Madden comes barrelling onto the dance floor, ripping this other alpha off of Chase and tossing him to the floor.

I see Kane and Archer quick on Madden’s heels, but before he can get to me, I’m surrounded by a bunch of men who look like security.

The entire room seems to erupt into chaos as onlookers try to figure out what’s going on. The rest of the crazy alpha’s pack starts to get upset with mine.

I don’t know what’s going on because none of the security will let me see past them to try and figure it out.

The only person they let through is the director, who curses when he sees me.

Seeing a familiar face isn’t all that comforting, considering the expression of shock and frustration he has on right now.

“Fucking shit, you’re having a heat spike right now,” hemutters. He turns to one of the security guards. “Get me a microphone right fucking now.”

Heat spike?

A wave of fear hits me. Am I going into heat? But it’s too soon! Charlotte and the other doctors we’ve been working with said I had more time before it. What—what am I supposed to do?

“Hey, hey, hey,” The director says, coughing.

I look up at him, my eyes filling with tears of pain, fear, and confusion.

I notice the other security guards surrounding me are starting to shift uncomfortably, too.

I guess my scent must be going crazy right now. Me freaking out probably means it doesn’t smell very pleasant.

“Calm down. You’re going to get to choose whatever pack you want to help you through this, okay?”

The moment he says that, a wave of relief washes over me. I know exactly who I’m going to pick.

Someone hands a microphone to the director and he turns it on. He waves the security to stand back, revealing me to the rest of the room.

My eyes instantly seek out my pack’s.

“The omega of the evening is going into a sudden heat spike,” he says to the rest of the room. He turns to me. “Luna, which pack do you want to service you?”

“The—the Ward pack,” I say, looking at them. Looking at my guys.

The moment those words leave my lips, they’re rushing towards me.

My stomach twists as I’m surrounded by Madden’s rich chocolate scent. He sweeps me up into his arms like I weigh absolutely nothing to him.

The movement makes my head spin. The world is a bit fuzzy and my face feels so, so, so warm right now.

Archer is barking orders at security as they try to keep all theother alphas under control. There’re so many people yelling right now.

Fear twists in my gut. This is what I imagined the Northside was like. Being surrounded by a crowd of alphas who only want one thing from me. Who only see me as one thing: an omega. Someone who exists to please them and take their knot. A set of holes and nothing more.

“Hey, hey, hey,” Chase says, leaning in so his face is all I see. “We’re gonna take care of you, okay, Moonlight? We’re gonna keep you safe, promise.”

I can see in his eyes—he’s determined. So determined it’s like the only possible outcome that exists in his universe is one where I’m safe.

I don’t know whether to believe him or not.

My world is a blur, but as my pack and the security guards push past the main crowd, one thing cuts through the haze in my head: the startlingly familiar acrid scent of burning plastic.

I grip onto Madden’s arm.

Terror makes my hand tremble as I grip desperately at the expensive fabric of his suit jacket.