Page 4

Chapter

Three

D ANNY

I ran as fast as I could, my legs pumping, muscles burning, lungs screaming for air, but it was useless. Rex caught me easily, sinking his claws into my calves and dragging me back onto the land he’d claimed.

I looked around for Zander, but he’d vanished. No one was here except for Rex and me.

He tossed me through the open door into the cabin he’d taken ownership of and barreled in behind me, shutting the door and locking it.

A chill ran through me.

“P-Please don’t…” I trailed off. He’d never given me mercy before, so why would he now?

A metal rail appeared above his bed. He hoisted me up with one arm and suddenly a cuff materialized around my wrist, connecting me to the bar.

My chest seized. I struggled to draw in a breath but couldn’t. I jerked my arm, and metal clanged against metal. There was no way to get out.

No way to escape.

I bolted upright, panting heavily .

“Darling.” Fingers brushed my shoulder and I flinched away. “Shh. It’s all right. Momma’s here.”

I blinked, my sleep-blurred vision clearing.

I was in my bed. At home. Safe.

“Where’s Zander?” I asked, needing to be sure all was well.

Momma sat on the edge of the bed, her hand resting on my leg. “Probably getting ready for work. What’s this about?”

I exhaled shakily and forced myself to concentrate. It had been a nightmare. Of course. Last night, we’d gotten clear of Rex’s land without any problems. He hadn’t confronted us, presumably too cowardly to go head-to-head with my oldest brother.

“Just a bad dream.” I tried to smile, but the expression was tremulous.

“Oh, darling.” Her face creased, sympathy shining in her warm brown eyes. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” I ignored the fact that I’d been a blubbering mess when Zander brought me home last night, and that he’d had to put me to bed like a child.

Momma arched her brow. “Fine, huh?” She tsked. “I’ve made pancakes with honey. Why don’t you shower off your nightmare and join me for breakfast?”

“Here?” I asked. There was every chance she meant back at her place, and I didn’t feel like facing anyone else yet.

“Yes.”

I wriggled deeper beneath the blankets. “But it’s so cozy in bed.”

“Honey pancakes,” she reminded me.

“Fine,” I huffed. “I’ll be out soon.”

I waited for her to leave the room and then hurried to the bathroom. I showered quickly, dried myself, and dressed in dark jeans and a T-shirt. It was a work day, so no sweatpants for me. Fortunately, I wasn’t working the opening shift this morning, so I didn’t have to be at the bakery at the crack of dawn.

The rich scent of coffee wafted down the hall, and I followed it to the open-plan living area, where Momma sat at the table, one hand beside a plate stacked high with pancakes. Another plate waited opposite, along with a steaming mug of coffee. I pulled out the chair and joined her.

“Don’t worry, I sweetened your coffee,” she said.

I wrapped my hands around it, enjoying the warmth, and raised the mug to my lips to sip. “Perfect. Thank you.”

The creases at the corners of her eyes deepened. “You’re welcome. Now, tell Momma what’s going on.”

I squirmed. I should have known better than to think I could get away with dismissing my nightmare without further discussion.

“It’s nothing.” I kept my gaze off her, cutting into my pancakes, slicing them into bite-sized pieces and stuffing one into my mouth. Mm. Deliciously fluffy and sweet.

I felt her eyes on me but didn’t look up.

She sighed. “You know, you and I were the only omegas in our family for a long time. While I haven’t been in your shoes, I think I have some idea of how you’re feeling.”

I mumbled something indistinguishable and munched more pancakes.

“People put too much emphasis on secondary gender roles,” she continued. “Just because alphas are bigger than us and stronger than us, that doesn’t mean we’re weak.”

This time, I did raise my eyes. She wasn’t eating, just staring at me levelly.

“We are, compared to them,” I pointed out.

She cocked her head. “Do you consider Milo to be weak? ”

“Of course not!” Milo had survived so much. He deserved to be recognized for that.

Momma smeared one of her pancakes with liquid honey. “He was kidnapped and didn’t manage to escape on his own.”

“But he did what he needed to protect himself and his baby.” Irritation heated my gut. I didn’t know where she was going with this, but I wouldn’t stand for her denigrating my new brother.

“It still happened.” She raised her fork, then paused. “You’re saying you don’t think he’s weak?”

“No.” I forked the pancakes with more force than necessary.

She ate too, remaining quiet for an uncomfortably long time. When she finally did speak, she caught me completely off guard.

“If Milo isn’t weak, then you aren’t either. No”—she held up her hand—“let me finish. As omegas, our power comes from our clan. We inspire their loyalty. We give the alphas something to protect. We draw everyone together and keep the clan whole and healthy. Just because we aren’t as physically powerful as them, that doesn’t mean we aren’t strong in our own way.”

I drank more coffee, weighing her words. I understood where she was coming from, but I’d grown up as the youngest of four brothers, and the only omega. It was difficult not to directly compare myself to them.

I was the smallest.

The only one who hadn’t been trained to fight.

I was a baker, while my brothers dedicated their lives to protecting our hometown and those within it.

“Tell me more about my mate.” I couldn’t give Momma the response she wanted now, so it was best not to give her any. Hopefully, this would distract her enough to forget what we’d been talking about and honestly, I did want to know more about Knox.

She reached for her glass of orange juice, the silence dragging on until I wondered whether she might not let me get away with the change of subject. Fortunately, she must have realized how much I needed her to.

“I don’t know much more than you.” She drank, keeping her gaze on me. “He’s an alpha wolf shifter. A paid mercenary. My understanding is that he stays on the move and picks up jobs as he goes.”

I frowned. If he was constantly on the road, did that mean he wouldn’t want to settle in Grizzly Ridge? Because I couldn’t fathom leaving.

Not that he probably wanted me after the scene I’d made last night.

“Any questions you have, you should ask him directly.” Her tone was gentle but chiding.

I groaned. “Are you here to badger me into talking to him?”

She pursed her lips. “I’m here to check on my son because last night was hard on him.”

I shrank in my chair. “Sorry, Momma. I know that.”

My mouth moved faster than my brain sometimes. It was one of the things that had created problems between Rex and me. He hadn’t wanted a sassy omega. He’d wanted a sweet one.

“Darn right, you did.” She nodded reprovingly. “That said, I do think you should give yourself a chance.”

“Myself?” I asked before I could think better of it.

“Yes.” She pushed her plate away, apparently done. “To discover that you’re strong enough to stand beside an alpha like Knox.”

The back of my throat tightened and tears sprang to my eyes. It was as if she’d looked into my heart and seen my deepest fears.

“I’m not,” I whispered. “Especially so soon after Rex. I’m… I’m broken.”

No one could possibly want a mate like me.