Chapter 4
CHAPTER 4
KAYLA
L ightning cracks like a whip in the sky, and I nearly jump out of my skin.
The man is a foot from me with a face that’s cut from my fantasies and intense blue eyes like he can see right through me. And he’s all up in my personal space, making my heart kick up a notch.
His scent of sandalwood and sea breeze, even though I’m nowhere near the ocean, floods me. It’s overwhelming, making my head spin, or maybe that’s from the accident. I step back, fight-or-flight instincts flaring—run, scream, fight—but something, maybe the steadiness in his eyes, keeps me rooted. Guess I should thank him for saving me from this asshole.
“Um… how did you know I was here and needed help?” Wasn’t like he was out here hunting deer during this storm or anything.
He looks down at me. “Come on, he could have his buddies lurking around.” His voice is smooth, as though he’s totally chill and not that he just KO’d a freaking enforcer.
My whole body’s trembling like I’m a phone on vibrate. I can’t just take off with some random guy from the woods.
“Just who are you? Is this your house?” I rapid-fire shot the words at him, hoping I sound brave, but I’m sure he thinks just the opposite with my motor mouth.
Quicker than I can blink, he grabs my wrist. “Hate to break it to you, but my charm’s on a tight schedule.”
His touch sends a jolt through me, not entirely unpleasant, but I shove that thought away. Probably just my body freaking out from the accident.
“Back off, dude.” I lash out, trying to yank my arm free. A scream builds in my throat.
“Easy, kitten. You’ve got some claws,” he jokes, which only fuels my frustration.
He drags me through the underbrush, and I’m half-tripping, half-trying to plant my feet.
“Let me go!” I put all my energy into breaking free. A voice in my head chants, ‘run, run, run,’ growing louder with each step until it’s all I can hear.
Yet his grip is like iron, unyielding.
“I’m not your damn damsel in distress,” I spit out, but he just keeps moving, dragging me along as if I weigh nothing. Fear and anger swirl inside me, but no matter how much I fight, he doesn’t pause. “Someone help me!”
“You kinda give me drenched kitten vibes… all angry, but kinda cute,” he throws over his shoulder.
“Are you serious?” I huff. I don’t care if his compliment is cute or corny. It’s annoying as hell. And I can’t stop the growing fear that he’s stealing me, kidnapping me. “Where are you taking me?”
He doesn’t answer me, and a gnawing fear chews in my gut.
My shoes slip in the mud, but I keep myself from falling.
“W-What about my friends?” I hiccup a cry, panic swelling in my chest.
He hesitates for a fraction but keeps moving forward. “Can’t help them now. Nexus will be swarming this place in minutes.”
I’m about to argue when my foot catches on a root, and I nearly faceplant. He steadies me with one hand, still not letting go.
“Look, I get it. This is super sketchy. But trust me, staying here? Way worse idea.”
Even though I can’t see him clearly in the dark, he towers over me, his muscles tight under my fingertips. I squint up at him, trying to get a read. He’s like some kind of woodsy knight in flannel armor. My gut’s all over the place—part of me screaming to bolt, the other part weirdly curious.
“Why are you saving me?” If that’s even what this is. Am I trading Nexus for something worse?
“Later,” he says, not answering me, and we keep moving.
Branches snag at my clothes, scratching my skin, but he doesn’t slow down.
He’s tall, his build suggesting strength, and there’s an odd sense of security in his presence, which makes me even more wary. His pace is relentless, and with each step, the crashing of my heart grows louder, and the urge to run pounds in the back of my head. The rain pelts down harder, turning the ground beneath us into a slippery mess. I stumble, nearly falling, but he keeps me upright, his grip never wavering. I’m totally alone and at this man’s mercy. A sob hitches in my throat.
“Please, just tell me where we’re going!”
“Somewhere safe,” he says without turning. His tone is cool, unaffected, as if my struggling means nothing.
What if my friends are hurt? Guilt and fear strangle me. I should be there with them, not fleeing into the woods with this stranger.
I can’t trust him. I don’t even know him. Another sob escapes my lips.
I can’t let my guard down, not against this guy. His scent alone tells me that he’s an Alpha. What if I go into heat while around him? Panic bubbles up as he pulls me deeper into the dark woods.
My mind races—what about Jess, Casey, and Danica? Are they okay? The thought of Jess being tasered slams me back to the grim reality. Nexus isn’t about helping us. No, we’re just being herded like sheep. At least against only one guy, I can figure out how to escape. I just hope my friends get away, too. My throat constricts so hard, I can’t swallow.
“Just trust me, okay? I’m not the bad guy here,” he says over his shoulder, but trust is a luxury I can’t afford right now.
Every instinct tells me to fight, to escape, but his strength is overwhelming. I stumble along behind him, too drained to keep fighting. His scent surrounds me, the warmth of his hand both confusing and steadying. I don’t trust him, but right now, I have no other choice but to follow and hope I’m not making a huge mistake.
I can’t go to Nexus now, not without knowing more about what’s going on there, about why that enforcer tasered Jess. I need to make sure Danica and Casey are okay, too.
When his grip seems like it’s looser, I jerk out of his grasp and run as fast as I can.
Then my feet slip in the mud, and I fall to my knees with a groan. My head’s spinning, and he’s right there beside me.
“Are you ok?—”
I throw up right on the Alpha’s boots. Horrified, I wait for the backhanded slap or the kick.
“Well,” he says. “That’s the first time I’ve had a woman do that on me.”
Before I can groan or even inhale a breath, everything goes black.
Liam
“ S hit,” I hiss as a jolt races through me from the scent of the Omega crashing over me. Rich vanilla and heady jasmine are somehow amplified even more now that she’s out cold. The perfume wraps around me, a potent invitation laced with danger, pulling at something primal that roars deep within.
My heart stutters in my chest, a frantic drum against my ribs as I wrestle control. This isn’t just any Omega—she’s edging toward heat, and it’s short-circuiting every rational thought. My breath comes in ragged gasps.
My instincts feel like I’m about to skydive. Every fiber of my being demands to claim, to protect, but I shove those urges down, reminding myself this is a mission only—a job. We usually take contracts from Silas Securities, a private firm that specializes in locating and retrieving high-value targets for their corporate clients.
The call came in that Omegas en route to Nexus were missing, and since I was in the area, I accepted the assignment. Really didn’t think I’d find one so soon, but her screams led me right to her.
This time, our job was to find the Omegas who went missing after their transport to Nexus Facility was ambushed. Whoever crashed that bus didn’t want those Omegas making it to Nexus.
Now, with her scent raw and intoxicating, the dam holding back the beast inside me threatens to burst. And I sure as hell don’t want to turn her in… especially if she’s meant to be mine.
I crouch beside her limp form, and my fingers trace along her cheek. She’s burning up with fever. Fuck! This could explain the reason for her scent growing stronger and that she’s on the edge of her heat. Or her injuries are worse than I thought.
A nasty gash mars her arm, another on the side of her head. The rain, finally easing up, makes it hard to see the full extent of the damage, but my fingers brush a tacky slick of blood as I check her forehead.
“You sure know how to complicate things, don’t you?” My attempted lightness falls flat. This wasn’t supposed to happen.
Just round up any Omegas from the Nexus bus and turn them in. Minimal fuss. But her, raw with fear, threw everything out, and I lost it.
I had to take this Omega through the woods to throw off any goons snooping around and backtrack to get us the fuck out of here.
She’s got a cut on her arm and one on the side of her head. Can’t tell much more with the rain that’s finally letting up and the darkness, but I feel the tackiness of the blood on her skin.
Dane’s mediocre field medic skills will have to do. If I take her to a hospital, they’ll contact Nexus, and she’ll disappear from my life. She’s my Omega. Crazy. But it’s what every beat of my heart insists.
I sigh, her vulnerable state clawing at me. Leaving her... unthinkable. My core screams to safeguard, claim, but that’s not possible. She’s not mine, not ours.
Gently, I scoop her up, her scent intensifying like it’s calling to me, and I let out a growl, shaking my head.
“Well, gorgeous, looks like it’s you and me.” Once she’s healed, I’ll figure out what the fuck to do with this need to taste her all over. My chest tightens as I make it to my camouflaged-painted Jeep.
The thought of any other Alpha getting their slimy hands on her… I shake my head slightly, trying to clear it of thoughts that are making me want to kill anyone who stands between me and keeping this Omega.
“Don’t worry, kitten,” I say. “I’ve gotten out of worse scrapes than this.”
I lay her in the passenger seat of my Jeep. My hands work on autopilot, reclining the seat and buckling her in. Safety first, right? Even if it’s a little late for that with her being in a wreck. Yet, every movement is laced with an urgency I can’t shake off.
First take her back to the cabin, our temporary housing in this area, then figure out what the hell to do.
Sliding into the driver’s seat, I fire up the engine, feeling the familiar thrum beneath me. I pause, my thumb hovering over my phone to give a heads-up to Dane and Ryker, but hell, that’ll just open a can of worms I’m not ready to deal with at the moment. I can already hear their lectures in my head. Nope, surprises are way more fun.
I shoot a glance at the Omega unconscious beside me. Her clothes are soaked, mud smeared across her body and clothes and streaked in her golden hair. I flip on the seat warmer—a feature I’d never thought I’d be grateful for, but here I am.
The Jeep rolls onto the road, its tires crunching over the gravel. As I drive, the weight of this little Omega and what I’m doing is a tailspin into the unknown.
I was all set to snag any Omegas from the bus crash I could find and call it a day, but then seeing her, it was like a switch flipped. I couldn’t just do the snatch-and-grab; I had to save her. Her voice… or rather her scream, called me, and I couldn’t ignore it.
And now, she’s here, stirring up a tornado inside me. It’s like every rule I’ve ever lived by is getting rewritten on the fly.
I’ve heard the whispers about true mate Alphas. The ones who can sniff out an Omega’s heat before it even hits the big time. True mates can create a bond so deep, it defies reason. Always thought it was a load of bullshit. But now? With this Omega here, something’s different.
Thinking about Dane and Ryker, I know I’m in for a hell of a showdown. They’re expecting a haul, not a rescue mission. Getting them not to cash in on this kitten is gonna be like talking a shark out of a feeding frenzy. They’ll expect me to deliver her, to treat her as just another job. A bitter taste slams into the back of my mouth at the thought.
How do you argue for a connection you’re not even sure is real?
I clench the steering wheel, trying to figure out my next move. Turning her in and collecting our bounty… it feels off, way off. Every instinct screams that she might be mine in a way I never thought possible, which is crazy wild since I don’t even know her name.
As the miles tick by, I keep glancing at her, this mysterious Omega who’s already turned my usual run-and-gun life into a high-speed rescue mission.
“Hang in there, kitten,” I whisper. “You’ve got me on your side now.” Now, I’d have to convince Dane and Ryker not to throw her to the wolves.
Kayla
I snap awake, my head pounding. The air’s thick with a smoke and leather smell I don’t recognize. It’s way too intense. I wiggle a bit on this super soft bed, the sheets feeling kinda weird against my skin. Okay, seriously, where the heck am I?
Bits and pieces of last night crash into my mind—the bus going nuts, screaming, then the Nexus guard chasing me and some guy knocking him out. My head hurts, and I squeeze my eyes shut as nausea rolls over me. Once my head calms, I open my eyes and still have no clue where the hell I am.
I should be freaking out, but weirdly, I’m sorta calm. I take a deep breath, trying to figure things out, but there’s this overpowering perfume all over the sheets that’s messing with me.
This Alpha’s scent is different from the guy who saved me from the enforcer. This is deep, kinda earthy, and totally wild. It’s making my thoughts go fuzzy and my pulse race.
Every time I breathe in, it’s as though there’s an invisible string pulling me to a new Alpha. Typically, my mind zooms at a breakneck pace, yet at this moment, it’s ensnared, utterly captivated. This isn’t merely a smell—it’s an unspoken summons I can’t ignore. Everything else fades away. It’s just me and this wild, intense scent that’s awakening a raw, urgent feeling that I can’t get enough of. I snuggle down into the sheets, my body aching for release.
The smell of him, of them, is overwhelming. It’s as if they’re right here with me, surrounding me, consuming me.
I glance around the room, my gaze settling on the rumpled sheets of the bed. My heart pounds in my chest as I imagine them here, their strong hands running over my body, their lips on my skin.
Reaching down, my fingers brush against the fabric of my panties. I’m already wet, my body responding to the thought of them. I close my eyes, letting out a soft moan. The smell of an Alpha—cedar and cinnamon—is intoxicating, making my head spin. I imagine them here, watching me, wanting me.
My fingers move faster, my breath coming in short gasps. I can feel the heat building inside of me, my body tensing. Then what I’m doing snaps me out of my haze. Oh God, what am I doing? I can’t masturbate here… in some stranger’s bedroom.
Shoving away the urge, I clench my thighs together as I check out the room, which is pretty dim and bare. I have no idea how long I’ve been out. The Alpha who dragged me through the woods could’ve gotten a car and driven me to who knows where.
The door opens, and I jerk back, clutching the sheets. Standing in the doorway is a seriously huge guy, like a human mountain or something, his muscles practically ripping through his skin-tight black tee.
Hello, stranger danger!
He stands there all casual, but there’s this vibe about him like he could spring into action any second. The air shifts as he saunters closer inside, filled with this smoky, intense scent that screams ‘Alpha.’ It’s the same smell that’s all over these sheets, and it’s messing with my senses, making me purr without even thinking about it.
“You’re awake.” His voice is all rough and gravelly, sending these weird shivers racing down my spine. It’s like when you step out into the cold air, and your skin just wakes up. My tongue darts out to wet my dry lips before I can stop it.
He clutches the red first aid kit, his knuckles draining of color as his gaze fixates on the movement.
I try to act tough, holding my head high. I’m super aware of everything—the cool air on my skin, my dry mouth. And yep, he’s noticing, too, jaw tightening as he grips a first aid kit like he’s gonna break it. The air buzzes between us, and I shift slightly, trying to push down the desire to crawl across the bed to him. I’m super aware of everything—the cool air on my skin, how dry my mouth feels, and the way my heart’s beating super-fast. His jaw tightens even more, and his eyes go darker.
“You gonna tell me your name?” he asks, eyebrow cocked, voice sharp, but his eyes are kinda... brittle?
I swallow, hoping my voice doesn’t give me away.
“Kayla,” I manage to say.
He gives me a curt nod and gestures at me. “You’re hurt. I need to check your injuries.”
Why is his voice making my body hum with desire and imagining his hands on my skin?
He leans on the edge of the bed. Right now, this room feels way too small, the air way too thick. The vibe between us is so intense, it’s almost as if I can touch it. Inside my head, I chant, ‘don’t pass out, don’t pass out.’
“Um… thanks for…” My mouth dries out, even though he hasn’t even done anything except open the first aid kit.
“Don’t thank me.” The muscle in his jaw works as he pushes my hair off my forehead, then pulls out an antibiotic wipe from the kit. “I just gotta get you ready. Can’t have a bleeding, bruised Omega. They might reduce the amount they’re offering for you.”
Oh God, no! He’s going to sell me… like on the black market?
Everything in me goes cold. He opens the antibacterial packet, and the sterile scent burns my nostrils. My hand trembles as I reach for the first aid kit, not to be soothed but to use it as a weapon.
But against him? This Alpha, this stranger, this terrifying reality I never saw coming? The world shrinks to the glint of the metal clasp on the kit, and a single, desperate thought hammers in my skull—I have to get the hell out of here.