Page 13 of Snatched Up By the Cartel

Our eyes met, holding each other captive, conveying a thousand unspoken words. I saw the desire in his gaze, the same longing that burned within me. My lips parted slightly, my breath catching as I awaited his next move.

And then, ever so slowly, he leaned in. I felt his breath mingle with mine, his lips hovering just a hair's breadth away. My heart stuttered, my entire body thrumming with anticipation.

Our lips touched, softly at first, like a whisper, a question asked and answered in the same breath. It was gentle, tentative, as if we were both afraid to fully embrace the intensity of what we felt.

But as the moment stretched on, something shifted. The kiss deepened, our lips pressing together more firmly, our mouths molding to one another. I felt the soft caress of his tongue against mine, a silent invitation that I eagerly accepted.

The kiss ignited a fire within me, a rush of desire that spread through my veins like wildfire.

Later, we went about our routine, our interactions marked by a newfound awareness of what lay between us. There was still so much to be resolved between us, but for now, we were at peace we accepted this new reality.

The fragile peace we had found was about to be shattered, though. I knew something bad was going to happen. I had this gut feeling that something was going to challenge us, but I didn't fear it. I was prepared for whatever it was going to be.

It was Vance. He and his crew ambushed me in the hallway, their faces twisted with malicious intent. Even after Mateo made it pretty clear he was protecting me, they still didn't give up on me. They had an obsession with me.

"Thought you could get away with that little display in the yard, did you?" Vance sneered, his eyes cold. "Well, we're here to remind you of your place, omega."

I tried to back away, my heart pounding, but they had me cornered. They thought this through, no denying it. If Mateo didn't show up, they were going to beat me up and possibly kill me.

I felt their hands grab me, rough and calloused, their touches invasive. I remembered their touches when we were in the shower room that time, sometime after I was put in prison. It was abhorrent.

I struggled, but they were too strong, their numbers overwhelming. There were so many of them. It felt like they were everywhere.

"Let him go!" Mateo's voice boomed, cutting through the hallway. Relief washed over me. Especially after confirming we were fated mates, he was always around. Just like so many times before, he was going to protect me.

He stood at the end of the hall, his body tense, his eyes flashing with anger. He wanted to kill all of them. If they didn't put up a fight, that's exactly what would happen, and I would be overjoyed.

Vance smirked, his gaze flicking to Mateo. "Looks like your little omega's in trouble again, Solstice. You sure you wanna keep protecting him?"

He didn't even have to answer that question. Of course that was exactly what he was going to do. There was no denying it.

He advanced, his steps purposeful. "Back off, Vance. I won't warn you again."

But given what happened last time they brawled, Vance wasn't going to fear what Mateo might do. If worse came to worst, I would step up and get involved in the fight.

Vance laughed, a cruel, mirthless sound. "Or what? You'll beat me up? You're in no shape for a fight, Solstice. Looks like your little omega's on his own."

But that wasn't true. Mateo was actually in much better shape than Vance gave him credit for. He was strong. Even though he wasn't at 100%, he could still beat up most people in prison. He could still take on several inmates at the same time.

I struggled against their hold, my heart pounding. I wished I could do something, but I was so weak. I hated myself for being that way.

"Stop!" I shouted, my voice cracking. "Please, just leave him alone!"

It kind of happened without me thinking about it at least a couple times. I was so worried for Mateo. I didn't want him to get hurt. I knew he was going to be okay, but… I still couldn't help but feel concerned.

Vance's eyes narrowed, his gaze flicking between us. "Oh, so now you're begging for him, omega? How pathetic."

I felt a surge of anger, a protective instinct rising within me. How dare he! Just because I was worried for my alpha, it didn't mean it was pathetic. If anything, it showed my strength.

"He's my mate," I said, the words tumbling out before I could stop them. "My fated mate."

Vance stilled, his eyes widening in surprise. He thought there were so many things going on between me and Mateo, but he never considered the possibility of me having found the person who was going to be with me for the rest of my life. It surprised him. It shocked him, to say the least.

He turned to Mateo, a mixture of emotions flashing across his face. "Is this true, Solstice? You and this omega?"

There was something very truthful about my statement and yet, he still couldn't believe it. Not without Mateo's confirmation, he couldn't.

Mateo stood tall, his eyes fixed on me. "It's true," he said, his voice steady. "He's mine, and you will never touch him again."

---