Chapter 34 Foster
FOSTER
There’s a sick feeling in my gut as I knock on the apartment door and wait for Raven to answer.
When I realized she’d snuck out last night, I felt like someone had ripped my heart out of my chest. I knew she was hurt and angry after the train, but I never thought she’d run off on her own. It’s so reckless. So unlike her.
I spent the night searching every club near the Olympic Village, my panic increasing the longer I went without finding her.
When she finally called, I was so angry I snapped, laying into her in a way I’m not proud of.
She didn’t need that. The second I heard the tears in her voice, I knew I’d made a mistake.
Now, all I want to do is hold her and make sure she’s okay. The door swings open, and an unfamiliar alpha gives me a quick once-over. “Foster?”
I nod and cross my arms. “Where’s Raven?”
The second the question’s out of my mouth, the scent hits me. I’d caught little whiffs of her spicy, sweet scent before, always muted by scent blockers. But now, I’m struck with the full potency and every muscle tightens, needing to get to my omega.
I shoulder past the guy. “Close the door. Fast.”
No one else should scent this.
Thankfully, the other alpha seems just as eager as I am to protect Raven’s cinnamon sugar pheromones. The door quickly slams shut, and I’m met with a wall of athletic men blocking my path to Raven, who huddles on the couch, eyes wide and red.
“Out of my way.” I don’t care that I barked the command. All that matters is getting to my girl.
They all step to the side, though one of them fights the command for a beat.
I rush to Raven, sitting and immediately pulling her into my lap. “Shhh, baby.” I comb her hair out of her face and kiss her forehead. “I’m here.”
A deep growl sounds from behind me. Three of the four guys look like they’re ready to pick a fight. Alphas, all of them. They’re giving off enough aggression to make that clear.
The one with dark skin and darker eyes is grinding his teeth so hard I can hear it.
“Let her go,” he says, the words infused with a bark.
I brush off the command easily enough. There’s no way in hell I’m letting go of my omega. Not for anyone. I snarl back at him, ready to fight if needed.
Raven clings to my neck, shaking. It’s clear something’s happened between her and these men, and I don’t like not knowing what. Every guess that flies through my mind has adrenaline surging. My alpha instincts are firing overtime, telling me there’s a threat. But right now, my omega needs me first.
Ignoring the bark and the guys, I focus on Raven. “What is it, principessa? What happened?”
She’s shaking too hard to answer. I want to see her face, so I gently stroke her hair back, lifting it off her cheek and settling it behind her neck. Then I see it. Fucking hell. Dark red marks mar her pale skin. A fresh bond bite.
My jaw tenses, hands curling into fists.
“Who did this?” I growl, alpha dominance flooding each word.
Raven jumps at my harsh tone, and I feel even worse than I did before. Shit. I don’t want to scare her, and she doesn’t deserve to witness an all-out brawl right now. She’s already shivering so bad her teeth are chattering.
The dark-skinned guy steps forward, his expression twists in pain, but he holds his head high. “I did.”
I move to stand, wanting to skin him alive for bonding my omega, but Raven clings to me harder, not letting me go. “No, it’s not his fault. I… I think I did it?”
“You think?” I ask.
“It’s all kind of fuzzy, but it’s starting to come back to me.” She turns her head to look at the other man. “Did I bite you first?”
He drops his gaze to the floor. “I should have stopped you.”
“Fuck no,” one of the other guys cuts in. He’s covered in tattoos, blond hair shaved at the sides and longer on top. “This was always meant to be. We’re scent matches. This wasn’t a mistake. It was fate.”
Scent matches. That pulls me up short. I study each man more carefully.
Raven gives the man with the tattoos a sad look before returning her attention to me. “I just want to get out of here.”
Sick as it makes me feel, I know that’s not a good idea.
“We’ll give you a little space,” the beta says. He’s big for a beta. Athletic. With brown hair, a strong jaw, and kind eyes.
The other guys seem reluctant to agree, until the preppy, All-American looking one steps between them and Raven and half-shoves them toward the hall. “We’ve got to get ready for a game, anyway.”
“Names,” I snap just as they start to disperse.
If they’re Raven’s, and she’s mine, we’re all gonna have to get comfortable with each other real fast. It’ll be her choice whether she keeps them or not, but I’m not letting her slip through my fingers now that I know for sure she’s my scent match.
Maybe the kid is right, and this is fate.
Or maybe he’s wrong and someone fucked up royally—namely, me, for letting her out of my sight.
But the damage is done. Like it or not, we’re all gonna have to navigate a way forward together.
The guys quickly introduce themselves, Tanner tacking on that they’re the U.S. curling team. Then they leave Raven and me alone.
As soon as the room drops into silence, my phone buzzes from my pocket, followed by the same noise from Raven’s.
“It’s probably Coach and Harriett,” she says, not moving to answer.
“How do you want to handle this, principessa?”
She sighs, letting out a puff of hot air that I feel against my neck.
“I can’t ignore them.” She pulls back to meet my gaze and I’m torn apart by the devastation I see in hers.
“Even if I wanted to—which I don’t—I won’t be able to stay with my…
with them all the time. They have games.
Harriett has a schedule. We’ll just have to try to be with them as much as we can to avoid the bonding sickness. ”
I like that she says we. It’s probably just because she knows it’s my job to stay with her, but it makes something warm melt in my chest.
“We’ll have to figure out a way to come back and stay the nights here, but during the day it’ll be hard.” She turns her face away, her long hair hiding her from me.
“I’m sorry I didn’t protect you.” I go to run my fingers over the fresh bond mark, but pull back before I touch her skin. It isn’t my bite, and I don’t want to upset her further. “I should have been there and stopped this. I failed you. And now you’re bonded to strangers.”
“Not strangers.” She laughs humorlessly, lifting her head so it’s only half covered by her hair.
I brush the rest of the dark strands away from her face, studying the odd, bitter expression. “You knew them already?”
“Yeah, from years ago. They were my high school bullies.” Raven shrugs, brushing it off.
My hands curl into fists, teeth clenching as a growl, low and menacing, pushes up my throat.
When she recoils, I squeeze my eyes shut and try to gain back a semblance of control. It’s hard when all I can think about is Raven being picked on. My girl should never feel anything but happy and adored. I take two slow breaths before opening my eyes again.
“Sorry.” I cup her face in my hands, making sure she’s paying attention. “Do you want me to beat them up for you?”
I really hope she says yes.
She laughs again, this time with amusement. “Maybe later.”
“I’d do it.” Our eyes meet.
Her smile slowly falls into something more serious. “You would?”
“Of course.” She’s not ready to hear it, but I’d do anything for her.
“Thank you,” she whispers. “I feel safer now that you’re here.”
Another growl threatens my vocal cords. She should never feel unsafe—especially not with the men she’s bonded to. This is fucking messed up, and I’m gonna do everything in my power to make it better.
“I’ve got you, principessa.”
Her lips part, breath picking up slightly, scent blooming between us. I’m seconds away from telling her things she doesn’t need to hear when she’s already adjusting to so much change. But Tanner walks back into the room, and I bottle the words.
He stops when he sees us, glaring at me with dark eyes. “Come on, let’s get some breakfast.”