33. Luna
Luna
I hate the fourth pack I have to meet with.
Maybe it’s because of the contrast between my pack and a pack that’s… well, not my pack.
It’s also probably because these guys are incredibly pushy.
None of their touches are super inappropriate, it’s just they seem to have an inability to take “no” for an answer, and actually let me go. I actually had to yank my hand away from one of the alphas after we shook hands. He seriously would not let go.
I don’t know what gave them the impression they could do that, but I hate it.
I guess they could’ve seen how I was with my pack and assumed that I was okay with that kind of behavior? Either way, I breathe such a strong sigh of relief when they’re gone.
Unfortunately for me, things don’t get much better during the rest of the evening.
As the night progresses, the different combinations of alpha scents start to give me a headache.
It’s honestly really overwhelming just having to talk to that many people.
Add having to smell them too, and it’s a nightmare.
The last pack is guided away by Amelia, and I relax into my chair for a split second. I’m so glad that’s over. If I never had to go through that again, it would be too soon.
I don’t think I feel very well. For some reason, my face feels flushed and the room feels a bit too warm.
When I finally build up the energy to stand from my chair, I notice that a lot of the alpha packs around me are eyeing me up like I’m some sort of prey. It makes me want to shrink into myself.
What are the rules for after the meetings with all the packs? Do they think they can touch me now? Am I allowed to refuse to spend time with them if they come up and ask me to join them?
All of the uncertainty and the growing feelings of fear building in my chest have me seeking out my pack.
I meet Chase’s twinkling gaze and can’t look away. He’s already moving towards me. The way his body looks in that suit, with the casual, confident sort of swagger he has, is mesmerizing.
He makes it to me before any other alphas can. I guess all of them were taking a bit more time to see if I’d do anything. To be completely honest, I don’t really care. All I care about is Chase standing in front of me.
He extends his arm. “Would you do me the honor of dancing with me?”
“Of course,” I say, smiling up at him, my relief probably obvious in my expression.
Even though he’s the smallest of the four guys, I can still feel the strength in his muscles underneath my fingers, despite the layers of fabric.
He flexes his arm, drawing my attention up to his face, where he winks.
“Enjoying feeling me up, Moonlight?”
Even though my face already feels super warm, I swear I feel my blush up to my ears.
“Oh—I—I wasn’t, well, I?—”
“Shhh, it’s okay. You can feel me up anytime. ”
I bite my bottom lip and don’t miss how Chase’s gaze is drawn to the motion.
Would it be wrong to kiss him here? Now that I’m surrounded by the cloud of his ocean breeze scent, I don’t care that we’re in a room full of other potentially dangerous alphas. I just want Chase.
I don’t know what it is about his scent, but I want to climb him like a tree right now.
Maybe it’s just how refreshing and reassuring a comforting, familiar scent is after having to deal with all of those alphas earlier.
We make our way to the edge of the dance floor right when a song has ended, giving the two of us the time we need for Chase to guide me onto it before the next one starts.
I’m starting to get a bit nervous.
I’ve taken a dance class here, but I wasn’t particularly good, and it was a little awkward.
Or at least, I felt a little awkward doing it.
Maybe it’ll feel different dancing with someone like Chase.
From what I’ve gathered, he’s been to a lot of these sorts of events.
With lots of other omegas… lots of other omegas who’re probably better at dancing than I am.
I can also practically feel the entire room’s eyes on me right now.
Actually, now that I think about it, I’m starting to get really nervous.
“Hey,” Chase says, pulling me closer to his body. “Relax, Moonlight.”
I swallow hard, my body practically buzzing from how close I am to him. I swear, if the bodice of this dress wasn’t padded, my hard nipples would be obvious to the entire audience we have.
“Trust me, you look stunning, and every alpha in the room probably wants to throw me into a fire pit with how jealous they are of me getting to dance with you.”
“That’s the scary part,” I say softly.
Chase’s expression grows somber .
“You’ve been hidden away all of your life. You deserve to be proud.”
I try to smile, but I’m pretty sure it doesn’t reach my eyes.
The music starts and Chase immediately spins me around and dips me. I grab at the front of his shirt, barely managing to stifle a little scream from being spun around.
Chase grins down at me. “Oh, you’re so eager to take my clothes off.”
His words have me swallowing hard for different reasons as I eye the bare skin exposed at his collarbones.
I want to lick them.
Holy shit, where in the world did that thought come from?
“Thinking dirty thoughts, aren’t you?” Chase asks before he pulls me up and starts leading me along the more traditional and basic steps.
If I could, I’d bury my burning face in my hands, but as it is, I just smile sheepishly.
“I’m glad to see you smiling,” he says. “And look at you, you’re a natural.”
It’s so much easier to follow Chase’s lead than it was to follow my dance class partner’s.
He’s able to spin me around as we dance across the room, the glittering skirts of the dress sparkling from the light. It’s like he’s showing me off.
I clutch at him when I land in his arms. Is this room warmer on the dance floor? It really feels like it.
When I look up at Chase, his eyes are dark with need. He almost looks hungry. It lights up a thrill inside my body that has slick building in my core.
He leans down so we’re practically breathing each other in as we sway to the music. The rest of the world falls away.
We’re so close. So, so, so close.
I could tip my head up and we’d be kissing .
Before I have a chance to do just that, something twists in my gut. The pain has my knees nearly buckling.
“Are you okay?” Chase asks, shocked out of the haze we were in.
Before I have a chance to open my mouth and answer him to tell him I think something is wrong, he’s ripped away from me.
I blink, shocked as I watch one of the alphas I met earlier, I think from the fourth pack, gripping the back of Chase’s suit.
“No way in fucking hell you’re the one hogging this omega, not when she smells so delicious,” The alpha growls. He turns to look at me, the lust in his eyes obvious.
Another pang of pain hits me, and I can’t help but let out a keening sort of moan, my hands wrapping around my middle protectively.
Chase manages to rip away from the alpha’s hold, but he gets distracted by my noise, giving the alpha a chance to grab hold of the front of his dress shirt and punch him in the face.
“Chase!” I call out, taking an unsteady step forward.
Madden comes barrelling onto the dance floor, ripping this other alpha off of Chase and tossing him to the floor.
I see Kane and Archer quick on Madden’s heels, but before he can get to me, I’m surrounded by a bunch of men who look like security.
The entire room seems to erupt into chaos as onlookers try to figure out what’s going on. The rest of the crazy alpha’s pack starts to get upset with mine.
I don’t know what’s going on because none of the security will let me see past them to try and figure it out.
The only person they let through is the director, who curses when he sees me.
Seeing a familiar face isn’t all that comforting, considering the expression of shock and frustration he has on right now.
“Fucking shit, you’re having a heat spike right now,” he mutters. He turns to one of the security guards. “Get me a microphone right fucking now.”
Heat spike?
A wave of fear hits me. Am I going into heat? But it’s too soon! Charlotte and the other doctors we’ve been working with said I had more time before it. What—what am I supposed to do?
“Hey, hey, hey,” The director says, coughing.
I look up at him, my eyes filling with tears of pain, fear, and confusion.
I notice the other security guards surrounding me are starting to shift uncomfortably, too.
I guess my scent must be going crazy right now. Me freaking out probably means it doesn’t smell very pleasant.
“Calm down. You’re going to get to choose whatever pack you want to help you through this, okay?”
The moment he says that, a wave of relief washes over me. I know exactly who I’m going to pick.
Someone hands a microphone to the director and he turns it on. He waves the security to stand back, revealing me to the rest of the room.
My eyes instantly seek out my pack’s.
“The omega of the evening is going into a sudden heat spike,” he says to the rest of the room. He turns to me. “Luna, which pack do you want to service you?”
“The—the Ward pack,” I say, looking at them. Looking at my guys.
The moment those words leave my lips, they’re rushing towards me.
My stomach twists as I’m surrounded by Madden’s rich chocolate scent. He sweeps me up into his arms like I weigh absolutely nothing to him.
The movement makes my head spin. The world is a bit fuzzy and my face feels so, so, so warm right now.
Archer is barking orders at security as they try to keep all the other alphas under control. There’re so many people yelling right now.
Fear twists in my gut. This is what I imagined the Northside was like. Being surrounded by a crowd of alphas who only want one thing from me. Who only see me as one thing: an omega. Someone who exists to please them and take their knot. A set of holes and nothing more.
“Hey, hey, hey,” Chase says, leaning in so his face is all I see. “We’re gonna take care of you, okay, Moonlight? We’re gonna keep you safe, promise.”