Page 25 of Alpha's Second Chance

“I think I might give it a try too. Maybe a little later.” I sauntered over to him and raised up on my tiptoes. I whispered, “Alpha.”

“Eve.” He pulled my hand to the front of his pants. “Feel what you do to me.”.

“I feel it. And I like it.” I gave him a quick kiss. “I need to shift and go out again. Ever since the heat, I’ve been craving time as a bear.”

I could have seen the glint in his eyes a mountain away. “Owen. Come on, don’t be an ass. You don’t have to rub it in that I am actually enjoying this a little!”

“I’m not saying a word.” Owen fought the grin that pushed his lips up at the corner. “I’m glad you’re wanting to do thing shifters like again. There’s a creek just down the road. Let me just notify the team that we’re heading out.”

At the creek, I shed my clothes as soon as the fast-moving water was in sight. “Race you,” I shouted to Owen right before I shifted and jumped into the stream.

After a long swim, we sat on the bank to drip dry. “I’m ready to go after Bull. Either I’m going after him, or we’re both going to Fort Carson. We can’t keep waiting here,” Owen said.

“I agree that we can’t keep waiting. But he’s after me. So I am going to be involved in this.”

Owen nodded, although I could tell he wanted to argue with me. “We know Bull’s probably on the move. But I don’t want to go to Fort Carson. I want to try to get him here,” I said.

“Draw him out, you mean, before he attacks.”

“Exactly,” I said. “He’s after me. So he’ll end up here if I lure him out.”

Owen placed both palms on the ground. “No fucking way are we using you as bait.”

“I know it’s hard, but you don’t get to decide that.” I willed myself to stay calm and not start shouting. “Remember, I’m here because I choose to be.” The stone-faced look Owen was giving me did not encourage me to remain calm. Not one bit. I tapped him with my leg. “If you’ll chill out and listen to me, I’ll listen to you too.”

Owen growled. “I like it better when I can just give orders.”

“So does everyone else, buddy.” I scooted closer to him. “My scent is still strong, isn’t it? From my heat?”

“Yes. It’s very noticeable.”

“So let’s use it. Bull was after me because I’m an omega. Let’s use my scent to lure him in.”

“On what planet do you think I’d agree to that?”

I scoffed at his nerve. “The one where it will work.”

“I’m not comfortable with this, at all. I think we’d do better to try and lure him in with a decoy. We could trick him, using your scent. I’ve seen it done in the Army.”

“I won’t be sidelined for this.” I put my hands on his shoulders and stared him directly in the eye. “You promised.”

He was silent for a long time. “Okay, fine,” he said after a drawn out few minutes of quiet. He held his hands up. “But we work with my team, and you let me take the lead on defending you.”

“I can do that.”

“Good. Now first order of business. I assume your boss is bugged, and that he’s being followed,” Owen said.

He wiped his hands on the towel and picked up one of the secure phones he kept. “Call him. Make it obvious where you are. Tell him you’ve heard that Bull is headed to Arizona. Tell him your phone is secure, and then describe this awesome little town where you’re staying. Don’t name it; that might be too obvious.”

“While you’re doing that, I’ll update my team,” he said as he laid the phone in my palm.

My mouth opened as my hand closed around the phone.

I threw my arms around his neck and jumped on him in a hug so strong it knocked him backwards. “Thank you.” I kissed him hard on the mouth. “Thank you so much for getting this. Thank you for understanding what it means to me.”

Was it possible that I’d finally have a partner who saw me as an equal?

Owen

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