Page 4 of Pack Obsession

Looking back, there’s no one following me. My gaze lifts toward the road, where orange flames still lick the sky. The Nexus transport bus lies on the side of the mountain road, smoke billowing into the stormy day, turning everything gray and wet.

I pause behind a huge tree, trying to catch my breath, fear knotting in my chest. Crouched low, I try to slow my inhales.

How did my friends and I go from sneaking out to a club weeks ago to this? One minute, we were being busted at the club and hauled off to a Nexus rehabilitation facility—their fancy term for Omega prison—and the next, a massive car rammed into the Nexus bus. Now, I don’t know if running was the best decision.

I hug my knees. This can’t be happening.

A branch snaps behind me. Close. Too close.

Get up. Get up. Get up.

The memory hits without warning—being ten years old, crouched in our bedroom cupboard, listening to men arguing with my parents. The same fear. The same helplessness. No. Not now. I shove the thought away, forcing my legs to move.

Heavy footsteps thunder somewhere behind me. I glance back at the masked man rushing to the right and away from me, not looking my way. He hasn’t seen me…

Thank God, yet my blood turns to ice that he’s still searching for me. Why is he after us… me?

He’s massive, dressed in black clothes that do nothing to hide the powerful build underneath. He moves like a tank and screams Alpha. Because, of course, he is. Every one of us Omegas learns to recognize that dangerous confidence, that entitled stride that says they own the world and everything in it.

Including us.

I’m on the move again quickly.

I think about what they taught us in the Nexus-approved schools they forced us to attend. Alphas are the leaders, the protectors, the ones who hold all the power. Betas make up most of the population, living their blissfully normal lives, watching the rest of us like we’re some kind of freak show. And then there’s us—the Omegas. Kept like precious dolls, locked away, waiting for our first heat to determine our worth.

My fingers find my hair, twisting the end nervously as I duck back behind a massive tree. The rough bark digs into my back as I try to muffle my gasping breaths. I scan for options, my heart hammering against my ribs. Who the fuck is this guy?

A twig snaps nearby.

I bolt forward, but I’ve only taken three steps when another masked figure appears in front of me. Like the first, he’s dressed head to toe in black, his broad shoulders and height making me feel suddenly small. I spin, but the first guy is there, blocking my retreat. Trapped between two Alphas, my instincts scream danger even as a deeper fire stirs—a sensation I absolutely refuse to acknowledge.

"Not really into the whole chase-the-helpless-Omega thing," I say, proud that my voice barely shakes. I straighten my spine,channeling every ounce of attitude my brother taught me. "So, you can fuck right off now."

The Alpha behind me laughs, and the sound slides down my spine like warm honey. "Who said anything about helpless? The way you run, sweetheart, that was anything but helpless."

Before I can process how that voice affects me, he grabs me, one arm wrapping around my throat as he pulls me against his chest, my back flush against him. I gasp for air, yet he holds me firm enough to not escape, not to choke me. His scent flares over me—wild blackberries mingled with pine woods, all wrapped up in pure Alpha male. My body betrays me, shuddering against him.

He chuckles, noticing, and I stiffen, hating him for that.

This is what they don’t tell you in those Omega preparation classes—how your body can want something even while your mind screams no, how an Alpha’s scent can make your knees weak even when you’re fighting to get away. They just drill the rules into us—don’t go outdoors unescorted, don’t interact with unapproved Alphas, don’t exist without permission.

"If you’re enjoying the chase that much, little Omega, I could let you run a little longer." His breath is hot against my ear. "See what happens when I catch you again."

I slam my heel into his foot and twist free, only to collide with the second Alpha, who quickly wraps an arm across my shoulders, dragging me against his side. His scent is just as intoxicating—dark chocolate and sea salt, with a hint of cedar wood and something that reminds me of old books. It’s exactly the kind of scent that makes Omegas like me lose their minds, and I dislike how much I want to just stand here and breathe it in.

Through the tight black fabric of his shirt, I feel the solid wall of muscle beneath. Both of them are built like the elite athletes they show off at those stupid Nexus propaganda events.The ones where they parade unmated Alphas around like prize stallions, reminding us Omegas what we’re missing by trying to stay independent.

"Let me guess," I spit, trying to ignore his hand on my waist. "You’re the ones who crashed into our bus? Real civilized. What, couldn’t figure out how to use a dating app like normal creeps?"

The first Alpha tilts his head, studying me. He’s taller than his friend, maybe 6’4", with shoulders that could easily carry a small car.

"We couldn’t pass up the chance."

"Chance for what?" I struggle against the second Alpha’s grip, very aware of how his thumb is brushing against the strip of exposed skin over my collarbone because his hands are huge. "And what’s with the masks? Halloween’s not for months. Though I guess if I looked like a bridge troll, I’d hide my face, too."

"You’ve got quite a mouth on you," the second Alpha at my back says in that deep tone that holds my attention. Each word vibrates through his chest, where I’m pressed against him. He’s broader, built like a heavyweight boxer. In any other situation, I’d probably appreciate the view. A lot.

My Omega hindbrain preens at having both Alphas’ attention, and I want to smack it. This is exactly why Nexus claims we need protection—our own biology betraying us at the worst possible moments. Not that I’ve experienced the worst of it yet. At twenty, I’m still waiting for my first heat, that magical time when my body will decide I’m ready to be claimed by whatever Alpha pack Nexus deems suitable.

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