Page 21 of Sweet Heat

This is all wrong. She’s just a child; she can’t be my omega. It bowls me over, but there’s no sexual desire, no urge to bite or mate. Just this overwhelming need to keep Posie safe at all costs. She whines but doesn’t come to, and I wish I could see her, could tell if she’s broken anything or has a concussion. Fear grips me—should I move her? Should I wait for help?

The limo gives a violent shudder, creaking as the metal twists. Behind me, a door flings open, fresh air flooding in, and I pull my omega to my chest, carrying her tiny, broken body with as much gentleness as I can muster, before crawling forward.

“Owen! Posie! Miller!” The urgency in Willie Moore’s loud bark forces me to push harder, crawl faster. I battle through the car with Posie cradled against me, her arms flopping, barely conscious. The sound of rushing sirens breaks through my haze, and the light from the open door turns red and blue and pulses in and out as the others evacuate the limo. I’m not sure who’s where; it’s just a jumble of bodies escaping.

My world has narrowed to the precious being in my arms.

Fire crackles behind me, and I surge forward, standing as much as possible, hunching my body over hers as flames lick at my spine.It’s mere seconds, but it seems like an eternity before I leap out of the car into the crisp night.

Sirens crack through the night, and the lights blind me—the bright reds and blues searing my eyes, causing me to grip Posie tighter. Her sweet cotton candy scent becomes muted with pain, yet the slow rise and fall of her chest is enough to keep me sane.

“Sir. Are you okay?”

“Sir. Is she okay?”

EMTs swarm forward, pushing gurneys and other medical paraphernalia. One is bold enough to attempt to take Posie from my arms. I growl, warning him away with barely leashed violence. I’m nearly feral in my need to guard her. There’s very little of Miller in control right now.

His eyes widen when he notices the primal glint in my eyes, and he steps back, raising his hands placatingly. He drops his gaze in submission and my Alpha accepts the gesture, calming enough to let me push forward.

“Alpha, you both look injured. Can we treat you?” Another EMT arrives with a second gurney. She gestures toward it. Although it feels like carving a piece of my heart out, I slowly bend and place Posie on the white sheet, watching as it instantly darkens with blood.

The world swims.

“It’s not her blood. It’s yours,” the female says, helping me onto a separate gurney. Dizziness surges in me, but through it all, I don’t let go of her frail hand. They roll us toward the ambulances, and when they tug her fingers out of my grasp, I lose it. Throwing my body forward, there’s shouting and hollering. Something lashesacross my chest to hold me down while a sharp needle plunges into my neck.

My muscles seize, stopping all movement, and the fight drains from my body. A devastating thought niggles in my brain…

“Where are my parents?” I mumble before the lights go out completely.

Posie fights with her seatbelt, her motions panicked and ineffectual. The belt presses between her breasts as she writhes against it, leaving a dark red mark on the skin near her neck.

The forming bruise causes anger to rush through me. I reach inside, snapping the buckle out of the lock and releasing her into my waiting arms.

She falls forward, and I catch her, pulling her out of the car as though she’s as light as a feather. Her shallow breaths gust against my throat, each one harsher than the next; a sign that she’s still deep in the throes of a panic attack.

“Puff, look at me,” I demand, walking toward my waiting vehicle. She’s cradled in my arms, and the eerie familiarity sends a shudder down my spine. Only this time, she’s not a child, making my protective instincts to go wild, devoid of attraction. No, now she’s all woman, and the need to possess her, keep her, make her mine is unbearable. I haven’t held her like this since that night…

But I force the memories away. My girl needs me.

The spluttering beta in the front seat follows us out, screaming about giving her back, but he can fuck right off. With a glare at the man, I release a growl that startles even me—more animal than man and the beta pales to an alarming shade of undead.

“I’m not going to hurt my omega,” I snap. “Drive away.”

Whether he’s smart or just a coward is completely debatable because he jumps back into his car like his ass is on fire and peels away from the curb in search of water to put it out.

Good riddance.

Posie trembles in my arms, and tears streak down her flushed cheeks as I snuggle her closer and bolt the few feet back to my SUV. Her scent unfurls around me, muted by the annoying scent blockers, but I take deep breaths of it, nevertheless.

“Talk to me, Puff,” I beg. Her teeth chatter, and nothing but a low whine escapes her throat. The sound pierces me to my core, making the need to comfort her overwhelming, so I slide her onto the hood of my car and bring my hands up to cup her face.

The scent of burned sugar overpowers the metallic one from the de-scenting lotion she loves so much. It dissipates, leaving nothing but a deepness to her cotton candy that wasn’t there before. I try to figure out why, but her stress hits me from all directions. Posie claws at her throat like she wants to rip it open. She gasps for air, unable to pull in a full breath, and I’m willing to do anything to calm her down.

Stepping between her legs, I pull her tight against me and bring my mouth down on hers.

Our lips press together, and I groan at the electricity that pulses between us. The simple touch is enough to make my world spin on its axis. Everything goes taut until it shatters,then reforms with her at the center—a beacon of hope amid the trauma.

I thought finding out she was my scent match was life-changing, but this is so much more…

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