Chapter 2
Chapter Two
Hot water streams over my body, stealing the stress of another day away. Working as an agent with DAU can be taxing, especially on days when our operations are stalled or don’t go to plan. I try to leave work at the door when I return home, but sometimes our failures haunt me.
Soft hands travel from my lower back up to my shoulders, kneading the strain from my muscles.
After a minute of exquisite pressure, I gently knock them away and turn to lock eyes with my Omega.
Tousled black curls fall over his forehead, adding to the playful curve of his lips.
Stubble covers his jaw and upper lip from three days of shifts at the hospital.
The rugged look makes him appear closer to his actual age of thirty instead of the early twenties everyone mistakes him for.
“Did you enjoy your nap?” I ask, trailing my palms down his sides until they settle on his hips.
“Mmm, I did. I love waking up to see you like this, Alpha. Naked and hard for me.” Mischief gleams in Foster’s aquamarine eyes, and his fingers dance down my chest.
Entwining my fingers with his, I stop his wandering touch and let my eyes roam over his body, admiring his athletic build.
A lean chest leads to a flat, soft stomach, and resting proudly against the bottom is his beautiful cock.
Slick leaks from the reddened tip, trailing down over his balls and soaking his thighs.
Tongue darting out to swipe across my bottom lip, I flick my eyes back to his.
“I’m always ready to take care of my insatiable Omega. ”
He frowns, but heat simmers in his eyes. I can feel the needy whine building in his chest. Using my grip on his hips, I pull him closer. Our lips meet in a messy kiss. A mix of tongue and teeth that has us both groaning.
This is what makes it easy to set aside the stress of my workdays.
My beautiful mate and the connection we share.
Walking him backward until he hits the shower wall, my lips tilt up into a smile when a startled sound slips from his lips to mine.
I make a show of slowly lowering to my knees, hands skimming lightly down over his waist and thighs.
My mouth waters as his scent sweetens, the buttery notes of the lemon tart deepening.
I cast my eyes upward, watching his expression as I lick a long stripe upward from his base to swirl around the tip, soaking up his slick.
Heat reddens his cheeks, and his eyes roll back as I swallow him down.
Smirking around his length, I work him in slow pulls, letting my tongue tease the head of his cock. His hands scramble against my shoulders, blunt nails digging into the back of my neck as his orgasm builds.
“Fuck, Alpha, please, I need-”
I drop one hand to tease his balls. Slipping back to press two fingers into his ass sends him over the edge.
His body shakes, knees sagging beneath the weight of the pleasure coursing through him.
Salted lemons coat my tongue as I savor his release.
So damn sweet with the perfect bite of tartness. I’m obsessed with the way he tastes.
“Your turn, Alpha.” Foster backs me out of the shower, switching the water off. He presses against my chest, lips molding to mine. His tongue chases the flavor of his release, sweeping into my mouth with a whimper of need.
The sound of my phone ringing interrupts our messy kiss. We freeze, and I am momentarily tempted to ignore it, but Foster decides for me when he pulls back.
Choking down a growl of protest, I step into the bedroom and swipe the device from the top of the dresser.
Neither of us is truly comfortable missing the call, not with Foster’s best friend, Omen, in danger.
She is an Omega we met through my job at the DAU.
She was born Sarah Montgomery, the daughter of a prominent New Hampshire pastor and anti-designation cult leader.
When she presented as an Omega at eighteen, we were called in to help her escape.
Our agency helped create her new identity as part of our designation protection program, and she’s become a major part of our lives since then.
Unfortunately, someone doxxed her identity to the nation a few days ago, sending her into hiding at one of the DAU’s safe houses. Foster and I have both been on edge since her safety became compromised.
Accepting the call, I send up a silent request to Fate to let our friend be alright. “Hello?”
“Ah, Shepherd, good. I apologize for interrupting your evening and for calling so late, but I need you for an urgent assignment.”
My boss’s voice holds a tight edge that has my instincts on immediate alert.
Donovan Griffith is a leader at the DAU.
Our agency works in many fields, but my sector specifically covers undercover operations in anti-designation areas.
We work our way up in dangerous cults, gathering evidence to bring their leaders to justice.
We also help to pull at-risk individuals from these areas before the cults can take action against them.
The things those assholes do to Alphas and Omegas are horrifying.
“Where do you need me?”
Foster presses closer to my side, and I feel his concern.
Wrapping my free arm around his back, I hold him close and send soft reassurance through our bond.
He is smothering himself in my scent in case I have to leave for a few days.
Given that this is a last-minute assignment, it’s likely an extraction instead of an undercover operation, but how long I am gone depends on where Donovan sends me.
“New Hampshire. Omen’s sister, Hannah, called for an extraction.”
Fuck, that isn’t good.
Glancing down at my Omega, I shudder out a breath.
Allowing him to step foot into an anti-designation territory isn’t something I have ever agreed to, not until the DAU has finished dismantling the organizations within them.
My decision is partly to protect my mate.
If they were to get their hands on him, neither of us would survive it.
He has trauma revolving around these cults.
His older brother, Everett, was murdered six years ago.
He was an Alpha traveling through a state with known anti-designation ties for work.
They caught his scent when he stopped for gas, followed him out of town, and ran him off the road.
The aftermath of their brutality left a deep scar on my Omega’s heart.
“Should I bring Foster with me?”
His eyes widen, lips parting in shock. If Hannah Montgomery is running from her birth family, she could be injured.
I would rather have him with me in case she needs medical attention.
Working at the local hospital as a nurse, he has previously assisted with larger DAU operations by offering care to the victims we rescue.
“I will leave that decision in your hands,” Donovan answers slowly. “We do not know the state she is in, only that she is pregnant and has her four-year-old daughter with her.”
Well, that cements my decision. I nod to Foster, sending him into the closet to get dressed. I listen to the rest of Donovan’s instructions on where to meet Hannah and where to bring them after we get out of the Montgomery cult’s territory.
Less than twenty minutes later, we both climb into my car and prepare to pull out of the parking garage.
I double-check that there are spare blankets and bottles of water stashed in the back if we should need them.
If they are hungry, we can grab food on our way to the safe house that Donovan wants us to meet him at.
Blowing out a breath, I take Foster’s hand in mine and press my lips to the back of his. “We are going to be extremely cautious,” I promise. “No stops in New Hampshire except to grab Hannah and her daughter outside their motel. In and out, no complications.”
He nods, still looking a little uneasy about our destination, but I can feel his determination in our bond. We will never let a mother and child stay somewhere they may be in danger, even if it means risking ourselves. Especially not the sister and niece of one of our closest friends.
The dash reads nearly four thirty as we roll into the empty parking lot of the Summer Grove Motel in Keene, New Hampshire.
Only three cars sit in sight, one of which is a sleek silver SUV parked at the back beneath a row of red maple trees.
The interior is dark. No one moves, but I know they are hiding inside.
A small, purple-brown stuffed animal rests on the top of the steering wheel, marking the vehicle.
I keep my lights off as I steer across the lot and pull into a spot two down from theirs. Foster glances around nervously, but when no one from the motel opens the door to check who is outside, he lets out a small breath of relief. He turns to me, waiting for instructions on what to do next.
“Text a photo of the two of us to the number Donovan sent.”
Leaving him with my phone in his hand, I cautiously step out of the car. Before Hannah and her daughter can exit their car, I sweep the parking lot, one hand on the gun hidden at my waist. Only when I am sure that no one is lurking nearby do I approach them.
My knuckles tap twice on the passenger window. Several long seconds pass before I see movement inside. A hand grips the door handle, slowly pushing it open. I step back several feet, giving them space to crawl out from under the dark blanket they were hiding under.
Hannah Montgomery is beautiful. Messy in the way stressed-out moms usually are, but that doesn’t diminish the light she radiates.
Golden blonde hair piles on her head in a bun, several of the strands falling down to brush against her cheeks.
Dark pants cover her long legs, and a peachy sundress falls over her baby bump.
“Hannah?” I ask, immediately wanting to smack myself since I obviously already know who she is.
Her lips curve up into a tight smile, and she nods. “Shepherd?”
Clearing my throat, I glance away from her face. “That’s me. Is there anything in the car we can grab for you?”
The way her head tilts is too damn cute.
I should not be getting hard over the pregnant Beta, currently running away from her abusive family.
Hoping the lack of daylight will hide how tight my jeans are, I motion for Foster to climb out.
He is better suited for getting this woman situated, and I can focus on moving whatever belongings she has into my car.
“This is my Omega, Foster. He’s a nurse. We weren’t sure what your situation was, so if there is anything you need…” I trail off, feeling the sharp spike of desire in Foster’s bond. Fates, we’re a mess. Maybe I should have taken the extra twenty minutes to knot him before we left.
“Hello. I would say it’s lovely to meet you, but that feels inappropriate given the circumstances.” Foster gives her a shy grin, his light blue-green eyes sparkling beneath the limited moonlight.
A blush spreads across Hannah’s cheeks, but her mouth curves into a frown. I watch as her eyes dart around the parking lot, so full of fear it sets me on edge. “I appreciate the DAU sending a nurse, but you shouldn’t be here.”
Her words bother him, but he hides it well. “I know this is a lot. Is there anything I can do to help? We should check your blood pressure.”
“No. Thank you, but we need to leave. Quickly.” She turns panicked brown eyes to me. “I would appreciate help to get my daughter’s car seat unbuckled and moved into your car. Fitting between the seats to hook it in tight enough isn’t easy with this little one in the way.”
Grunting, I round the car and quietly open the rear driver’s door. An adorable, sleepy brunette no older than five blinks up at me. Fear fills her hazel eyes, but she doesn’t protest. She just averts her eyes.
“Little Bug, that’s Shepherd, and this is his mate, Foster.
They’re going to help get us somewhere safe, okay?
” Hannah leans in from the other side of the car to comfort her daughter.
I don’t move until the little girl nods, whispering a soft “okay, Mommy.” Moving quickly, I unbuckle the straps keeping her in the seat and help steady her tiny feet as she climbs out of the SUV and moves to tuck herself against Hannah’s side.
A few minutes of maneuvering later, the car seat is strapped into the back of my car.
I scan the empty parking lot as Foster helps to settle the little girl into the car. After she is secure, we round the car. “Do you get carsick?” he asks Hannah. “You can ride up front if you need to.”
“I’ll be fine back here,” Hannah reassures him.
Sensing no one nearby, I turn to watch Hannah slip into the car.
Her arm reaches out to grip the roof, and my hands clench into fists.
Foster sucks in a sharp breath, his shock flowing through our bond to meld with mine.
There is a birthmark on her left elbow. A faintly butterfly-shaped patch of skin that matches the ones on Foster’s and my arms.
The door closes, and my Omega whirls to face me. A mixture of excitement and apprehension lines his handsome face. “Did you see-”
I jerk my head in a nod, glancing at Hannah over his shoulder. “She’s our Fate-matched mate. But we have to take this slowly. We don’t know what she has been through or why she is finally fleeing this shithole.”
Stepping closer, his head bobs rapidly. “Yeah, of course. We can do slow.” His eyes narrow when I snort out a laugh.
Pressing my lips to his, I savor his lips in a quick kiss before turning him around and opening the passenger door for him to climb in.
He startles when I pat his ass on the way inside, heat flaring in his eyes as I buckle him in.
“Tease,” he mutters grumpily, but his attention quickly flickers to the Beta waiting nervously in the back seat.
Swallowing back a response, I close his door and jog around the front of the car. We can figure out how to address our connection to Hannah after we get her to safety.