Chapter Twenty-Nine
Knox
Halley Sparks never does what I expect her to do, and it’s infuriating.
She’s left breadcrumbs for us to follow, and it’s easy to track her floral scent through the forest. However, as soon as we arrive at the river, all signs of her presence disappear, leaving us perplexed.
Viper crouches down and sniffs along the ground like a fucking bloodhound. He growls in frustration and paces around the bank with his nostrils flaring.
Alpha instincts overcome the big guy, driving him to hunt her down. That primal need to chase, mount, and rut, ruling his thoughts. I’m not there yet, but I can feel the tugging need growing.
Shade better be right about us being able to stop before we go too far. The way I’m feeling, I want to do filthy things to the insubordinate Omega.
I scowl and examine the disturbed soil leading into the stream. “She washed herself in the water. The scent ends here.”
This is not part of the plan. It was supposed to be a quick way to trigger her O-space. Low risk and high reward.
The idea of her being vulnerable out there in the wild makes my hackles rise. I can’t protect her if I can’t find her. I should never have suggested this.
I don’t like this turn of events at all. This is turning into a proper hunt rather than a quick experiment.
Viper stalks forward and cups my shoulder. His green eyes are bright with animalistic desire. “She won’t get far, brother. Let’s hunt.”
We split up, Viper’s hulking form disappearing into the forest like a ghost. It’s always fascinating how a man of his stature moves. Quiet and deadly.
I follow the direction of the running water, tracking the displaced rocks. Further down the stream, at the edge of the water, a ditch of disturbed mud catches my eye. Little finger marks have dug into the shoreline, and I raise a brow.
“Impressive, isn’t she?” Blaze’s voice cracks from above.
He’s perched in a tree like a jungle-cat, his icy-blue eyes tracking me.
“Covered herself in mud to disguise her scent,” he adds.
“And went upstream.”
Blaze tilts his head, neither confirming nor denying my assessment. “She’s clever.”
“Too clever,” I reply, turning in the direction of the peak. “So, you gonna stay up there and wank, or we gonna do this?”
Blaze doesn’t miss a beat. “Wank.”
I grunt in reluctant amusement.
“What? I watched a sexy little Omega rub mud on her semi-naked body. I’m about to burst.”
I roll my eyes at the clink of his belt coming undone. Such a filthy degenerate. “I’d tell you to stop, but I know it’s wasted breath.”
“You go get our girl, and I’ll catch up and kick your ass when my balls aren’t blue.”
“Don’t bother, I’ll catch her before you’re done.”
My confidence wavers after two hours of following false trails.
If it were any other mark, I wouldn’t have underestimated them so severely and it would’ve been over in minutes. I’ve been careless in my efforts, not expecting her to outsmart me, and I’m paying the price.
I glance at my watch and growl. “Fuck. It’s going to get dark soon. She shouldn’t be out there on her own.”
It’s been too long. She’s too vulnerable. And I can’t find her.
I’ve got to concentrate.
I follow her scent. It’s thicker now, her muddy disguise infusing with her sweat. It’s musky and alluring, but it’s the sweet scent of arousal that’s calling to me like a beacon.
Like Shade predicted, something primal has taken over.
My years of experience and training as a soldier slips away.
I feel like a beast, searching for his prey, and a sense of rightness settles on my shoulders.
This is how it’s supposed to be. A little, slicked-up Omega, teasing her Alphas into a hunt.
This is the way the ancestors claimed a mate for the pack.
Omega wants to get fucked, my inner Alpha growls with delight.
My cock is hard, and I run towards the source of the tantalizing aroma, not caring about how much noise I make. She can’t outrun me. Not now that I know where she is.
I don’t see the trip wire until it’s too late.
The rope slings around my ankle and yanks me into the air.
Fucking Blaze and his fucking traps.
My body slams against the ground as the rope jerks me up, higher and higher.
I dangle upside down, the forest floor far below me.
Blaze is nowhere in sight, and I’m not sure what’s worse. Him being here to gloat or him not being here at all.
I’m never this careless. I’m thinking with my dick and acting like a rookie.
“Shit,” I curse, and strain to reach my knife strapped to my utility belt.
A branch snaps from behind me and I tense. The last thing I need is for someone to witness this pathetic display.
Viper steps out of the trees and into my eye line.
He looks up at me and smirks. “Need a hand?”
I glare at him. “Fuck off.”
Viper snorts and steps forward. He stretches up and saws at the rope with his hunting knife.
“We underestimated her.”
“Yeah, and we underestimated her effect on us.”
“I can barely run with my dick so fucking hard,” Viper mumbles as he cuts at the rope.
Nothing is happening.
“Fucker used Kevlar fiber rope, didn’t he?” I sigh. The special rope is resistant to cutting.
Traps are one of Blaze’s favorite ways to play with his prey, and I’m not enjoying being on the receiving end.
There’s a low chuckle and I glance up to see Blaze leaning against a tree, watching us with a smirk.
I roll my eyes. Great, it’s a fucking party. “Get me down from here, dickhead.”
“You’re supposed to say ‘pretty please’.”
I narrow my eyes, letting my promise of retribution glow in my glare.
He sighs, knowing better than to push my buttons when I’m this angry. “Fine. But you owe me a blow job.”
“Fuck you,” I growl. I gave him one blow job a few years ago when we were both in rut and he will never let me forget it.
“Viper, why are you helpin’ your competition?” Blaze asks, cocking his head to the side.
Viper stops his actions and steps away from me. “This isn’t a competition.”
“Isn’t it?” Blaze goads, leaving the implication unspoken.
Only one Alpha will have the pleasure of chasing and capturing an Omega. The act is primal, connected to our most basic desires to claim a mate, and it’s an experience we’ll never have available to us again.
Blaze steps forward, his icy blue eyes intense. “She’s an unmated Omega, and she’s alone out there dripping with slick, waiting for you.”
Viper’s nostrils flare.
“And yet here you are, helping your competition,” Blaze continues, cocking his head to the side with a sly grin. “Don’t you want to be the one to catch her?”
Viper growls, his tone shifting into something feral, his eyes narrowing to slits. “She’s mine.”
“Prove it.”