Chapter 44
Xavier
I t hits me mid-breath .
Peach Cobbler. The freshest peaches with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg. All wrapped in a delicate honeysuckle scent. Then the smell of wild honey coats my senses, leaving me drenched in fresh rain.
The scent combination slams into me like a punch to the chest, thick and hot and absolutely unmistakable. My vision is a little hazy. My hands curl into fists on instinct. Not one Omega—two. Both Rowan and Sébastien. Going into Heat.
Fuck!
I snap my head toward Massimo. His knuckles are white around the edge of his seat, jaw clenched, eyes dilated. Cole’s not doing much better, he’s gone still, like a predator holding himself back from pouncing. The air in the suite is damn near combustible, packed tight with the scent of slick, perfume, and sweet need. And we’re in a stadium with hundreds if not thousands of unclaimed Alphas.
“Shit,” I mutter, low and sharp. “Fuck. Damn.”
This isn’t just a problem. This is a goddamn catastrophe waiting to happen. I push up from my seat, pacing the length of the suite to burn off the pressure building in my chest. Every step makes it worse. Their scent is everywhere. It's on my tongue, under my skin. My inner Alpha is clawing to the surface, demanding I claim, protect, mark.
I drag in a breath through my mouth and curse again. We need to get them out. Now. Quietly. Before every Alpha in this arena catches wind of what's happening and goes feral.
I tug my phone out, already calling the driver. No answer. Another ring. Still nothing. He picks up on the next ring. “Yeah, boss?” His voice is calm, but there’s a hint of frustration underneath. “Traffic’s locked. Total gridlock. I can’t get anywhere near the box.”
My jaw tightens as the call ends. No driver. No backup. No time.
I turn to Cole and Massimo. “We can’t wait. I’m going to find a ride.”
Cole nods sharply, already moving toward Sébastien. Massimo steps closer to Rowan, trying to keep her steady, her scent so strong now it’s a miracle the whole damn stadium hasn’t caught on.
Her whimpers are breaking my heart. I slip out as quickly as possible and bolt into the corridor. My boots pounding against the floor as I race past stunned VIP guests and staff. I don’t care how it looks. I just need out.
Down the private stairwell, through a security door, out into the night. The cool air hits me like a slap, clearing just enough of the Omega-induced haze to keep me moving. And then I see it, across the lot, a Beta just locking up a black SUV, tall and alone, not caught up in the post-game swarm yet.
Bingo.
The Beta’s halfway to the stadium doors when I cut across the lot toward him, pulse pounding. I rein in my Alpha presence, force a calm expression, and smile, just enough to seem non-threatening.
“Hey, man,” I call out, slowing enough to not spook him. My nostrils flare subtly as I approach. Yep. Definitely a Beta. No rut instincts, no scent shift. Safe.
He turns, cautious but not alarmed. “Uh, yeah?”
I stop a few feet away, hands open at my sides. “Name’s Xavier. I’ve got an Omega emergency. Two, actually.” His eyes widen, and I keep talking before panic sets in. “They’re in a private suite upstairs, and I need to get them out of here quietly and fast. Our driver’s caught in gridlock, but you’ve got a clean exit and a big SUV.”
I reach for my wallet, flipping it open and peeling off a few crisp hundreds. “You drive us to the closest five-star with an Omega suite, this is yours. No questions, no delays. Deal?”
He blinks, then glances at the cash. “You’re serious?”
Deadly. “Completely.”
There’s a beat of hesitation before he nods. “Yeah, okay. I’m parked right over there.”
“Good,” I say, handing him the bills. “Warm it up. I’ll bring them out the back.”
He jogs back to the SUV, already unlocking it as I pull out my phone. One call connects me to Cole.
“Change of plans. I’ve got a ride,” I say. “Back stairwell, two minutes. I want them out quietly . No scent trails. No attention.”
“We’re on it,” he replies, voice taut with control. “She’s perfuming hard.”
“I know. I can taste it from here.”
I end the call and jog back around to meet them at the exit, scanning the lot. No security. No Alphas loitering. So far, so good.
Now we just have to get out of here without triggering a stadium-wide rut riot. And get to the hotel before one of us loses control.