The moment Max, Gunnar, and I arrive in Little Rock, we’re on high alert. We don’t know if Zorin is still in the area since Gunnar couldn’t trace him using our usual channels.
Not wanting to take any chances, we hire a car as soon as we land at Clinton National Airport and head to the destination Lena provided. From the looks of our GPS, she’s staying in a small townhouse just outside the city center.
I drive while Max navigates from the front seat, and Gunnar continues running recon on Zorin from the back.
“Still nothing,” Gunnar sighs, setting his laptop beside him. “How much longer until we arrive?”
“About ten minutes,” Max replies, glancing at the GPS.
Thankfully, the roads are nearly empty, and I speed through the city, eager to reach my omega. I had wanted so badly to tell her that I love her over the phone, but I didn’t want to scare her. She’s already been through so much, and the last thing she needs is me trying to stake a claim on her. If she’s not ready for what we have to offer, I need to respect that.
Ten minutes later, I park outside the townhouse.
It’s quaint, with green-trimmed walls and a neatly manicured lawn. There’s no car parked in the driveway, so I assume Lena must have taken a taxi instead of renting a car.
We jump out of the car, and Gunnar looks around, his brow furrowed in concentration.
“We need to secure the area,” I bark, and he immediately nods, walking toward the townhouse to search the perimeter. Max checks the nearby townhouses and their gardens. After a few minutes, we reconvene.
“There’s nothing,” Gunnar says, sniffing the air deeply. “I don’t smell anyone else and no other alphas.”
“Zorin?” I ask tersely.
Gunnar shakes his head. “No scent trails and no disturbances around or near where Lena is staying. I don’t think he’s found her.”
“Thank God,” Max mutters, and I nod in agreement.
My heart isn’t at peace yet, and I don’t relax. I need to see Lena before I even think about letting my guard down.
Quietly, the four of us approach the front door of the townhouse. I can see into the living room to my right, where I faintly hear the TV on inside. I sniff the air, hoping to catch a whiff of her delicious perfume to confirm she’s there, but I smell nothing.
“She’s taken her inhibitor,” Max reminds me. “We won’t be able to smell her until it wears off.”
I raise my hand and knock sharply on the door. The TV plays quietly behind the wood, but there’s no answer.
I knock again, this time with a bit more impatience.
“Maybe she’s sleeping?” Gunnar suggests. “It’s been one hell of a day for her.”
“I want to see her now,” I snarl, grunting in frustration. “How do we know she didn’t get kidnapped? We need to make sure, ASAP.”
“Let me check around the side of the house and look in the bedroom,” Max interjects before I get too fired up. “Maybe she thinks it’s someone else. You did tell her not to open the door.”
“Fine,” I growl, and he jogs around the side of the house before I lose my temper. He returns a few minutes later.
“No, she’s not there,” he says, and I pull out my cell phone.
Maybe she’ll answer her phone instead of the door. I dial her number, tapping my foot impatiently as it rings. When it goes straight to voicemail, I shove my phone angrily into my pocket.
“This can’t be happening,” I growl in irritation, breathing harshly with worry. “If she won’t open this fucking door, I’ll kick it down.”
Gunnar and Max exchange worried glances as I prepare to kick the door down.
Lena
My eyes snap open, and I’m suddenly wide awake.
I had fallen asleep on the couch after eating lunch. The TV is still on, and a random show is playing in the background. I sit up gingerly, listening for any sounds. It wasn’t a nightmare or a noise that woke me, but something deep inside told me it was time to wake up.
My anxiety instantly skyrockets, and I’m on high alert, trying to figure out what it was that disturbed me. A strange smell reaches my nose, and I take a deep breath.
There are alphas outside my front door.
Panic rises within me, worried that Zorin has finally found me, but the scent becomes clearer.
Smoked cedarwood and black pepper.
Pine.
Fresh earth.
There are alphas outside my door. My alphas. Damon, Max, and Gunnar are here. Smiling, I leap off the couch and rush to open the front door.
Damon’s massive form stands in the doorway.
His eyes are dark with fury, and he looks ready to kick the door down.
“Oh,” I say, startled as I step back in alarm.
His shoulders soften and he has a sheepish look on his face, “you weren’t answering the door.”
“I’m so sorry,” I say, bursting into tears and throwing myself into his arms. He catches me effortlessly, and I cling to him, overwhelmed with emotion that he is finally here.
I can hear the pounding of his heart even through my sobs and smell the adrenaline radiating from him in waves. He’s furious with me. I know he is, but he still holds me close, and I’m grateful he hasn’t thrown me off yet.
“It’s okay,” he chuckles. “It’s not a big deal. I got a little impatient and almost broke the door down. You must have been in the bathroom or something.”
“I’m sorry I left,” I cry into his chest as he scoops me up to carry me into the house.
“Shh, Lena darling,” he soothes, the gravel in his voice calming me. “It’s okay. I’ve got you.” He rubs my back gently, easing me into him.
Max and Gunnar follow us inside, closing and locking the door behind them. Damon walks through the house and into the bedroom, gently setting me on the bed before kicking off his shoes and climbing in beside me, settling against the headboard.
I curl into his side immediately, not wanting to distance myself from him. After the hell I’ve been through today, I need the security of his solid form next to me. Max and Gunnar join us, surrounding me protectively.
It’s quiet for a few moments, and I allow myself to relax fully for the first time all day, content to soak in my alphas’ warm and comforting presence.
Gunnar is the first to break the silence.
“We need to know,” he says gently, brushing a strand of hair away from my face. “What happened today? Why did you leave like that?”
I sniffle, tears leaking from my eyes and dripping down my cheeks.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper hoarsely. “I got scared.”
“Did we scare you?” asks Max. “Was there something that made you worried?”
I shake my head.
“My life has been…” I search for the right word. “Difficult, to say the least. I’ve been alone for so long that I’ve never felt I could trust or rely on anyone but myself.”
“But why did you leave us?” Damon growls, and I can hear the heartbreak in his voice. “Leave me? I’ve done everything I can to show you that you can trust me. Was it not enough?”
I left him, just like his last omega did.
I can hear how hurt he is. I can feel the slight tremble in his body as he sits next to me, and shame washes over me.
“I’m sorry,” I sniffle. “I never meant to hurt you. Or Max and Gunnar. I’m just scared that what happened with Zorin and his pack will happen with you, too.”
“We would never hurt you,” Damon declares.
“Zorin made me believe that all alphas had to mistreat their omegas to comply,” I whisper. I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what I have to say next. “When I met you guys, I thought you would be the same—flattering me to get me to stay with you, then abusing me once you had me marked.”
Tears roll freely down my cheeks, but I don’t wipe them away.
“I thought it would be better to get away, to escape,” I continue, my heart aching, “than to be stuck in a situation I could never change once marked by alphas. I just wanted to be free.”
“Lena,” Damon says, turning his body toward me and placing a tender hand on my face, tears in his eyes.
It’s so unlike him that my heart aches at the sweet gesture. He dips his head until we’re at eye level and wipes away the tears on my cheeks with his thumb.
“I’m so unbelievably sorry for everything you’ve been through, darling,” he murmurs, his dark eyes earnest. “No one should ever be treated that way. You deserve so much more, and I want you to be happy. I’ll understand whatever choice you make, whether to stay with us or to leave. But more than anything, I want you to know that I would never hurt you. You will always be safe with me.”
My heart soars at the sincerity on his face. His words are simple yet heal a part of me I didn’t know was still bleeding. It feels as if I’ve been waiting my whole life to hear them.
I lean in, my heart racing as I close the distance between Damon and me. The warmth of his breath mingles with mine, and I can hardly believe I’m about to do this.
I place my lips gently against his. Our lips touch, and my heart flutters wildly at the contact.
I haven’t kissed anyone on the lips since I was with my last pack, and I’ve avoided it every time the alphas wanted to try.
Damon seems surprised for a moment, but then I feel him relax against me, and his lips respond to mine with a soft warmth that ignites something deep inside me.
As we kiss, my heart swells. It’s tender, unlike anything I’ve experienced before.
A connection sparks between us, the taste of hope mingling with the lingering uncertainty and fear of my past. I lose myself in the kiss, savoring the feeling of being wanted and cherished—something I had almost forgotten was possible.
Eventually, I pull away, slightly breathless but feeling like I could do anything now. Damon looks taken aback, and a rush of shyness washes over me.
“Wow,” he says simply.
“I’ve wanted to do that for a while now,” I whisper, my cheeks heating with a blush. I feel both vulnerable and exhilarated by my boldness. A giggle bubbles up from my chest and catches in my throat as tears build up in my eyes.
To break the tension, I lean in again, planting a quick, playful peck on his lips. He kisses me back hard until my breathing accelerates. After the kiss, his smile widens, and instinctively, I try to hide my face, overwhelmed by the surge of emotions.
Damon gently lifts my chin, refusing to let me shy away.
“It was worth the wait,” he says softly, his gaze steady and sincere. His usually dark eyes are bright with emotion, a warmth in their depths that I haven’t seen before. “That was the best kiss of my life.”
“Really?” I ask, my heart lifting.
He pauses for a moment, then speaks the truth he had previously hesitated to share, “I love you, Lena. With all my heart.”
“Oh,” I breathe as Max and Gunnar chuckle softly around me. Warmth spreads in my heart as I turn to Max and kiss him on the lips. Our kiss is gentle, with him cupping my face as if he’s treasuring every moment.
“I love you,” Max says softly, and my heart soars.
Gunnar turns me toward him with a finger under my chin. “May I?”
I nod and close my eyes as he leans in for a kiss. Our lips mesh as he kisses me while Max and Damon caress my body. His kiss is fierce and passionate; I can feel how much he has been wanting and waiting for this moment.
I pull away breathlessly, and his eyes are glowing.
“I love you, Lena,” he growls, and I look down, blushing. A warmth spreads through me at his words, making me feel cherished.
I take a deep breath and pull their hands over my belly.
“You can feel our baby,” I say quietly, my voice shaky with excitement. I want to laugh at the expression that cross their faces, of excitement, love, and reverence, as their large hands cup my stomach.
Damon looks up at me, his eyes sparkling with hidden joy.
“I’m so excited to meet our baby,” he says, a wide grin on his face. Max and Gunnar nod in agreement, their expressions mirroring my joy.
All the pain I endured has led me to this point in my life. It might have been hard, but it was worth it. I have everything I’ve ever wanted—a baby on the way, a pack that loves and protects me, and a bond that feels unbreakable.
Zorin is still out there trying to make my life miserable, but in this moment, surrounded by my alphas, I finally feel at home.
