Page 4 of Pack Down Bad

No one with any sense of morals would stand in the way of a scent-match. Every omega’s dream is to find their true scent-match, and Jason isn’t mine. What claim do I really have to him if the person he’s truly meant for is her?

I need air. I need to think.

I turn and flee toward the door.

“Belle, where are you going?” Jason calls after me.

I shake my head and keep moving toward the coat rack near the door where my coat is hanging. I fumble getting my car keys out of the left pocket. I don’t know if Jason or Mia are following me, and I don’t want to talk, so I cradle the coat to my body like a football instead of putting it on.

There’s an older beta just outside the door whom I nearly slam into when I shove the door open and step out of the bar. He puts his hands up and says, “Whoa,” before I can barrel into him.

“Sorry,” I mumble as I blink back tears.

“That’s alright.” He gives me a friendly pat on the shoulder. “Careful out there if you’re hitting the road, we seem to have gotten a surprise blizzard this evening.”

The snowstorm must be Mother Nature’s way of reminding me that reality is one cold bitch.

“Thanks for the warning.” I nod politely, then side-step him.

My silver sedan is parked conveniently near the front. I flee to the safety of the car before my tears can fall. Even in the short distance between the bar and my car, I’m covered in snowflakes. I crank the ignition and then the heat swiftly, grateful that my windshield wipers handle the soft layer of snow easily so that I don’t have to get back out to scrape the window.

The tears finally start to flow as I back out of my parking spot and carefully navigate out of the parking lot. I shouldn’t be driving while I’m sobbing, but at least no one else seems to be out on the road in this weather.

My sense of direction isn’t great, and as I drive aimlessly, I quickly find myself turned around and a little lost. The snow is still coming down in thick sheets, leaving me with very little visibility ahead. I can’t even look for a landmark to help me get my bearings.

I have no choice but to pull over and program into my GPS.

I maneuver into the parking lot of a gas station I don’t recognize. The only car seems to belong to the person working; the place is otherwise deserted. I put the car in park and reach for my phone in the center console where I always set it... and come up empty.

“What the–?”

My mouth snaps shut as the realization dawns on me. I left my phone–and my purse–sitting on the bar.

“Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!” I drop my head to the steering wheel and try to decide whether to go into the gas station and ask for directions. My throat is raw from crying, and a glance in the rearview mirror confirms I look like a crazy person. I don’t want to face anyone looking like this, not even a stranger.

This day sucks.

“Surely if I keep driving around long enough, I’ll find something that looks familiar,” I try to reason with myself. I grew up around here, so instinct has to kick in eventually... right?

I grit my teeth as I put the car back in drive, pulling out of the parking lot and back onto the road. The snowfall is only growing heavier, but I can still vaguely see the outlines of some buildings. Unfortunately, the silhouettes grow further apart the longer I drive forward, and I realize I must be heading out of town at this point.

“Get it together, Belle.”

I need to find somewhere to safely turn around. I still have yet to see anyone else on the road, but that could change at any point.

After driving for another couple of minutes, I narrowly avoid missing a turn-off from the main road. I pull onto what feels like a gravel driveway, and my headlights illuminate a sign. I can read the sign enough to tell it says no trespassing.

“Don’t worry, wasn’t planning to,” I mutter as I reverse back onto the road.

All of my tears are finally dried up, and I’m back to feeling numb as I head back in the direction I came from. The dark of night has descended fully around me. Between the lack of streetlights and the snow, I can barely tell if I’m still on the road.

My tires suddenly hit a patch of ice, and the car slides on the road. My heart rate spikes as I do my best to pump the brakes and avoid going off the road, but I can’t do enough. My whole body lurches in the seat as my tires struggle to find purchase on softer ground on the side of the road.

I desperately try to guide the car back toward the road. I’m certain I’m almost there when my car slams into something, throwing me around like a rag doll in my seat. I clench my teeth together as I hit the driver’s side door, my head bouncing off the glass.

Everything goes dark.

ChapterThree

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