Page 55 of Feeling the Heat: Part Two
Camille needs me.
The second I heard her quavering voice through the phone speaker, my alpha went into overdrive. No thoughts other than needing to get to my omega and make sure she’s safe. Even if that hadn’t happened, I’m not about to screw up her giving me a chance to be there for her.
Please let this be the right store, I think as I spot the sign a few doors down. There’s only one boutique that sells lingerie within a few blocks radius of Camille’s apartment, but I’m terrified I misheard her, and she’s somewhere else, frightened and in need.
As I approach, a giant of an alpha steps as if he’s going to get into my path to the door of the shop. His petrol and rubber scent makes my nostrils burn as soon as I get within a few feet of him, and he’s got at least a hundred pounds and half a foot on me, but my alpha doesn’t back down. My omega is in there. I’ll risk bodily harm from this behemoth to get to her.
The alpha crosses his arms and steps in front of me again as I step to go around him and open the door. “Shop is closed.”
“And you’re what, the bouncer?” I scoff, keeping my tone as cool and superior as possible.
He shakes his head.
I give him a withering look. “What then? Some pervert hoping to peep on omegas trying on underwear because he can’t get any on his own?”
A low growl erupts from the man, and he glares down at me like he’s a second away from beating my scrawny ass to a pulp, passersby be damned.
I won’t get past him with brute force. I could bark at him and hope my alpha is more dominant, but that’s a risk. So I settle for using my professional attire to my advantage. “If you don’t work here, get out of my way. I have an appointment,and you don’t want to be the reason the pack I work for doesn’t get their omega the gift they’d promised. Ever heard of Pack Ashgrove?”
The thuggish alpha’s eyes widen.
“Of course you have.” Everyone knows about them; they’re one of the richest packs in the city and almost certainly tied to organized crime. “Their omega is meeting me here in a few minutes, and I’d hate to tell them her experience was ruined by some dumbass lurking on the sidewalk and making her feel unsafe.”
His eyes narrow, and after a moment of consideration, he huffs. “Fine, whatever. Bitch isn’t worth this shit.”
My blood freezes, and a growl rises in my throat. He’s talking about Camille.
The pieces fall into place far later than they should’ve, but my mind wasn’t working.
This fucker was waiting out here for my omega. He’s the reason she was frightened and shaking and calling me for help.
I see red, the fear I sensed through my bond with Camille coming into sharp relief.
Stepping closer, anger radiating off of me in waves, I lock eyes with the alpha, not caring that I have to tilt my head up. My voice is deadly calm when I speak. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay away from this shop and the omega inside, and every other omega you see, because if you don’t, I will ruin you.”
“W-what?” The alpha takes a half step back and my alpha’s dominance surges, bolstering me. Weak ass, disgusting creep.
“Did I stutter?”
Another step back as I crowd toward him, his eyes widening further. “Leave,” I bark.
He obeys, even though his body tenses as if he's trying to resist it, hurrying off down the sidewalk with a few glancesback at me. I wait, watching him to make sure he doesn’t turn around and come back as I attempt to unclench my fists.
I can’t stop shaking from the confrontation, adrenaline and the need to get to my omega and hold her making it impossible to calm down.
Shit, I don’t want Camille to see me like this. I don’t want to scare her.
I force myself to breathe, holding it for a few seconds, then releasing it, then repeating. Reminding myself that I took care of the threat. That she’ll be okay.
It doesn’t help much, but I can’t stand waiting any longer. The door to the boutique is locked when I try the handle, so I knock on the glass. “It’s River,” I call out.
A few moments later, the door cracks open and a petite beta peers out at me warily, looking at the sidewalk behind me for the creep.
“He’s gone.”
They nod, their expression relaxing as they open the door for me to come inside. They lock it behind me just in case, which I appreciate, but I don’t have time to thank them because I see Camille sitting across the room between a display of lacy lingerie sets. A growl rumbles from me when I see how red and puffy her eyes are from crying, and how pale she is, and I rush over to her, my alpha needing to touch her and confirm she’s okay.
I freeze abruptly when I’m a foot away from her, arms half extended to reach out and haul her against my chest, realizing I don’t know if she wants me to touch her.
