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Forcing her image from my mind takes more effort than I'm willing to admit. But then, when I open my eyes, she’s there, on the other side of the club, with other alphas and omegas.
Blind rage has me up on my feet, staring in her direction. A moment later, I feel the reaction of my pack. Dylan is the one that forces me to pull my own emotions back in. His pain is excruciating. I can smell it from up here. Silas aches in a way that is dull and resigned. Grayson is less angry, but it’s all a front to hide the longing inside him.
She looks different. She’s laughing and dancing with the Raptore omega. Has she replaced us so soon? Is this who she is? A human leach sponging off the wealthy. I immediately feel ashamed of my thoughts. I know that’s not who she is, but when the omega puts her hands on Nyx’s hips and moves in close, swaying and laughing, I see red.
No one touches what is mine.
And whether I want her right now or not, that beta is still mine.
A low, menacing growl erupts from my throat, and I watch as Nyx lifts her head, looking around like prey who suddenly has a sixth sense they are being stalked.
I have my eyes on you.
Is she thinner? Are those shadows under her eyes from exhaustion? She’s not smiling her normal sunny smile. I curse myself five times a fool and force myself to look away.
My eyes meet Dylan’s distraught ones, and the feeling of wrongness intensifies and explodes into panic.
He melts back into the crowd faster than Grayson and Silas can realise. I try to follow him with my eyes, and as soon as I see the path he’s taking, I rush down the stairs, pushing bodies aside, but knowing that I'm going to be too late.
The crowd clears, and I see her on her own. He’s not there, but he should be. Her head whips around, confusion changing to fury on her face. The expression does something to me, but then the gap closes, nearly obscuring my view. I push harder, forcing my way through. My direction changed.
The gap clears, and Dylan, my omega, is shoved hard against a wall by an alpha. I can see the shock and anger on his face, but also a touch of fear. But just when a fist flies, there she is.
Her own fist comes up, hitting the alpha’s chin. It's followed by a second arm sweeping across his face. She hits him again and again, forcing him back by sheer will and fury. She is a blur of movement, and Dylan is against the wall, in shock, watching her.
I'm stunned into inaction. I hear a grunt and catch Silas’ scent of figs and sea salt and then Grayson’s mango. Their scents strengthen. Hunger. Longing. Possession.
She’s ours.
Dylan pushes up off the wall and reaches for her. She doesn’t see it, but we do. But then he withdraws his hand. Hesitates. No, damnit, no. Take her, I want to shout at him.
She barely turns, and Dylan is already backing away. He’s already got his mask back in place. He’s retreating.
Gray makes a wordless protest, but she’s already turned. She sees his back as he disappears into the crowd, and I wonder if Silas and Gray see the agony on her face a moment before she looks up and spots the three of us.
Silas is the first to move, breaking away from my side and stalking after Dylan. I force myself to move, step by step, until I’m barely a foot from her.
She tries to meet my eyes, but she drops them, staring at the third button on my shirt. It pleases and enrages me that she’s unable to meet my eyes.
I catch that faint whiff of coconut, so weak, like how I wake up sometimes, chasing that scent out of sleep only to realise it was just a dream.
“Thank you for your assistance, Beta.” I pull out a handful of notes from my wallet and force them into her stiff hand. “For your trouble.”
The coconut gets fainter and fainter. I study the red in her cheeks, the way her hair hides her face.
“Falcon, no!” Grayson groans as if in pain.
“Falcon!” Hazel snaps, giving me a look of deep warning.
I look at the interfering omega and scowl. “Just making sure she’s compensated for the effort she’s expended.” The words come out all wrong. I just want to make sure she sees a doctor, but all the words just come out hostile and wrong. The world feels as if it is shifting and shaking and tilting. I want to bite her and end this now. I want to pick her up, throw her over my shoulders, and fuck her until my scent bleeds from the inside out. My thoughts are a jumbled mess as I try to contain the need to have her.
A low growl slips through my teeth, and I watch as her skin pebbles, her nipples tighten, her damn coconut scent turns sweeter. Reacting to me. Mine.
Hazel bares her teeth, but it’s Onyx who captures my attention, lifting her chin.
“He’s right. It’s all about the money, don’t you know, Hazel? I hope you’ll excuse me, but I'm not feeling like being out after all. I'm going to head home.” Though her voice shakes, she doesn’t hesitate, and as she spins, the money falls to the floor.
She leaves, just like that. So easily. Walking away from us all over again. I rush after her before I can even stop, throwing off Lukas’ hands and shoving Sven out of the way. I catch her arm and spin her around.
