Page 41 of Pack Owned
The door clicks shut behind him, leaving me alone with the scent of chocolate chip cookies lingering.
I don’t hear Ryker enter, but suddenly, he’s just there when I turn around, a presence that fills the room. Smoke and leather waft toward me, and I stiffen. Ryker leans against the doorframe, his gaze intense, unyielding.
“Enjoying domestic bliss with Dane?” There’s an edge to his voice, one I can’t quite read.
“Just baking.”
“Of course,” he says, pushing off from the doorframe and moving closer. His gaze is sharp, seeking secrets, maybe even weaknesses.
I straighten my spine, refusing to show him either.
“Did you want a cookie?” I offer.
“Maybe later.” A smirk plays on his lips, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes, which remain watchful, guarded.
The kitchen feels too small, the air charged with something I’m not ready to name.
“It’s late,” Ryker says, his voice neutral but his gaze piercing. “Pick any of the spare bedrooms and get some sleep.” Then he leaves.
My heart hammers against my ribs, confusion warring with frustration.
Liam believes I’m his Omega. Dane is starting to side with Liam. But Ryker… I’m no closer to solving him than when I first met him back at Nocturne’s alley. Should I even bother trying to understand him when I’ve already decided to leave this place behind?
CHAPTER 13
KAYLA
Islip out of the kitchen, and the dimly lit hallway stretches before me. Dread swells in my gut, sour and heavy. Tomorrow’s sunrise could be my last as a free Omega.
Will Ryker hand me over? I couldn’t even work up the courage to ask him who they work for.
I need an empty bedroom. The Alphas’s scents are everywhere, musk and pine and power, making it damn near impossible to think straight. But there has to be a corner not claimed, a room not marked.
Third door to the left, I push it open with a hesitant palm. It’s dark inside, curtains drawn tight. I stand still, take a deep breath, and… nothing. No hint of cedar or spice that would scream Alpha presence. Relief floods through me.
I inch forward, letting my eyes adjust to the gloom. Disappointment pricks at me, but it’s overshadowed by relief. This isn’t the sprawling suite I might have expected in a mansion, but it’s private. The room, while not vast, is well-proportioned, with a plush, king-sized bed dominating the far wall. Its deep burgundy comforter is a rich contrast to the crisp white sheets.
A sleek nightstand in a warm cherry finish sits beside it, and a tall, mahogany dresser opposite the bed boasts gleaming brass hardware. The only other furniture is a comfortable armchair upholstered in a muted sage green, tucked into the corner beside a large window. It’s not the height of luxury, but it’s undeniably elegant and, most importantly, empty.
“Finally,” I exhale, shoulders slumping as the tension drains away, if only for a second. I can pretend, can’t I? Pretend I’m just Kayla and not that any freedom I have isn’t going to be stripped away at dawn.
Though I’ll run before they can take me to Nexus. Not going there after what happened on the bus. After all the stories I’ve heard.
Telling myself I’ll leave before the sunrises, I set the alarm to four next to the bed. Then I open the closet door and find it empty except for a couple of folded towels.
I take one and open another door, and it’s a private bathroom connected to this bedroom. Wow. Never had my own bathroom before. Not that this is mine. I turn on the shower and while it’s heating up, I search the drawers and find an unused hairbrush still in the package and toothpaste.
Using my finger, I brush my teeth, then open the brush and comb through my hair.
Steam rolls from the shower and I undress, stepping inside.
Water cascades over me as I soap myself up. I’m rinsing the conditioner out of my hair when an image pops into my mind—Liam in the shower, water streaming down his chiseled chest, calling out my name, his hand wrapped around?—
My body betrays me, trembling with an unsolicited longing. My fingers slip down, tracing the lines of tension coiled in my core. The image of him, unabashed and lost in pleasure, flashes again behind my eyelids.
“Kayla,” he groaned, and God, that gravelly voice sparks through me. I’m not immune to desire, even if every instinct screams to guard my heart. With each stroke, I chase the phantom caresses I imagine from Liam’s hands, and the pressure builds. Slick liquid coats my fingers.
I hiss through clenched teeth as the crest breaks over me, dragging a shuddering climax from deep within. For those fleeting moments, I forget everything—the looming threat of Nexus, the Alphas’ uncertain allegiance, and my own tangled emotions.
