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Lincoln
Fuck. FUCK!How did this afternoon become such a shitshow in zero seconds flat?
I’m not sure what happened to set Espy off, but one minute I have her lying in my arms, and the next she’s freaking out. Pushing me away and asking for space.Probably because you crossed a line, you dick,the voice inside my head scolds. I know I shouldn’t have gotten so familiar with her, but it’s just so hard to resist wanting to be as close as possible to the tiny omega.
Something about her just captivates me. I desperately want to chalk it all up to my being her brother’s packmate, and maybe even because I was the first on the scene to extract her from that Gods-damn house. Neither of those reasons ever feel quite right though. My protectiveness is starting to feel like a borderline obsession. I hate whenever she’s not with me, especially when she’s with Pack fucking Collins.
I smack my shovel extra hard against the roof of my demo snow cave, imagining it’s something else beneath me.
Those children can’t take care of her the way I can, my brain taunts. I know logically that two of them are older than Leo and Tanner, but they aren’tmypack, and I don’t know them. I don’t trust them. I’ll admit I was fairly impressed when Cabe called me up and asked to get involved. I tried to blow him off at first, but the bastard wouldn’t back down. I suppose he gets a few points for that. I put him in touch with the reservist recruiter, and from the sound of things he’s been taking it very seriously.
Tanner joined as well, and I can’t decide if I’m pissed off or pleased the two have become friends recently.
I look over to confirm Espy is still by the entrance to the field and see she’s sitting down and curled up into a sort of ball. I turn away, running a hand through my sweaty hair, knowing it will soon turn to ice in this weather. I pull my jacket on and grab the shovels, walking slowly over to the shed to give her more time alone and myself more time to think. Maybe it would help if I actually knew the endgame here. My brain just keeps going in endless circles, knowing emphatically she cannot be the right omega for me as my packmate’s literal fuckingsister. But at the same time, I’m unable to let go.
At least the escalating terrorism threat against omegas is providing me with a solid distraction, for better or worse.
Who am I kidding? It’s definitely for the worse. There hasn’t been another attack on a university campus since the incident in Utah, but all our intel on the different groups out there suggests they’re becoming more organized, effective, and bold. The two kidnapped girls still haven’t been located, and the whole community is understandably distraught. Not to mention terrified. I was horrified when I heard that the terrorist they managed to capture had recently enrolled as a student at the school there, using his access to campus to help identify and target the girls. I’m glad our own base is increasing our reserve numbers and implementing new protocols and patrols, but at the same time I worry there are too many vulnerabilities in the system. There are almost ten thousand students enrolled at River Valley. That’s not including staff and support services ...
I take a calming breath as I reach the shed. Espy will be able to sense if I’m all worked up when I get back to her, and I’m positive that isn’t the kind of energy she needs from me right now.
After stepping into the shed to put back the shovels, I take another minute or so to organize a few of the tools. Right as I’m reaching to move a box back into a corner, the campus alert system blares out, making me jump and almost hit my head.
I forgot they were testing the system today—part of the increased safety measures the school is taking in conjunction with the base. Despite the booming voice loudly repeating over and over again that this is a test, I worry the alert will put Espy on edge. I hurry out of the shed, only to freeze when I realize she’s no longer alone.
All I can see is that she’s on the ground with three men surrounding her, one of whom seems to be bending down over her. It’s as I’m sprinting to reach her that my brain takes in further details and I realize I know these guys. They’re all in my unit, people I trust. I send up a thank-you to the powers that be that the danger is only mental, not physical, but I still cuss myself out for being so far away from her in the first place.
I reach Espy quickly, not sparing my friends a word until I have her in my arms. Her small legs automatically latch around my waist with a fierceness that belies her fear, and she burrows her face into my chest as I band one arm across her back and the other around her waist. She’s shaking and whimpering, and I can’t help but let out a growl in response.
When I’m satisfied she’s secure, I look up to meet my friends’ eyes. To say they’re shocked is an understatement. I suppose it’s not every day they see me cradling a terrified omega in my arms.
It’s clear to me from their body language what happened. They probably saw her when they came in and wanted to make sure she was okay. Espy was giving out tons of stress pheromones, so it would be totally normal for them to check on her. I’m not angry with them, but I also don’t have the time to explain as I need to get Espy home ASAP.
“Sorry, guys. This is my packmate’s sister. From Wyoming,” I state. Though they don’t have all the details of the rescue mission, they know enough to understand the gist of what’s happening, I’m sure. “We need some space right now. I’ll hit you up later.”
They nod, faces grim and apologetic.
I don’t waste any more time, turning and carrying Espy away from the base and back through campus. My room is closer, but I feel like it’s best to get her in her own space right now, so I head to Leo and Tanner’s place. She eventually stops shaking once the sirens switch off and the normal sounds of the campus return. She’s like a human barnacle in this position. A very cute barnacle, and one I have zero interest in detaching myself from.
I force away any thoughts of enjoying the moment and focus instead on reassuring her she’s safe and all the danger her brain is signaling she’s in is actually a false alarm. I’m not sure what words I use or if she even hears them, but it’s all I can think to do until I can get her inside.
“It’s okay, little one. You’re okay,” I murmur. “I swore to myself the first time I saw you that I wouldn’t let any more harm come to you. I promise you’re safe.”
Soon I have her in the dorm, on the couch, and swaddled in blankets. My natural instinct is to help bundle her into her nest, but Espy doesn’t have one. Knowing the reason behind that makes me want to commit murder, so instead I focus on bringing her water and some chocolate, and I even go so far as to strip off the sweater underneath my jacket to tuck against her body. I hope my scent somehow conveys how willing I am to go to war for her, and that it brings her some comfort.
Luckily, it doesn’t take her long to come back to me.
She’s embarrassed, which I understand but also will not allow. It takes me a while to bully her into promising not to lock me out of the dorm, but once I do I dart out to pick up the stuff we left in the locker rooms and also grab some dinner. Leo and Tanner are still on their way back, the former on the team bus and the latter carpooling with a bunch of fellow friends who went down for the big meet. I stick around, not wanting to leave Espy alone as much for her benefit as my own. I respect that she doesn’t want to talk about what happened, so instead we start a movie marathon and eat junk food. I even let her make a new caricature of me—something I secretly cherish but will never, ever admit to.
If we block out all the emotional trauma, the day ends up being pretty perfect.
* * *
I’m wokenup by the sound of a key in the lock, and I blink myself awake to see Leo and Tanner tiptoeing through the door. I glance at the clock in the kitchenette and see it’s past 1 a.m. Neither of them had to drive, so I suspect they aren’t as exhausted as I feel after my unintended nap.
I straighten up and stretch, careful not to dislodge the sleeping omega plastered against my side in her pile of blankets. She passed out sometime before 11:30 p.m., and I must have dozed off sometime after that. Making eye contact, I tip my head, giving my packmates a heads-up so they won’t wake her up. Leo nods and grabs a drink from the fridge before coming to sit on the couch, while Tanner disappears into his room.
“She okay?” Leo whispers as he looks her over.
