Page 5 of Rescuing Red

Maybe she should search for it on the map, but the street was too busy and there wasn’t anywhere for her to spread out the map. Noticing a little eatery across the way, Liz picked her path through the throng of people until she could slide into the shop.

She stood for a moment, unhappy with how busy it was, but finally found an empty table near the window. Slipping into the tiny two-seater table, she flattened the map over the sparkling top and started her search. Before she figured out where the station was on the map, a beta woman cleared her throat and asked her what she wanted to order.

Frazzled, Liz blurted that she’d like some water.

“And what else?”

The pale-skinned, brunette woman glanced at a sign near the door, alerting Liz that there was a minimum charge amount per patron. Liz blushed and ordered some juice, the thought of eating anything substantial churning her stomach. The landinghad been smooth, all things considered, but she didn’t feel settled enough for food.

A flash of discomfort rose from her feet again, making her clamp her mouth shut and breathe through her nose. The woman cocked a brow at her but waited for Liz to continue.

“Toast?”

After nodding, the waitress bustled to the next table and continued her rounds. Liz bent over the map, locating the station before moving her eyes past the wall surrounding the city.

Just as she found her nana’s village, a shadow blocked her light. Sitting as straight as possible, Liz looked up into bright blue eyes, words freezing on the tip of her tongue. Much taller than the waitress, the alpha male motioned to the empty seat across from Liz.

“Can I join you? Everywhere else is full.”

“Um. Sure.”

Liz folded the map so the parts she didn’t need weren’t visible anymore, but when the huge guy wedged his body into the seat across from her, unease crawled up her spine.

She reminded herself that they were in the middle of a busy restaurant. Despite his towering height and impressive muscles, he couldn’t hurt her or force her to do anything she didn’t want to do.

Yet her instincts told her to run.

Trapped between propriety and fear, Liz gathered the map and held it in her lap, trying to make eye contact with anyone besides the hulking beast sitting across from her.

“Trying to get off this rock before the attack?”

His gravelly voice yanked her attention right where she didn’t want it—to his perfectly symmetrical face. Worms crawled in her belly, even as his pearly white smile urged her to relax.

“I… I just got here.”

Stupid, stupid Liz, she thought, chastising herself for telling a stranger anything about herself. Without warning, her logic flipped, and her wayward tongue took control. If this powerful alpha was trying to leave, then that meant he’d been on Jun’gale for a while. If anyone could help her find her nana, it would be someone like him.

Right?

“Actually, I’m trying to find Nana—I mean, my grandmother. She lives east of here. Do you know the best way to get out of the city?”

One perfectly shaped eyebrow went up before the man responded.

“Everything is moving toward the station right now, not the other way. I’m leaving as soon as the first wave of city folk clear out and I can get a spot on a transport. Your grandmother is probably already off planet anyway, so why don’t you come with me? I can keep you safe.”

Gut twisting in alarm, Liz stood and shook her head. Noticing the waitress headed their way, she spoke as loud and clear as she could.

“No. I will not come with you. I don’t know you. Please leave me alone.”

When she turned, the waitress stood right behind her. Slipping a few credits from her pocket, Liz swapped them for the water, chugging it down before grabbing the toast off the plate and darting out the door.

Pointing her toes east, she rushed down the road until a bus stop magically appeared in front of her. She scarfed down the toast and paid the fare, sitting at the front of the bus since no one else was on it. When the driver parked at the furthest stop, Liz stood, eyeing the swarm of people waiting outside.

“Are you sure you want to get off here?”

She looked the elder beta male in the eye and nodded, still too shaken to trust her voice. He blocked the door with his own body as the doors swung open and yelled for everyone to make a path, warning he wouldn’t allow anyone onboard who interfered with her exiting.

Liz slipped through the crowd and stared at the wall surrounding the city. So high it seemed to block out the world, there was no way she could imagine anyone scaling it. Turning to the road that led to the closest gate, she groaned at the sight that greeted her.

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