Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
Audrey
Itore through the forest, terrified as screams and the sound of gunfire erupted behind me. Not once did I look back, knowing damn well that if I did, I was risking getting captured all over again.
That wasn’t a reality I could face. I had to get out of here and make it back to my pack before this heat hit.
If I stumbled onto the wrong alpha in the woods, it could be dangerous.
Jameson didn’t react to my scent, but then again, Jameson was likely desensitized. If he worked operations with people like my captors often, then he couldn’t simply avoid the darker parts of that world.
He had money and influence and had to have gained his status somehow, or they never would’ve trusted him. Every man that worked in that godforsaken place had some kind of leverage on the others.
You didn’t gain notoriety from being a good citizen.
“She’s in the woods!” I heard someone shout behind me. Much closer than I cared for.
That was enough to force me to run faster, my legs pumping as my feet shredded even further on the harsh ground. The pain barely registered as I sprinted through the forest, too intent on putting distance between me and the disaster I left behind.
Someone shouted again, but it was cut off by another round of gunfire, and then an eerie silence.
I stopped running and hid behind a tree, catching my breath and listening. If they were quiet, that meant they could hear me tearing through the trees.
A crunch of leaves sounded, then a twig snapping.
Someone was close enough that I could hear the crackle of their radio as their team called them back.
“Fall back!” a voice shouted. One I didn’t recognize.
Their footsteps slowly receded and I took my chance, running again. I lost track of time and my surroundings as I ran through the forest, never changing direction, simply putting distance between me and the monsters hunting me.
My chest was burning and aching, and I knew I was going to have to stop soon. My energy was depleted and adrenaline can only get you so far.
All I could do was run a little farther and hope they truly had fallen back far enough that I’d safely be able to catch my breath.
My steps faltered and my foot caught on a root, sending me sprawling onto the forest floor. I tried to push myself upright but my arms shook so badly I collapsed and my legs refused to work properly.
I drew in a ragged splintered breath and bit back a sob. This was my sign to stop.
The underbrush was thicker here and I rolled into the thick bushes, praying that they would hide me. Just a bit of coverage, enough that if I kept quiet, they couldn’t find me.
Though, I guaranteed with the state I was in, they could scent me.
My heat was flaring on and off. With the panic, it was now strong enough that I could tell my scent was swelling in the air. I was practically giving them a glowing trail that said ‘Over here! Here I am! Come get me!’
My teeth clamped down hard on my bottom lip to keep myself quiet as pain doubled me over. The cramps were starting off with a bang.
I’d always been fine with not having a heat, and now, apparently, the choice was taken from me, violently, and by the same people I’d kept it from for so long.
My pack changed everything but I couldn’t find it in me to regret them. Even with the brutal reality that was unfolding now.
A stick cracked and I squeezed my eyes shut and curled into a tighter ball under the bush.
“Oh, Audrey. I know you’re out here,” a sing-song voice called out. It was strange coming from such a deep, alpha voice. My body was too battered to move or fight back, I simply had to pray he didn’t find me.
There was a deep inhale and a pained groan that was even closer this time.
“You know,” the alpha drawled out, taunting me. “I don’t think I care what the boss says anymore.”
He let out a chuckle that made my stomach turn.
“Not when you smell like that. So fucking delicious. You need to be saved, don’t you, little omega? I’ve got what you need. I can give you what you want. This knot is all yours.”
It was always the same with alphas like him. As if they thought we’d take any knot at any given time. They believed we were always just feral for them. Desperate. Maybe in heat we’d consider it, but that wasn’t going to happen.
No alpha but my pack was going to touch me. I’d fight him off no matter what.
“There you are,” I heard, right before big hands clamped down around my arm, yanking me out of the brush. I scrambled in the dirt, grabbing anything I could as my nails dug into the mud. Screams that left my throat raw echoed out as I fought, arms and legs flailing.
I reached for anything I could use against them, my fist locking around a rock, the cold stone standing out in my addled mind.
“Don’t touch me!” I screamed, curling my fingers and scratching with my free hand as he flipped me over and straddled my hips. I could smell his scent curling around me. It was sharp and ashy, like a long-forgotten fireplace, with a hint of overly spicy herbs.
It burned my nose and throat as I breathed him in, preparing to scream again.
The world felt like it was in slow motion. My eyes locked on his features, or those that I could see under the mask pulled over the bottom half of his face. Dull blue eyes, brimming with excitement were soaking in every second of my fight.
This was fun for him, turned him on. Sick fuck.
“Are you going to give me a taste, little omega? Or are you going to fight me?”
He leaned in, his nose running along the side of my face, making me shudder. His scent was stronger now, the musk so intense I had to hold my breath.
“I like it when they have a little fight.”
My hands clenched tighter around the rock and my omega instincts flared before I slammed it upward, right into the side of his head. He slumped back and I followed, Instinct and fear taking over as I continued to hit him.
There was no off switch now, I just kept hitting him, unable to stop myself, bashing the rock over and over again into his face.
Bones crunched, and blood splattered, raining down on me with each blow as I screamed and cried hysterically.
“I said not to fucking touch me!” I screamed, my voice feral now as I pounded his face into an unrecognizable pulp.
Hands wrapped around my biceps, pulling me off him, and I spun around, jumping out of the hold, arms raised, ready to strike again.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Wilding, it’s me!”
The voice was familiar, yet it took me a few moments to calm my breathing and tears enough to see the alpha facing off with me now.
“Ledger,” I whispered in shock.
“You did so fucking good, Wildling,” he praised, his voice hoarse as he pulled me into him now that I was out of my trance. I knew I was covered in blood, but I didn’t care. I let the rock fall to the ground as I broke.
Before I could hit the ground, he scooped me up easily, holding me tight to his chest.
“We’ve got you now. Me and Ares are here. You’re safe.”
“They took me again, Ledger. It was the same people. I woke up and I was there, and they injected me with heat drugs. Twice. It’s coming.”
More sobs took over but my alpha stayed calm and steady.
“I know, Wilding. I’m so fucking sorry. We knew it was Malik but couldn’t find you until we tore the building apart.”
“They sold me,” I sobbed. “He said he was taking me back but they ran into us.”
“It’s okay… we’ve got you,” he shushed me gently.
I heard more footsteps, my body tensing in Ledger’s arms, bracing for another fight. Surely that alpha wasn’t alone. There were several voices out here and more with the wreck.
“Don’t worry, they’re gone, Audrey,” Ares promised as he joined us.
“Alpha,” I choked out, scrambling from Ledger’s hold to Ares’s. I needed them both now. They held me close as another round of cramps hit me.
“It hurts, alpha,” I whispered, my voice pleading and desperate.
“We’ve got to get her back,” Ledger said. “Before this gets worse. She needs to get cleaned up.”
“We’re going now,” Ares promised.
“Did Jameson make it?” I managed to ask as they started to lead me away, realizing I had no idea what happened to the man who’d saved my life.
“H-he saved me. I owe him my life.”
“I promise you he’s fine,” Ares said firmly. “That man is unshakable. We can thank him later. For now, I need to get you to safety, alright? We have to get you back before this heat gets worse.”
“Back?” I said, dread filling me now. It didn’t take a genius to know exactly where he meant.
Ledger held me tighter. “Don’t worry, Wilding. Things have changed over at ARC. The network is no longer in charge. It’s safe now.”
“Safe,” I laughed bitterly. My omega was already on edge, and that wasn’t going to help things.
“I can’t have a heat at ARC,” I argued. “And there’s no stopping this. They gave me meds, twice as strong. They wanted to give my buyer a good fucking time.”
More sobs rushed through me as I said the words out loud, realizing just how close I’d come to living my worst nightmare over and over again.
I’d been used enough, broken by men who never deserved to touch me. There was nothing I could do to stop it.
Except this time, someone saved me. I was back in my alphas’ arms.
I had a pack that didn’t stop looking for me.
Maybe this would finally be the end.