Page 33

Chapter Thirty-Three

“ W hat should we do first?” Emma asks, clasping her fair tickets to her chest. The bright lights of the carnival swirl around us, fun and festive in the cool night air. My white sun dress sways in the breeze, and I’m so thankful I paired it with a jean jacket even though my body’s been acting strange all day. Hot, then cold, then back to hot again. And everything feels like sandpaper against my skin.

“Rides!” I exclaim at the same time, Mari shouts “Food,” so I change my tune. “Let’s see about snacks.”

The thought of eating makes my stomach twist, but I don’t care. It’s worth it just to see Mari smile. Her parents have been putting the screws to her about not rushing to another freaking continent to help her sister, and the stress has been killing her. Dark circles under her eyes give away the guilt she’s been suffering, and I’m pretty sure she’s even lost weight.

“Fried Oreos!” she crows excitedly as we walk through the crowd to the concession stands. Families and small children pack the fairground, chattering excitedly and weaving from ride to ride. “I’d kill for like ten and a giant lemonade.”

“Are you sure you aren’t an omega in disguise?” Emma teases, making Mari blush and stare at the ground. As an omega potential, she has a lot of omega tendencies, and her love of sweets is a huge green flag that, at some point, she’ll perfume. Then again, for her, it might be a red flag—she’s prickly about the possibility.

Stepping forward, I order a bunch of food for us and plunk my credit card down on the counter for the cheery cashier. After paying, we step over to the side to wait for the greasy goodness.

“So, do you want to take the food and wander through the animals or find some seats?” I ask the girls, happy either way.

“Sit, then go look at the baby animals. I don’t think we can bring snacks in there,” Mari answers, twisting her hair through her fingers. Her once-pink-tipped locks are now a more natural red, just another sign that something isn’t quite right with my best friend. A loud bell dings, letting us know our order is up, and we scoop up the platters and make our way to a not-so-clean table. There’s popcorn strewn across the top, but nothing sticky, so it’ll be fine.

Emma straddles a bench, turning toward us, eyes glittering with mischief.

“So, where’s our favorite stalker tonight?” she asks. The nickname for him makes me giggle, because—true—but also, I know he’d love it. Weirdo .

“He’s at a photoshoot but said he’ll be here as soon as he can get away.” I glance at my phone to check if he’s texted me. Nothing yet. “But he’s still stalking me with trackers in my shoes and phone, so don’t you worry.”

Her eyes narrow, lips pursing like she has something to say, but we’ve already chatted about this ad nauseam. Emma is so fiercely independent that she doesn’t understand why the trackers don’t make me angry. If she were in my shoes, literally, she would have ripped the trackers out and shoved them down the Alpha’s throat without so much as a second thought.

But Miller doesn’t use the locators because he doesn’t trust me or wants control. He does it because he wants to make sure I’m safe, and it helps his anxieties about having someone he loves ripped away from him. It’s a manifestation of his trauma, and as someone with plenty of quirks, it doesn’t bother me. I find it comforting.

“How’s the funnel cake?” I ask, not wanting to get into another heated discussion about Alpha-holes. Glancing down at mine, I can’t find it in myself to bring a forkful of the fluffy fried dough to my mouth. My stomach churns at the thought, even though this is usually a safe food for me. I wish they had churros, but there wasn’t one on the menu.

“Oh. My. God. So good!” she exclaims, rolling her eyes back in her head dramatically. “So much better than sex. ”

“Agree,” Mari laughs, biting into a fried Oreo with an appreciative moan. “Want one?”

She offers her plate to me, but I just shake my head, swallowing hard to keep the bile from racing up my throat. My skin is too tight, even my shoes hurt, and I wonder if Miller was right and I should have just stayed home.

I have been out of sorts lately. Heat spikes coming closer together. Shit.

Worry curls sinisterly in my belly. Shifting back and forth, I do my best to ignore the irritation from the bench pressing into the backs of my legs.

“I’m not as hungry as I thought,” I explain with a shrug, pushing my plate toward the center of the table so they can share it. Suddenly my heart rate picks up, a sense of awareness washing over me. My inner omega blares a siren to my fight-or-flight response, and an intense need to run makes my legs twitch.

We need to leave.

“Hello, omega,” a voice croons way too close to my ear. “You’ve been avoiding me.”

Gulp.

Foreboding makes me shake, and I turn toward Alex. His once-kind eyes are hard with anger, and his friend Wyatt has a sneer on his face that makes me worry for all of us. Words turn to dust in my mouth, and I’m struck mute by the waves of dominance rolling off them. Even without my sense of smell, I know that trouble just walked in.

“What, Posie, nothing to say to me?” he bitches. A big-booted foot plunks down beside me on the bench, and Alex leans his body forward until his other leg pushes against my back. I’m not stuck, but the sense of being caged in increases my anxiety. My phone is heavy in the pocket of my coat, and I inch my fingers toward it, needing Miller more than I need air.

“Why would she have anything to say to your rude ass?” Emma snipes, crumpling up her napkin and collecting our plates. Sliding my hand inside my pocket, I grab the smooth phone, pulling it against my side and using my thumb to enter the code without calling attention to the movement.

“Because we went on a date, and then she just ghosted me,” he whines. Emma stands, turning to toss the garbage away. Mari and I follow her example, scrambling up from the table and gathering together.

“Then catch a clue. She’s not interested. Enjoy your evening,” Emma says with a fake saccharine smile, which makes the Alpha’s eyes harden at the dismissal. We loop our arms together, and although it goes against every instinct I have, we turn our backs on the angry predator and head toward the baby animal tents.

“Nah. Let’s have fun together .” Alex’s words should be a question, but his tone makes it clear we have no choice in the matter. He and Wyatt follow at our heels, undeterred by our clear lack of interest. The way he prowls behind us, breathing down my neck with every step, has my nerves jangling. Bringing my phone up, I send a quick text to Miller.

Me

That asshole Alex is here, and he’s following us around the fair.

I don’t wait to see if he responds, sliding it back into my pocket and having faith that my Alpha will come as soon as he sees it.

“Why in the world are you coming with us?” Emma asks boldly. “We’re having a girls’ night.”

My bestie is my freaking hero, always willing to say what needs to be said. Then again, she’s also poking an angry bear, but in a crowd this size, what’s he gonna do about it?

“We just want the pleasure of your company,” he grunts ominously as the animal stalls come into view. A hand ghosts down my back, making me flinch at the unwanted touch. My reaction only emboldens him, and he presses his palm to my ass before using his fingers to grip the material of my dress, slowly lifting it. “I’m not such a bad guy. Give me another chance, omega.”

“Hey, back off,” I shout, whirling around and slapping at his hand. This is not the way the night was supposed to go. Snuggling baby bunnies and making out on the Ferris Wheel were the two major parts of my agenda. Not fending off grabby hands from an unwanted Alpha. “I’m not interested. I have a mate—go away.”

Alex’s face reddens, his posture going rigid as my words hit him. But unfortunately, they don’t have their intended effect. Instead of slinking off into the night, never to be seen again, he looms larger, getting right in my face.

“Don’t fucking lie to me, omega. You’re no prize. You should be on your knees worshipping my knot instead of acting like you’re better than me.” Drops of spittle fly from his mouth, spraying like repulsive droplets of doom and coating my face. Using the back of my jacket sleeve, I wipe at it, trying to get the putrid liquid off without gagging. “I treated you to dinner. I got you driving lessons. Then you ditch me. No. I don’t think so.”

Pigheaded Alpha prick.

Righteous indignation flames to life within me, my confidence has grown with each passing day, and I’m not going to let him treat me like trash.

“I am better than you, Alex.” Reaching into my bag, I grab a wad of cash and throw it in his face. “There’s money for the shitty meal you ‘treated’ me to, where you forced me to eat food I don’t like and made nasty comments the whole time. And don’t act like the driving lessons were a big favor—I paid for every single one. You’re a petty, tiny man who needs to learn that being an Alpha doesn’t entitle you to shit.”

“How fucking DARE you!” Alex roars, pressing in on me.

The whole thing is escalating more quickly than I can handle, making the world dip. The corners of my vision become hazy with panic, and I grab my phone because the urge to call Miller becomes all-consuming. Only his voice will do.

Alex sees me pull the phone and lashes out, smacking it out of my hand and sending it flying across the dirt-covered ground.

“What do you think you’re gonna do with that, omega?” he taunts, grabbing my wrist and tugging me out of the crowd and toward the darkened area behind the tents. A few betas look at us with shock, but a single growl from Wyatt has them scurrying off. Thanks for the help—cowards. Straightening my legs, I jam them into the ground, making it harder for him to drag me along, but I’m no match for his strength .

“You better let her go, Alex,” Emma screeches, determined to stay by my side. She jumps at him, then uses her nails to claw deep red gashes down his arm.

“Shut her up!” he snaps at Wyatt, shrugging my best friend off like a gnat. The big man grunts but does what he’s told, hauling Emma into his arms and clamping a mighty hand over her mouth. Her eyes go wide, and for the first time, a real thread of fear worms its way through my gut. My eyes skate back, searching for help, but no one seems to be nearby.

Alex’s hold on me is a steel band that I can’t break. Panting hard, I fight with what little strength I have, tugging ineffectively.

Pathetic, useless omega.

A cramp comes out of nowhere, hitting me hard, and Alex lets out a lusty moan.

“You smell delicious, omega,” he rumbles, hauling me against him. His erection presses into my belly, and I gag. “You owe me a taste. I want it now.”

“Go to hell, Alex. Why can’t you hear no?” Another cramp starts low in my belly, responding to the overwhelming abundance of emotion. A cold sweat breaks out over my body. I knew my heat was close, but all the stress is bringing it nearer to the surface.

Calm down. Keep it under control.

I do my best to give myself a pep talk and tamp down my trepidation. Skating my eyes over the area, I search for anything that can help us. My phone has disappeared from the pavement as has Mari… and I hope like hell she’s gone to find someone, anyone, to save us .

“I can hear it, but your scent is saying hell yes.” He leans down, pressing his nose into my neck to take deep, gasping breaths before flicking his tongue out and licking the crook of my neck. Emma is screaming behind us, causing Wyatt to groan with the effort of keeping the wildcat under control… I just need Alex to get a little closer.

A little more…

Yes… right there…

Bringing my knee up, I slam it as hard as possible into his balls, but the piece of shit just grins.

What a mistake…