Page 8 of Dodging Bullets

I was nodding before she’d even finished. “Of course.” I’d bring home the entire animal hoard if it made her more comfortable. A three-legged dog that looked more like a wire brush was an easy thing to give her, if it put her at ease.

Every Alpha in that room stared at Rio and I. While they had nowhere near enough training or Alpha strength to stop us from leaving with the girl, I found I didn’t want to fight. I would protect Paloma from violence at all costs, if I could. But if they prevented us from executing her wishes, I would do what wasnecessary to ensure our exit. I didn’t look too hard into why I was suddenly willing to throw down for a girl I’d only just met—probably some biological impulse because she felt so wounded. We were all wired to protect Omegas, even us Betas.

Which was quickly confirmed by Lance, the only Beta who might be able to stand between an Alpha and something he wanted. “She’s treated with the utmost respect. Her wishes are final. Or I will fuck you both up; I don’t care how well trained you are.”

I knew a little bit about Lance, and his time in the military. He could probably fuck me up, but he wouldn’t stand a chance against Rio. Not that we’d ever test that theory. If we ever disrespected Paloma, or any Omega, I’d happily lie down and let him kick the shit out of me.

Rio must’ve agreed, because he gave a short nod of assent.

After that, everything happened so fast. We borrowed a car from the Pack, and put Paloma in the back with the dog on her lap. She seemed… stressed to be in the vehicle. Her scent turned acrid as soon as I shut the door, and I couldn’t tell why. I wanted to sit in the back with her, but I didn’t want to crowd her, or make her feel like she had a prison guard.

I hadn’t thought this through at all, but we’d do the best we could.

“Paloma,” I said softly, tasting her name on my tongue. “Are you hungry? Is there something you’d like to eat?”

She frowned at me. “An apple?” she whispered so softly, I had to strain to hear.

An apple?“Sure, we have those at home. What about something more substantial? Chinese food, maybe?”

She looked at me, a small crease between her brows, but shook her head eventually. Rio hit the brakes hard as someone pulled into the intersection without looking, and the scent of Omega stress went through the roof.

I looked back at her. “Are you okay? Do you not like driving?” Had she been stolen from a car? Had she been in an accident?

“This is only my third time in a vehicle.” Her voice was trembling. How could anyone have only been in a car three times in their entire life?

Shooting a quick look at Rio, whose knuckles were blanched around the steering wheel like he was physically restraining himself from losing control, I sucked my teeth. “Would you feel better if one of us was in the back with you?”

She looked up at me, and I realized her eyes were a deep, almost impossible emerald green. “You?” she said softly, and I looked at Rio for signs that he needed to comfort the Omega so he didn’t lose his shit.

He was already pulling over onto the shoulder of the road, then tilted his head at the passenger door. “Go sit with her.”

I was so out of my depth right now. I could infiltrate a terrorist bunker, or a guerilla militia, or a cyber-terrorism cell, but consoling a frightened Omega seemed outside my abilities. But I’d try, just to ease the stench of her fear in the cab of the SUV.

Opening the door slowly, I gave her plenty of time to tell me to stop. To escape. To give me any sign that she might find my presence abhorrent. However, she just watched me with those gemstone-green eyes. I slid into the back seat, and wariness was all her body language was projecting.

Buckling myself back in, I placed a hand on the seat between us. Doodles the dog reached out and licked it, between all my fingers, like he was giving me a tongue bath. It was gross. I chuckled softly as Rio pulled back into traffic, wiping the dog slobber on my pants and putting my hand back out.

“I made a promise, and I don’t break my promises,” I told Paloma softly. “I’ve got you now. You’re safe.”

Her lip trembled, but despite her fear, she put her hand in mine. I threaded our fingers together, giving hers a gentle squeeze. A reassurance, even though she barely knew us and had no reason to trust my word. I couldn’t imagine the choice she’d had to make in that bathroom. Go with the strangers you knew, or stay with the strangers that were like you, but being near them made instincts inside you go haywire.

Nothing like being betrayed by your own designation.

I needed to tell her about Llew. Or at least warn her not to go to his end of the house, without it sounding like we were holding him captive.

“I need to tell you that there’s another Alpha at the house. He stays in his room almost all the time, but if you see him in the hall, he would rather stab himself through the heart than harm you. His name is Llew. I’ll try and introduce you, if he’s up to it.” If Llew was in the right headspace. If he was here with us, in the present.

Her eyes slid toward me. “Is he sick?”

Fuck, what did I even say to that? “No, not physically.” I met Rio’s eyes in the rearview mirror. How did I even start to explain Llew to someone who wasn’t in a Pack? “He went through something traumatic, and he’s still finding his way back from the darkness.”

We all were, but Llew… He’d had it the worst.

Five

Paloma

Apicture on the wall was moving. I’d seen these in my magazines. A television. I thought they’d all been destroyed during the apocalypse.

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