Page 28 of Omegas Need
“We don’t want any trouble, Jack,” he said, and pride filled me at the solidness of his voice.
“Then you should have come tome,” he snarled. “Like I told you to.”
“You don’t own us,” I snapped.
Jack growled and leaped toward us.
I didn’t expect it or know what he was going to do in the least, but I reacted at once, arm flying out to grab Manny and feet stumbling back, taking him with me.
“What are you doing?” Manny demanded, seeking some reason in the scumbag as he swiped for us. “Come on Jack, just leave us alone!”
The crowd wasoohingand some of them were laughing, and I hated the lot of them at the same moment that one of themfinallyshouted in solidarity, “Leave them alone!”
I glanced over, catching sight of batty old Missy, the tent city mama, looking ready to start fighting for us, but before she could, Jack leaped toward us again.
This time, I didn’t stumble out of the way fast enough and his hand caught me by the arm in a crushing grip.
It took me a moment to follow what was happening. Pain shot through my bones, all the way to the shoulder. Usman shouted, jumping at Jack despite how much bigger the alpha was than him. Then suddenly, a loudroarfilled the air, and my arm was wrenched free.
I stumbled, nearly falling as Usman caught me and then realized that we were free to run.
Spinning around, I saw Jack flat on his back, a massive alpha wolf on top of him, growling so harshly that spittle flew from his exposed fangs.
He was huge and familiar even in his wolf’s form.
My heart sped up even faster. Still cradling my arm, I looked over at Usman with wide eyes.
He was staring at the wolf, atChase,in shock and wonder, as usual, feeling the same things that I did.
Jack was cowering, suddenly looking weak and small with Chase over top of him and all I could think—even though it made no sense, was thatChase had come for us.
And sure enough, in the silence of the shocked crowd, Chase shifted back into his human form, fury twisting his handsome face into an expression he would never direct at us.
“Keep your filthy hands off of what’s mine,” he spat, and he didn’t move from his position, pinning the other alpha until Jack spoke.
“They don’t belong to you,” he said, disdain dripping off his voice even though he was shaking.
“They do now,” Chase snarled and finally, after a long, drawn-out moment, Jack ceded, looking away with a nod, hands rising in defeat.
Chase didn’t release him at once though, and when he did, it was with a rough shove to make sure he stayed down. His gaze never left Jack as he straightened to his full height.
“Get your things,” he said, leaving no room to argue. As though we would.
When neither of us moved, he finally turned, fixing his gaze on us. Those brown eyes, normally filled with such warmth were guarded and cold, but not toward us. As soon as he saw us, the warmth flickered back into them.
“Get your things,” he repeated, softer this time.
“There’s nothing left,” Manny told him, gesturing to the ground.
Chase blinked, looking down as though just noticing the mess beneath his feet for the first time. His gaze darkened, jaw clenched, and he lifted his head.
“Then let’s go,” he said.
There was no way in hell we weren’t following, but he came toward us, putting an arm around each of our shoulders, steering us through the shocked crowd.
I could hear murmuring already. We were probably going to be the talk of the riverside for months.
“Just like that bait wolf,” someone whispered theatrically, and Manny snorted. I was pretty sure that it was Missy and looked at him with a raised brow, but he just shook his head, his gaze flying to Chase’s face.
