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"I said that they'll be arriving in the next few days, no set date, and with the storms this time of year, it's a toss up. Just keep an eye out and wake me up if I'm sleeping when they get here," he ordered. He didn't stay to see if I listened this time, stalking off toward his own suite instead.
“Goodnight,” I sang out as he rounded the corner, but grumbling was the only response I got back.
Once he was gone, the lobby descended into silence again. I got up and tied my flannel around my waist, knowing I wouldn't need it once I got to work. If the snow was this deep already, then I had to get the extra rugs out to keep the floors from getting too slippery.
After mopping up the snow West had left behind, I got to work on readying the lobby. I'd just finished putting the rugs out and dusting when the first early-bird guests started filing into the dining room. As soon as they opened the double doors, the smell of bacon and maple syrup hit me. A loud rumble echoed in the room, and I knew what was coming next.
"See, this is why I feed you. You better still eat when I'm gone," Molly grumbled, hobbling in and plopping a tray full of food in front of me. I hadn't gone for a flight this morning, so I wouldn't eat half of it, but she liked to be prepared for those days. I swore she threw a party every time I cleared it. She was like a sarcastic, blunt cheerleader who didn't have the nicest way of saying things but always wanted what was best for you.
"Thanks, Molly. I will," I promised, though I damn well knew I'd be drinking more coffee and waiting until I was starving to sneak off for food. Unless Molly formed some kind of alliance with the new cook so I never freed myself from the mother hens of the world.
She gave me one last lingering stink eye before rushing back to the dining room. Food went fast in there, and she hated the idea of anyone going hungry. If not for the bus boys they kept around, she’d work herself to death. She was stubborn and proud enough to do it. We all had our flaws here at Mountainview, the hotel staffed with misfit supes and stubborn humans. Not exactly a selling point, but it worked for me.
The rest of the morning passed in its usual whirlwind of chaos—mopping, fulfilling guest requests, and downing coffee. We had a few teenagers that came in on weekdays to help cover the afternoon and early evening, so I'd get a break soon.
When Zachary finally walked in, covered in snow and half frozen, I could have done a happy dance. Heavy snow and fog were the best flying conditions, allowing me to stretch my wings and let Zehra out without a high risk of being caught. I worked hard to keep myself under wraps, and I wasn't about to jeopardize that. Not to mention, there were too many terrifying outcomes to being outed; I wanted no part of that. I hid and ran for a reason.
When I got back to my room, I sent a text to West to let him know I was disappearing for a bit before grabbing my winter gear and heading out the staff doors in the back. Since they faced the mountains, they gave me a chance to sneak away unseen. There was a path that led to a grove of trees. On the other side was a cave entrance, the system a maze of dangerous uncharted tunnels for the average person, but I knew them like the back of my hand. West had helped me navigate them when he realized why I was sneaking into the mountains as often as I could. It was a terrifying moment, but he’d proved his loyalty to me through how seriously he took his role as protective father figure.
After doing my usual trek, I came out to the little cabin I'd made my own. We'd finished it when I was eighteen, and it had been a home away from home when I needed it. A private nest for my torturously lonely heats. An escape from the chaos of Mountainview during tourist season. Whatever its purposes, it was my second home.
West never questioned the need for it, and I'd turned the little lost cabin into my cozy spot. He'd even hunted down the original property owners and bought it. The fact that he put the deed in my name was a gesture I'd never forget.
This time, I didn't duck inside. Instead, I dropped my hiking backpack at the door along with my amulet. The moment it was off, Zehra's presence heightened, our power flowing freely through my veins. She wasn’t always this close to the surface, but she itched to stretch our wings as much as I did, so she came rushing to the surface when she knew we were about to be free. The first few moments were heady and intense, but Zehra was old enough that she easily calmed the flow, giving me relief. As my magic settled, I blinked around with new eyes. All of my senses were heightened, and the need to wear my scales was so strong it was hard to breathe. Each time I let go like this, I realized how much I truly loved Zehra and our dragon form.
Walking out into the snow, I closed my eyes and gave myself over to Zehra. The change started slowly, a tingle of magic along my skin and thrumming through my veins. Then my body faded, replaced by the giant beast who was formerly just an annoying voice in my head. It was an odd thing, being able to feel the entirety of our scaled body, so much different than my two-legged form. It was disorienting, but when the initial moment passed, I felt unstoppable.
As we blinked open our eyes, the world sharpened even more, every color more vibrant, every scent stronger despite the cover of snow and ice, and I could see further than should be possible.
Zehra immediately crouched down and sprung into the air, a single flap of our wings sending us flying into the fog. We soared through the mist, taking in deep breaths of mountain air, feeling more balanced and complete than we had in days. I wasn't brave enough to do this often, but when I did, it waseverything.
The mountain range was huge, providing plenty of room to explore. We never had many hikers, and I kept to the cover of clouds to keep from being spotted. But even with the filter I was forced to experience the skies through, I got to witness amazing views. Looking down at the valley and town below was breathtaking. Knowing that so few would ever get to experience this threatened to break my heart.
'I have a feeling we won't be alone for long,'Zehra promised me gently. For once, there was no judgment or attitude in her voice, only longing and sincerity. If she could believe it so strongly, then so would I. As her words sunk in, something in the pit of my soul told me that she was right. Fate hadn’t stuck us on this mountain to live out our days alone.
Things were about to change, and if it was in fact mates coming into my life, I'd have to find a way to trust someone other than West. It wouldn’t be easy, but it would be worth it. Independence was considered a negative trait in omegas, but for me it was a necessity.Could I change that for an alpha or betas? Fall into line like all omegas were made to do?Even as I thought it, I knew I never could. But maybe that wouldn’t matter. If fate were truly the one choosing someone for me, they wouldn't be the type to force me into submission.
And if all else failed, West would kill them and hide the bodies in the mountains. Sometimes it paid to have a crazy uncle on your side, one that wouldn’t shy away from protective murder if the need arose.
As our wings beat against the foggy sky, hope settled in my soul.Gods, please let this be the end of my isolation.
3
Kane
“We’ll never get out of here,” Levi said for the millionth time since we were thrown into this cell. They’d put up extra magical locks as well as regular ones, knowing damn well we’d be breaking out of here if given the chance. We argued and paced back and forth, no ideas coming to us, and the room was filling with the smell of fear.
“We’ll get out of this,” Avi reassured him for the hundredth time, but even that was falling flat at this point. “Kane and Niko will never let this stand.” Their confidence in us was nice, but achieving it wouldn’t be easy. We’d be yanking them from everything they’d known, marking them as fugitives forever. Niko and I shared a look. He knew I was ready to blow, waiting for him to be on board.
“Not yet,” he sighed. “Give it one more meal. I want to test the climate out there. The other guards are loyal to the university, but seeing four of their own treated this way won’t be taken lightly. And when we do go, we go under the cover of darkness.” He tacked on the last statement at the look of exasperation on my face.
“Just for the record,” Avi said, giving me his usual knowing look. After ten years, we knew how to read every glance and look. “I’m aware of what this means. We know there’s no turning back, but between exile and death, I choose exile. I choose our coven.”
“Same,” Levi said, oddly calm. In fact, his absent voice and stark change of personality had us all pausing and turning toward him. Then magic hit me, so strong it was like a punch to the gut.Shit.
“Fuck,” Niko cursed, walking over to rest his hand on Levi’s tattoo. It was magically imbued to shield his power, and from the faint glow that responded to Niko’s touch, the tattoo and his charmed bracelet were failing. “Something is interfering with the wards. We have to go before his secret is out.” His magic was strong enough that the tattoo alone couldn’t hide him away. He also wore a bracelet that Niko’s mom had bought to keep him hidden when she’d taken him in.
“That settles it then.” I grinned, satisfied I could finally act. “Time for me to blast this place apart. They can’t find him.” Before my magic could flare to life, footsteps echoed on the walkway. They were too hurried to be our captors, so all of us moved to the middle of the cell, with Niko and me standing guard in front.
