Page 24 of This Pack of Ours

And now that my anger was ebbing, the realization that this was final, it was actually happening, hurt the most. I didn’t know how I would survive without him. Without his smiles, his calming presence, his reassurance. I knew I couldn’t function as a proper omega on my own. I needed him.

Almost enough to run back and beg him to make the offer again, to fucking swallow my pride and be their pity bond just so I wouldn’t lose him.

But that wouldn’t work, either, because if I was in a bond with Kit, I wouldn’t be able to hide how much I wanted… him.

How jealous I would be. I could handle the nameless alphas that came to his heats, because they were nothing, and I was the constant. He needed me there. But I was just the stopgap. The fill-in until he got them.

With them, he wouldn’t need me anymore. Wouldn’t need my cuddles. Wouldn’t come to me when he was sad, or needed a stupid jar opened, or wanted to talk about his new favorite anime. He’d havethemand I’d hate it and it would be so awkward.

So I was fucked either way.

“Hey, Omega.” A male voice broke through my thoughts, bringing me back to reality.

I was hot, and my pain had shifted from my head to my abdomen.

Alarm bells started going off in my head. My heat wasn’t done with me yet.

And shit, everything I needed was in my handbag.

I needed to get back, and I shifted into gear, looking for the park exit. But there were… others here. We were on a path with overgrown shrubs and thick foliage, no line of sight to the rest of the park. It was just me.

And four huge alphas. They were rough-looking, their faces set with predatory looks that I wanted nothing to do with.

“Hey, Omega, where you going?” the male voice came again. It was closer this time and I snapped my head up to look at him, snarling.

“Fuck. Off,” I said, my heart starting to pound. There was still a chance, a faint chance, that this was all a misunderstanding, and they’d back off and let me pass. I highly doubted it. I attracted trouble.

“She’s feisty,” another one said, sounding amused.

I turned away again, angling for the exit, for the slim chance that I could still walk away. One of them stepped in front of me, blocking me off.

Fuck.

Terror speared through me as I took in his expression.

“Don’t mean to intrude," he said with a nasty smile. “Just couldn’t help but notice you needed some assistance.”

“Maybe you should get your eyes checked. I’m fine,” I snapped. My taser. Where was my taser?

Handbag.

The alpha leaned closer.

“Not really something Isaw,you know?" he said. He smelled like car exhaust. My vision was starting to narrow, my mouth dry.

“Where’s your pack, Sweetheart? Should be taking care of their omega.”

His eyes slid down to my neck, answering his question. No bites. No claim. Kit had bit me years ago, but it had healed fast, leaving no trace. His gaze lowered slowly, taking his time as he looked me up and down, still smiling. My skin crawled.

“Don’t worry darlin’. We‘re happy to help you out.”

My hand went into my skirt pocket, which I’d managed to shove a tiny, spiked two-finger version of brass knuckles into before leaving the apartment. Better than nothing. I took a breath, eyes darting around. If I wanted to stand a chance, I needed to strike first, before they could grab me.

I widened my stance, glaring up at him. He stepped closer, and I snapped, launching at him.

My hair stood on end as the alphas released their auras, adrenaline spiking in my system. It’d lend them unnatural strength and speed, so I had to fight perfectly to even have a chance. If they thought I was easy prey, they were dead wrong.

Groin. Eyes. Neck.

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