That’s my little hellcat.Always ready to go to war, just like the day she’d first met me. I wouldn’t lie to her. I never wanted to lie to my mates.
“An alpha was here. His scent was faint, but it was there. He’s gone now, but I don’t know if he’ll come back.”
Her eyes narrowed, a flicker of something dangerous sparking in her gaze. She stepped closer, her movements controlled. “What do you need us to do?”
I gestured at the table. “Can you handle one of these?”
Her lips twitched, and her chin lifted. “My dad taught me to shoot when I was twelve.”
“Then why didn’t you hunt your own animals instead of stealing from my traps?” I asked.
“I didn’t want you to hear the gun go off. Or rather, anyone in the area. If you’d heard a gun, you would’ve come looking for the shooter. I had to work smarter, not harder. I was a woman alone. I didn’t need rogues sniffing near my cabin.”
“Good point.” I stared down at the weapons as she picked one up and checked the clip and safety. Yeah, she knew her way around a gun.
“I’ll be honest,” she said. “I also didn’t hunt because I’m not a good hunter. I don’t really like it. But I’m a good fighter. And if it’s in self-defense, I don’t mind killing.”
That answer settled something in me, though it didn’t ease the tension entirely. I turned to Greek, who had appeared in the doorway behind her, his hair mussed and his eyes wide. He looked between us, his gaze landing on the weapons before flicking nervously back to me.
“I-I’ve never...” He hesitated, his hands fidgeting at his sides. “I don’t think I can.”
I stood and crossed to him, resting a hand on his shoulder. “You don’t have to, Little Rabbit. But you need to know what to do if something happens. I’ll keep you safe. Both of you.”
He nodded, his wide eyes softening with trust. Sofia stepped closer, her hand finding mine, her grip firm and reassuring.
“Tell us the plan,” she said. “We’re with you.”
And just like that, a little of my worry dissipated. Not all of it. But a little. I led them both back to the nest. Together, they curled up in bed while I sat on the edge of the mattress.
“Join us, alpha,” Greek whispered.
I wanted to. But I was still too antsy.
“Soon, love. I’ll join you soon.”
He and Sofia lay there, neither of them closing their eyes. Both of them staring off into space. Like me, they couldn’t sleep knowing an alpha had come this close to our property. Maybe it was just a traveler passing by. I sure hoped so. My thoughts strayed to the alphas who’d held my omega captive.
“Greek, don’t get alarmed. But I want you to describe the alphas who held you captive to me. Tell me how they looked, every detail of their face.”
“You think it was them?” he said, voice trembling.
Guilt hummed through me. I never wanted to worry him unnecessarily. But I needed to know.
“I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “I’d rather be safe than sorry.”
Greek swallowed and then described Natalie and Nathan to me. He told me how they looked and about their scents. Nathan smelled of eggs, rotten and musky. Natalie smelled sour, like vinegar but with a hint of cinnamon, which only made her scent worse, according to Greek.
“But it can’t be them. I don’t think they’d be able to track me here. When I escaped, I train-hopped and rode for miles before jumping off on your property. If they were searching for me, they’d search locally. Not this far.”
He was right. Unless....Shit! Unless they’d placed a tracker in my omega.Fuck!
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
DEMON
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I rose from the bed, my sudden movement alarming both of my mates. They sat up, looking worried. And I felt guilty as hell for causing that look. But if Greek’s captors had found him here, he had to have a tracker in him. He was a catalyst. He was valuable to them. They wouldn’t risk him getting away without a means to track him down.Shit. Why hadn’t I considered this sooner?