Shear Instinct

Chapter 1

Revea

“REVEA!”

The last thing I expect to hear on a slow Tuesday afternoon is someone screaming my name.

My training takes over. Omega instincts alert. Every hair on my body rises as the bowl of toner drops from my hands with a clatter.

And I run.

It’s yelled again, more desperate, more voices joining.

Running in heels has never been an expectation for this job, and I’ve certainly never trained with my brothers in them. Still, I’ve clearly uncovered a new skill as I sprint over the glossy marble floor, make a sharp turn around the corner, and skid into the main reception area.

My name’s cried one more time in a shrill screech as I finally come face to face with—

Alpha.

My body tenses.

A huge alpha has his hand gripping my apprentice’s perfectly highlighted hair, yanking her back as she cries and tries to flee.

My two receptionists desperately try to tug her away, but he’s unrelenting, towering over them with a deadly scowl.

His alpha presence is overwhelming. Dominant pheromones roll off him in waves, the scent potent even over the salon’s industrial neutralisers. He must be a pack alpha because it forces every omega in the vicinity to recoil. Even betas squirm under the oppressive force.

But not me.

My omega, me—we—are livid.

I step closer. He doesn’t even realise. Doesn’t notice me.

A deep growl bursts from my chest, teeth bared as my heels click against the floor towards him.

He doesn’t even glance at me. He’s locked on Serena, strands of her hair taut as he drags her back. She screams. The women holding her fall, and his nose drops to her throat—

“Hey,” I grit out, a snarl more than a word.

But it’s loud enough.

He hears me and turns. His bloodshot eyes swing down to mine as I stand on the very tiptoes of my heels and swing my fist into his face.

A deafening crack follows, then—

“You fucking bitch!” he roars.

His hands rush to his face, and Serena is finally free, fleeing to hide behind the reception area. The alpha stumbles back, blood pouring from his nose, through his fingers, down his chin.

I stand ready, stance steady, breathing controlled. Because this is just the start.

When his pupil-blown eyes lock with mine again, I flex my throbbing fingers, ready. The pure rage seeping from him, his acidic stench, all of it should make me cower. Maybe even whine. After all, this is an alpha about to absolutely lose it, and I’m the omega who hit him.

Made him bleed.

Luckily, I have experience.

“Sit,” I bark.

He stills.

His large body locks in place, then trembles as he tries to resist my bark. Every biological instinct is screaming at him:

She’s just an omega! She doesn’t bark at you! You bark at her!

But he can’t.

He stares, eyes wide as I step closer, and with one hard push from my manicured hand, he falls onto the seat behind him.

“Stay.” My second bark is louder, sharper, and this time, there’s no fight.

His body freezes him in place.

“Serena, you okay, babe?” I don’t take my eyes from the alpha as I ask.

“I was in the taxi, and… I… I just got out, and he was there…”

“The little bitch led me on.” His words are muffled beneath his hands, still clutching his nose, but clear enough to make Serena flinch. “Perfuming on the street like a slut in heat desperate for a knot—”

The blade of my shears presses firmly against the alpha’s throat, cutting off his words and nicking his skin.

He gawks, outraged. “What the fuck do you think you’re—”

“Silence.” My loudest bark yet, and with it, his hands fall away, revealing the bright bloody smear covering his clamped lips that wiggle with the urge to speak.

But he can’t.

“These shears…” My eyes dart to them. “They’re expensive. The best in the business. Sharp. They won’t just cut through hair. They glide through skin, cartilage, maybe even bone.” I shrug.

The alpha’s eyes grow larger as I push on the blade, causing a thin trickle of blood to leak down his throat.

I lower my voice to a whisper. “But I sure as hell know they’d be able to cut through a tongue. So I suggest you keep yours from wagging, unless you want to lose it.”

Is the threat necessary? No.

But the look of genuine distress when he finally accepts that he’s been outdone by a female omega…

So fucking worth it.

Unfortunately, there’s no tongue cutting.

With the help of my team, we find some restraints in the form of wires from old straighteners. As I finish the final knot, I let out a deep breath and make the dreaded phone call.

Literal minutes pass, and we’ve got a whole police squad lined up outside, including two ambulances. Wouldn’t be surprised if the fire brigade turned up next. Maybe SWAT, too.

The revolving glass doors to my salon spin, and then in storms the chief of police.

Rowan Monroe.

An alpha.

My older brother.

“Revea.” He looks at me first, his gaze severe, analytical, searching for any sign of injury, before turning to the alpha whose mouth is now duct taped shut, crusted with blood.

He whirls back to me, his tone much, much lower. “Revea. What did you—”

“Listen, before you start, Ro. Everything is fine.” I move towards him with a thin smile. “I’m fine, Serena’s being checked over by the medic right now, and that piece of shit deserved everything I did. And more.”

Said piece of shit glares my way. I pat my leather side pouch, home to my shears, with a rueful smile.

But my brother doesn’t smile; his stony expression is enough to ignite fear in anyone other than me.

“Rodgers,” my brother snaps.

A fresh-faced, wide-eyed cadet rushes to his side with a quick ‘sir’.

“Read him his rights, arrest him, and get him out of my sight. Now.”

Poor Rodgers nods, almost tripping to escape my brother, whose alpha is scowling right at me.

I scowl right back. “What? It was self-defence, Rowan.”

He huffs.

“You don’t believe me? Fine, I’ll send you the CCTV footage—”

“I don’t give a fuck about him, Revea.” His voice drops to a hiss as he ushers me behind the reception desk. “This could have been so much worse, and you know it. We’ve been begging you to get security for months—”

“I don’t need it—”

“Maybe you don’t,” he cuts in, “but most people don’t have the training or bark to incapacitate an alpha.”

I take the compliment with a smug smirk.

Most omegas can’t bark the way I can, not on demand. Some can’t do it at all. I know because I tried to teach Serena once. She couldn’t.

I’m not special. I know it’s probably because I grew up surrounded by loud military alphas who treated barking like punctuation. I still remember the first time I did it, and Ro dropped to the kitchen floor like one of those screaming goats.

“Re, what if you weren’t here?” Rowan’s soft tone breaks the memory.

I frown, not liking that suggestion. “But I was.”

“But what if you weren’t?” He leans in. “What if there were more? Or if it was a beta you couldn’t bark into submission? This was one random alpha, Re. Today, the circumstances were in your favour. But what if they weren’t? What would have happened to Serena? Your staff?”

With each question, I lose more and more of my confidence, and the final scenario beats me into silence.

Rowan’s expression softens. “I’m not trying to be an asshole.

If you weren’t my sister, I’d be saying the same thing, and you know it.

Today, you protected them, but what about tomorrow?

Or the next? You need security. You need other people looking out for them.

You can’t always do everything on your own, Revea. ”

I go silent, teeth grinding, because I can’t refute anything he’s said.

But I’m not going to tell him that.

I’m so stubborn you could tell me it’s raining in a thunderstorm and I’d argue otherwise. Probably drag a sun lounger outside and lie there in my bikini just to prove a point.

Which is why I’m standing here now, arms crossed tight over my chest, silent.

Rowan isn’t wrong.

We’ve had this conversation before.

It came up the moment I told my family I wanted to open a salon that centred around omegas. Not exactly the safest business model in an alpha world. They’d supported the idea anyway, right up until the practical questions started.

Security being the biggest one.

I’d told them I’d look into it. Later. Once I knew the salon was actually going to happen. Once the loan was approved. Once the building was finished. Once I had staff and clients.

Excuses layered neatly on top of each other.

All of which happened nearly a year ago.

And now this. An attack in my salon.

And although I’ve got a good poker face on right now, the guilt is gnawing away at me.

Because of my stubbornness, I failed to keep people safe.

I take a deep breath, then exhale. “Look, I’m not disagreeing with you, okay.

But… do you really think this place needs more alphas after what’s happened today?

” Rowan’s look tells me he does. “It won’t work.

You know my staff. You know what some of them have been through.

” His gaze softens then. “And anyway, Rue might not even—”

Right on cue, the revolving doors swing open to reveal my other older brother.

“Re-Re, did you fuck up that guy outside?” He grins, striding over and sweeping me up into a swinging hug. “Bent that fucker’s nose right out of place.”

“I was taught well,” I mumble into his hard shoulder.

When he puts me down, he’s still smiling until he glances at Rowan, then he sighs. “Listen, Re-Re…”

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” I mumble.

“Come on, just give my place a chance! We’re literally the best private security in the country.”

I don’t respond, and his grin becomes tight, eyes crinkled in the corner. He sighs again.

“Just let me speak with my bosses. You might only need one alpha if—”

A soft growl rumbles in my chest. “These omegas want to work and learn. How can they do that if there’s an alpha, or even alphas, roaming the place? Watching them like… like prey for the taking.”

Both my brothers frown immediately, but I hold up a finger.

“You were raised with an omega sister—it’s different. You both have some modicum of respect.”

Rue smirks, but Rowan remains stoic.

I run a hand through my hair, rub my lips together, then relent. “Fine. A beta. That’s what I’ll accept.”

Rue groans.

Rowan sighs. “We’ve been over this. A beta won’t be enough. Even in the police, there’s an alpha in every unit.”

“He’s right, Re-Re. We’ve got some big fucking betas at my place, but they’re always paired up with alphas for jobs…” Rue raises both hands. “Hey, I’m not saying it’s fair, but that’s just the way it is. Betas aren’t as strong, they can’t bark—you know this.”

I close my eyes and breathe out through my nose, tipping my face back to the ceiling.

I know they’re right, and I hate it.

This place is my baby. I’ve poured everything I have into it. And I’m just starting to make a profit. When this gets out, what omega or even beta would want to come here?

Especially if I don’t try to prevent it in the future.

When I first opened those glass doors, I was na?ve to believe I could just have this. That a salon run by a female omega, with mostly omega staff, would be a success without any hiccups.

That I could prove to the world a packless omega with a passion for hair could do this. Alone.

Except we don’t live in a world where omegas have the luxury of just living. We’re always under threat. Exploited. Used. Belittled. Undermined.

But this is my salon, my world, and inside here, it’s my job to keep everyone safe—especially the omegas.

Maybe it’s time I swallow my pride and accept this is one thing I can’t handle alone.

I built this place to prove what omegas could do, but as I look around the salon at Serena, at my staff… at the blood still drying on the floor, I realise proving a point isn’t worth the risk.

I exhale slowly. “Fine. What’s the plan?”