The morning air is cold as I stand outside the hotel, nervously looking back. It’s four a.m., and I’m waiting at the entrance for my ride.
Sneaking out was tough, but I managed to do it.
After multiple orgasms, the alphas had fallen asleep in a heap on the bed. I lay awake between them, trying to keep my breathing steady as I waited for them to nod off. Once I was sure they were asleep, I crept into the bathroom, dressed in last night’s clothes, and snuck out of the room.
The hotel’s front desk had been empty when I hurried into the lobby, and I did my best to avoid any visible cameras. I know that when the alphas wake up and find me missing, the first thing they’ll check is the footage to see what happened.
I check the rideshare app on my phone again.
My driver is still three minutes away, so I pull my coat tighter around myself against the bracing wind and ponder my next move. I’m not exactly sure where I’ll go, but I know I need to get out of this city immediately.
I need to go somewhere where neither Zorin nor Damon can find me.
A few minutes later, a white car pulls up to the entrance. I check the license plate against the one in my app and cautiously approach the vehicle.
The driver rolls the window down as I near.
“James?” I ask tentatively, and he smiles.
“That’s me. You must be Lena. Hop in, and we can get going.”
I climb into the back of the car, and he starts to drive. James doesn’t talk much during the ride, which I appreciate.
I’m too overwhelmed with emotion to hold a conversation. The city is quiet as we pass through—at this time of the morning, it’s practically a ghost town, with no cars on the road and no people in sight.
My mind drifts to the alphas, sound asleep in the bed where I left them. In just a few hours, Gunnar will be the first to wake. He’ll notice that I’m missing and then wake the others. They’ll be frantic and panicked, searching for me wherever they can. Or they might be relieved of any responsibility secretly. My heart breaks at the thought, and I know I won’t be able to take it if they did forget about me.
My nose prickles with unshed tears, and I take a tissue out of my purse, blowing my nose. I can’t cry for any alpha anymore.
Besides, I’ll always carry a little piece of the alphas with me wherever I go. I press a hand against my belly and think of my baby.
“I’ll keep you safe, little one,” I murmur, stroking my belly. “Nothing will ever hurt you.”
I don’t even realize I’m crying until the tears drip down my nose and onto my lap.
I let them fall, mourning the life I thought I would have and the uncertain future that awaits me. I know how I must look, sitting in the back of a taxi, crying over something that must have happened at the hotel I was picked up at, but I don’t care what anyone thinks anymore.
Thirty minutes later, James pulls up outside my apartment building.
“Thanks so much,” I say as I exit the car. He pulls away, and I wave briefly before hurrying inside, still checking my surroundings.
I rummage through my handbag for the house keys and open my front door when I find them, shutting it quickly behind me. Max had left my space neat and tidy—my mail was sitting on the kitchen table, and the groceries I’d bought had been put away. I’m grateful for his thoughtfulness, which makes leaving much harder.
I shower in record time, changing into leggings and an oversized sweatshirt that will be comfortable for travel. I check the time and move faster, knowing it won’t be long until Gunnar wakes up and the search for me begins.
Once my suitcase is packed with necessities and changes of clothes, I flick through my mail. None of it is essential, so I toss it back on the table and rush through my living room, grabbing a few photos of my sisters to put in my suitcase. My hands are shaking, my anxiety sky-high as I tuck the precious pictures between clothes to protect them.
I stop and take a deep breath, trying to calm myself down before I continue.
On a whim, I grab my scent blocker lotion and shove it in my handbag along with my heat suppressants, even though I’m pregnant. I don’t know if I will use them, but I pack them anyway to be safe.
Just in case.
As I take one last look around my apartment to make sure I haven’t missed anything, an overwhelming sense of sadness crashes over me. This little life, the one I built from scratch, is now over.
For some reason, I feel all alone again, and nothing feels more terrifying.
I hug myself around the middle as heavy, wracking sobs consume me, allowing myself just a moment to take it all in, to grieve the parts of myself that I’m leaving behind, before taking a deep breath and composing myself.
“I can do this,” I whisper as I leave the house.
Deciding to stop by a café first, I pull my laptop out of my backpack to buy a plane ticket to anywhere and book a rental home. Spending too much time at my apartment isn’t safe, so it’s better to do it here, where there were a lot of people around me.
“Hi, what can I get you to drink?” asks the barista, approaching me with a small notebook and a pen. I look up and notice a small bruise under her eye. Her name badge says ‘Mia’ on it.
She must be in an awful relationship, I think to myself instantly. Or maybe I’m just being paranoid, but I know the signs now.
“Just a coffee, extra sugar,” I say, and she nods timidly. “Thank you, Mia.”
“Your coffee will be right up!” she says, smiling brightly, covering the sad look in her eyes. I feel bad for her as I browse plane tickets for the cheapest deal. She must be dealing with domestic abuse of some kind.
I finally booked a one-way ticket to Little Rock, Arkansas, with no return date in sight. Once settled in and living there, I can start looking for apartments.
I sigh, knowing this has to be done. I’ve escaped an alpha pack before, and I know I can do it again.
“Here’s your coffee,” says the barista, returning to my table.
“Thank you,” I say as she sets the coffee down. “I used to be in your shoes. You should leave as soon as you can. It won’t be easy, but I promise it’s worth it.”
She pauses and looks at me for a moment before quietly walking away. So maybe I was right. A boyfriend or family member was mistreating her, but I got the message that it’s none of my business by the look she gave me.
Taking a sip of my coffee, I remembered how I didn’t listen to anyone but myself at the end of my relationship with Zorin until it was almost too late.
Hours later, I’m at the airport, and it’s a nightmare.
I hadn’t prepared for the sheer chaos of the airport and how many people would be in the security lines. I keep checking around to make sure the alphas haven’t somehow tracked my location, but I don’t see Damon’s towering height, Max’s mop of curly red hair, or Gunnar’s steely gaze anywhere, which relieves me.
I make it through security unscathed and only breathe a sigh of relief when I’m sitting outside my boarding gate. I have a little time to kill before we board, so I buy a new romance novel and snacks to pack into my handbag for later.
Eventually, we board, and I’m one of the first people on the plane.
I tuck myself into my seat and put on my headphones, content to watch out the window until takeoff. Slowly but surely, the plane fills up, the low noise of chatter reaching me through my music. The captain has just asked the cabin crew to arm the doors and cross-check when a strange smell reaches my nose. I sniff deeply, pausing my music to try and identify the scent.
Lemongrass.
It’s a strong, vaguely familiar scent, but I can’t place it. Someone sits down next to me, and the smell intensifies.
With a jolt, memories flood my brain as the scent strengthens. I turn slowly in my seat to find a man sitting next to me with short-cropped black hair and a single earring hanging from one ear. He turns to face me, smiling widely.
It’s him. Zorin.
All the blood in my veins seems to turn to ice at the sight of him. My memories of Zorin and his pack attacking me resurface, and my heart beats faster. This has got to be a nightmare. Or I’m in a nightmare.
But Zorin, sitting next to me, is very much real.
“Why, hello there, Lena,” he growls menacingly. “Long time no see.”
I jump from my chair, almost hitting my head on the overhead compartment. The flight attendants are busy going through the safety instructions and telling everyone to fasten their seatbelts, but I have to get off this plane.
My heart is beating so fast I think it might burst from my chest, but I wave at one of the flight attendants, who nods in my direction when she notices me. Once the safety demonstration is over, she approaches me with a polite yet stern smile.
“Yes, ma’am, how can I help you?”
“I need to get off this flight,” I say hurriedly, glancing down at Zorin. He’s observing me, his mouth curved in a smug smirk.
The flight attendant shakes her head. “I’m sorry, ma’am, but that’s just not possible,” she says firmly but not unkindly. “The gate has already closed, and the captain is preparing for takeoff.”
“Please,” I beg, feeling Zorin’s gaze bore into my back. “I can’t be on this plane.”
“I’m afraid it’s too late for that,” she says without sympathy. “It’s only a two-hour flight, honey. You’ll be just fine.”
I’m the furthest thing from fine, but she can’t know that.
“Can I switch seats then, at least?” I ask, beyond caring whether I sound desperate or not. I need to be away from Zorin as soon as possible.
The flight attendant sighs, the sound long-suffering and annoyed.
“Ma’am, the plane is full, as you can see.” She gestures around, and I see that every single seat is taken. My stomach sinks at the realization that there’s no way out. “Now, is there a problem here, or should I call the police?”
People are already starting to look at me and wonder what the problem is, so calling the police is absolutely off the table. I shake my head. “No, it’s fine. Thank you.”
She gives me a tight smile before turning around and heading back up the aisle. I sit back down reluctantly, well aware of Zorin and the malevolent smile he’s giving me.
“Well, well,” he says with a chuckle. “I guess you’re stuck with me.”
I swallow hard, fear churning in my gut. This was going to be a plane ride from hell.
