Page 73 of Marigold Run

This is a fucking nightmare.

I turn away from him and press my palms flat against my desk, hanging my head. Mari’s body isn’t ready for a mating bite, but I don't have a choice. I have to do this so I can protect her,andour pack.

I just hope she doesn't hate me too much.

Sitting on the Floor

Mari

Dassy must have told Everly about my odd behavior, because it doesn’t take long before the beta knocks at my door. When she asks if I’m okay, I want to scream that her mate is a lying, piece of shit, asshole that belonged to a pack that got off on hurting omegas. But I don’t say any of that. Instead, I tell her I have a headache and to please go away. I’m shocked when she does as I ask, and her little feet disappear back down the hallway.

I cry for a solid twenty minutes before pulling myself off the floor. Any deep sadness or betrayal I felt at Dassy being a member of the Tenus pack is gone, and now I’m just angry as I frantically pack my bag.

“Socks,” I whisper to myself as I open my top dresser drawer. “I needallthe socks.” Socks are especially hard to replace out in the wild. A lot of alphas prefer going barefoot in the forest. They simply don’t have them for me to steal in the middle of the night.And taking care of your feet is a big priority when you live in the wild. A blister or even an ingrown nail can wreak havoc on your whole body.

I shove every pair of socks I own, as well as a few pairs of underwear, into my bag. The jeans I have on aren’t very comfortable, but they’re durable and that’s all that matters. I also pack a thick sweater for the winter months, and an extra pair of sneakers. No need to pack any more clothes. I’ll find more when these wear out.

Sitting on the floor, I slip on my sneakers, but my fingers fumble with the laces. Try as I might to get them tied, my hands won’t stop trembling. Frustrated, I drop the laces, then squeeze my hands into tight balls.

“Calm down, Mari.” I pull in a deep breath, not understanding what’s happening to my body. The tremor works its way up my hands to my shoulders, and down to my hips. “Get up,” I command myself, ignoring the laces entirely.

Once on my feet, I scan the whole bedroom, making sure I’ve got everything important. My eyes linger on my little nest and tears well in the corners. It’s the only nest I’ve ever owned, and it’s agony to leave it. But the sun is about to go down, and I’ll need to leave soon if I want to get any distance from here before nightfall hits.

Gritting my teeth, I turn my back to the alcove, and stare at my dresser.Time to go, I think to myself as I lift the white porcelain tray.

For half a second, I blink repeatedly, struggling to understand why my map isn’t there. Then panic slams into me. “Fuck!” I yell much louder than I intend.

Still holding the tray, I spin and stare at the door, suddenly scared that Hutch is in the hallway right now, listening to everything I’m doing. But I don’t hear anything. No movement or rattle of the doorknob.

I turn back to the dresser, examining the mess of jewelry on the top of the tray—maybe the map is somewhere underneath?But it’s a futile search, and I quickly drop the tray back onto the dresser. The hollow clanking sound of porcelain connecting with wood makes me jump. I need to calm down, but I can’t. I’m freaking-the-fuck-out.

Where is my map?!

My hands continue to shake as I rip open the top dresser drawer.Maybe I put it inside one of them and I just don’t remember.It’s not likely, but I’m desperate right now. I tear through every single drawer, flinging clothes all over my room. They land across the carpet, Everly’s once neatly folded shirts and shorts now in scattered piles.

Defeat begins to creep in, but before I can decide what to do next, my bedroom door pushes open, and Izan steps inside.

I fucking hate that my door won’t lock.

“I want to be alone,” I snarl at the alpha.

His dark eyes take in my angry expression and wild hair, before scanning the mess on the carpet, then finally his gaze lands on my bag at my feet. The small black duffle bag sits open, with all my supplies exposed for him to see. An extra pair of shoes, socks, a few bottles of water, and some protein bars I stole from the kitchen.

“I said leave!” I run at him, shoving hard at his chest. “Get out!”

He doesn’t move an inch. In fact, his big body seems to harden and his scent grows thicker, making my trembling even worse. The dominant power that radiates off of him is intense, and my omega body instinctively curls in on itself.

“Going somewhere?” Izan’s tone is dangerously low. Obviously pissed.

I open my mouth, struggling to find my words. “I…” My feet move, backing up. “I’m not?—”

Izan’s hands fly up to snatch me, and I spin. I run as fast as my legs will go, racing to the only place I know I’m safe—my nest. I reach the edge of the alcove but right before my feet can touch the soft safety of the mattress, a large hand curls around my upper arm, yanking me backward.

My body smacks into Izan’s unforgiving chest—my shoulder hitting especially hard. “Let me go!” I raise my fists, slamming both of them into his chest over and over again. He doesn’t even flinch, acting like my hits feel like nothing. And they probably do.

“You can’t leave us, Mari,” he growls through gritted teeth. “You belong to me.” His hold on my arm tightens, his fingertips bite into my sensitive skin.

Tipping my chin up, I yell right in his face, “Fuck you!”

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