Page 101 of Feeling the Heat: Part Two
Holy shit, I can’t believe that worked.
There’s no time to marvel at what should not have been possible. I sprint down the hallway and spot red hair at the far end of the hall exiting a room.
“Camille?” My chest expands with hope, but then the woman turns and it’s not Camille. It’s her sister.
Megan’s eyes widen, clearly recognizing me from when we met at Nesting, and she stumbles backward, her back pressed against the hotel room door as I approach.
“Where’s Camille?” I ask, already knowing the answer. She’s inside the room her sister is trying to block me from entering.
“I-I’m s-s-sorry,” Megan whimpers, recoiling like she’s prepared for me to hit her or shove her out of the way.
“Give us the room key,” River barks, which only makes Megan tremble harder.
I glare at him, and he backs off immediately.
Ambrose steps forward, and if I couldn’t feel his alpha roaring through the bond, I’d have no clue he was seconds away from snapping as he gives Megan a gentle, sympathetic look. “You don’t know me, but I’m Camille’s scent match. I love your sister, and I’m sure you love her too, so please let us into the room.”
She considers it, but shakes her head. “I c-can’t…he’ll get mad…he’ll h-hurt me a-again.”
“He’s hurting your sisternow.” River’s desperate words make her wince.
I step right up into her face and grip her shoulders, even though she flinches again. “Megan, it’s time to be brave. Your sister came here to help you. To protect you. Now it’s your turn.” I give her the chance, as much as I want to take the key from her so I can get to Camille faster, because that’s what Camille would want. Because I know from my work that abuse can break a person, and she’ll never forgive herself for not helping and choosing her abuser over her sister to the bitter end.
Megan’s shoulders shake as she sobs and reaches into herpocket and passes me the keycard. I move her out of the way and hold it against the reader, the beep and green light a signal to my system to flood with adrenaline as I face whatever is inside this room.
I rush inside, vision tunnelling as I see the alpha looming over my omega, who is seated on the edge of the bed weeping and clutching her cheek. I vaguely register he’s saying something to her, but I don’t give him time to react, barrelling into him and tackling him to the ground.
“Jackson!” Camille gasps, my name coming out like she’d had her head held under water until I arrived.
“Get off me!” Bryce shouts, attempting to buck me off of him, but he’s no match for me. All those hours in the gym turned out to be worth it to see this large alpha struggle beneath me, red-faced and furious.
“If I get off of you, the rest of my pack will kill you,” I spit down at him, having a hard time remembering why I don’t want that to happen. “Keep yelling and I’ll let them.”
Bryce’s eyes go wide as Ambrose and River rush into the room, growling. But they don’t go for him; they go to our omega, Ambrose scooping Camille up into his arms and River pressing his chest against her back as she lets out a high-pitched whine. Purrs replace their growls as they attempt to soothe her.
“I-I’m sorry…I-I tried to be b-brave because I knew y-you’d come.” Camille’s shaky words are a knife to my gut.
“You’re so brave, omega,” River purrs, stroking his hands down her arms.
Ambrose shakes and continues to clutch her against his chest, pressing kisses to her hair. “You’re okay. You’re okay,” he murmurs, and I know it’s to reassure himself as much as her.
“I didn’t do anything,” Bryce snarls. “You can’t prove I didanything. It’s a lying omega bitch’s word against an alpha’s, you can’t?—”
My fist connects with his nose with a sickening crunch, and he wails in pain. My impulsive punch sends a spike of pain through my hand, but it feels good to shut the asshole up.
“Do you know the percentage of court cases in the last five years where a pack gets charged for defending their omega from assault during their heat? Less than 20%.” I grin down at him darkly. “I’m okay with those odds, so shut the fuck up and stay there until the cops come, or I’ll break more than your nose.”
I’m not a violent person, and it’s a total bluff, but he goes still. I shove away from him, and he cowers, clutching his bloody nose as I stand.
“I h-have evidence,” Camille says, looking up from Ambrose’s shoulder to glare at the whimpering alpha. “I recorded the whole thing because I knew you’d try to get Megan back and make it seem like I took her against her will.”
“You fucking omega cunt,” Bryce mutters, and a chorus of growls fills the room.
“What’s the number of manslaughter cases in defense of an omega where the pack got charged?” River asks, bristling with violent intent.
Camille grabs his arm and shakes her head. “I don’t care what the odds are. He’s not worth it. Neither is Holden.”
River’s brow furrows. “Holden?”
