Page 126 of Scent of Home

“Everyone knew it was me. My boss called me into his office, and he looked at me and asked me two questions. He asked how far are you going to go, Erin? What are you prepared to do?”

Erin turns and looks at me, her eyes cold and hard. “I love with all of me. I’m obsessive, dangerously so. But I’m protective. This is my answer. This is how far I’m going to go, and this is what I’m prepared to do. The answer, Bray, is however far I need and whatever it takes.”

I swallow hard, captivated by the alpha who has claimed part of my soul.

My alpha puts her boot on Delilah and pushes her slowly into the water. The beta sinks, unable to move. Her face below just an inch of water. The terror is something I have never seen on another person, but I can’t make myself move. This beta is the source of agony in my omega.

I’m not saving her. Whatever it takes. However far I have to go. They are worth it. My pack is worth it.

The unease vanishes and raw approval fills the void.

“Erin!” I purr. I grip her hand, holding it until my knuckles turn white. Together, a united front. She’s not alone, I’m the same.

She lifts her head and looks at me. “Go and look after our omega, Bray. I have something I need to do.”

I hesitate, but the glossy rage in her eyes, that purpose written all over her face, is not something I’m going to be able to change. And I don’t want to.

But it is a reminder of who she is. Of who we all are. She has her job, and I have mine.

I walk up the bank, my pace increasing until I’m jogging. It’s a slow jog with a limp, but I’m moving faster than a walk.

Martha and Jolene hand me a cup of hot cocoa when I get to the top and move me to towards the fire barrels they’ve set up. I stand close to them, shivering intensely, while I watch Doctor James work on Locke. The two women towel me dry.

“He’s going to be fine,” Finn says.

I glance at Finn.

“How do you know?” I ask in desperation.

“Because he’s strong. And we’re strong.”

Finn pulls my cup out of my hands and peels off my wet clothes before he wraps me in more blankets, and then wraps himself around me, burying his face in my shoulder.

“Finn, people will-”

“I don’t care, we’re pack. You and me, we’re the same, Bray. Just different sides. I love you. I’ve hated you, sure, but I think it's always because I was so fascinated with you.”

“He will be okay,” I whisper. “We’ll go back to the house in the mountains and-”

“Don’t talk nonsense, boy!” Alma snaps. “You’ll stay here until you’re all better!”

I blink at her.

“What are you saying?”

She blows out her cheeks. “I’m saying we had a talk, and we realised we were being, well, we were wrong about you, boy. Very wrong. You’re a good one and good for our Finn. We keep telling you this, Bray. We want you to stay. Suck it up, you’re stuck with us. We’re changing, give us a chance.”

Finn kisses the bare skin of my throat.

I don’t know if I can forgive the town, but I’m willing to try for Locke, for Erin, for Shane, and for Finn.

Locke coughs, and the doctor murmurs something. Shane looks at us and then leans down and picks up our omega. He glances at us, waiting for us to follow. I wave him on.

“Finn, they’re leaving. Come on, we have to go.”

Finn takes a step and collapses. There’s no warning. One minute, he’s standing, the next, he’s going down.

I manage to get my hand under his head before we both hit the ground.

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