Page 51 of Wild Omegas
Carson kisses me and then nods. “We’ll all be home safe tonight, you have my word.”
Then he leaves me to watch Luke alone. Leaving me alone for Damien to find.
But I’m not alone, not anymore. Not really.
My pack will watch me. The undercover cops already are watching me. And Carson is right, we’ll all make it home safe tonight. I have to believe that.
Twenty long minutes pass before Luke’s turn is up. Not a single minute of that is filled with Carson or Brooks returning, and after the first ten, I stop trying to find them—or Damien—in the crowd. It’s hard, but I accept that whatever will be will be. I can’t force Damien to appear any more than I can Carson or Brooks.
The emcee announces Luke’s name and the gates open to Luke riding a bull into the rodeo ring. I scoot to the edge of my seat to watch him carefully as the timer in the corner counts up the seconds. His grip is tight and he stays atop the bull with practiced ease for the first several seconds before I see it.
Red along the bull’s leg, which it’s bucking up beneath Luke. Luke’s experience with wild horses and previous bull riding is the only reason he’s staying on.
That bull is injured and, worse, it’s pissed about it. Its nostrils flare wide and it grunts loud enough for me to hear even here.
Why is no one stopping this?
My heart sinks—Damien. Did he do this? Didheinjure Luke’s bull before he went on?
I stand and watch as the bull tries to throw Luke three times in quick succession—and almost succeeds on the third. Luke’s body falters off the side but he manages to keep hold. I grip my chest as I watch Luke wrangle this untamed and very scared and injured animal. I know all too well how cornered and hurt creatures react.
With anger.
“He’s doing well, all things considered.”
The cool voice fills my ears and heart with dread. Damien.
He slips into the stands beside me and places a hand on the small of my back. “I’m so happy to see you again, Josie. Even if it’s at your alpha’s funeral.”
As if his words are divine providence, I watch the bull buck one last time and send Luke flying through the air.
My heart shatters.
CHAPTER 26
Josie
The scentof black licorice and cigar smoke envelops me. My stomach roils. I turn to vomit on Damien but he angles me away and it goes into the stands.
He clicks his tongue. “Is that any way to greet your new alpha?”
I wrench myself away from him and am surprised by my own strength. “Get the hell away from me. Why did you come all the way here?”
Damien reaches for me again. A few people around us stare and whisper, but no one moves to act. As Damien’s hand grabs my wrist I’m overwhelmed again by his gut-wrenching alpha scent. It’s so much worse than I remember—and maybe stronger now that I’ve been claimed by another pack.
“It’s time to pay up the debt you owe me, Josie Rose,” Damien coos. “I’ve come to collect.” His fingers dig into my wrist.
Tears threaten to build in my eyes but I manage to hold them back. I won’t give Damien the satisfaction of seeing how afraid of him I am. “I owe you nothing. That fire at my bakery was meant for my bakery only.”
Damien leans in. His breath smells like bubblegum and whisky. His dark eyes scan me as if I’m a fine piece of art at an auction. “Your insurance money attempt at best outed me and put me back into law enforcement crosshairs. Because of that, you me everything.” He yanks me in close. The sudden aggressiveness of it makes me lose balance so I end up falling into him. “I won’t sell you off, Josie. You are mine.”
I duck my head down and bite his handhard. Blood fills my mouth as he hisses and draws me away from him far enough to slap me in my face.
“Bitch!” He growls as the crowd around us gasps and backs away. “Insolent omega. You areworthless. Did you intend to also kill yourself when you realized the fire wouldn’t burn bright enough for insurance money?”
I growl back at him and try to wrench away again. Damien’s hold doesn’t budge. Fear claws at my chest to escape. “At least I set fires that actually fully burn. You didn’t win the barn fire.”
Damien laughs menacingly. “The barn fire at Wild Skies was a message and nothing more.”
