Pack Fever: Omegaverse Romance

Chapter 3

Three

My eyes blink open to a forest.

I’m half-buried in a hollowed-out tree trunk, as though I’d rolled into it when I slid down the hill. I savagely shake as fear runs down my spine.

I had passed out under a damn log, and now it’s the next day, morning sun overhead. The storm’s gone, and somehow, I survived. But what happened to my friends?

Coldness wraps around me as I quickly inch out, my mind going over the bus crash, the chase, the fall. A sharp pain travels up my arm and centers on my elbow, where I broke it in the car accident years ago. It’s never fully healed. Holding on to it, I ride the waves of pain.

I’m caked in mud, some of it dry on my arms and clothes. My body feels as though I’ve been run over by a truck, then backed over several times. Every part of me aches, my hip still smarting when I turn on the spot to take in my surroundings.

Rolling hills surround me. I’m in a valley with a stream farther in the distance, broken trees here and there, and a jungle of shrubbery.

My thoughts swirl on my friends as I stare up the hill. They’d be long gone by now, but the last time I saw them, they were alive, which is something.

Jess had been tasered, so I can only assume they took her to the Nexus facility. But what about Casey and Kayla? Did they get away? God, please let them be safe.

Glancing back up the slope, the mountain that leads up to the main road is steep, covered in mud, dead branches, and bent trees. Even if I tried, I wouldn’t make it far without breaking my neck.

Still unable to believe I survived the fall, I drag myself to the stream to clean myself off, unsure what I’m going to do. My nerves are dancing under my skin, but I can’t freak out. That won’t get me anywhere.

Deep breaths.

I’ve got this.

Going back home won’t work. The enforcers will be watching the place and waiting for my return. Do I want to lose my freedom because I went to a club with my friends, and be watched like a lab rat while being prepped for an Alpha? Or worse…

Fuck that!

Another option for me is to survive on my own. I’m not going into heat yet, so is it wrong of me to just vanish for a while? Though I would have preferred if my friends were with me.

There is the small problem that I have no belongings with me and not a cent to my name right now, but I’ll find a way to make this work. There are lots of assistance homes for Beta females around the country, and they don’t ask questions or for proof. I know they help pregnant Betas after Alphas abandon them. It’s a huge issue in our society. So, these community centers help clothe and feed females, and I’ve heard they can even help find you a job.

First, I need to find my way out of the forest.

Semi-convinced of my plan, I crouch by the stream and splash icy-cold water over my face. It’s crisp and refreshing. The gurgle of the water is calming, as is the stillness of the woods, with only the occasional bird chirping in the distance. Lofty trees surround me with wild branches, brimming with palm-sized green leaves.

As I continue cleaning myself of mud and wiping down my clothes, I remember in all the survival TV shows I’ve watched, they always follow a river to reach some kind of civilization. At the very least, I won’t die of thirst on my journey. There’s no way I can climb that slippery hill I tumbled down to reach the road, so I have to move forward.

The mud on my clothes proves stubborn, but I manage to scrub enough off that I don’t feel like I’m a walking earth sculpture. Once I’m as clean as I can manage without stripping and dunking myself into the stream, I take a deep breath of the fresh air.

“Alright, Danica, time to channel your Wilderness Scouting skills.”

I follow the stream, my hip still pinching with every step and my arm still smarting, but the longer I walk, the easier the pain gets.

I have no idea how long I’ve been walking, but by the time the shadows are stretching across the land, I know it’s moving into the afternoon. Still following the damn stream faster, I start to panic that I’ll be stuck here for another night. Exhaustion clings to me, and I’m dragging my feet, having no clue how long I’ve been walking. I don’t want to be stuck in these woods forever.

Just as I scoop some water in my hand to drink, the distant honk of a car sounds.

My pulse quickens, hope booming in my chest that I found a way out of the woods, and I pray it’s not an enforcer.

Without pause, I move faster than I thought possible in the sound’s direction. I push through the underbrush as a scent hits me—the mouthwatering smell of freshly baked bread.

“I’m close,” I murmur under my breath, praying I’m not hallucinating. Pushing out of the dense woods, I emerge at the edge of a park. In front of me, a town spreads out.

I gasp loudly, close to crying that I’m free of the damn forest.

I’m suddenly sprinting toward civilization, happy to see a small town tucked in the valley of the mountains, the streets alive with people and cars. Of course, I drift right for the bakery, sticking to the shadows. My mouth is salivating for food.

I stumble past the Women’s Haven door, with the words Sanctuary for Women’s Growth and Healing printed on the glass. It’s the same place we have back home in my town.

Someone’s definitely watching over me.

As tempted as I am to drool at the baked goods I can’t afford, at this shelter, I can at least get some food and new clothes. The important thing is they aren’t affiliated with Nexus, and they don’t ask questions.

I push open the door, deciding this might be a good sign of things actually going well for me for a change.

Huddled from the cold breeze near the local community building, I clutch the receiver of a weathered public phone that should be a relic in a museum somewhere. It’s been two days since I arrived in town. Mom finally answered the phone, and hearing her voice again calms my frayed nerves that something had happened to her. My voice crackles through the line.

“Mom, what’s the news? Have they… have they said anything about me and the other girls?”

There’s a heavy sigh on the other end, and I can almost see Mom’s weary expression.

“Sweetie, the news is saying they only found Jess after the crash, and Nexus has her safe and secure. The others, you included, are still at large. Nexus is claiming they’re worried for your well-being and doing everything to find you three. They came to interrogate me, and I’ve never seen them this way before when I had my time at Nexus.”

“Maybe because you never tried to escape from them.”

“I don’t know, but it worries me.”

Her words twist my insides. On the bright side, Nexus has no clue where I am yet. But where are Casey and Kayla, then?

“So, I don’t think it’ll be safe for me to come home for a while,” I say, hating the words. Even calling Mom is a risk, but she and Ruby are all I have left, and I needed to check on them and see if she had any news about my friends.

I glance around me to ensure no one is close enough to hear my conversation. The few bystanders are two elderly women with shopping baskets on wheels on the sidewalk, heading away from my location.

Another sigh, this one deeper. “It’s for the best.” There’s more emotion in her voice now than the lack of affection she’d shown me since I got busted at the club. “Karen from down the road, her third cousin’s dating someone who used to work at Nexus. They say the facility has enclosures in the building…” She swallows heavily. “They’re for Omegas who’ve broken the rules, kept there like criminals. When I was there for my match, I heard similar rumors, but we were told they were just fiction. Except the person who told Karen yesterday said they’re real.”

My heart plummets. The rumors are as horrible as I’d heard. I’m shaking as I keep glancing around me, suddenly feeling exposed being outdoors.

“Stay hidden, Danica. Don’t let them find you. Maybe things will calm down after a while.” She pauses for a moment, and I swear I hear her sniffling. Is she crying?

“Mom–”

“You need to be careful. There are others who want an Omega if Nexus doesn’t get to you first. There are underground organizations that steal and sell Omegas.”

“You’re scaring me.” I curl in on myself more.

“Once you go into heat and find an Alpha, they’ll leave you alone. That should be your focus, okay, Danica?”

I almost choke on my breath at the words, find an Alpha. That’s the last thing on my mind, and it’s not like I can trust a complete stranger.

“I’ll try.” I hiccup a breath that goes all the way down to my lungs. I’ve spent the last two days working at the local soup kitchen, which gets me a safe and warm bed each night. I’m making do. “How’s Ruby?”

“She’s been crying for you, but she’s safe. Our streets here are full of enforcers.” She pauses, her breath quickening.

I brush away the tears with the back of my hand, hating that I’m being hunted down, hating the idea of being thrown into enclosures, hating that my mom even now struggles to show me she misses me.

“Your sister’s calling me. I have to go,” Mom says, her voice thick.

“Okay, love you both.”

The line goes dead.

That cuts deep.

I hang up the phone with a sense of finality. My stomach hurts with how tense I’m clenching it. My heart’s squeezing that she couldn’t show she cares when she knows I’m completely alone with nothing.

I regret calling her now and pray I haven’t made a huge mistake in case her phone is tapped by Nexus.

I pull my jacket tighter around myself against the wind. I’m alone, with nothing but clothes given to me and a fierce desperation to remain free.

On quick steps, I stagger away from the public phone, my chest clenching with the iciness of the news I’ve just received. Jess is being locked up, and she’s all alone, but if I know anything about Jess, it’s that she can get herself out of any situation. Plus, if that news gets out, her dad being in the mafia and all, she might find an escape. I’ve heard that the mafia has some sway over Nexus. I pray that’s the case for her sanity.

My heart’s breaking that I may not see my mom and sister for who knows how long. And until then, what am I supposed to do with no money?

Fear swallows me, but what I know for certain is that I won’t be captured by Nexus and held captive until I reach my heat.

Lost in thought, I’m drifting across a lane when a glint of light grabs my attention. I turn, my gaze landing on a large black van, its back doors thrown open like they’re selling illegal merch to anyone interested. But there, winking up at me from the back tire, is a cell phone.

Any other day, and I would have walked on by, but today, desperation has a grip on me. That phone could be my lifeline, a chance to reach out, track the news at any time, and not be watched by those at the shelter. I dart into the alley without another thought, my heart thundering that I’m doing this. I snatch the phone from where it lies abandoned.

The second I’m back on my feet, a hand clamps around my wrist.

“Thanks for that. I thought I lost it,” growls a deep and smooth male voice. “You’re like a little mouse, finding what everyone else misses.”

I whirl around, my heart in my throat, and my thought evaporates at the man standing behind me, still holding my arm. He’s a mountain of a man, with a mop of dark hair framing a face that’s all hard angles and sharp lines, a strong jawline, and full lips that seem to whisper secrets I want to know.

I tilt my head back to meet the palest blue eyes I’ve ever seen. God, he’s tall. Really tall, like six-four or five. And he’s broad across his shoulders, his chest, his muscles.

The moment the breeze blows up the alley, smothering me in his scent, I almost fall over, recognizing his Alpha side. My legs give out, and he moves so fast, I’m instantly caught in those powerful, strong arms as I float on the most delicious scent of chocolate and blueberries coming off him. It slides through me, making me melt for him, and beneath the sweetness lies his masculine scent, which has my knees wobbling.

The last time I reacted this way was back at the club with that handsome jerk who wanted to judge me. I’ve been around other Alphas, but none have impacted me like these two men.

“Are you okay?” he gasps as if he’s suddenly out of breath, then a smile curls on his lips. “Who are you, little mouse, and why do you smell so good that I could eat you?”

It’s ridiculous that I’m still in his arms, swooning, falling into those deep eyes instead of pulling away from him and running. But I’m stuck in that moment in his gaze.

My breath catches, and for a heartbeat, I forget enclosures, the storm, the crash. There’s just him, this stranger, and the fluttering butterflies in my chest that tells me I want to remain in his arms.

“Have you got a tongue, little mouse? Are you in some kind of trouble?” His grip is firm but not painful, just secure.

I’m hyperaware of the heat radiating from his body. The air between us is electric, and I’m struggling to breathe. Who the hell is this guy?

“I’m a nobody,” I manage to say, then push the phone back into his hand, doing my best not to tremble. “I wasn’t stealing it. I was going to hand it into the lost and found at the community center.”

His laughter rolls out in a rich, dark sound that feels like it wraps around me, almost urging me to laugh with him, but I can’t. I must remember who I am, where I am, and the danger I’m in.

“Are you so sure of that?”

“Yep,” I insist, lifting my chin, but he’s half-grinning, studying me, clearly not buying it.

“Tell me, Omega, how are you out in public all alone like this? Did you get lost from your bodyguards?”

I freeze for a fraction of a second, mustering a scoff. “Don’t you wish,” I answer, smiling carefree. “I’m just a boring Beta, so sorry to disappoint you if you’re looking for your Omega.”

His statement reminds me of the guy at the club and how he asked me a similar question about being an Omega. No one’s supposed to detect my perfume until I start going into heat… and even then, I was told it’s only if they’re my true Alphas, they might pick up on the faint smell before anyone else.

Is that what’s happening now?

My head’s spinning, and I tell myself to get away from him, yet I can’t make sense of my body’s reaction, and I need to badly. I step back, but his hand is on my wrist again, his touch insistent. I glance away, and my heart stops at the sight in front of me.

A Nexus-branded car whips past the end of the alley. I jerk back, colliding into the Alpha, and when I glance up, I notice him staring at the car, then down at me. Panic slams into me, and that sensation of being cornered has me glancing around frantically for a way out.

“I have to go,” I say, ripping away from him, my words tumbling out in a rush. I spin to run, but the Nexus car has returned and is starting to turn down the alley.

“Fuck, fuck,” I murmur.

Out of options… if I run down the alley, it’ll be obvious, and they’ll chase me. There are no open doors in the alley, only trash cans.

I turn to the stranger and desperately plead, “I’m in trouble. Please help me. They’re going to hurt me.”

He doesn’t hesitate. In one swift motion, he loops an arm around my back and steers us to a door in the building near his parked van. He shoves it open and rushes us inside.

My heart’s slamming into my ribcage, and I’m scared out of my mind, needing to run and hide from everyone. How the hell did they get to this town so fast? It was my call with Mom, wasn’t it? They tapped her phone, and I should have known better. Fuck!

Now, I’m here in a dark corridor with a stranger.

The shadows crowd in around me, and suddenly, I’m terrified I made a terrible decision. This man could be a serial killer for all I know.

I pull away from him. “Where’s the way out? The front?” My shaky voice betrays me, and he stares at me with a sigh.

“I’m not going to hurt you.”

That’s when the sound of car doors slamming just outside in the alley pierces the fragile silence, and I flinch, every inch of me tensed.

“Please, I have to get out of here.” I’m sweating and shaking all over.

Before I can move, the Alpha hits the lock on the door, then his grip is firm around my wrist as he hauls me down the passage.

“This way.”

I stumble to keep up with him, my feet barely keeping pace with his long strides.

“Not sure what trouble you’re in, but for a nobody and a Beta, you have some powerful people after you.” There’s amusement in his voice, and if I wasn’t scared out of my brains, I’d quip back at him.

The truth is, he’s helping me when he doesn’t need to, and I need him.

We weave through the maze of the building, the unexpected thumping of a guitar’s beat vibrating through the walls.

Suddenly, we burst into what looks like a living room, then up a flight of stairs, into a residential area that’s surprisingly mundane. But when he opens a bedroom door, my insides curdle, and I back away.

“Hey, I’m not that kind of girl, and you might have gotten the wrong impression because this isn’t what you think,” I start, my mind racing with the worst scenarios.

“Trust me, it really isn’t,” he mutters, almost gently. “You want protection, then get in the bathroom and stay low. I’ll deal with them.”

His gaze is genuine, and I want to believe him. I have no choice. The possibility of being caught and knowing my mom might get in trouble after our conversation weighs on my shoulders.

Reluctantly, I nod and step into the bedroom that smells heavenly and like him. As the door shuts behind me, I’m engulfed in the essence of him, and it triggers something inside me that feels like wildfire.

Please, God, don’t let that be…

Swallowing hard, I lock myself in the bathroom, leaning against the door, trying to calm the sudden storm inside me.

I’m safe for the moment. Sliding down on the tiled floor in the shower, my teeth are chattering, and my body is shaking with fear and shock.

Hugging my knees, I whisper under my breath, “Please, not now. Please, don’t let my heat start now.”