Page 104 of Your Wild Omega

The stirrups are so short my knees are practically level with my face as I hunch, waiting for the bell. Balanced precariously, like how my life used to feel.

A horse neighs wildly and a loud thump sounds. Out of nowhere, a dark shape rears up in my side view, one of the unsettled horses looming over the divider. I hunch down as the jockey spills across the railing, coming right at us.

I can’t avoid the collision.

Chapter forty

Red

I want to cry out, but I’m frozen as the jockey slaps a hand down on my horse to stop his fall, landing awkwardly half-over the railing. The animal beneath me whinnies and shies sideways, slamming my calf into the wall. I shout as pain rebounds up my leg.

The bell rings, and light floods in as the front bars fly open. I tilt as my half-rearing horse surges forward, and for a moment, I’m suspended above his back. And then he leaps again, sending me tumbling backward. Dirt and sky mingle for a moment before I crash to the ground right in front of the gates.

“Ashana!” a male voice cries from the sidelines.

The thump of my body hitting the dirt track echoes around and around inside my riding helmet. I hope they got that on film, even if it wasn’t planned for the scene, ’cause I bet it was spectacular.

Fuck. I can’t breathe. My lungs spasm as the impact travels through my body, not in a hurry to free me. The sky above skewslike one of Leanne’s Van Gogh prints. I had to sign a hazardous work waiver to do this filming, but I fucking hope it doesn’t come into effect today. Zack will never forgive me if I break my promise by not coming home tonight.

For a long, agonizing moment, I exist in this state of frozen awareness, gaping for breath. Finally, sweet air rushes into my lungs and I heave gratefully, but it’s followed by a tally up of bruises that I don’t appreciate one bit. Damn, it hurts.

“Don’t move,” a medic calls, crouching beside me.

“I’m all right,” I manage to spit out, coughing up dust. “But that was gnarly.”

Mr Yun looms over me. “Red! How do you feel?”

I flash him a thumbs-up. “Don’t worry, I won’t hold up filming. Did you get that shot?”

He barks out a strained laugh and rests his hand against his forehead. “Woman, go to the medic bay and get checked over. Rickon’s never going to forgive me.”

I blink twice. He’s right. Rickon will lose his shit. “How about we don’t tell him just yet?” I say, sitting up slowly with a wince. The medic protests and supports my neck, but I ignore him. “Once it’s old news, he can’t complain much, right?”

The director shakes his head, but smiles wryly. “How on earth does he manage you?” he asks.

I grin. “It’s a secret.” I rub my aching calf. “But honestly, you should rewrite the script. Make that a staged accident by the other owners but Ashana can’t prove it to the—” I click my fingers, trying to remember the word. “Stewards,” I manage after a moment. At least my fingers still work fine, despite the ringing in my ears and the strange throb of my pulse pushing blood to my bruises.

“Go get checked out,” Mr Yun orders. “Let me worry about the script.”

The paramedics strap a brace around my neck, just in case. I lean on one’s shoulder and call out to the director, “But I’m not fucking doing it again if you missed the shot!”

He waves at me without looking.

Every bone in my body complains as the team helps me to my feet. Damn. I’m gonna get Tiffany jewelry as a gift for my stunt double, if she goes through things like this on purpose.

“I’ll go with them,” someone says behind me.

The makeup assistant rushes up to hand me my phone, which is great because Rickon’s already calling. I guess this bond is a two-way deal.

“Hi, Rickon,” I say as I climb into the golf cart.

“What happened?” he gasps.

I snort. “I’m fine.” Some little white lies, maybe. “The horses are a bit antsy today and things got, ah, bumpy.” I turn to grin at the kind soul who volunteered to come with the paramedics and lock eyes with Bradley Jacks, who’s sitting beside me. Fan-fucking-tastic.

The vehicle sways as we go over a speed bump, and Brad wraps his arm around me to steady me. I can’t even tell him to kindly fuck off because Rickon’s on the line and if I’m not careful, my first alpha will drag my other alpha out of their cozy li’l love nest before he’s healed up.

My good mood evaporates. “It’s kinda hectic here, so I’ll have to call you back later,” I tell Rickon, avoiding Bradley’s eyes so he doesn’t get the wrong idea. “Love you guys.”

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