Chapter Forty-Four
ARINA
This was stupid and dangerous, but I was doing it anyway.
I was meeting someone in the middle of the night, in Santa Fe Plaza, completely unarmed. But what choice did I have?
Someone had taken my suppressants.
Someone knew my secret, that I was an omega, and that truth terrified me more than potentially losing the drugs. I hadn’t felt so helpless or completely powerless since my father sold me to the Stone pack.
My fate was in their hands.
I tried to find comfort in the fact that whoever had taken my backpack hadn’t called the cops.
That was the thinnest silver lining I could come up with, even though it didn’t mean much.
They could very well be luring me into a trap, prepared to hand me off to a pack of alphas who paid a pretty penny.
A shiver danced up my spine, and I pulled my hood lower over my face. I’d opted for my hoodie and a pair of black leggings, despite the heat, hoping they’d help me blend in with the night and travel unnoticed.
I should have asked Daze to come with me; he could have at least stayed close by in case things went wrong. More wrong than they already had. If whoever took my backpack didn’t kill me or turn me into the cops, there was a chance that someone else might.
But I didn’t ask.
This was my problem, my burden to bear, and I couldn’t drag him into it. He had enough to worry about without my issues.
No, I had to do this alone.
Stomach turning, I crossed the narrow street.
The plaza was quiet and empty, all the storefronts surrounding it darkened for the night. I lingered near the corner of a building, scoping the scene, looking for movement near the obelisk in the middle of the square. There was none.
Damn.
Were they here already, lurking in the shadows, same as me? Were they late? Was it all a bluff?
I shifted my weight back and forth before creeping closer, debating my next move. I hated not having eyes on whoever I was meeting; the thought of them watching me from the darkness made me feel like prey. And maybe I was. Prey unknowingly walking into a predator’s claws.
Semi-knowingly.
I swallowed hard and pulled out the note they left from my hoodie pocket. My eyes scanned the message again, even though I’d memorized every detail.
If you want to protect your little secret, meet me in the plaza at midnight.
I hated not knowing exactly what time it was, but the clock on the bus had said ten ’til when I left. It had to be fucking close.
With a deep breath, I trudged across the road into the plaza and lingered near a decently thick tree trunk as I scoured the area. Searching for movement, any shift of shadows.
Still, there was none.
Swallowing my nerves, I moved toward the center of the open space, hiding in the shadows of the trees until I reached the last one. I had a clear, unobstructed view of the obelisk at the center of the plaza, and I strained to listen for any noise over the slam of my pulse in my ears.
The seconds dragged by, turning into minutes, with no sign of anyone, and doubt began eating at me.
Maybe I should go back.
I could be honest with Daze. He may know what to do.
Would Hallow understand if I came clean? Would anyone?
My stomach turned with nerves, and I exhaled a shaky breath. I decided to wait a little longer, gradually creeping my way closer to the center of the plaza. It was scary how utterly still and silent the city was, like it was holding its breath in anticipation. Waiting for something to unfold.
A twig snapped nearby, and I spun around frantically, adrenaline lighting up my blood. I searched the surrounding area, my gaze lingering between the trees, looking for someone—anyone.
Again, there was no one.
My panic skyrocketed.
I knew logically they couldn’t be invisible—things like that didn’t happen in real life—but after seeing how mind-bendingly magical Night’s act was in the circus, I’d begun to wonder. Could bits of his act be real? Could he really disappear and reappear in the blink of an eye?
The blood stilled in my veins as an interesting thought crossed my mind.
Could it be Night meeting me here?
He wasn’t the most likely culprit, but I couldn’t rule him out completely. After all, Daze and I had spent the night together in the arena; maybe he found out. Did he watch us from a darkened corner of the arena last night? Did he see us leave together right before sunrise this morning?
Did he search my things looking for something? Was he trying to find something to make Daze keep his distance from me?
My stomach sank at the thought.
Another twig snapped, and I jumped, turning my back on the obelisk. I swiveled my head from side to side.
“I know you’re here,” I said, hoping my voice traveled through the silent night air without me having to yell. “You might as well show yourself.”
I sounded much braver than I felt. On the inside, I was trembling, terrified of what was about to happen. But on the outside, I was calm, determined…
At least, that was how I hoped I came across.
I took a few steps forward, then a few more, spinning around on the spot and trying to figure out what the hell was happening. Was anyone even there?
I was seconds away from giving up and heading back to the clown bus when an inhale brought with it the faint, sweet smell of caramel.
I barely registered it before massive arms wrapped around me.
A hand slapped over my mouth, and I immediately tasted blood—my lip was split—and I screamed.
The muffled cry was barely audible, and I flailed against my assailant.
Kicking, punching, elbowing, anything I could do to break out of their hold.
“Quiet,” Zero’s deep voice barked in my ear. The muscles in my throat immediately constricted to the point of pain, forcing the sounds to die in my throat, but I didn’t stop thrashing against him.
His chuckle in my ear had my hair standing on end.
“Was one bark not good enough?” he asked, his lips dangerously close to my ear. “I’d stop fighting before you hurt yourself, little pet .”
His left arm shifted, and I froze as he pressed the blade of a knife firmly against my spine. My blood turned to ice.
This doesn’t make sense.
If Zero was the one who’d gone through my things, why drag me all the way out here, far away from the caravan, to confront me? Unless… his plan was to kill me after all.
My eyes flew wide.
“Good omega,” he said, the words sounding more like an insult than praise. “Now, listen to me very carefully. You’re going to do exactly what I say, understand?”
I wanted to say no.
I wanted to tell him to go fuck himself.
But even as I thought the words, he pressed his knife into my back and searing pain split my skin.
The fucker cut me!
“Answer,” he demanded, the sharpness of his voice making me flinch.
I didn’t want to comply, but I also didn’t want to die. And at this moment, I wasn’t sure the latter was completely off the table. Reluctantly, I nodded.
“Good.” He chuckled in my ear. “I’m going to let go of your mouth, but if you make a single sound, I’ll cut out your tongue. You’re just as valuable without the ability to speak… maybe even more so. Got it?”
The corners of my eyes burned, tears threatening to spill over.
I nodded again.
His hand disappeared, and I poked my tongue out to run it over my lips. The metallic tang of blood bloomed across it, and I winced at the pain.
The knife disappeared, and Zero grabbed my upper arm hard enough to make me wince.
“Let’s go somewhere a little more private, shall we?” he asked, moving and dragging me along behind him. “We have things to discuss.”
Afraid he’d bring the knife back out if I disobeyed, I followed his lead away from the plaza.