink. He doesn’t look at me. His eyes are on Lark.
“I’m not leaving her.”
The words are quiet but firm. And I get it. God, do I get it. I don’t want to leave her either.
“Fine,” I say. “We’ll come back for it.”
If it’s not here later, fuck it, I’ll buy him a new one. I just want my omega home.
It looks like a scene from a damned movie. The one where the heroes walk out of a fiery building holding the injured omega. Except she's not injured. And Saint is absolutely feral. And Graham keeps looking at her like she might evaporate. And I'm the only one holding it together, which is both my job and my particular brand of suffering today.
We pass Cammie on our way to the car. “If I had known a building collapse would get him to come to his sense, I would have suggested it yesterday over margaritas.” She’s smiling ear to ear.
Lark rolls her eyes.
I don’t know what the hell they are talking about. Cammie says a lot of crazy shit, but she makes Lark happy. So, she makes me happy, too.
Getting Lark and Saint into the Rover is… complicated. Saint refuses to let her down. Which means he has to climb in backwards with her still wrapped around him, growling the entire time like I’m going to challenge him for possession.
It takes every ounce of patience and a lot of not shoving him into the seat. Eventually, he settles into the captain’s chair, Lark still firmly attached to his front. His hands are gripping her tight, so I reach in to help with the seatbelt.
Saint’s snarl is immediate, daring me. My own answers before I can stop it.
“Enough.” The bark reverberates between us. Fuck, that’s twice now.
Saint's jaw tightens but he stills. I'll apologize later. When he's human again.
Lark presses a quick kiss to his jaw. “It’s just for a second,” she murmurs.
He sits quietly, just long enough for me to click the belt into place.
