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Vera
This is bad.This is really fucking bad.
It’s hard to see where I’m going, since I’m way shorter than most people. But being this short also helps with slipping between the moving bodies as I make my way across the room, hoping they don’t notice me.
I keep pushing in the direction where I spotted Mathew, Jorge and some Alpha. I recognised the stance Jorge had taken, and the look on Mathew’s face. Jorge has reached a frenzied state, triggered by Mathew being in danger.
And while Mathew is trying to appease Jorge —which isn’t possible with his low pheromones, but is something Omegas instinctively do when their Alpha is frenzied— he’s also preparing himself to defend against not just the Alpha opposite them, but also against one of his own Alpha mates.
My heart races as I try to get to them as quickly as possible, still remembering how Caleb couldn’t snap out of the frenzied state the first day we met Mathew because Mathew’s pheromones couldn’t get through to him.
If Jorge doesn’t snap out of it, he could come to see Mathew as a threat while also trying to protect him at the same time.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
We really should have talked about this sooner, but with everything else going on, it kind of slipped my mind.
I duck away as a struggle breaks out in front of me, nearly tripping over a dead body, but I manage to stay on my feet.
Shit. The floor has gotten slippery with blood and my heels are not helping one bit. Fuck.
“Vera!” Mathew’s voice is tight and when I look up, he’s staring my way, holding out his hand the same way he did that first time. Even in this state, he seems to recognise me and knows I’ll protect him.
As I get closer, I sense Jorge’s angry pheromones coming off him in waves. This way, he lets everyone around him know that he’ll kill anyone who threatens his Omega.
Which is good, because it shows their bond is strong, but also really fucking bad when he can’t differentiate between his Omega and any attackers because he can’t sense Mathew’s pheromones.
Someone bumps into me from behind and I go sprawling over the floor, the beautiful dress now covered in blood as it sticks to my skin. Ugh. Gross.
“Vera!” Mathew’s voice peaks and when I look up my heart sinks.
Jorge has noticed Mathew’s outstretched hand to me and has grabbed it, his growl deepening. To Jorge, Mathew is some unknown person behind him, threatening not just one but now two of his Omegas.
The unfamiliar Alpha uses the moment of distraction and stabs Jorge in his arm, making him groan out in pain, his attention now split in three directions.
Before they can do anything else, Riley appears a little while off and shoots the attacking Alpha through the head. Because of the silencer, there isn’t much of a sound, and she’s gone the next moment, almost before the body has even hit the floor.
I quickly get up and make my way over to Mathew, sending out calming and determined pheromones as I come closer, hoping to break Jorge out of his frenzy.
He’s still holding Mathew’s wrist, now fully turned to him, staring at him without recognition, not saying anything. Mathew is staring back at him in fear, wisps of his appeasing pheromones come out, but they’re not strong enough to get through to Jorge.
I wrap my arms around Mathew, sending out my pheromones again, hoping to be able to snap them both out of it, or this could go so wrong.
Come on, please.
Snap out of it, please.
“Jorge!” I try to get his attention and he takes way too long to move his eyes from Mathew’s face to mine. “He’s your mate. This is Mathew. Don’t hurt him.” I swallow hard, carefully reaching up and slowly trying to move each of Jorge’s fingers so he’ll let go of Mathew.
My heart is beating loudly as this could easily backfire and could make Jorge turn on Mathew even more, but slowly but surely, Jorge is letting go.
“Jorge?!” Derrick’s voice booms from nearby and Jorge snarls at him, his grip tight on Mathew’s arm again.
“No!” I jump between Jorge and Derrick. “Don’t!”
I know that Derrick only wants to protect Mathew, but this isn’t making it better. If he hurts Jorge, shit is going to go down and we’ll only be in an even worse situation.
“I can fix this. Let me fix this,” I plead with Derrick. I’ve done this before, but it only works if nobody else interferes.