Page 4 of Savage Trap

Rory splutters behind me, but I just grin at Cam. There’s a reason they call guys with his training head-twisters, because he knows exactly which buttons to push to screw with people.

“You’re mean,” I whisper, leaning forward to brush my lips against his. He tastes like toothpaste, alpha musk, and the smoky-sweetness of French Roast coffee. It’s one of my favorite flavors in the world - and I’d give just about anything to spend a leisurely hour with Cam buried between my legs. But a glance at the sunlight filtering through the drapes tells me we really do have to get moving. “Hold that thought, though. I might need the distraction if flying freaks me out as much as it used to.”

“Hell, yes,” Rory crows, leaping out of bed. “Let’s eat now and fuck on the plane.”

I shoot Cam an amused look right as Link sticks his head through the door to hurry us up. Link’s gaze rakes over me, lingering on the bite marks Kelly gave me in the bath, so I turn my back as I throw on my jeans and a sweater. No point rubbing his face in it when he’s the only alpha in our pack whose bite I haven’t taken.

Although we’ve barely made it into the hall before Rory slips his arms around my waist and gives Link a smug grin. “We’ve called dibs on Angel’s first mile-high hump.”

Link ignores him, but I shove an elbow into Rory’s ribs. “I seem to remember Cam offering to eat me out. How does that translate to fucking you both in first class?”

Rory just smacks a kiss on my cheek. “When your dad owns the plane, it’s all first class, baby. And you know that as soon as my boy Cam gets you going, my chances at a happy ending are pretty much guaranteed.”

It’s my turn to splutter, but I can’t really argue. Pack life is all about sweet moments that end up escalating into sweaty, steamy puppy piles.

But I pull away from Rory when we get to the end of the hallway and find Bonnie and Zack waiting for me. They look like teenage twins with their flyaway hair and delicate features, but they’re actually a couple of years older than me. They’re standing just inside the door to their suite, their arms folded tight to their chests and their eyes on the floor. I wave the guys off, and as soon as the alphas have headed downstairs, they both relax a bit. “Sorry to disturb you, Elvi,” Bonnie tells me in her near-whisper, “but we just wanted to show you something.”

“You’re not disturbing me,” I reply, and follow them into their room. The drapes are closed and only one lamp glows in the corner. But I also note the candy wrappers on the bed and the magazines and clothes scattered about. It’s a good sign, since most of the omegas were too afraid to leave a wrinkle in their sheets when they first arrived.

“Zack, show her.” Bonnie gives the male omega a gentle nudge. “You can trust Elvi.”

That gets my attention, and I give Zack a reassuring smile. He’s a little taller than me but painfully thin, and every time I look at him, my wolf wants me to give him a hug. But just because he looks vulnerable doesn’t mean he wants the world to see him that way, so I always hold back.

“I was practicing the meditation exercises you taught me, and then this happened.” He holds out his arm, and I stare at the light dusting of black fur on his wrist. It’s nothing like his own white-blond hair and is a stark contrast to his milky skin. “I don’t know why it’s so dark… our wolves are s’posed to have our coloring, right?”

It’s true, but his face is so anxious, I refuse to give him something else to worry about. “The more I learn about my wolf, the less I know, but I can tell you it’s amazing, Zack. Partial shifts like this are high-level power.”

A pleased blush climbs his pale cheeks, and he gives a relieved sigh. “I thought… I was worried it meant something’s wrong with me.”

It’s not the first time he’s expressed this fear. In fact, most of the omegas have said something similar while we’ve been teaching them to shift at will. It’s one of the more fucked up aspects of our biology; that omegas can’t draw out their wolves without an alpha to command them. But Kelly and I have mastered the skill, and while not all the omegas have shown an interest yet, Bonnie and Zack have been two of our most eager students.

And it hurts my heart to see the self-doubt in his eyes now. “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with you, Zack. My wolf thinks you’ve got a real beast lurking under your skin. This is probably just another sign of the power you’re going to have.”

His chest puffs up and I see a hint of masculine pride in his eyes. “Really? Your wolf told you that?”

“She’s very curious to meet him.” I lean forward and whisper in his ear. “I think he’s going to be a complete badass.”

Zack laughs, while Bonnie clutches his arm and stares up at him like he just slipped into tights and a cape. As they both study the fur on his wrist with wide eyes, I wonder if they’re actually siblings. They sleep in the same bed – which isn’t that strange for shifters who’ve been through a trauma – but they’re never more than a room apart, and my wolf thinks they might be a bonded pair. I’m not sure if that means they have an alpha out there somewhere who they never talk about, or if their bond just works differently. Like I said, the more I learn, the less I really know about the wonders of omega biology.

“Just keep practicing, and we’ll do a session with my wolf when we get back.”

They nod eagerly, their attention solely on each other as they pet Zack’s fur, but I feel a pang of disquiet as I head downstairs. Logically, I know there’s no safer place for them than the Ferrier Estate, but it still makes me uneasy to leave them. All the omegas deserve protection, but there’s a special place in my heart for Bonnie and Zack.

And then there’s Mrs. Lewis. She’s a tiny, wrinkled omega who’s been the Ferrier’s housekeeper since my dead granddad was in diapers. But she’s taught me a lot about inner strength, not only in the competent way she runs an overflowing house, but in the care and compassion she shows to everyone, no matter their designation. And the way she turns my growly alphas into obedient little pups is a skill I hope to one day master for myself.

“I’m not one for lectures,” she says a half hour later as we watch my pack load our luggage into an SUV, “but remember to lean on them a little, Elvana. You don’t have to do everything for yourself.”

“I’m trying.”

“I know you are. But until you accept them fully, your pack bonds will be out of balance.”

I nod, but when my gaze brushes Link’s, I look away. If anything is lop-sided in our pack, it’s my relationship with him. But there’s not much I can do about it until we’re back home and things have settled down.

Because procrastinating is so much easier than having an adult conversation about my feelings.

Ugh.

Mrs. Lewis gives me an amused look. “You’re strong, Elvana. That means you can do most things for yourself. But remember, it’s a gift to offer others the chance to do something for you.”

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