Page 4 of Bad Omega

“Oh yeah,” the leader says. “Real ripe.”

He brushes the flat of the stone blade over my skin, letting the tip graze my exposed nipple. The flesh stiffens, even though I don’t want it to.

“You like that, don’t you? Bet you’ll like this even better.”

He begins lowering his face toward my chest.

A howl splits the forest.

The Farlanders all swing around in the direction of the call. I take advantage of the momentary distraction to drive my knee up into the center of the leader’s loincloth. Hard. He emits a sound that’s halfway between a cough and a whimper.

More howls. Closer now.

“Alphas!” one of the Farlanders shouts.

“We’d best run,” another says. “Omega ain’t worth dyin’ over.”

The leader is doubled over, clutching his groin. He glares at me through a grimace of pain.

“Guess this is your lucky day,” he snarls.

He nods to his men, and they scatter, fleeing back into the shadows from whence they came. It would seem the Farlanders’ cruelty is only exceeded by their cowardice. They only pick fights they know they can win.

Their retreat is timely. No sooner has the last one disappeared from sight than the other alphas arrive. Real alphas.

Beside me, one of the young males lets out a little laugh of surprise.

“Only three?” he whispers. “Source, there must have been about twelve Farlanders, and they ran away from only three alphas?”

“They made the right choice,” I tell him.

Of course, I’m a little biased. These new arrivals are my three daddies. I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to see them in my life.

Knar is the leader of the pack, all hard angles and harder muscle. His hair is silvered with maturity, and his square jaw is lined with stubble to match. His stern, gray eyes seem permanently narrowed beneath the metal studs piercing his brow.

Bjor is next. He’s the biggest of the three, and considerably softer than his pack leader, though that extra padding can be deceptive. There’s still plenty of muscle hiding underneath. A thick beard frames a face that would look fearsome were it not for the warm brown eyes peering out from it. A heavy ring pierces his nose.

And last, there’s Renn, the youngest of the three, though he’s still a good ten years older than I am. He’s built leaner than the others, long and lithe, and he moves with a grace that’s unusual for an alpha. A metal ring gleams at the corner of his mouth, drawing attention to the cocky little smirk he usually wears—though he isn’t wearing it now.

He looks concerned. They all do.

Knar comes striding up to me first. “Eri, are you all right? Did they hurt you?”

“I’m okay,” I answer, my voice trembling. That’s partly because I’m still flustered from the attack.

And partly because of Knar.

His storm-colored eyes are brimming with worry, but I can see the silent lightning of reproach flickering within. What were you doing out here, Eri? those eyes seem to say. What the hell were you doing?

“You’re sure you’re not hurt?”

“I promise.”

His eyes dip to my chest, seemingly without meaning to, and the pupils dilate. I remember that my breasts are exposed. I quickly cover them, fumbling with the slashed laces of my top as I attempt to tie it shut again. Knar averts his eyes.

“You three,” he says, talking to the younger alphas. “I don’t know where you came from, but I recommend you scurry on back there now.”

“Y-yes, sir,” the eldest of the three stammers. “T-thank you s—”