Page 102 of Cost of Courting

“Damn it, Selene. Pick your battles.”

“I am the shield that protects this neighbourhood from the gangs and clubs that want this territory.”

He stares at me. My words penetrate and leave him speechless. “You’ve been keeping back the Crimson Cobras and Despair? Alone?”

I press my face to his shirt. My body aches, and, for the first time in ever, there is someone here to rescue me. I just want to feel that. I want to fall into that.

I’m not alone.

“You’re fucked when he finds out what you are, Omega!” Hammer bellows down the street.

I rip away from Bailey and pull out my knife. “I’ll carve out your tongue.”

“You’re still going to be dead. You think one alpha can keep you safe?”

“That’s Bailey Raines!” a kid calls out in defiance.

I close my eyes, wishing things would stop conspiring to go wrong.

“Bailey…Raines?” Hammer looks at us, and I can see the incredibly slow thought processes going through his head. The thought catches, connects, and, suddenly, the bruised and bleeding Hammer understands exactly how happy his boss is going to be when he gets back.

His smile is pure evil.

I run towards him, intent on killing him, but they take off in that ugly red convertible in a cloud of smoke and squeals from his tires. I chase after them, cutting through the yards of our neighbours, ignoring the shouts and calls of everyone, ignoring Bailey.

I jump a fence and pull myself up onto the Garrison’s roof, running along and taking a flying leap to land on Mrs Tingle’s house. My foot slips on the tiles, and I go down hard, sliding off and falling to the hard concrete below.

“Selene!”

Bailey crouches beside me, his hands hovering.

“Where does it hurt?”

I ignore him, instead lying back, breathing hard. Of course, this good turn can’t last. Of course, it needs to end. I should have known better.

“You need to leave. You need to take the pack and go.”

Bailey sits back, brushing his glossy black hair out of his eyes. “Not a chance.”

“He knows what you are. He’s going to-” I cut off, turn my head, and vomit.

My body aches everywhere.

“He can try, but he won’t be able to.”

I snort a laugh. “Keep hoping that. But when he takes you, he will destroy all of us. Just go.”

“Say I did. What are you going to do?”

“I’m going to stay here and protect everyone. That’s what I always do.”

“What about you? Who is going to protect you? Take care of your wounds? Fight when you can’t?”

I stare at him because we both already know the answer. It’s mean of him to bring it up like this.

I push myself up on trembling arms, only for him to hoist me up and into his arms.

“I can walk!” I snap.

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