21. Hunter
Hunter
We’re barely ten minutes into the drive when Koa finally speaks, her soft voice cutting through the quiet hum of the car. “No one’s ever put Damien in his place before,” she says, almost like she’s talking to herself. “It feels nice. Really nice. But he won’t make it that easy.”
I glance down at her, tucked against my chest in the back seat, her body fitting perfectly in my arms like she was made to be there. My fingers trail lightly over her back, tracing absent patterns, but my focus is on her words. The way they’re laced with a mix of relief and tension like she’s waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“Is that all he sees you as?” I ask, my voice rougher than I intended. “Just a pawn to bring more money into the family?”
She doesn’t look up, just nods against me, her cheek pressed to my chest. “That’s all any of them see me as,” she murmurs. “That’s why Damien married Carla. Her family has money. He’s always been about the family name, the status, the connections.”
The anger that’s been simmering beneath my skin all day flares up again but I force it back down. The last thing she needs is my rage. “That’s bullshit,” I mutter, my hand tightening slightly on her back. “You’re worth so much more than that, Koa.”
She doesn’t say anything, just lets out a shaky sigh. I tip my head back, trying to find the right words, but it’s Amel in the driver’s seat who decides to stir the pot. Of course.
“A mating bite would fix a lot of things,” he says casually, his voice light, almost teasing.
Koa stiffens in my arms, and I immediately regret not snapping at Amel to keep his mouth shut. “I don’t want a bite out of pity.”
I can’t help the chuckle that rumbles in my chest. “Baby girl,” I murmur, leaning down so my lips brush her thick curls, “I don’t pity you. If anything, I’d be honored to be your mate. A bite isn’t pity—it’s a sign of trust.”
She doesn’t immediately respond, and for a moment, I think I might’ve pushed too far. But then she shifts, her hands clutching at my shirt as she presses her face further into my chest. Her nose nuzzles against me, her breath warm against my skin through the fabric, and I realize what she’s doing. She’s rubbing her scent on me, just like she did with Moses earlier. My beast practically purrs at the thought, a deep satisfaction settling in my chest.
Amel glances at us in the rearview mirror, his eyes catching mine with a glint of amusement. “You know,” he says, voice full of mischief, “Koa wants to work.”
I blink, my focus snapping back to her. “Work?” I ask, staring down at the woman in my arms. Her scent is sweet, clinging to me now, and I can’t help but wonder how the hell we got so lucky. A submissive Omega would’ve never worked with the three of us. But this fierce little ball of Omega? She’s everything we could’ve wanted and more.
Koa lifts her head slightly, her cheeks flushed as she glares at Amel. “Don’t make it sound weird,” she grumbles, and Gods, if she isn’t adorable when she’s mad.
I laugh, my hand sliding up to cup the back of her neck, my thumb brushing against her skin. “We’ll talk about the work thing later,” I tell her. “Right now, let’s focus on getting you home.”
Her glare softens, her eyes searching mine for something I don’t think she realizes I’m already giving her—trust, safety, a promise. She settles back against me, her body relaxing into my hold, and for the first time since last night, I think she believes it.
The morning passed mostly in silence, Koa locked away in my room and the rest of us working through security nightmares. But now, Moses is mid-sentence, something about the new security systems or Rodrick’s probation period—I’m half-listening at best—when the soft patter of bare feet catches both our attention. We look up from the couch and there she is. Koa’s a mess, her curls wild and her eyes heavy with sleep, clutching one of her pillows like it’s the only thing tethering her to reality. For a second, she just stands there, looking at us with this hazy, almost lost expression, and then, without a word, she moves Moses’ arm out of the way like it’s nothing and plops herself right into his lap.
Moses freezes, his mouth hanging open in mid-sentence, while I can’t do anything but stare. The sheer audacity of her, the way she acts like this is the most natural thing in the world—it’s almost comical. And then she’s out. Just like that. Her soft snores fill the air, her head tucked under Moses’ chin, her body curling into his like she’s always belonged there.
“What the fuck just happened?” Moses mutters, his words laced with confusion. He doesn’t move, though. His arms hover awkwardly around her like he’s terrified of waking her. I don’t get a chance to answer before laughter echoes from the hallway. I twist around, and there’s Amel, stepping out of Koa’s room, half-dressed and looking far too pleased with himself.
“What did you do to her?” I ask, narrowing my eyes at him.
Amel grins, strolling over to us with that easy confidence of his. “Nothing,” he says, flopping down onto my lap. He wraps his arms around my shoulders, his warmth settling against me as he rests his chin on my chest. “An Omega leans into their instincts near and during their heat,” he explains. “She’s going to be softer, more open, seeking out our touch. Wanting more from us.”
Moses still looks confused, his hands finally settling around Koa like he’s afraid she’ll disappear if he holds on too tightly. “And she just… decided my lap was the place for that?”
“Apparently,” Amel says with a smirk, his gaze flicking down to Koa before returning to me. “Get used to it. This isn’t going to be the last time she does something like this.”
I laugh, shaking my head as I tighten my arms around Amel. “What about you, Alpha? Feeling a little needy too?”
Amel tilts his head, his gray eyes locking onto mine with that thoughtful, calculating look he gets when he’s trying to figure something out. “Is it weird if I say no?” he asks after a moment. “If I say that Koa fills some part of my instinctual nature? The need to provide, to protect? Like, I’m still going to come to you when I need a good, hard fuck, but my focus… it’s shifted.”
I don’t even have to think about it. “Not weird at all. I think it’s safe to say the three of us are going to be focused on the bundle in Moses’ arms.”
Moses looks down at Koa, his expression unreadable for a moment before it softens, his lips twitching into the faintest hint of a smile. “Yeah,” he murmurs, his voice almost too low to hear. “I think we are.”
And in that moment, with Amel in my lap and Koa curled up in Moses’ arms, I know there’s no going back. We’ve found her. Our Omega. Our everything. And nothing—not Damien, not the past, not even her fear—is going to take her from us.