Not to do what? The worst things imaginable because he’ll suddenly grow a conscience for an omega he doesn’t know over the desires of his pack? Who’s going to stop him? Didn’t I always accuse Faith of being a hopeless optimist?
I shake away my defeatist thoughts, and I fight the urge to kneel. I resist the surge of submission that courses through my blood. It’s not like what happened to me with Raphael, where some primordial instinct reacts from raw fear. This is like the first time I presented as an omega, where the slightest hint of pheromones in the air and an order would make me buckle. But only ten times worse.
Apex alpha. He feels stronger, wilder, than any alpha I’ve ever seen, despite that mask of composure. This nightmare just keeps getting worse and worse, and I can’t seem to figure out how to wake up.
Stomping feet and clinging transform into a chant of, “Hunt! Hunt! Rabbit, hunt!”
I reach up to grasp my forgotten mask, getting used to the foreign object plastered to my face quicker than I imagined I would.
Oh shit. Are they going to set me free only to hunt me down and eat me?
I get my answer right away, as Nakoa leans in, reaches out, and snatches my chin before I can move away. We stand there, eye to eye, and I’m forced on my tippy toes as he cracks the smallest of smiles. And for the first time, my skin crawls.
“No,” he says forcibly, suddenly flashing all his teeth that, for a second, I mistake as gangs. “This omega belongs to me. She belongs to Raphael, Leo, and me.”
There’s a roar, and then the cheering turns to chanting so loud the warehouse seems to shake.
“We celebrate, as tradition calls for., and soon, our whole pack goes hunting for a mate”.
“Ohhellno,” I say out loud by mistake as my cage clicks open and I’m dragged out against my will by the same man who locked me up.
Leo detaches the chain from my collar and place it in Nakoa’s hands, who crouches so I’m eye level with him. There’s a wave of stunned whispers, but then everyone falls silent again. The hands on my shoulders keep me pinned to the ground as the pack’s alpha pins a lock of my hair behind my ear. He leans forward until his plush lips brush against my forehead and breathes deeply.
It’s then that I notice his body is strangely scarless. Everyone else is missing an appendage, an eye, or carrying a tapestry of scars. But he’s blemishless.
Don’t tell me his super strength is healing,I think, gasping as his lips ghost against my forehead. Nakoa groans and stands abruptly. It’s not lost on me how his cock is now thick and hard and bobs from the movement.
“Oh yes, she’s still in heat. Never mind, Leo. Good job, hiding, Grace. There’s no telling what would’ve happened if she wandered or was escorted to base camp, when she still smells so sweet. We would’ve started a war.”
Leo shakes his head, “They’ve already started a war. There were multiple wolves from North Shore here, searching for Grace.”
I tune the rest of their conversation out, so tired, so fed up, still held by my captor like a dog, like a captive, because I am to three savage alphas and their entire pack.
Days or weeks. It doesn’t matter which. Either way, I can’t imagine Faith is still alive if that’s the case. Would they have dragged her back here with me? Beta or not, this island seems devoid of women. If she were alive and washed up on shore, someone would’ve found her. Days or weeks I’ve been passed out, apparently being taken care of by Leo. All that time, she’s either been dead or alone.
I guess it’s about time I joined her.
“Shut up,” I whisper, and then louder, “Shut up!”
Nakoa glances down at me, and Leo frowns. Beside me, just out of reach of my peripheral vision, Raphael must glare. I hear him growling at least.
“What a pathetic excuse for an alpha, needing to chain a little ole’ omega like me up. You’re telling me your packmates’ pheromones are that weak?” I say before I can stop myself.
The silence is deafening, and Leo’s face falls, squinting, mouthing, “Grace…”
I guess I haven’t made him proud this time around. I look up at Nakoa again, and his face is tactically neutral. Something flickers in his dark gaze, pupils dilating, nose flaring, but he controls his rage, if it is rage, with an expert veil of coolness. Raphael, on the other hand? That bastard loses it.
“Ah!” Tossed to the ground, I scream.
I try to stand, but he presses his boat to my back and presses down enough that the healing bruises threaten to reopen. I look up at him, over my shoulder, wishing looks could kill because I’d be aiming a dagger at the skull on his throat. Raphael’s massive, barrel chest rises and falls erectly, eyes wide and burning hot with hatred, all directed at me.
“Watch your mouth,bitch,before your apex alpha!” the biggest asshole of the bunch, Raphael demands.
Apex alpha?I think, startled by this news. Humiliation is one thing. I thought I could withstand that. But this new guy, Nakoa, he mighthaveto kill me. If he’s climbed to the top of this entire pack, he has to be the definition of ruthless.
He lifts his foot and drags me to my feet roughly, clutching the back of my neck once I’m steady. His large, long finger tangles in my short hair and claws it back, so I’m forced to look up at Nakoa. I guess to apologize. I soften my expression, and Nakoa cocks his head ever so slightly, a flash of amusement in his eyes. Maybe he can see through me. Maybe not. Doesn’t matter. Leo’ssmiling again, nodding, and Raphael loosens his grip enough so I can turn to face him.
“What, bitch?” he repeats it, as if he only knows one insult in his pea-sized brain.