Page 20 of Dance Omega Dance

"Yes," I breathed. It barely made a sound, but it echoed in my head like a scream.What are you doing?

Three faces shifted, their tension melting, joy creeping in. Zach’s breath escaped in a small whoop, like he’d been holding it too long. He pulled back and kissed me on the forehead. Anders' fingers threaded through mine with such care that it made my throat tighten.

“You’re ours now Summer,” Anders murmured, and instead of panic, the words wrapped around me like a blanket. I hadn’t realized how cold I was until then.

I WALKED FOR FIVE MINUTESbefore my knees gave out. The adrenaline that had sustained me through the chaos of the day suddenly evaporated, leaving me exhausted, trembling and the soles of my feet stinging. I lurched sideways, bracing for a painful impact with the rubble-strewn ground, but it never came. Instead, powerful arms wrapped around my waist, halting my descent and pressing me back against a solid wall of muscle.

"I've got you." Blake's deep voice rumbled through me; his breath warm against my temple. "I won't let you fall."

Tears of exhaustion and overwhelming emotion pricked at the corners of my eyes. I blinked them back, clinging to the tattered remnants of my composure. "I'm fine," I insisted, even as my body betrayed me, sagging further into his unshakable strength. "Just... just give me a minute."

"Summer." He pulled me into his arms. "You don't have to be strong all the time. Not with me. Not with us."

A shudder worked its way down my spine. My very soul yearned toward his words, even as a lifetime of brutal self-reliance held me back.

"Let me carry you," he murmured, his lips brushing the delicate skin just below my ear. A request, not a command, laced with a tenderness that made my heart ache.

My resistance crumbled like the buildings around us, reduced to dust in the face of his persistence. I sighed, then I nodded, accepting defeat.

Blake needed no further encouragement. In a single smooth motion, he swept me into his arms, cradling me against his warm chest like I was something precious and breakable. His heartbeat was a steady drum beneath my cheek, as his arms banded around me. He held me like I mattered, like my safety and comfort were paramount above all else.

A lone tear tracked down my cheek, disappearing into the fabric of his shirt. If he noticed, he chose not to comment, tightening his grip and brushing a soft kiss over my hair.

We moved through the ruined streets like that, Blake's strides sure and purposeful as he picked his way over shattered concrete and twisted metal. The pain of my injuries had faded to a distant hum, eclipsed by the growing warmth kindling deep in my chest.

Trust. It was a fragile, fluttering thing, as delicate as a butterfly's wings and as easily crushed. But held securely in Blake's embrace... I felt the first stirrings of hope take root.

I didn't know what the future held. Didn't know if I was strong enough to lay my battered heart in the hands of these males who called to every denied instinct in my soul. But for the first time in longer than I could remember, I wanted to try.

Blake carried me the last few yards to the waiting car, his pack mates falling into step beside us. Zach reached out to squeeze my hand, his smile softer than I'd ever seen it. Anders brushed a strand of hair from my face with a touch so careful it made my breath catch.

"Ready to go home?" Blake asked as he settled me in the plush confines of the back seat, his blue eyes intent on mine.

"Yeah," I whispered past the sudden lump in my throat. "I'm ready."

Blake smiled and slid in beside me, his arm coiling around my shoulders and drawing me into the shelter of his side. Anders clambered into the driver’s seat, with Zach calling shotgun.

As the engine purred to life and we pulled away from the devastation of my old life, I let my eyes drift closed, my head coming to rest on Blake's broad shoulder. I didn't know what tomorrow would bring, what challenges we'd face. But here, surrounded by the steadfast warmth of my alphas... I finally allowed myself to believe I wouldn't have to face it alone.

Chapter Nine

Iheld my breath for a second as I stepped into the sprawling penthouse, my eyes widening at the expanse of modern luxury, so at odds with the simple life I had built for myself. Soaring ceilings hovered above sleek steel and glass furnishings, all gleaming in the late afternoon sun that poured through floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city. The space screamed power and intimidating sophistication, and I felt my slender frame tense, my heart palpitating.

My gaze darted around, unable to settle, taking in every lavish detail as if searching for an escape route. The plush carpet muffled my uncertain steps, and I wrapped my arms around myself, wishing I could disappear into the background. But in this stark showpiece of a home, there was nowhere to hide from the three striking gazes that watched my every move.

I could feel the weight of their appraisal as I moved further into the room, fighting the urge to make myself smaller under their scrutiny. Anders approached me first, his sandy hair highlighted by the evening lights, his warm brown eyes crinkling as he offered a gentle smile. I inhaled sharply, catching the hint of his scent, the soothing flow of water as it mingled with the other notes in the air.

Zach moved casually, like nothing had changed, like the world hadn’t cracked open. He tossed the remote from hand to hand as he dropped onto the couch. “Let’s see what the damage looks like out there,” he muttered, thumbing the power button.

“I think we’ve seen the damage firsthand, Zach,” Blake said, trying to take the remote from him. Zach pulled it away, taunting him.

The TV flared to life, sound low, but the images blared louder than any voice could.

Drone footage panned over the ruined part of town, collapsed buildings, emergency crews scrambling, people staggering through rubble. Then the shot cut closer. Street level. The reporter and her cameraman.

And there I was.

My face. On the screen.

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