Chapter 13 Dakota
Dakota
Iglare at Bonnie and slap a piece of gauze to her head, ignoring her wince. She deserves it. Of all the stupid things to do.
“That was so incredibly dumb!” I snarl at her.
She lifts her cold green eyes to me and glares. I don’t even care. Okay, I care hard because just that one whiff of peanut butter cookie has me drooling from my mouth and cock. I want this omega to keep glaring at me, to keep challenging me. But not if she’s going to get hurt.
And there is my problem, my fear for her and my rage she is injured is killing my desire to fuck her brains out.
I lean forward and smell Nathan on her, and my lingering ardor fades as red fiery rage replaces it. It takes everything I have not to lean forward and rip that ugly, shapeless shirt from her body and replace it with my scent straight from my cock.
Mark her and make her mine.
“He could have taken you off the cliff, you idiot,” I snap instead.
Just seeing her running at breakneck speed down the hill, her pack left forgotten.
She’d gotten in front of Nathan and used her body to stop his out-of-control tumble.
They’d both stopped mere feet from the cliff’s edge.
Vale was there, but I’m not sure if he would have reached her.
I don’t even want to think about how close it was.
It was easily the scariest moment of my life, and I’m not ready to unpack why yet. I’m not ready to analyze it or even acknowledge it. That’s for when I’m calmer.
Nathan moans like a little bitch as Quincy helps to bandage him up. Next time, he won’t survive.
He should be fucking dead. Instead, my omega is sitting here hurt, and I’m seething with rage because when I damn well attempt to kill someone, they fucking die. I’ve never had to attempt it a second time.
It’s ridiculous.
I lift my eyes, sensing the thumping rage of Rory drilling into the side of my head.
“You’re lucky you don’t have anything broken,” I snap at her, grabbing hold of my anger so that I don’t do anything stupid like try to kiss that adorable look off her face.
She doesn’t say anything, just sits quietly while I dab at her wounds. At last, I clean up the last one and sit back on my heels, waiting until she gets the courage to look me in the eyes.
“Bonnie,” I growl.
She finally looks at me, and instead of seeing fear, I see a burning frustration and anger.
“Don’t do that again.” It is a command, a demand. From an alpha to an omega. If she does it again, I will slaughter everyone in this group and carry her to safety in my arms.
“This is my expedition, this is my-”
“Life. You’re one life. You don’t waste it on the likes of him,” I hiss in a low and aggressive tone that takes her aback.
“Everyone here is my responsibility-”
“I can’t with you, I just…I can’t.” I stand up and stalk away from her, unable to hide my shaking hands.
Rory joins me and slams me up against a tree. “Breathe, Kota. It didn’t happen.”
I lean forward, pressing our foreheads together. “That was too close.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll sort it out.”
“She foiled us again, Roar. That’s twice. Has she got some magic juju that just fucks up all our plans?” I whisper into his ear.
Rory starts to laugh.
“I’m serious. I’ve never seen anyone run so fast. She looked like she was flying.” I bite my lip and moan as I recall how incredibly hot she looked.
“Do you want to call it off-”
“Don’t be ridiculous; we absolutely need to get this done. She’s just so incredible. The way she moved. The power and grace. Are we sure she’s just an omega? She looks like she might have some kind of divine gift.”
Rory laughs, dropping his forehead to my chin.
“I have to beat her now,” I admit.
Rory stiffens. “This isn’t a challenge, Kota.”
“Of course, it is. She’s two up on us. The next time, we will succeed.”
Rory laughs harder, but I slip past him, heading back to where our wayward, rejected mate is preparing her bags for the next stage of our walk.
“Give me that!” I snatch her bag out of her hands and put it on so it’s on the front of my chest.
“That’s my pack,” she says with a growl.
“You’re hurt. I’ll carry it.”
She splutters, but I don’t give her a chance to argue. I just start walking.
“You’re going the wrong way.”
Not embarrassed, not embarrassed at all. I turn and, with a raised brow, I wait for her to slowly lift her hand and point the right way, then I walk like it was all done on purpose.
She huffs as I pass her, but I just send her a flirty wink.
“You look more beautiful every time I look at you.”
Her cheeks turn pink, though she holds my gaze, almost daring me to try something.
“Look harder, this isn’t beauty. It's dirt and loathing.”
I chuckle and walk past her. “So, this way to your heart, right?”
She groans. “You’re going to say one of those and actual hurt yourself.”
“It would be worth all the pain falling for you.”
She bursts out laughing and, damn, that’s me done. I’ve seen her shocked, devastated, crying. I’ve seen so much through the TV and news articles, but I’ve never seen this.
My chest tightens, and I have to clear my throat, unable to find any words or any thoughts at all.
“Nathan, are you okay to keep moving?” Bonnie calls out.
“I am,” Nathan says gruffly.
I look past him and find Vale standing with Rory and Cyn. I shrug and move my fingers, silently telling them to move.
They grab up their bags and stomp down towards us. I whistle cheerfully as I walk, which I can sense is annoying Rojer and Justin, but that just makes me want to do it better.
We get to a clearing where I can see the faint remains of a very old fire pit.
“So, this is camp?”
Bonnie points to a spot. “Set up the tents tonight. It’s going to be too cold. I’m going to get wood.”
I slide her pack to the ground and then mine.
I don’t even hesitate. I rifle through her bag, pulling out the tent, but looking at everything else she has in there.
Clothes are practical. There’s a first-aid kit.
Our suppressants are in a box. When they all wear off in two days, she’ll hand them out.
I look at the brand and feel a surge of pride that she’s using our company.
I hate wearing them, but I can see the wisdom in having them on out here. What would she smell like without her suppressant patches? My mouth waters at the thought.
She’s got a toothbrush, a hairbrush, and, to my surprise, a little fluffy teddy bear with a green mohawk, and dried food supplies in organized little baggies.
“Full of mystery, aren’t you, Bonnie,” I murmur.
I hear Nathan huffing and do her bag up, dragging the tent off to the side and setting it up.
I set our tent up between her and the other alphas, then I walk into the surrounding forest and start grabbing sticks and branches. Am I trying to get on her good side?
Fuck yes.