Page 22 of Prey for Me

Nakoa pats Leo’s back, who’s heaving harder than I’ve ever heard him heave before. And I’ve seen him swing from treetops and buildings like it’s nothing. It must’ve been too much for his peanut brain to handle. It’s overloading from his rut. My suspicion is confirmed when Nakoa grabs a fistful of his hair, forcing Leo’s head back, holding it there until his knot starts unswelling. His canines are enormous, and his blown-out pupils turn his green eyes nearly pitch black. Leo’s gone full feral for the first time, and he can’t handle it like Nakoa could. One wrong move, and he would’ve been the first to leave a mating mark, that much I know for certain.

“S-sorry,” he chokes out as he finally pulls out, his rational mind checking back into the peanut hotel.

But Nakoa doesn’t seem pissed off. If anything, he’s amused as he releases Leo’s long red hair, and tips his chin up, “It’s alright. You couldn’t help it. Now let’s get cleaned up back at base. And check on Grace.”

That’s a good plan. We’ve made a complete mess out here, and Grace needs attention. I’m still hard, and so is our pack leader. Probably Leo will be hard again, too, since he’s pulled out of the omega.

“You did great for your first time. And in rut. Don’t beat yourself up,” Nakoa says, vision unfocused, his tone encouraging.

He’s still high off her pheromones just like I am, total and utter bliss written all over his features.Shit.We might not make it to base if we don’t leave now. I might get my wish to kill Grace Wilder, but it’ll be from fucking her to death not strangulation.

“Next time, I’ll do better,” Leo says as he grabs his shorts, crawling back over, bending down to kiss Grace’s stomach. It’soddly sweet, until he uses his fingers to push the cum leaking out of her back inside.

“Stop that,” I grit out between clenched teeth, despite it making me harder as I watch. “You know we can’t mate her like that. Our seed will never take root.”

And why would we want to bring new life into this wretched place anyway?Goes unsaid.

But Leo ignores me like the spoiled brat he is, until Nakoa kicks him in the ass. He falls over, as our pack alpha looms over him, showing a glimpse of his carefully concealed rage.

“Listen to your second, third,” he barks without any bite. Damn, it’s like Grace has defanged us. But Leo won’t notice. It’s not like Nakoa reprimands Leo often, so his tone must sound downright sinister.

“B-But we should try! We’re a pack. Alphas should…” Leo trails off, his stutter coming back, as Nakoa levels one of his infamous glares at him. A real glare that looks as if he’s on the verge of his next kill.

That’s rare; I’m happy to be outside of his crosshairs for once.

“Yes, alpha! Sorry, alpha,” Leo says, bowing his head as I snort and stand up, taking my place beside our leader.

It was what, a year ago, when Leo presented as an alpha rather than a beta? It won’t be easy to remove the mannerisms beaten into him for his survival. But sooner rather than later, he needs to react like an alpha, not a beta, when faced with a challenge. He should always show deference, butneversubmission.

“Ugh,” I grunt, head pounding, knowing that’s a lesson for another night.

And woah, the sun is almost setting! We’ve been at it for way too long. It never ceases to astonish me how longIcan last, how longwecan last, with an omega in heat and thrown into a collective rut. It’s like entering a sexual marathon.

Finally, as we’re preparing to leave, Grace releases a long, heavy sigh and returns to Earth. I look down at her, and she looks up at me, contempt creeping into her strained expression. She’s back, alright. Without another word, I bend down and cradle her in my arms like she’s special, because she is, as much as I hate to admit it.

Nakoa motions for Leo to zip up his dick while I cast a forlorn glance at the forest. Something isn’t right. I know it. Nakoa knows it. Even Leo’s dumbass knows it too. Grace shouldn’t smell so sweet anymore, like she’s in heat. And yet, she does. And sheisin heat.Again.It’s like a never-ending loop for her. It makes absolutely no fucking sense!

I hold her closer, as if I can shield her from the world by doing so. Leo lifts a scarred hand to the sky, and as if on cue, a drizzle blankets the stone and the surrounding forest.

“Base camp?” Leo asks, and I shake my head no, looking to Nakoa for backup.

“Camp at the shore. We’re too far, there are too many threats, and she’ll get too cold. We promised the boys a raid, and we won’t be able to do that if we’re defending our mate tooth and nail,” I say, slipping up by saying mate.

Nakoa smiles, and I snort, but I’m relieved when he nods in agreement.

No more words need to be exchanged between us. Grace shivers in my arms, and with a grimace, I take off at a jog. I know the forest, the beaches, and the backroads like the back of my hand. I move easily, even with Grace’s extra weight in my arms. Not that she weighs much at all, to my surprise. She seems too thin for an omega of her status, but what do I know?

Nakoa and Leo aren’t far behind, our pack leader guarding my rear while Leo swings from the trees like some monkey. I try to concentrate on what’s essential for our survival: shelter, food, and fire. That and the upcoming battle, to take the section ofNorth Shore left vulnerable by the crash that dropped Grace on Providence.

But all I can think about is the shivering omega who wants to rip my throat out, that smells like a million flowers in bloom, who has haunted me nonstop for over a decade, my heart breaking as I accept that the girl who ruined my life doesn’t even remember me.

CHAPTER NINE

GRACE

…

Grace?

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