Page 12 of Puck Your Neighbor

No matter how many times my inner omega reminds me I have alphas now, I won't give in. They don't know I'm compatible with them, and I don't think I'll ever be able to be with a pack again. Not with all the flashbacks that keep waking me up at night as I get closer to the anniversary date and my heat, all at the same time. It just sounds like a nightmare to be with them on top of it.

Like clockwork, I listen to them clunk around their apartment for an hour before they leave. At least I know every day how much time I have before they'll be back home, because as soon as they get home my omega will chitter away, wanting me to text Leo, or bake a dessert and take it to them. Good omegas help their alphas while outside of their heat, and then the alphas will help them during.

As I get ready to sit down at my canvas, my phone chimes with an email. It's probably either one of my clients, a potential client, or a gallery. Picking it up, I open it, and my blood runs cold as I see the subject.

Subject: Luis Salama’s Execution Date

Hello Miss Cena,

This is Detective Benson, the lead on your case. I'm writing to let you know that Mr. Salama's date of execution has been set for July 24th. If you want to come, please let me know, and I will set up the necessary badges for you to be present. There is no obligation to be there, but I wanted to let you know so that your mind can be put to rest.

Mr. Gent and Mr. Luvo have requested appeals...

My vision blurs as the words bleed together. I drop my phone as my body heats up. I tug off my sweater, leaving me in the camisole underneath. I try to gasp, but no air will enter my lungs. I need air. They can't be freed. They'll come for me. I'm the reason they're in prison. They didn't get the death sentence because Luis was the leader, but they were supposed to get life behind bars with no possibility of getting out. But an appeal would send them back to court. I would have to take the stand again.

Rushing out to my patio, the chill of winter hits me full force, my body not used to beinguncovered from my neck all the way down my arms. The tears stream down my face, and I heave a deep breath in as I lean into the concrete wall. Not only is the anniversary coming up, but so much else is happening.

I just want to forget, but the universe won't let me. Not only did it saddle me with scars as a daily reminder, but now it's forcing them back into my mind full force. My gaze shoots up as the black pickup truck that belongs to one of the alphas upstairs comes into the parking lot and pulls into their usual space.

The passenger door opens as Leo hops out. "I know, I know. It'll take me a minute to grab it. Chill!"

I'm frozen in place as he closes the door and he looks my way. I don't have my suppressant spray on. I'm in the most revealing set of clothing I could be in. Fear and desire roll through me as my omega perks up. She doesn't give a shit about the past, or what happened with the alphas before. All she cares about is that our compatible alpha is in front of us, possibly two if their pack leader is compatible with me as well.

He grins at me before it slowly falls when his gaze notices my bite marks and the scars that trace my neck down to my arms. The scars there are old and of my own creation, but it doesn't mean that I feel any less shame over them. If I could get my legs to move and go back into my place, then I could avoid all the questions in his eyes.

He's safe, trust him. He's our alpha.

My omega is such an idiot. No one is safe. The rush of blood enters my ears, and my heart hammers in my chest. His brows knit together as he glances back at the alpha in the driver's seat. Tears drip from my chin as my fingers drag along the grit of the concrete. It's rough, but still not enough to bring me out of my freeze response.

Go to him, them, they'll keep us safe. I know it.

I manage to shake my head in response. Leo steps onto the path that leads to the door to enter the building. As he gets closer, I see the shimmer of pheromone-blocking balm under his nose. Hopefully, that means he can't pick up on my scent and know that we're scent-matched. I don't think I can deal with that right now, on top of everything.

"Anya, are you okay?" He stays where he is, but his weight shifts from foot to foot as if he wants to sprint over here.

All I have to do is nod or sign that I'm fine, and he'll leave me alone. But my body refuses to do anything, as my instincts tell me to bring him closer.

Let him in. He'll keep us safe from them, and we’ll never have to worry again. We need them.

My head betrays me as I shake it. A sob wants to climb my throat, but I push it down, not wanting to make the strange sounds that my voice now makes because of the scar tissue on my vocal cords. It's garbled and hard to understand. I haven't been able to speak in ten years, no matter what kind of speech therapy I tried, to get my voice back.

Leo heads my way. I want to scream, run, hide, as well as go to him, crumple into his arms, and let him hold me until my body stops shaking from fear. The conflicting emotions make black spots appear in the corners of my vision.

The other truck door opens as someone else steps out. "Leo, what are you doing? We need to get going. Jenson is already at the rink, and Coach will have our asses if we're late to practice!" There's a rough alpha bark in his voice, and instead of making my omega shy away, it makes her perk up more.

It's the command of our alpha.

Leo glances back at him as he comes up onto the walk, and then the alpha looks at me. His hazel eyes trail over my body. He also wears blocking balm under his nose. At least they're both using precautions.

They're good alphas, the ones before never cared about that.

First truth my inner omega has said in over a week since waking up again.

Those hazel eyes travel over my scars as well, and he takes a deep breath in. Could he, despite the balm, sense that we're scent-matched? I'm close to my heat and haven't put my spray on. I've heard the balms can block a lot, but it's harder to block omegas in heat, and almost impossible for compatible ones. I don't know how much of that is true, but it increases the chances of them figuring out the truth that I've been hiding from them since they moved in.

Leo continues forward. His blond hair falls in front of his face as he stops in across of me, the small wall the only thing between us. My muscles tremble, and fear sinks in deeper, followed by the rising excitement from my inner omega. It's as if the battle between the two halves of myself has shut down all signals from my brain to my legs, leaving me frozen.

His blue eyes go to the bite marks on my neck. They burn under his gaze. I have to suppress the urge to tilt my neck toward him and ask him to cover the marks with his own so that they'll go away. The thought ofhimtouching my neck almost sends me into orbit as I sway on my feet and try hard not to collapse right there from how overwhelmed I am. A low rumble of a growl vibrates in his chest, and if I wasn't frozen, I would flinch back.

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