Chapter Fifteen
Hazel
A shiver tore through me. My knees were wobbly, and neither reaction had anything to do with the long walk to the meadow or the chill that seated in the air over the last few minutes.
This shuddering of my bones had to do with the three alphas standing around me. My wolf should perk up and its instinct should kick in. Fight or flight. Either one would do right now.
But instead, she wanted me right there. Among them. Surrounded by them and their mind-numbing scents.
I wrapped my arms around myself, pulling the long shirt tighter around me, eyeing each of them. They’d introduced themselves, and Lindon gave me his shirt. The view after he did wasn’t bad either.
Too bad my life was chaos and misery and hiding in the darkest corners. It likely would remain so until I died one way or the other.
Divina appeared from behind me. My wolf smelled her before she heard the padding of her three paws against the grass. She wove herself between my legs, letting her tail caress my calves in the process and let out a low, churning purr. Not mad. Attention-seeking. She wanted me to watch her.
Watch her what? What a diva cat.
“Divina,” I said as she moved toward the three alphas. Their eyes were still on me and, in the space between us, our scents mingled, creating a safe space of their own. Goddess, a nest that smelled like that would be heaven.
No. Fuck no. Not only was I not someone they wanted, but being with me would make them a target. I’d already put my three friends and maybe Alice in danger by association. No way I would add to the possible body count.
The cat, graceful even missing a limb, walked over to the three men and did the same to them. Swishing her tail and meowing at them like they were her alphas instead of mine. Then she meowed right at me and pounced away, her attention now on a raven who cawed at her pointedly.
“Traitor,” I said to the cat who was now climbing the tree, hunting the black bird. He looked amused and bored at the same time.
“Hazel,” True started, taking one step forward.
I backed up two steps, protecting myself. “No. Don’t do that. Don’t say my name,” I pled. My name sounded too good on his full lips. My name belonged there, coming from his beautiful mouth in all kinds of situations. But how did he know it?
“Don’t say your name? Is Hazel not your name?” True, goddess, I couldn’t look him in the eyes. They were so vast. When he looked at me, the universe opened its arms. Gave me wishes that had no business being in my vicinity.
Maybe we should’ve adopted fake names when we moved here, but legal things would’ve proven difficult. And all of us had enough secrets to keep.
I sighed and tipped my chin to the sky. Meeting your mates, a pack of drop-dead sexy alphas was incredible but them being your scent-matches, even more rare. Life sucked. Because I couldn’t have them. “Hazel is my name. But this can’t happen.” I waved a finger between me and them.
“Why not?” Shiloh also stepped forward. I tried to back up more but found there was a tree behind me now.
“Because I’m trouble. I have a target on my back and debts owed that my body and my life are payment for. I can’t be yours.” My chest hurt, and I pressed a fist over my sternum to try and stop it.
Lindon crouched. Like he was coaxing a tiger instead of a wolf shifter omega who was nothing but a hassle to everyone in her life. “Tell us everything. Maybe we can help.”
His words rang true. His deep, intoxicating scent wafted over all the others, filling me with hope I knew didn’t belong to me.
I said nothing. Just shook my head.
“Hazel, please.” Shiloh’s shoulders slumped. Good. He needed to give up on me. On whatever this was or never would be.
I might as well tell them. They deserved to know why I couldn’t be theirs, no matter how much I wanted to be.
“I ran away from home. My father used me as repayment for some of his drug debts or gambling debts. I’m not sure which.
But I was to be taken in exchange for those debts and I ran for my life instead.
Here. With my three best friends. Trying to make a new life.
But I’m no fool. They will catch up to me one day.
The people my father dealt with, well, they take collections seriously.
People collect omegas like prizes or property these days.
I’ll die before they take me, but I’ve already dragged my friends into this.
I won’t do that to the three of you. You’re too…
” I denied myself the last word. Important.
Loved. Hell, I didn’t even know how I would describe the grip they had on me.
“We can protect you. Help you.” Lindon stood up, no longer afraid of me attacking. I attacked myself enough for the world.
“You can’t. No one can. Those omega-hunting people are fierce and dangerous and…they do horrible things to people. I won’t let you be hurt. Any of you.”
True came over and this time, there was nowhere to go. He wrapped his arms around me, and Goddess help me, I surrendered to his touch. My neck gave way and I let my head fall against his chest, right over his beating heart. The thrumming of it plus his alpha purr made the world fade away.
For a minute.
“You’re making this harder,” I said on the verge of a sob.
“No. We aren’t abandoning you. We will protect you and take care of you. If anyone comes after us, they will regret it. We aren’t alphas to be played with or hunted. And I’ll be damned if anyone hurts what’s ours.”
I looked up at him. He was serious. And all of it registered as truth to me, to my wolf, to that omega side of me that would know a lie a mile away.
What was theirs. It was me. I was theirs. Their omega.
“How about we walk you back to your shop and take this one day at a time.”
Nodding, I let down all my defenses. Shiloh and Lindon came over, and one put their hand on my back and the other kissed my temple. Warmth branched through my body and I hadn’t realized the chill that had overcome me for so long.
“Okay. But I need to find my shoes, if they still exist.”
“Let’s find them, and on the way,” Shiloh took my hand, “tell us every detail. Nothing is too small. We’ll figure this out. Together.”