Page 28 of Marigold Run

My plan was to pretend to be sleepwalking, but knowing Izan is on the other side of that door has me enraged all over again. I want to scream at him, claw at his face and throw a lamp at his head. He’d probably beat my ass raw, but it would be worth it.

He deserves a bit of pain for the way he fucked me, then left me all alone.

A wicked thought pops into my head, and I pull a small hardback book off of the shelf. This is probably my only chance to get a bit of revenge for the things he’s done to me. After all, no one punishes an omega in the midst of a panic attack.

“Mari?” The door creaks open and Izan steps into the dim room.

I don’t even think.

I raise the book as far back as it will go, then I chuck it right at Izan. A flash of adrenaline bursts through me when it hits him right in the center of his face.

“What the fuck!” the alpha yells, covering the bridge of his nose.

I don't give him time to recover, grabbing another book and screaming like I’m being ripped limb from limb. “Don’t hurt me!” I throw the book with all of my might. It flies past Izan’s head, hitting the wall before falling to the floor with a thud. “Go away!” I grab another one off the shelf, but before I throw it, Izan is suddenly at my side, ripping the weapon from my hand. “Don’t touch me!”

“Calm down!” the alpha roars, yanking me to him. I twist and turn, slamming my fists against his chest. “Mari!” He barks in my face, and I pretend to snap out of it. I’d like to keep beating the shit out of him, but I don’t want to push my luck.

“What…” I blink repeatedly, pretending to be lost and confused.

“What happened?” Dassy appears in the doorway, followed quickly by Hutch. Both are wearing nothing but their underwear.

I stare at their identical cut bodies, taking in their powerful chests, hard abs, and big arms. The only real difference between the two is a rough scar across Hutch’s chest, and a tattoo across Dassy’s lower stomach. It looks like a black snake coiling around a row of black roses, but it’s hard to tell in the dark room.

“Is she okay?” Dassy turns on a nearby lamp, and I squint at the sudden burst of light.

“She’s fine,” Izan says forcefully as he squints at me. His scent is so intense this close. Almost too intense. I try to turnaway to escape it, but Izan’s hold on me doubles, keeping me frozen in place. “I think she was sleepwalking,” he says, scanning the full length of my face. It’s hard not to glare up at him, but I’m putting on a show right now, and I can’t give myself away. So instead, I stare unfocused at my feet, gently swaying side to side.

“Sleepwalking?” Hutch’s voice slips up behind me, and it takes everything in me not to jump.He is very quiet when he wants to be.

“Don’t wake her.” Dassy looks between me and Izan, clearly worried. “It’s dangerous to wake sleepwalkers. Right?”

Hutch strolls around me and Izan. “She’s already awake.” He stares at my face with a wild intensity. “You’re awfully far from your bedroom, omega.”

Izan’s big hands slowly uncurl from around my upper arms, finally releasing me. “What are you doing in here?” he asks, a little too forcefully for my liking. Then he leans down, studying me intently. The touch of vanilla in his scent is so damn sharp right now, overpowering the crisp apples that normally shine the brightest. “Why did you leave your room?” His voice is stern, almost pissed.

I shake my head, looking around as if I’ve woken up on another planet. “What…” I trail off, pushing a whimper into the air. “Where am I?”

Dassy moves to me. “You were sleepwalking.” His voice is so soft as he caresses my back. I honestly expect Izan to yell at him for touching me, but the pack alpha doesn’t say a word. “It’s okay, omega.” Dassy’s blue eyes search mine. “You're safe with us. Izan didn’t mean to scare you.”

I smile, ducking my head. “I didn’t mean to hit him in the face.” I glance at Izan out of the corner of my eye. The alpha doesn’t look too happy with me, but he can’t exactly punish me for doing something in my sleep.Fuck, I wish I could smile right now.

“Hutch.” Izan places a heavy hand on my shoulder and I flinch. My feet instinctively move, inching toward Dassy. I’m not sure why the big alpha brings me comfort, but he does. “Get her back to bed,” he says to Hutch, and I jerk away from Izan.

“No.” I move around Dassy’s big body, hiding behind him. Izan pulls a face, almost as if he’s annoyed by my reaction. “I don’t want Hutch,” I say, not caring how rude I sound. But I can still see the look in Hutch’s eye when I was making my nest. He wanted to jump into my nest and fuck me stupid.I could feel it.

And given that I’m naked under this blanket, I don’t want to tempt the alpha.

Dassyseemssafer.

For now.

“I can take her.” Dassy looks over his shoulder back at me. I lean into him, silently letting the other two alphas know exactly what I want.

“That’s fine,” Hutch says before letting out a long breath. I can’t tell if he’s offended by my rejection or if he’s just tired and ready for bed.

“Can you control yourself?” Izan gives Dassy a skeptical look.

“Yes, sir.” The blond alpha responds without an ounce of humor in his voice. It’s a weird shift in his tone.

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