Honestly, normally I would have run screaming in the other direction, with images of being chopped up and buried in the forest for wolves to eat later running through my brain. But inexplicably, I trusted them. And what awaited me here? Way, way worse. The idea of being inaccessible was actually kind of reassuring, which was obviously the true indicator of how fucked my life really was.
They all eyed me like they’d expected me to blow up, and my lack of response seemed more concerning than having to talk me into a van. Seven was strapping Luisa into the carseat, and now Norma up the road was standing on her front lawn unapologetically staring at us.
“Uh, Omega. You might have to kiss me so your neighbors don't call the cops,” he joked, but the heat that pooled in my belly at the suggestion was no joke. I stood on my toes, placing my hands on his chest. Even on my toes, I was nowhere near his lips. His huge hand rested on my lower back as he stooped down, taking my lips in a soft kiss that made my whole body tingle. I grabbed his shirt and held him to me as I deepened the kiss, running my tongue across the seam of lips, making him moan.
A throat cleared. “There's a difference between convincing them she’s leaving willingly and a live porn show on the front lawn, Finlo.” Gatlin’s dry baritone ran over my skin like an actual caress, and I shivered.
Raiden groaned. “Let’s go before we have an orgy in the front yard and Naja can never return.”
I froze, but stepped around Finlo toward the car. I couldn’t return, ever. They didn’t know that, but given the looks on their faces, they at least suspected. I climbed in beside a contented Luisa, and Finlo climbed into the back row of seats beside Ellar. Raiden sat on the opposite side of the car seat, and Gatlin was in the driver's seat, Seven beside him.
I looked at the little pink house that had been my refuge for a year now, and couldn't help but feel sad. Which was stupid. It was just a house, and not even my house. But I’d had some of the first happy moments for Luisa there, when she’d smiled and laughed and hadn’t been terrified all the time.
As we pulled away from the curb, away from the house, I reached out and grabbed her hand, which she gripped like she had the strength of ten men and not a toddler. Hell, anyone who’s ever tried to get something off a toddler will know that bodybuilders and toddlers have the same hand strength.
Raiden reached over, his huge hand covering both of ours. “This is a good thing, I promise. We will treat you like the queen you’re supposed to be, Naja. I swear it.”
I gave him a weak smile. I didn’t need to be treated like a queen. I just needed us to be safe. And I had a feeling that our ordeal was far from over. The guillotine was hanging in the air, and I just didn’t know when it would fall and end us all.
15
Seven
The Manix people were once the fiercest warriors. One Pack of Manix could take out a whole settlement of shifters. We were trained in armed combat from the time we could walk, in ancient weapons such as the sword and bow, and in more modern weapons like firearms.
But it was just tradition at this point. No one was coming for the Manix, and the enemy that was killing us off wasn’t one you could fight with a sword or a gun.
The Legion, the ruling council of the Manix, were proud and traditional to the point of fucking us all over. They believed that the solution to our slowly dwindling numbers would come in the form of divine intervention or we’d just die out, whatever the Goddess’ will would be. At no point should we ever sully our bloodlines by finding mates outside of the Manix. Oh no, if we were going to die out, we were going to die out pureblooded. Idiots.
I looked in the mirror at Naja, who had her face turned to look at the scenery rushing past. Normally I would have called out the Manix ability to stick its head in the sand and ignore any problem that couldn’t be solved by fists or firearms, but Naja seemed a lot like divine intervention to me.
The Manix lived in a heavily warded section of mountains, somewhere just over the border of Montana in Idaho, in a valley between two giant mountains. My Pack lived as far away as we could damn well get from the other Manix while still being inside those protective wards. We avoided Maxton, which was the main Manix-populated town, as much as we possibly could. If we had to go into town for supplies, normally Finlo went. His parents were well-respected, plus he was an Alpha, which already commanded more respect than the rest of us.
Didn’t mean Finlo liked it, at all. He hated the trips, hated the people, and when he got back, he was usually sullen for a day. I got it.
Manix society was archaic. Low-ranking Betas were ignored. Half-bloods were basically kick toys for everyone. It was nepotistic and backward, and definitely contributed to the fact that we were almost extinct.
Sometimes, a little part of me wondered if we shouldn’t let nature take its course—adapt or die was the very fundamental principle of nature. But then I looked at Raiden, who rebelled against his society-given role. And Naja, a gift dropped in our laps by fate herself.
Maybe the next generation could make better choices and save us all.
We turned off onto a fire trail, bouncing alongside the river for nearly twenty miles. Luisa had woken at the first bump, but she was having a great time, screaming and flailing like we were on an amusement park ride.
Finally, we reached the end of the road, and also the edge of the ward. My Beast felt like he could relax now that we were so close to home. I’d been stressed out since I first caught Naja’s scent.
Ellar climbed out of the car, his grin wide. I could tell he was over the moon to have the Omega on Manix land, and soon to be in our house. Ellar liked to make nests almost as much as an Omega. He said it was natural to want a cosy little spot, and people had been making nooks for centuries. The guy had a knack for it, and honestly, it made him happy, so I’d order all the fluffy throw pillows online that he asked for.
And there were a lot.
We all climbed out and stretched our legs as Finlo turned the car around so I could take it back to town. I’d drop it down in Hamilton, and the hire company would come and collect it. Then I’d run back, and once I hit the privacy of the woods, I’d shift. I was damn fast as a Beast. I’d be back by nightfall, quicker if they left me a bike at the trailhead.
There was a slow running creek down under a small wooden bridge that had been put there over a century before but remained sturdy, and it was a warm enough day to splash around. I sidled up to Naja, still trying to figure out how to even talk to her. Every time I opened my mouth, stupidity fell out.
I cleared my throat. “The creek is clear and slow moving, if you want to let Luisa play in it?” I asked softly. I just had to control my natural instincts to dominate, which had come from years of trying to be the best, until I’d realized the best made me completely unappealing to Manix society. Because Betas weren’t meant to be the best. We were the backups. The support for the Alphas, as we propped uptheirgreatness.
Not in our Pack, of course. Gatlin didn’t buy into that crap and neither did Finlo.
She smiled and nodded, handing me the baby as she pulled off her own shoes. The small dirt trail to the water had been worn smooth by animals, so it was easy for Naja to pick her way down the embankment. I tossed the baby in the air, and she loved it, completely trusting that I would catch her when she came down.
