Page 25 of Match (Damselverse #1)
Chapter twenty-five
Halle
S omething isn’t right. From the moment I step into the bookstore, my Omega instincts go on hyperdrive as I search the shop.
Penn is gone, and I go into a blind panic, my heavy breaths echoing through the shop.
“Penn!”
Even though I know that no one will reply, I call his name regardless.
Shit. How did I not sense that something was wrong? Did Penn close off the bond again? He's pretty good at doing that.
“Penn!”
The moment I find that splatter of blood on the floor, I gasp, dropping the milkshakes.
Now, chocolate and strawberry milkshakes spill across the floor like guts as I cover my mouth, eyeballing the blood droplets.
Yet when I get a closer look, even going so far as to sniff the blood, I relax.
But only a little.
It’s not Penn’s blood, but I still know the Alpha who the splatter belongs to.
Jason. My old pack lead. He was here, as well as Kyle and Ryan.
When I sniff again, my Omega balks. It appears Daryl was here too, and someone who wears way too much rose petal perfume.
Is that supposed to be an Omega scent? It’s awful.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I grab the device, almost throwing up at the picture that blows up across my screen—Penn cornering Lucia against the bookshelf. Right in the same spot where I am now standing.
The sender is anonymous, but I know from his shitty spelling that it’s Daryl.
Seriously. The guy is twenty-eight, and he still spells You like U. And the way he spells come. Ugh.
“If U want Your Alpha back, parasite, then cum to this address.”
Shaking, I start dialing Dane’s number. I don’t even have to open my mouth the moment he picks up, announcing, “I’m already on my way, Petal.”
Had Dane sensed Penn’s distress through the bond? Whereas I couldn’t, and I feel so terrible.
I shouldn’t have left.
Cheeping reaches my ears, and I rush out back to find the ducklings.
Thank God they didn’t get hurt. Penn must have put them to bed before all hell broke loose, and a tear escapes me.
He's gone.
By the time Dane arrives, I’m hugging the ducklings on the floor, crying silently as I hold them close.
Penn is gone. And I won’t see him again.
My Omega is bleeding her heart out.
“Oh, Petal.”
Dane steps forward, picking me up in his massive arms, and now the ducklings are wedged between us as he holds me close.
It’s only when they cheep in protest when he puts a little room between us again, running his massive hand up and down my trembling back.
“It’s okay, Petal. We will get him back. I promise.”
But the tears are still pouring in earnest as I reach my phone up, showing him the picture of Lucia.
“She…she was here…” I whisper.
Confused, Dane studies the picture, grinding his jaw. “That’s the woman you were hiding from at Hattie’s Nesting Supplies.”
I nod my head, wiping away tears. “Yes. She’s…she’s their lover…somewhat. Someone they kept around just to tease me, and now…she has Penn.”
Dane peers at the photo again. “It’s not what you think, Halle. Penn is angry at Lucia on this picture. His eyes are glowing. His Alpha is pissed. Now that I look at it again, Lucia is familiar… shit.”
The Alpha rubs between his brows, and I cock my head, shifting the ducklings between my arms. “What?”
“I only ever saw a picture of her, but I’m pretty sure that Lucia is the same person as Penn’s ex. The nose is different, but that is her… fuck.”
He steps away, and I freeze, absorbing all this new information.
My skin pales.
What a small world indeed. Bile rises in the back of my throat as I imagine them both together.
Then my Omega growls, and Dane looks at me in shock. “Easy now. I said she was his ex.”
Still, she was here. Taunting him. Taunting me …
Fuck that bitch.
“Dane, take the ducklings.”
Dane rushes forward, taking each baby duck as he places them back into their box. At that moment, Aiden walks into the store, coming to my side.
“You all right, Halle?”
It’s the first thing he asks, and I meet his green eyes. He really does resemble a cat at times, which is ironic for a vet, I guess.
Right now, those cat-like eyes give me their undivided attention, as Aiden and I want the same thing.
To get Penn back.
“Call Katie,” I tell him. “Someone needs to mind the ducks while we go and rescue Penn. I have an address.”
I show both Alphas the address. Aiden clicks his jaw. “Careful now, Halle… Don’t put yourself in harm’s way.”
“I don’t care. It’s Penn, and I will do anything to get him back.”
Aiden sighs. “Yeah…same.”
“You both just have to trust me to pull this off.”
Both Alphas glance at each other. Then they step closer as we huddle, coming up with a plan to rescue Penn.
He depends on us.
I know Pack Grim. They will do anything to get back at me, and I won’t have Penn’s life in danger just for me.
“Don’t worry, Penn. We are coming to rescue you.”