Page 33 of Mating Mia (The Alphas’ Perfect Prey #2)

I try again to stand, but my knees buckle beneath me. I curl more tightly around Ash, using my body as a shield between him and this threatening omega. He stirs against me, making a small sound of discomfort as my grip tightens.

“Stay away from us,” I warn, trying to inject strength into my voice despite the whimper that threatens to escape. “My alphas will be here any minute.”

She laughs, the sound sharp enough to cut. “Your alphas are a bit preoccupied at the moment. Orion’s pack is quite... thorough. You should hear the sounds they’re making outside. It’s almost as pathetic as the sounds you’re making in here.”

I bite down hard on my lip to suppress a moan as another wave of heat rips through me. My pussy clenches around nothing, desperate to be filled. The timing couldn’t be worse—I’m defenseless, my body betraying me at the moment my son needs me most.

I want to cry, but I have to be strong.

The omega slinks closer. “Honestly, don’t your alphas provide you with suppressants?

Or do they prefer you like this—needy and desperate, soaking through your pants like a bitch in rut?

” Her lip curls. “I bet they love having you so dependent, don’t they?

Their little omega slut, always wet and ready for their cocks. ”

“Fuck you,” I spit, my heart burning with hate for this fucking bitch. “You’re jealous. It’s so clear, bitch.”

“Not jealous at all,” she sneers, taking another step closer. She’s only a few feet away now, her predatory gaze fixed on the bundle in my arms. “I’m just here for the pup. He’ll be mine.”

Terror slams into me with physical force. I curl my body completely around Ash, turning away from her, using every inch of myself to shield him.

“You can’t have him,” I growl, the sound more wolf than human. “I’ll die before I let you take my son.”

“That can be arranged,” she laughs. “I don’t want to get my hands dirty, especially with your blood. You’re practically incapacitated already. Look at you—trembling and wet, halfway to begging for a knot. Pathetic.”

She reaches for me, her red-tipped fingers closing around my shoulders. I try to twist away, but another contraction of heat hits me, momentarily paralyzing me with need. She uses my weakness, her grip tightening as she physically rips me away from Ash.

I scream as she throws me to the ground.

The omega bends down, her black feather dress rustling as she reaches for my baby. Ash begins to cry, his tiny face scrunching up. The sound of his distress is like a knife to my heart.

“Leave him alone!” I shriek, trying to drag myself back toward them. My legs won’t work properly, heat rendering them useless. “Please, take me instead. Do whatever you want to me, just leave my baby alone!”

She ignores my pleas, scooping Ash into her arms with surprising gentleness. Her red lips curve into a smile as she looks down at his tear-streaked face.

“Hush now, little alpha. You’re coming with me. I’m your new Mommy.”

“No!” I scream, the sound tearing my throat raw. I push myself up onto my elbows, desperation giving me strength I didn’t know I had. My eyes dart frantically around the chamber, searching for anything I could use as a weapon.

There, just within reach—a rock, larger than my fist. I stretch out, fingers scrabbling against the stone floor until they close around its rough surface. It’s heavy, solid, and the edges sharp enough to hurt my palm as I grip it.

The omega turns toward the tunnel, Ash cradled in her arms. She’s going to take him. She’s going to walk out of this cave with my son, and I may never see him again.

The thought is unbearable, a pain that cuts through even the desperate need of my heat.

I push myself up to sitting, the rock clutched in my trembling hand. I’ve never been violent, never even been in a real fight before all this. What if I miss? What if I hit Ash instead? The thought makes me hesitate, the rock suddenly feeling impossibly heavy in my grip.

But then Ash lets out another cry, his tiny hands flailing as he seeks the comfort of my arms. The sound galvanizes me, burning away all doubt and hesitation.

This is my child. My son. I would tear the world apart with my bare hands to keep him safe.

I raise the rock, judging the distance, trying to account for my shaking arms and blurry vision. The omega is almost to the tunnel entrance, her back to me, confident in her victory. I take a deep breath, pull my arm back, and throw with every ounce of strength I possess.

Time seems to slow.

The rock spins through the air, a dark blur against the dim light of the cave.

I watch its arc with a strange detachment, as if I’m outside my body, watching someone else’s desperate gambit.

It’s not going to hit her. It’s going to miss, and she’s going to take my baby, and I will have failed at the one thing that matters most.

But then— impact .

The rock connects with the back of her skull with a sickening crack that echoes through the chamber.

The omega staggers, a surprised sound escaping her red lips.

She turns toward me, her eyes wide with shock, a trickle of blood running down her pale neck from where the rock struck her.

For one horrible moment, I feel like she’s going to keep going and steal my son. But then her eyes roll back in her head, and she crumples to the ground like a marionette with cut strings.

I don’t waste a second.

Ignoring the pain, ignoring the heat still coursing through me, I half-crawl, half-drag myself across the stone floor to where she’s fallen. Ash is crying in earnest now, his wails bouncing off the cave walls as he lies partially trapped beneath the omega’s limp form.

“I’m coming, baby,” I gasp, pushing myself faster. “Mama’s coming.”

Heart pounding in my chest, I immediately shove the omega’s body aside with strength born of pure maternal rage. Her head lolls, blood matting the feathers of her dress where it pools beneath her. I don’t care if she’s dead or just unconscious—all that matters is getting Ash away from her.

I scoop my son into my arms, my hands running frantically over his tiny body, checking for injuries. He seems physically unharmed, even though he’s crying.

I clutch him to my chest, rocking him gently despite the tremors still wracking my body.

“Shh,” I whisper against his downy hair, tears streaming down my face. “Mama’s got you. You’re safe now.”

I drag us both away from the fallen omega, putting as much distance between her and us as my weakened body allows.

When my back hits the wall, I curl around Ash again, forming a protective cocoon with my body. My heat still rages, making me dizzy with need, but I force it to the background.

Nothing matters except keeping my son safe until my alphas return.