Chapter 8
Chapter eight
Wren
Ibound down the stairs in a blind panic, heart ringing inside my ears. “Lyra has gone!”
Gage glances up from his herbal tea at the breakfast table. I grow the tea myself in our small herb garden, but I can’t focus on much of anything else as I rush about the house.
My brother is just too calm and collected, sipping at his tea coolly. “She couldn’t have gone far with those injuries.”
I’m not so sure. Lyra is strong, I can tell. Not much could keep her down. I just don’t understand why she would want to leave.
She was comfortable enough, right? Perhaps I misread and did something wrong, but I will find her.
And when I do, I will apologize vehemently and improve.
This is all so new for me, too.
I’ve never had an Omega before. Not that Lyra is my Omega, of course. She is just our guest. Not prisoner, guest.
And she is safe here.
I need to catch up with her. What if she is hurt? What if whoever she was running from found her?
A growl vibrates in my chest, and Gage places his tea down, staring at me strangely. Yeah, yeah, I’m protective of Lyra, but so what? I wear my heart on my sleeve.
There’s nothing wrong with caring.
I stiffen next, then sniff, hackles rising on end. “Hold on. Malakai isn’t here either.”
Gage meets my eyes. He sniffs, noticing the absence of our brother’s scent, too. Then he rises to his feet, growing just as suspicious as me.
Something is definitely off.
I gasp. “Do you think he went after her?”
Gage huffs. “Knowing Malakai, it was not out of compassion.”
My fists curl, and then my lip twitches as I stifle another growl. No. He will capture her just to intimidate her and show her who the boss is.
He’s a bastard like that.
That’s when Gage and I pick up on the sound of footsteps, and then our brother’s scent reaches both of our noses.
As well as another.
It can’t be...
The door opens, and when my gaze lands on the small, hunched figure stepping inside behind Malakai, I rejoice.
“Lyra! You’re okay!”
I rush to her side, reaching out to touch her before I think better of it, placing my arms at my sides. The Omega flinches away from me as she can’t look at any of us.
She’s not hurt, but she’s disheveled and covered in hay.
Also, she smells like Fidget.
Gage sighs, looking at Malakai. “What happened?”
Malakai glances down at the Omega on his right, and she looks so small and vulnerable in that moment. I just want to pull her close and tell her that everything will be fine. “This little menace tried to sneak off again last night. Lucky thing I caught her on time.”
My heart drops. She did try to run away… It looks as if I didn’t do enough to make her comfortable, after all.
But I will do better next time. I promise.
“Well, so long as you are safe now, Lyra,” I say, putting on a bright smile. “Come along. We saved you a seat.”
She doesn’t move at first. But then Malakai pushes her toward the table, and I give him a warning glare.
He just smirks at me, though, raising a brow in challenge.
Lyra relents in the end, stepping forward as I pull out a seat for her. Now she sits hunched in the chair. She doesn’t make a move for the eggs or the breakfast meat, so I pile her plate for her. “Go on. Eat. You must be starved.”
“Especially after the night she had,” Malakai mutters with a snort.
I give him another scowl. What does that even mean? What happened between them? Did… did he hurt her?
Lyra’s stomach grumbles, and I grab some scrambled eggs with her fork next, offering it to her. She wraps her mouth around the utensil, and my cock hardens when she groans at the taste.
My brothers freeze, too, and now we all watch her with bated breath.
I never thought the sight of an Omega eating would be so therapeutic. Not to mention… sexy as fuck.
Wow. I’m worse than a horny dog, and I need to get a hold of myself lest she runs off again. She’s been through a horrendous ordeal, such as being shot at with arrows and almost drowning.
She needs to be cherished. Not ravished.
So, for her sake, I will keep my distance.
I will behave.
After several more bites, she doesn’t need me to feed her anymore as she devours the whole plate. She even gorges on a few sausages.
Oh, boy. Not the sausages.
Now we all watch her spellbound. She certainly has a ferocious appetite.
Well, wait until she tries my pancakes. Her eyes widen when I bring them over, and then she stuffs her face with them next, gripping them with her small hands.
I laugh. “You certainly have an appetite, Lyra. You act like you haven’t eaten in years.”
Wrong thing to say.
How could I have been so stupid?
She stiffens, and it appears she doesn’t like it when the conversation drifts toward her past.
I have an idea then. I will be working out in the yard today. I have a fence to repair, and she can help me feed the chickens and collect some eggs.
Then there’s Fidget. He will need a walk.
“There’s so much to be done today, Lyra. Maybe you could help me out. Oh, and I can’t wait for you to meet Fidget!”
Malakai chuckles, and I shoot him a glare. What is his problem?
Speaking of Fidget, why does she have his scent on her?
The Alpha raises his palms. “I’m afraid I beat you to it there, brother. Our little menace here has already met the orange dog.”
Gage regards him with shrewd eyes. Then he shakes his head, sighing down into another cup of tea. “Please tell me you didn’t, brother...”
Didn’t do what?
What are they talking about?
I growl at Malakai. “Explain. Now.”
He meets my eyes, and I don’t need further explanation. It makes sense. Why she smells like the fox. Why she has hay in her hair.
My fists clench, and then I roar at the top of my lungs, shaking the whole house. “You locked her away in the pen with Fidget?!”