Page 111 of Feral Alphas

I shoot a text off to Colt to let him know our plans.

You ok with that?he sends back.

Yes, I’ll try.

Call if you need me.

I love that about Colt. Terse and straight to the point, and always willing to come running, despite the fact he’s got a super regulated job. But his family comes first, a fact he’s demonstrated each time he’s thrown the book at the wall so he could take me in, keep me when Rose came home, and now fight to have her feral alphas here.

I watch with a smirk as Rose tells Zane we’re going out and he needs to be good and stay put until we get back. She says she’ll give him a kiss if he’s quiet while she’s gone. Her care for him is sweet and natural and it reminds me of how Colt was with me when I was rehabilitating, although he wasn’t so vocal or bubbly. He barely said a word for the first year, but I came to depend on his presence. Still do.

I hope Zane’s doing the same. Scar arrives next week, and that’s going to reset the ball game all over again.

Rose vibrates with excitement all the way to the grocery store, and I hold her hand to keep her in place on the back seat as Kye drives. “Let’s take things slowly,” I urge, dread mounting in my stomach as we park among dozens of other cars. “If you feel uncomfortable, tell me right away.”

“Okay, Luka.” She takes my hand and waits for Kye to lock the car and take her other hand, bouncing lightly on her tiptoes.

Shopping with your omega is perfectly natural, and there’s plenty of small groups here doing the same. I scan each one for threats, my mind instantly kicking into the hyper-vigilance that always assaults me in public. Exits, risks, potential weapons nearby for an emergency. Even where the recording cameras and domed surveillance mirrors are placed.

Rose releases Kye so she can grab a hand basket but puts it back with an excited squeal as she spies the shopping carts. I hate letting go of her, so I rest my hand on the small of her back, bunching her shirt lightly in my fist. I don’t have an alpha scent to warn people away, so I step in close every time we pass other shoppers.

To my relief, Kye takes over the talking, discussing the different products and pointing out things Rose might enjoy. She boggles over how many types of bread there are, and all the different varieties of cheese. I throw lettuce and tomatoes in the cart and let her choose a tub of butter. She picks one with a cute cartoon cow head on the label.

I watch Rose closely as well as my surroundings, but she seems relaxed and her eyes sparkle with fun. A group of three men with their omega walk by, all of them trying to keep a touch on her at the same time. Most shoppers turn to look at Rose as she passes by, and my lips settle back in a silent warning snarl.

It’s her delicious scent. It’s impossible to miss at a regular time, let alone when she’s happy. A guy I don’t like the look of comes out the end of an aisle and I automatically shift to hide Rose’s body.

Kye leads us to the women’s section and helps Rose pick out a new hand cream, lip balm, and some hair ties. She leans over and snaps the band on my wrist, mischief written all over her face.

Suddenly my omega stiffens, looking over my shoulder. She slams into my chest, quivering with fright and a low instinctive growl rips through me. “What?”

“He’s here!” she gasps, fingers digging painfully into my collar. “Groman! The kennel boss!”

I rip my jacket off and throw it around Rose’s head, closing her in darkness against my chest. “Kye, bring the car to the front door,” I order, and he runs to obey as I thrust my arm onto the shelf and clear it in a big sweep so I can sit her down and cover her body.

“Where?” I ask.

“He’s wearing a glove over his missing fingers.” She breaks into sobs. “He’ll smell me, Luka. He knows me. What if he takes me away? I don’t want to leave you.” The panic in her voice tears at my heart.

“Ssh, we won’t let that happen, my sweet omega.” Why the fuck didn’t they catch them all?

“He’ll smell me!” she cries again, trembling uncontrollably.

I hold her tight as I grab my phone out of my pocket and snap off a message to Colt.SOS. D-O. Kennel crim Groman, 6.2 black gloved hand, brn trench coat.I add a pin of our address. It’ll take five to ten minutes to dispatch, and more to get here, and Rose needs protection now. She needs to know her alpha has her tight and none of those nightmares are ever coming back.

I drop my chin onto her head and do the only thing left to me. Gritting my teeth with the effort, I release my alpha scent.

Chapter forty-one

Rose

The sight of Groman and the loose fingers in his glove bring all the horrid memories smashing into me like a hailstorm. I swallow down on my whine and cling to the only lifeboat I have right now—Luka.

Groman will take me, I know he will. They paid a lot of money and their ring got destroyed, so he’ll want me back. To finish what he started. Paralysis crawls through my body, leaving a wake of nausea and bone-jarring spasms.

I was doing good, I was. I was categorizing each of the strong scents in the shop and staying relaxed. But Groman is a bucket of ice water over my head. I’ll never be safe, and my men aren’t either. He’ll take them all, and force Luka and Kye into his ring as well. He’ll make them fight to the death against other alphas. Petrov once joked about how they’d taken the voice box out of one of the dogs because he was too noisy, and he’ll do the same to my beautiful men.

I can’t catch my breath. My lungs won’t fill, and my body won’t coordinate with my brain. I thrash, but Luka anchors me in place. Maybe I should run, so Groman doesn’t think I’m here with anyone.

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