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“Look what we have here,” a voice sneered close by. “A lone omega out in the open.”
Another voice chimed in, laced with excitement, “It’s our lucky night, boys.”
I tried to make myself smaller against the wall, to disappear into the shadows that had once offered solace. My breath came in ragged gasps as I struggled to find any semblance of control over my trembling body.
The nearest alpha leaned down toward me, his hand reaching out as if to claim a prize. Just before his fingers could brush against my skin, a different alpha scent slammed into me, a storm of cedar and steel that I recognized all too well.
A blur of movement erupted before my eyes as fists and bodies collided with a violence that vibrated through the air. Grunts and curses filled the space where laughter had been moments before. My mind reeled, unable to fully process what was happening.
The fight was over as quickly as it had begun. The threatening alphas scattered like leaves in a gale, leaving behind only one figure standing tall amid the chaos.
He turned toward me—Xavier Davenport, one of my three husbands—and in a few strides closed the distance between us. Dropping to his knees, his gaze locked on mine with an intensity that burned.
“Where’s your suppressant?” His voice was a command that brooked no argument.
“I… I don’t have any left,” I managed to stammer out, my voice barely above a whisper.
Xav’s jaw clenched at my admission, frustration flaring briefly in his eyes before he shifted into action. With surprising gentleness belying his earlier violence, he slid one arm behind my back and another beneath my knees.
“No… don’t,” I protested weakly as he lifted me effortlessly from the ground.
Ignoring my feeble attempts to push him away, he carried me toward his car parked just feet away. My head spun with the rapid shift from danger to safety, or whatever this was supposed to be, my body leaning into his despite my mind’s protests.
The cool leather of his car seat pressed against my skin as he settled me inside. His scent enveloped me once more, a storm that calmed and claimed all at once, and for reasons I couldn’t fathom or fight against, I ceased resisting.
Xav’s fingers brushed against the pill bottle as he withdrew it from the glove box. My hands, still shaking, reached out eagerly to grasp the lifeline he offered. The smooth surface of the bottle felt cool against my clammy skin as I fumbled with the cap, desperate for the reprieve that lay within.
“Here,” he said softly, his tone a mix of command and concern as he poured two pills into my palm.
I tossed them back without hesitation, swallowing dryly, willing them to dissolve and flood my system with their chemical calm. The heat within me didn’t subside immediately, but the edge of desperation dulled just enough for me to catch my breath.
Xav cupped my face in his hands, forcing me to meet his gaze. His eyes searched mine, clouded with worry.
“Feeling better?” he asked, his thumb brushing along my cheekbone in a gesture so tender it was at odds with the controlled alpha I knew him to be.
A lie formed easily on my lips, a nod and a whisper of “Yes,” even though I felt anything but better. I couldn’t let him see how much I was unraveling, couldn’t bear for him to witness just how weak I truly was.
“Where are you staying? I’ll drop you off,” he insisted, his voice firm yet laced with a softness that made it difficult to refuse.
I couldn’t let him know where I lived. My apartment was small and dirty, a far cry from the Davenport luxury, but it was mine. It was the one place where I could be alone, away from their world of power and control.
“Just around the corner is fine,” I lied smoothly.
Xavier’s gaze narrowed in suspicion, but he started the car without another word. The hum of the engine was a soothing purr that seemed to cradle my frayed nerves. As we drove through the city’s silent streets, my eyelids grew heavy, each blink a battle against the pull of exhaustion.
Then the heat surged back with a vengeance. A whimper escaped me as I doubled over in my seat, clutching at my abdomen as if I could physically push away the overwhelming sensations.
“Dammit,” Xav cursed under his breath as he glanced at me. “Hang on.”
He made a sharp turn, changing direction entirely. The cityscape blurred past us as we raced toward an unknown destination that could only be one place, the penthouse.
I wanted to protest, to demand that he let me out, but words failed me as another wave of heat crashed over me. Xav’s jaw was set in grim determination as he navigated through the streets, my fate sealed by circumstance and an alpha’s unwavering decision.
* * *
The city lights blurred into streaks of neon as I stumbled out of the haze of my own turmoil, barely registering the sensation of being lifted from the car. The cool air of the private elevator was a shock to my heated skin, and I tried to focus on the steady rhythm of Xavier’s heartbeat against my ear.
“Master Xavier, welcome—Oh!” The butler’s voice, crisp and formal, morphed into surprise at the sight of me in Xav’s arms. Harris’ face, always a picture of composed professionalism, now etched with concern.
