Page 53 of These Bonds that Unite Us
My lungs burn from exertion. I definitely won’t be able to manage this level of physical strain for very long. Not when mybody is already so weak from the ROS. I slip nearly crashing into the trunk of the nearest tree, but I manage to steady myself before I fall. I feel like I’m floating as I push further into the forest. It’s so hot, I’m burning up. Wearing too many layers for this mid-afternoon heat.
With fear and adrenaline pounding through my body, I make the mistake of glancing back at Nebula. His smoky vanilla scent is filled with worry and anger, and a touch of arousal that has my mind in a haze. As soon as I see Nebula barreling toward me my omega takes over. Primal instincts I hadn’t known were buried are pulled to the surface.
Nebula may have offered to be my dog, but right now he’s a wolf, a predator. And I’m the bunny he’s pursuing. His prey.
My perfume floods the air in heavy waves. Some small part of my mind tries to panic, reminding me we are being chased by men who aren’t my alpha, but I can’t focus long enough to care. All that matters right now is the Fate matched mate hunting me and the heat raging through my body.
I trip over an exposed root, barely managing to catch myself. Another burst of my perfume makes me dizzy. Why hasn’t my alpha caught me yet? I need him. Need his knot. His bite.
A ferocious growl rips through the air behind me, jolting me back into action. My feet pound across the uneven forest floor. I weave through the trees in a diagonal pattern, instinctively edging toward the sound of running water. I fall to my ass when I tumble out of the trees and slip down the riverbank. Only my alpha’s strong arms wrapping around my waist stop me from being carried beneath the current.
The water is nice and cool against my skin, soothing the sharp flames burning inside of me. My legs wrap around Nebula’s waist, his hard length pressed against my core. Whimpers leak from my lips as I grind against him, ignoring the swells of water pushing us further downstream.
“Alpha,” I whine.
It hurts. I’m so empty. I need him. Need to feel full.
“Fuck, Omega,” he groans when my lips press against his neck. I suck the skin, nipping it with my teeth. He smells so good and I hate the gross river water blocking me from fully enjoying his scent.
The material between us is scratchy and tight, weighing me down. I shove it down my hips, loosening my legs long enough for the awful thing to float away. When my core meets his length, another annoyed growl rumbles from my chest to his skin. Why isn’t my alpha naked? Doesn’t he feel how much I need him?
“Patience,” he commands. “I’ve got you, but we have to get down the river first.”
A cramp pinches low in my stomach. I curl against my alpha’s body trying to make the pain go away. Why does everything hurt so much? A purr rattles to life in his chest, stealing the harshest edges of the pain. I melt against him, letting his purr settle me while he carries us to safety.
Blissfully dark shadows pass over for several long seconds before bright light burns my eyes again. I bury my face against my alpha’s neck, trying to bite back a whine when he told me to be patient. It’s hard to obey when everything feels so wrong.
Time drags by as we make our way down the river. When silty shore brushes my back, I realize we’re stopping. Blinking my eyes open, I briefly see the copse of thick, gnarled trees surrounding us, but my alpha’s body rubbing against mine quickly steals my attention. My fingers dig into the top of his pants, trying to push the wet material down his thick thighs.
“Shhh, it’s alright,” he reassures me. “I’m going to take care of you, but we can’t–I can’t–”
A loud whine spills from my throat, my body curling in on itself in the face of his rejection. He doesn’t want me. I’m still notgood enough. Too weak, too needy. The blood in my veins is too evil for him to–
“Shit, babygirl, that’s not what I meant. Fuck, why did this have to happen here.” He runs a hand through his short blonde hair, staring out at the water for a moment before those dark blue eyes turn back to me. “I really fucking hope you can forgive me for this Omen.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Now Playing: Obsession- Dean Raven
I rush after Omen, crashing through the trees as we flee the assholes her brother sent to capture her. Fuck, I should have known this would happen. If they were desperate enough to approach our house to threaten her, of course, they would have others waiting to get her alone long enough to grab her.
Fumbling through my pockets, I text a quick 911 to Titan, hoping he has his phone nearby and sees it. We have group tracking on our phones, so he should be able to tell the detectives or DAU where we are.
Omen slips, nearly crashing into a tree. She steadies herself before I can reach her. Fear-filled eyes, nearly black with how big her pupils are, glance back at me. I nearly fall on my face when a burst of her perfume reaches me. The sunflower and honeysuckle scent is even sweeter and warmer than it usually is. Almost like–
My cock jerks in my jeans watching her run from me. The ancient, primal part of my instincts tries to ignite, urging me to chase her down, knot her, and claim her.
Fuck, this isn’t good!
Catching my omega as she slips into a nearby river, it takes every ounce of strength in my body to fight the desire to slip myself inside of her as she grinds against my body. Pained whimpers and pleas slip from her lips, the cold water doing nothing to alleviate the heat controlling her instincts.
As we pass under a bridge I see a car stop along one side and the mercenaries who were chasing us step out. I don’t fight a wave that pulls us beneath the water, using the river's natural currents to hide us from their view. When we are pushed back to the surface, I see the men returning to the vehicle. Hopefully, they didn’t see us and are going to search the other bank further upstream.
Glancing around, I spy a shallow inlet several yards ahead of us. The numerous tree trunks hide the spot well enough that I think we should be able to hide there until Titan and my other mates are able to find us.
Laying Omen in the mud, her hands dig at the waist of my jeans. Her eyes are nearly black with how wide her pupils are blown, and the scent of her perfume floods the air around us. The hazy look in her eyes confirms she’s deep in a heat spike, which is terrifying since her already weak body most likely can’t handle this extra stress.
I have to help her through it. Maybe I can just get her off with my fingers. When I try to push her hands away from my pants and tell her I can’t fuck her, she shrinks in on herself. My heart breaks seeing tears flow down her cheeks. Shit, she thinks I’m rejecting her again!
