Page 24 of Your Wild Omega

Zack swallows and then braces his hands either side of me to lean in. His sweet grain scent fills my nose.

“Want me to stroke your hair?” I ask, threading both hands through his hair. The strands feel rough, like he’s never produced keratin to make it smooth. Probably his body was too occupied in survival mode for such luxuries.

Zack stares at me, eyes roving over my face, and I wish I could tell what he was thinking. He’s processing, trying to understand everything. Our newest pack mate always seems puzzled about me, and I assume it’s because I’m an unthreatening alpha. His DNA draws him to Red instinctively, but I’m an anomaly in his world, held here because Red wants me. If it wasn’t for her, I’m sure he’d kill me in a flash.

But even knowing the truth doesn’t really scare me. That’s just how powerful love is.

“What’s going on in here?” I whisper, rubbing my fingers more firmly into Zack’s scalp.

He shifts, checking Red is still in place, and then lifts one hand toward my hair. I tilt my head down so he can access my platinum locks. He seems fascinated by the color.

“It looks funny white, doesn’t it?” I’m overdue to the salon, so the dark roots show now. Maybe it looks the same as cake icing to him.

His thick fingers slide down the back of my neck, and he pinches.

Goosebumps race down my arms as I realize I’ve put myself in a submissive pose. Well, it’s not as if I have a lot of choice. Zack could fold me in half as easily as if I were paper. I thought he called me “Mine” that first morning we woke up together, butmaybe he was just talking about Red because he hasn’t done it again. Still, he doesn’t growl at me like he did in the car park.

Instead of trying to free myself, I tilt to the side and kiss his inner arm, my lips brushing over an old scar.

Zack snatches his arm back, eyes widening.

“I hope we’re doing the right thing,” Red muses, coming up behind Zack and wrapping her arms around his waist.

“If not, we can ask his forgiveness once he’s educated.” I slide down from the counter and take the leash from her hands. “I know it’s only been two days, but I think we need to step up the obstacles.” With only six days left until Red’s due on set, we need Zack to be comfortable in a crowd fast.

She nods in agreement. “How?”

“I was thinking the lobby.” I dig into the box and pull the handcuffs out. “Should we try these, just in case?”

She purses her lips but then nods slowly. I know she doesn’t want to restrain him, but the risk of Zack hurting someone and getting taken away is too great to ignore. Red takes the handcuffs and says, “Let’s do it inside a hoodie pocket so no one can see.”

My heart swells with love. Even in these extreme circumstances, she wants to protect her alpha’s dignity.

While she secures Zack’s hands, I tell the OCB agents the plan. Both decide to come along, even though only Agent Pierce is on duty. Josef scouts the lobby while Pierce asks me about the environment on set. It’s a relief to see them taking the role seriously and anticipating problems ahead of time. Makes me feel more confident in what we’re doing.

“Okay, Zack, we’re going out,” Red declares, holding up the leash. “You gotta have this on to come with us.”

Zack stoops a little so she can reach, allowing Red to snap on the leash clip. His eyes widen expectantly, waiting for instructions.

Pierce clears his throat. “I suggest we get a different attachment for that before we leave the apartment building. The way it is now, he could easily reach up and release the clip.”

Red takes another look at the mechanism and sighs. “Yeah, you’re right. Add it to the list, Rickon.”

I nod and type up a note in my phone.

Nerves trickle through me as Pierce opens the front door and Red leads her feral alpha out into the foyer. She halts in front of the elevator and looks over her shoulder at me, and the pleading in her eyes tells me just how nervous she feels.

“How about we take the stairs this time, for exercise?” I suggest, shutting the door as quietly as I can.

Zack tenses at the faint click, but he’s far more relaxed than the day we brought him home.

Red nods and steps out, heading for the fire stairs, more confident now she has direction. I wonder if she’s thinking of a movie. “Just like inSecond Chance in the Romdine,” I offer.

Red snorts. “Much better than what I was thinking of,” she mutters.

“Which was?”

“Aliens vs. Alphas.”

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