Page 84 of Into the Fire: Before

Maybe that control, in itself, was its means of asserting his dominance. I’d never particularly struggled with attaining respect or standing as the leader in charge when needs must. I’d never needed to strive for intimidation. People had just acquiesced as I needed. I thought I’d been lucky enough to escape the stereotypical alpha posturing.

Apparently fucking not.

Final walkthroughs were always tedious. Iknewthis. Yet as we inched our way through the latest building to be finishing uprefurb, the client pointing out every little imperfection for the punch list, I wanted to punchhim.

Add to it the fact that the client hadn’t been satisfied with an assistant-led walkthrough and had insisted I emerge from the bubble of our apartment, and it took everything in me to keep the scowl off my face. We’d already been at it for nearly an hour and were barely halfway through the property.

A buzzing in my breast pocket was my saving grace.

I shot the contractor and client an apologetic look as I reached for my phone. “Apologies, but I have to take this,” I said, already walking backwards away from them and swiping my phone open. I had several texts from an unknown number.

Batten the hatches. They’ll be coming in droves.

This went live about two hours ago.

Then an image, thumbnail obscured, and a vague link. I glanced over my shoulder to ensure the other two were already neck deep back in punch list land before clicking on the image first. It was a screenshot of a plaintext webpage. When I clicked to open it larger, though, my body froze over.

WANTED ALIVE. OMEGA APPROACHING HEAT.

TARYN ROSE LENNOX MADDOX. AGE 27. FEMALE. SSN 5900-1-29314. CENSUS NUMBER 25-O-15672-V-234.

REWARD FOR CAPTURE BEFORE HEAT COMMENCES: $500,000.

REWARD FOR CAPTURE BEFORE HEAT ENDS: $350,000.

REWARD FOR CAPTURE FOLLOWING HEAT: $250,000.

I was running for the exit, shouted apologies over my shoulder, before I’d made the decision to move. The burgeoning alpha fury beneath my skin grew with each slow driver on the road, each red light and meandering pedestrian as I sped my way toward the apartment that served as a piss poor fortress against the myriad of dragons likely already barrelling our way.

Weallstoodaroundmy phone on the counter like hikers who’d discovered a dead body out in the woods. Brea’s skin was ashen, shoulders hunched near her ears and her fingers twisting the ends of her red hair. Caine looked murderous, chest rising and falling as he visibly struggled to maintain his composure.

“They more than tripled their price,” he seethed under his breath. “She’s just anobjectto them.”

Against my better judgment, Caine had clicked the accompanying link in the text as soon as I’d laid the phone down, which just took us to the live webpage of the ad. Which showed that more than sixty people had already downloaded the attached images and files.

Sixty potential attackers currently racing for our omega, worth half a million bucks. And once Taryn’s heat began, we’d be all but helpless to stop them.

Brea gave a small shake to her head. “We can’t stay here,” she said softly.

I mirrored her head shake. “No, we can’t.”

She met my gaze, eyes glassy. “I can’t ask you to help us. Not now. Not—”

“You think we’d just bail now?” Caine growled. “After last night?”

She placed a gentle hand on his arm. “No, I don’t think you’d bail. I think every one of you would run into a wall of razorblades for her.” She shook her head again. “I’m the one who can’t let you do that. This isn’t your fight.”

“The hell it isn’t,” I muttered, running my hand over my face as I turned, slowly pacing through the kitchen. Alpha anger rising still.

Brea looked between Caine and me. “Lin—”

“You don’t just go back to being the new tenants downstairs,” I said between clenched teeth. “My bite may not be on your necks, but my heart fuckingbeatsfor you, Brea.AndTaryn. Same as it does for Caine and Brooks.” I turned around, a burning behind my eyes and inside my ribcage. “Whether it’s date nights and rooftop drinks or protecting what’s ours, you’repack,Brea. The both of you.”

A single tear fell down her cheek. She gave a jerky nod, quickly rearranging herstrong alphamask. “Okay. Then where can we go?”

“I don’t trust the heat centers,” Caine said, brows furrowed. “Too easily bought.”

“Anywhere in the city leaves us exposed,” Brooks said.

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