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I couldn’t even find the trail. It made no sense. Luckily the ground wasn’t too rough, so I could easily walk downhill through the trees. I tried to keep a lid on my panic when I realized I had no idea where I was and how far away I was from my car. Logically, I knew at some point I should hit the main road, so I kept trekking.
After about a half hour, I heard the first sound of traffic and breathed a sigh of relief. I’d have even more relief when I could rest - my backpack was stuffed full with my supplies and my back was starting to hurt. As I picked up my pace, I saw a small road ahead. But this wasn’t the one that ran directly to the campsite. I followed it anyway, keeping my eyes out for anyone driving by who I could flag down. Soon I saw a few buildings in the distance. I pulled out my phone, feeling shaken by the whole ordeal. I wanted to call Rob and find out how I ended up here. Hopefully, he would answer. But as I clicked through my screen, I still didn’t have reception. “That’s odd,” I muttered to myself, trying to figure out why the phone still didn’t work so close to town. I walked toward the nearest building, which looked like a convenience store. I must have been on a side of town I’d never been to before. I didn’t know this area at all.
Something pulled at my attention while I was still holding my phone up, waiting for the bars to show. Almost as if my subconscious had alerted me to look, I turned my head in slow motion and saw… him. A tall, incredibly well-built, handsome man with copper-colored hair and tanned skin walking toward the front door of the store. For some reason, I couldn’t take my eyes off him. As I approached, I felt almost as if his aura was pulling me toward him. It was like I knew him - but I had never seen him before in my life. I realized I was staring, and he looked over to me with his amber eyes locking on mine as he flashed a kind smile. How could someone as hot as him also look so genuine? We reached the front door at almost the same time. He held it open for me as I brushed past him, his eyes flashing with a sudden glint of confusion as I entered. I felt small as I went by - what was going on with me? I shook off the spell he had put on me, refocusing on the task at hand. I just wasn’t used to seeing tall, attractive men in my little town. He must just be stopping through.
I headed toward the cashier, a blonde lady with her hair in a low pony. “Hi, can I borrow the phone? Mine doesn’t have any service and I can’t find my car or the parking spot for the campground.” The cashier looked at me, her friendly smile faltering.
“I’m sorry - what campground?” The cashier handed me the phone as I dialed Rob’s number.
“You know, Pine’s Edge. It can’t be too far from here. I just walked down.” I couldn't believe this person didn’t know about the camp. Surely they must have had a lot of people stopping by here for last-minute snacks and drinks. The lady stared at me with confusion as I set my pack down and lifted the phone to my ear only to hear a strange dial tone, then an automated voice saying, “I’m sorry, this phone number does not exist.”
I stared down at the phone, shocked. Had Rob changed his number? Was he that mad that I had stormed out last night? It wasn’t the first time I had gone camping to get a break from him and all the stress of my life. Or was I so behind on bills that our phones were shut off? I looked up at the cashier, my heart racing.
“I can’t get a hold of my boyfriend. I can’t find my car. My phone doesn’t work.” Suddenly I felt my eyes well up with tears, my voice wavering with panic. Then I felt a presence behind me and a calming, deep voice giving me immediate reassurance.
“It’s alright, don’t worry love. We’ll get you all sorted out.” I felt my body relax and turned to see the tall stranger who had held the door open for me earlier. He looked to the cashier. “Jenny, can you call an officer to stop by? I think this woman is lost.” The cashier nodded and gently took the phone back as the magnetic stranger focused his attention on me, making me feel small and shy. “Why don’t we start with your name?” Something about his voice made me feel persuaded to do whatever he wanted me to, and gladly.
“I-I’m Piper, I went camping but I woke up somewhere different, and now I can’t find anything and my phone isn’t working…” I looked down at it, the bars still missing from the screen. The man reached out and held my arm. I felt a sudden jolt from the connection, but not of fear. Like a calming electric current, telling me instinctually that I would be safe, that I would be alright.
“It’s nice to meet you, Piper. I’m Aiden. Did you say Pine’s Edge campsite?” His honey-amber eyes looked at mine as I nodded. The strangest thought entered my mind, that I wanted him to scoop me up, keep me safe, and make everything better. I didn’t know why I was reacting this way, so vulnerable. Usually, I had to be the one to figure everything out, since no one else could ever be relied upon.
“Piper, we don’t have any campsites nearby with that name. There aren’t many campsites nearby at all.” My mouth dropped open. “But I just walked here from where I had camped! It can’t be that far away!” His large, warm hand smoothed up and down my arm, giving me comfort. “It’s alright, you just got lost. Where are you from, Piper?” Had I really gotten that far from the campsite? “I’m from Weatherby.” His mouth turned down in a slight frown as he pulled out his phone.
“I’m sorry, where is Weatherby located? You’re all the way out in Haven.” Now it was my turn to frown. “Haven? Where is Haven? No, there’s no town nearby Weatherby named Haven! Where am I?” Again I started to panic, and my lips trembled as my eyes blurred over in tears. Suddenly both his hands were on me, moving up and down my arms as he spoke to me in low murmurs.
“It’s okay, everything is going to be okay. Calm down. You’re going to be alright. Deep breaths.” Some type of magic happened, because every time he spoke to me, I was able to follow his suggestions. In fact, I was suddenly really intent to see, hear and feel more of him. My brain felt overloaded, and my body started heating. I instinctively leaned into him and felt him stiffen as my arms went around his. I leaned in, wanting to be closer to him, climb all over him, and get wrapped up in his presence.
“Alpha.”Somehow that word escaped my mouth, and he went still. What the hell did I just say? Had I lost it? I realized I was hugging a virtual stranger, and he gently pulled me back to look at my face. “I’m sorry, youarea beta right?” I looked up at him in mirrored confusion.
“A beta?” What was he talking about? Just then, the door opened and a police officer walked in. The uniform was slightly different in color and style than I had seen before, and I was certain I had somehow crossed counties. “Over here, officer. She’s just a little shaken up, that’s all.” The officer headed my way and pulled out a pad of paper as Aiden took over to explain the situation.
“Can I get your ID, Piper?” The officer asked as I reached into my backpack. But when I handed it over to him, he scoured it with his eyes and looked back at me suspiciously. “What is this?” He held it up to face me.
“What do you mean?” He waved the ID in front of my face.
“Is this a fake? No such place exists. What are you playing at?” I felt Aiden’s arm curl around me protectively. “I assure you, officer, I’ve been here since she arrived, she’s very upset. It’s not a joke.” The man looked at Aiden, then back at me and how Aiden’s arm was holding me. “What’s your designation?” He asked.
“I’m sorry?” I looked at him, trying to understand what he was saying.
“Your designation, what is it?” I looked at Aiden for reassurance. He leaned in, taking a large breath near my head.
“Officer… She had a muted scent, but it’s not like any type of blocker I’ve smelled before. She seems to be a beta, but there’s something else… Do you smell it? I think she needs to go to a doctor.” Scent? What were they talking about? Did I smell from one night of camping?
“Beta? What do you mean? What’s going on?” My words came out fast as I suddenly felt hot, dizzy, and confused. My stomach let out a cramp, and I bowled over. The pain was coming in waves, and I felt my skin bead up with sweat. Something was wrong with me. But I didn’t want to go to the hospital. I wanted to stay here, with Aiden, have him hold me in his arms, take me to a warm, dark place and peel off my clothes…
“Oh shit.” I barely heard the officer as my head started swimming. “Do you smell that?” I heard Aiden exclaim as he cupped his hand over his mouth and nose, backing away. All my senses were confused, my skin was burning up, and I started cramping even more, now coupled with need. Ineededhim to comfort me. Ineededhim to protect me. Ineededhim. Then a sudden, sweet fragrance seemed to float up around us, and I realized it was coming from my sweat. In between waves of pain, I heard pieces of conversation.
“Can’t be possible… Unheard of… license says she’s twenty-eight…” I felt Aiden getting further away from me, his warm touch suddenly absent. A whine started deep in my throat, and I looked around for him, but I was now somehow on the floor, curled into a ball while the cashier kneeled over me, stroking my hair. “Call an ambulance! Now!” It was the last thing I remembered before everything went dark.
Chapter 3
Piper
I woke to the steady beep of a heart monitor. My eyes peeled open and I found I was in a hospital room with an IV in my arm. Clutching the bed for stability, I tried to slowly get up, then felt a wave of nausea. My body felt sore, as if I had a horrible period or some type of internal stomach upset. Also, my nether regions felt… soaked. I reached my hand down under my hospital gown. Had I started my period? I pulled it back up to find not blood, but a clear fluid that had the same faintly sweet odor that had surrounded me before I blacked out earlier. I tried to stumble out of bed to go to the bathroom, but the IV posed a struggle. I was still messing with it when I saw a passing nurse look at me through the window, then quickly turn and enter my room.
“It’s okay, sweetheart, let me help you. Did you just wake up?” I nodded and the kind nurse helped me to the restroom. “I’ll be out here when you’re done. The doctor will be in shortly.” She said as I nodded and shut the door. My throat felt raw, and when I wiped I had to do so several times to get rid of the wetness that was leaking from me. I needed to find out what was wrong with me. At least now someone would help me figure out where I was. My memories were still hazy, but the most prominent one was of the mystery man who had helped me right before the police arrived. Once I came out of the bathroom, another woman was there with the nurse. She smiled and patted the bed.
“Come have a seat, Piper. I’m Dr. Calloway.” I nodded and went to lay back down, still exhausted. “It seems you gave everyone quite a scare back there. Your situation is an anomaly, but a miracle nonetheless.” I tried to speak, my voice scratchy. “What’s wrong with me? I rasped out. The doctor smiled and sat down at the foot of the bed. “Nothing's wrong. I know this might come as a shock to you, but just now, at your age, you presented as an omega - I know. It’s quite surprising, and we are currently checking records to see if there is any other person who has presented at such a late age. We’re actually in the Omega wing of the hospital. Since you lived most of your life as a beta, your body is now trying to go through the changes it normally would go through during puberty. Unfortunately, it seems as if your body has suppressed a heat for so long that it’s trying to speed through the process, and throw you into heat before you are fully able to lubricate and take a knot.” I sat there on the bed, my head still fuzzy. I had absolutely no idea what she was talking about. Maybe I hit my head too hard. She continued talking while I looked at her. “With that in mind, we think we can suppress your heat for long enough that your body can adjust and have time to make the necessary changes before you have your first heat. We’ve come up with a cocktail of medicine that we think will help you, but since your case is a first, we will have to carefully monitor you. In the meantime, someone from Omega Social Services will help you get set up with an alpha or a pack to get you through your heat, unless you already know someone who can assist you.” I took a breath, wondering what all these terms meant.
