Chapter 2
Arthur
I'm three steps inside the venue when a flash of blond hair rushes past me.
Hold on. Was that... Beth?
Two more omegas come running right behind her—the first one dark-haired... Luna, if memory serves. And the other... must be Maren.
"Beth, wait—" Luna calls as she and Maren blow past me. They crash through the side door and into the dark, and the door bangs shut behind them.
I should go, see if I can help.
My legs are already turning toward the door when a sound stops me cold.
An omega whine. High-pitched, slicing clean through the party. Every hair on my arms lifts. A low growl rumbles to life in my chest before I can stop it.
Omega. My omega.
My head snaps toward the center of the room, and I see her, hands pressed to the sides of her face, fingers splayed. Mouth open wide.
Jessica.
What is she—how is she—
My feet are already moving toward her, the way they always have whenever she needed me, her faint, sweet scent reaching my nostrils as I get closer.
"ARTHUR!"
Knox's voice snaps me out of my trance. He's rushing toward Mason, who's rolling and scrabbling across the floor with another alpha like two cats in a scuffle.
"Mase, stop—" Knox starts as he tries to get him off the other alpha.
What the hell is going on?
I run toward the mess and manage to grab Mason's arm. Knox gets a fistful of his jacket, and between the two of us we haul him upright. His whole body strains forward.
"Stop," I shout. "Mase. Stop."
"Let me—" He fights the grip, voice shaking. "This sneaky little—he—"
"STOP!"
We all go still.
Jessica. Our Jessica.
I turn toward her voice, a stupid, desperate flicker of hope flaring in my chest as she runs our way. Whatever she's doing here, she still cares. She can't stand the thought of her alphas ending hurt and—
She blows right past us and drops to her knees beside the stranger on the floor. Her hands fly up to cup his face. So gently. So agonizingly carefully.
"Are you okay?" she murmurs. Her thumb traces his jawline. "Baby, look at me. Are you hurt?"
Every drop of blood in my body goes cold.
Baby...?