Chapter Eight
ARINA
Napping on an unmoving flatbed truck hadn’t been so bad.
Better than sleeping on the sidewalk or in some bushes.
However, riding down the road for several hours while the sun beat down on the black tarp overhead was fucking terrible.
I was sweating before long, questioning my sanity and the decisions that led me here.
For a reprieve, I shed my hoodie and pulled on a tank top. Then I wiggled to the front of the flatbed and poked my head out from beneath the tarp. Wind kissed my face, whipping my hair around, and I gulped down lungfuls of cool air.
I would have crawled out completely and sat on the edge of the bed behind the truck cabin if I didn’t think it would raise suspicion or get the cops called.
I could see someone in a minivan freaking out and flagging down the truck driver, who I doubted would approve of a stowaway.
Better to be cautious and cool off just enough to avoid a heatstroke than be found out and put in handcuffs.
I managed another short nap, but I was too wound up and nervous to doze off for long. There were too many unknowns plaguing me, and without a distraction, the minutes seemed to drag on forever.
I wish I had my phone. Or at least some music.
My mind wandered in endless loops, questions playing on repeat that I didn’t have the answers to.
What would happen when I got to Dallas? Should I try to find Daze again and ask him more about the circus?
Was joining the circus my best bet at this point, or should I take my chances and search for a homeless shelter?
The thought of me in the ring, performing for thousands of people, was insane, but at least I wouldn’t be completely on my own.
However, Revel had been adamant about me not joining; he hated the idea. Would he make sure the ringleader, or whoever was in charge, turned me away?
I groaned and squeezed my eyes closed, already overwhelmed. I had no idea what I was doing, but I needed to figure it out fast because we were barreling toward our destination, and I didn’t have much time to decide.
What would Mom do?
I nearly laughed. She definitely wouldn’t be on the back of a truck right now. I doubted she would have run away either. She might have been willing to make back-alley deals to find heat suppressants after I awakened, but aside from that, she’d never been much of a rule breaker.
She might be disappointed about me potentially killing her husband, but she’d understand. Probably. She never would have let him sell me to a pack of alphas.
I just wished she were here, so I could ask for her guidance. She’d know exactly what to do.
I blinked away the stinging sensation at the corners of my eyes and shoved down my emotions again. Bottling them up, locking them up tight. Eventually, I’d combust, and they’d all come spilling out, oozing over everything, but that was a problem for future me.
I have to stay focused.
No time for mental breakdowns.
No one was coming to save me or get me out of this fucked-up situation. It was all up to me, and I was useless if I broke down.
When the truck finally slowed and exited the interstate, my heart shot straight into my throat.
Despite all the thought I’d given to what I’d do when we stopped, I still hadn’t decided anything.
I peeked out from beneath the tarp in time to see us get off the exit and head down a busy downtown road.
I wasn’t sure where we were headed, but my intuition told me it was probably a venue in the heart of Dallas.
I swallowed hard. It had been easy to sneak around in the dead of night, under the cover of darkness, but now it was the middle of the day.
The sun shone brightly, without a single cloud overhead.
Would I be able to sneak off the flatbed without being seen?
Could I put enough distance between me and the caravan before anyone noticed?
Here’s to hoping.
After what felt like an eternity, the truck stopped moving.
The rumble of the engine died, and I waited for the driver’s door to slam.
I held my breath, my heartbeat pounding in my ears, and nervously glanced out from beneath the tarp.
We were parked next to another cargo truck, so I couldn’t see the parking lot, but I didn’t notice any movement. No truck drivers, no performers.
A blessing in disguise?
If I couldn’t see anyone, maybe they wouldn’t see me slip out with my backpack and make a mad dash to… somewhere that wasn’t here. I just had to get far enough away from the caravan that no one saw me. Then, I could work out my next steps.
My stomach turned with nerves.
On three , I told myself, reaching for the strap of my bag. I took a deep breath with each number of the countdown, then squeezed out through the opening. The air outside was way cooler than beneath the tarp, and instant relief washed over me.
Using one of the truck tires to descend, the same way I’d climbed up, I dropped to the pavement and stumbled. My legs were jelly.
Voices nearby made me freeze.
Shit.
The blood turned to ice in my veins, and I cautiously whipped my head around, searching for circus performers or crew members. There weren’t any. Whoever it was must have been a few rows over.
Footsteps scuffled on the ground, and someone laughed.
Cautiously, I hurried toward the back of the truck, peering around the end of it.
I still didn’t see anyone, which was a good sign.
There were several trailers and cars, and it looked like most of the cargo trucks had already arrived.
Beyond the lot was a busy downtown street, with countless tall buildings surrounding the venue.
Anxiety prickled up my spine. It would be super easy to get lost in a city like this but also easy to blend in.
I only hesitated for a beat, but before I could hurry out of my hiding place, a voice behind me nearly made me jump out of my skin.
“What the hell do you think you're doing?”
My heart slammed against my ribs, and I froze.
Turning around slowly, my eyes locked with Revel’s piercing blue ones. He was wearing jeans and a black T-shirt that hugged his muscular torso to perfection. A scowl contorted his features, annoyance evident in his expression, and my throat tightened.
So much for not being seen.
“I…”
What could I even say? I didn’t want to tell him I stowed away on the flatbed, but how else would I have gotten here? Not to mention, I was a terrible liar. He’d see right through any bluff I tried to use.
Of all the scenarios I’d envisioned on the way here, this wasn’t one of them.
“You’ve got some nerve,” he said, his disgruntled expression intensifying.
He took several steps closer, and I moved backward, trying to keep space between us.
He was just as intimidating in the light of day, if not moreso, his alpha aura nearly pulsing around him.
“Just couldn’t take no for an answer, could you? Or was this Daze’s idea?”
“I just needed a ride,” I said, taking another step back. “Don’t worry, I don’t want to join your precious circus.”
He cocked a brow at me, his eyes narrowing. His candied-apple scent slammed into me a second later, and my thoughts hazed over. “So, Daze let you hitch a ride? Or you snuck into one of the trailers? I’m sure the police would love a breaking and entering call. What do you think?”
Damn it.
Surely, he wouldn’t call the cops. Would he?
Throwing Daze under the bus was a way better option; I just hoped it didn’t come back to bite me in the ass.
“He did,” I lied, trying to keep a straight face. If I kept my answers short and sweet, maybe he wouldn't be able to tell I was lying.
At least, that was what I told myself.
“That rainbow-haired rat,” he grumbled. He stepped closer, and I backpedaled, stumbling over my boots before catching my balance. I was shaking with nerves, and I just wanted to get away from here.
“Well, this conversation has been lovely, but I gotta go.” I jerked my thumb over my shoulder and spun around.
I set my sights on the sidewalk across the lot, walking as fast as I could without breaking into a sprint. Running would look suspicious, and I was already toeing the line with trouble as it was.
“Stop!” Revel’s bark hit me like a sack of bricks, and every muscle in my body constricted. I came to a halt, unable to fight the command, and my stomach sank.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
What if he realized I was obeying his bark?
What if he realizes I’m an omega?
Slowly, I turned to face him and found that he’d almost caught up.
He stopped in front of me with his arms crossed over his chest, staring at me down the bridge of his nose.
His earrings glinted in the sunlight, along with his eyebrow ring, and his white hair nearly glowed like a burning halo around him.
“I think you’re lying,” he said, his voice a low growl. My entire body trembled under the weight of his gaze, a sickening warmth pooling in my stomach and sinking lower. He might have been an asshole, but he was so sexy it hurt.
“Then, go find him and ask him,” I said, unable to hold my tongue. His bark was wearing off, and I could feel the tension leaving my muscles. A few more seconds, and I’d be able to turn and walk away.
Maybe if I plugged my ears and ran, he wouldn’t be able to bark at me again.
It was a long shot, but it was something.
“I think I will.” He nodded slowly as he spoke, the dangerous gleam never leaving his eyes. “And you’re coming with me.”
Faster than I would have thought possible, he snatched my wrist and whipped me around, leading me back between the trailers.
My heart lurched painfully, my pulse racing as he dragged me along.
His grip was hard enough to bruise, and while I should have been scared out of my mind, the candied-apple scent pouring off him soothed some of my nerves.
It was unexpected and a little bizarre.
Why did he have to smell so fucking good?
And why did he have to have such an effect on me? Would it be this way with all alphas?
I'm in so much trouble.
When Revel found out that I had, in fact, snuck into one of the trailers instead of being invited like I’d suggested, what would happen then?
Police. Backpack search. Handcuffs.
I could have cried.
This was not how things were supposed to go. I’d come so far, too far, to get caught now, but everything was falling apart before my eyes.
I was as good as dead.