Page 128 of Scent of Home

Alma reaches out and squeezes my hand. “Do what you have to do, Alpha. Twin Rivers looks after its own.”

“Thank you,” I say softly and walk up the stairs.

On the first floor, I get off, passing room twelve, where my unconscious omega lays.

Wait, Alma said they?

Anxiety spikes, but I slow my thoughts, focusing instead on room 9.

What’s behind door 9?

Nothing that belongs in this town.

I stop and bang on it.

There’s a rush, and then the door opens just a little bit. I shove it hard and suddenly, barging my way into the room. It’s small with floral wallpaper and two double beds in a dimly lit room.

“Why, hello,” I purr in pure spite and vitriol.

The man stumbles back, cursing, but when he sees me, his face goes white. Wiley Franks is not a good-looking guy. But he’s got a nice body, or so the magazines claim. To me, he looks haggard and washed up.

The omega sits on the bed, her scent so deadened I can’t figure out what it is. Her blond hair curtains her face, and I wonder if she knows what she’s done. The other is a beta, and she’s shivering, her eyes huge as she stares at me in horror. Her brown hair is curly ringlets. She’s cute, or she would be if she wasn’t terrified.

“I’m going to ask some questions, and you, Pack Derision, are going to answer them.”

They all flinch.

“It’s Pack May,” the omega, Paige, says sadly. “We’re Pack May.”

I growl. “I keep asking myself the same thing. What am I prepared to do to protect my omega? To protect my pack? And I think anything. So in a way, I can empathize with how you ended up in this decision.”

The alpha looks up, his grief-filled eyes hopeful.

“But I can’t ever forgive you. People hurt him, and you let that happen. You took advantage, and you protected yourselves over him. You are my enemy,” I snarl. “Why did you come here?”

“She didn’t give us a choice,” Wiley says bitterly. “We do as she says.”

“Why?” I almost shout. “What could she possibly have over you that would stop you from behaving like a decent person?”

“She drugged us, forced bonds on us, and found out enough about us to have us over a barrel. Emma would have ended up in prison.”

I’m not impressed.

“I’d have done anything to protect Paige and Emma,” Wiley says. “Locke was strong. He could take it.”

I step forward and slap him as hard as I can. He flies backwards and hits the floor. “Derision is done. This is over-”

“But what about Delilah?” I shove the beta, and she trips over the alpha and falls to the floor.

“You don’t speak unless I tell you that you can! She’s not an issue anymore. But the three of you still are.”

“No, we’re Locke’s-”

“You’re his nothing!” I snarl. “You will pack your bags and leave. Now. Tonight. You’re not welcome in this town. You’re not welcome anywhere near him.”

The omega starts to cry. “We’re sorry.”

“I don’t care how sorry you are. I am the alpha of Pack Bradley. Locke is under my care, for now and forever. Leave. Stay away from him. Or I will show you how far I’m prepared to go. Your days of spying and hurting people in this town are over, and this is your one and only chance. If you come back, if you appear in headlines saying anything about Locke, if you go to the police or the media, I will take every ounce of suffering you caused every person in this town, and then I will end your lives.”

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