Page 42 of Feral Omega

I shrug, keeping my expression carefully blank. "Seemed a shame to waste a nice day."

Ivy shrinks back at the venom in his tone, pressing herself against the opposite end of the log. Can't say I blame her. When Thane gets riled up, the man's like an avalanche, all that tightly leashed rage and power rolling over everything in its path.

"You know the rules, Valek," he growls, stalking closer with every word as if he thinks that intimidates me. "She's on lockdown for a reason. We can't have her running off into the fucking woods!"

"Well then," I drawl, rising to my feet in one lazy motion, "maybe you shouldn't have left that dipshit Whiskey in charge of watching her."

Thane's jaw ticks, fury and something darker flickering in those fathomless eyes. He opens his mouth, no doubt to ream me a new one, when a flurry of motion catches my eye.

Ivy is on her feet, bolting for the tree line.

For a heartbeat, Thane and I both freeze, stunned by the sheer audacity of her move.

Then I'm giving chase, my longer legs devouring the distance between us. I could just use my alpha bark to stop her in her tracks, but the thrill of the chase is too tantalizing to resist, and there's no way she's getting away from me anyway. It's no surprise Thane doesn't use his. The overgrown Boy Scout loves nothing more than waxing poetic about flowery bullshit like trust and patience.

I catch her around the waist just as she reaches the trees, spinning her around and pinning her against the rough bark of a pine.

She bares her teeth at me in a feral snarl, clawing and kicking. But I'm too strong, my grip unbreakable as I press the hard line of my body against hers.

"Easy there, little rabbit," I growl, bending until my face is a hair's breadth from hers. "You want to go play in the woods, be my guest. But I warned you about being prepared."

Ivy stills beneath me, chest heaving. Those blazing blue-green eyes bore into mine, equal parts hatred and hunger burning in their depths.

And just like that, I'm utterly lost, drowning in her scent and fire, consumed by the need to break her, to claim her, to make this fierce untamed creature mine in every sense of the word.

A low, warning growl snaps me back to reality. I glance over my shoulder to find Thane looming behind me, his face like thunder.

"Let. Her. Go." Each word is bitten off, laced with alpha command.

For a beat, I consider not listening. Consider letting the darkness take over, letting the bloodlust surge until I tear into him, all for the sake of keeping this blazing creature for myself. Make his face match his brother's.

But the moment passes. I'm nothing if not patient. Reluctantly, I release Ivy, letting her stagger back a pace. Thane moves between us, his massive frame blocking her from my view.

"Get back to the compound," he snarls at me, the words dripping. "Now."

I meet his glare for a defiant second, just to let him know I'm only backing down because I want to, not because I'm responding to his alpha bark. Perhaps that would work on some other idiot, but not me. Then I turn on my heel and stalk off into the trees, the phantom burn of Ivy's heated stare searing my back all the way.

I'll get her alone again soon enough. And when I do, all bets are off.

The hunt is on.

Chapter

Eighteen

IVY

Thane's grip on my arm is firm as he escorts me back to the infirmary, his anger rolling off him in waves.

But it's not directed at me. His glare is fixed straight ahead, no doubt imagining wringing Valek's neck. Still, being this close to an emotional alpha sets my nerves on edge.

I'm not sure he could wring Valek's neck. Thane's raw power is broadcasted in every move he makes and every word that comes from his mouth, but Valek is equally powerful in his own right. Equally dangerous.

They're all beasts in different ways.

Thane, a noble lion.

Plague, a skulking crow.

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