Page 14 of Captured

Two more places where she would be in the open and at risk.

Shaking off the fear creeping through her bones, Flea ran on, determined to make the chase as difficult as possible for him, even if she was starting to worry she wouldn’t escape.

Chapter Ten

Gra’ar

His teeth ground together as the little omega darted into another alley too narrow for him to fly through. Gra’ar had never expected the chase to last as long as it had, and while he was impressed by the wily female, his growing irritation was getting the better of him.

Making the decision to stay in the air above the buildings, he pumped his wings for height. While he usually had no trouble flying, the cold air and the need to stay aware of the level above while dodging buildings was making it more difficult. His body had been able to rest while he’d kept watch outside where Flea had holed up, but he’d still been awake and on the move for more than a day, and the sudden exertion was starting to drain him.

He watched her pale head dip around another corner. She was smart to have taken to the narrow alleys where he was forced to follow on foot or stay above, but he could see her energy was waning as well. He doubted the omega would be able to keep going for much longer, but she’d already exceeded what he thought possible.

He’d be turned on if he wasn’t the one failing to catch her.

Hands curling into fists, he curved away from the path she followed to wing ahead where she couldn’t see him. Finding a low rooftop beside a taller building that provided him with cover, he landed and waited for her to pass below.

Gra’ar held his breath as Flea came into view, wings folded tight and back pressed to the wall. The little whisp of a thing had had her fun, but it was time to put an end to it so he could return her where she belonged.

Muscles coiled as she grew nearer, legs ready to launch him over the edge and into the alley to catch her, but a sudden shift in the tiny breeze he could feel had Flea’s head shooting up.

Faded blue eyes met his as she skidded to a stop, dark pupils expanded to catch the available light. Parted pink lips gulped air into her heaving chest as an uncontainable growl escaped his throat. Time froze, his muscles locked and brain unable to give the order to launch himself as he was distracted by a trickle of sweat that ran from her hairline, over her jaw, and down her throat.

In a blink Flea had doubled back, retracing her steps to the last intersection before turning and disappearing from view again. Spell broken, Gra’ar roared his frustration as he launched from the roof, wings snapping open with a pull of muscles grown stiff in the cold during his pause. Angling himself toward her new path, he spit out every curse that came to mind in regards to tiny omegas, ruined planets, and careless alphas.

Like any other creature of the air, he needed thermals to make flying economical, but the way Decloui was designed denied him that need. With no sunlight to warm the ground there was no rising warmth to give him lift, and he had to struggle for every foot of height he gained. It was costing him large amounts of energy to stay aloft, and he knew he’d have to revert to chasing her on foot again if he didn’t stop her soon.

Driving his wings down with every spare ounce of strength he had, he caught back up with his prey. He watched her arms pump as her legs carried her forward with half his attention as he eyed the way ahead to see where he could try to catch her.

It was pure instinct to dive when she stumbled.

Landing with a thud that echoed through the narrow alley, Gra’ar lunged at the little female. Flea had caught herself with her hands on the ground, the light scent of coppery blood reaching his nose as he sucked in a deep breath to power the growl he couldn’t end, and she launched herself forward as he reached for her. Braced for his own fall, his outstretched hand closed around leather covered heel, and he let the rush of triumph flood his chest.

Until the boot dropped, empty, in his grip.

Breathless laughter mocked him as mismatched footsteps hurdled away from where he lay on the ground. His muscles sagged, convinced he’d be better off staying where he was as the cold ground leeched heat from his body, but Gra’ar couldn’t admit defeat, even for a moment.

Sighing, he lurched to his feet. He couldn’t let Flea escape now. He’d expended too much energy already. With her knowledge of their surroundings and the loss of surprise on his part, she’d be able to find a hiding place that could extend the chase beyond the time he had to spend.

It was a struggle to push aside the instincts driving him to race after her, but he knew he could catch up. His pride was bruised by how much work he was having to put into capturing one omega, and he needed to make a plan to put an end to it without further tarnishing his reputation. The only relief was knowing there was no surveillance to record what was happening.

Shaking his head to rid himself of the irritation he’d let drive him on, Gra’ar focused on what he knew as he paced the way she’d gone. Flea was from Ninth-Level, and likely wanted to get back down there, or at least, lower than she was now. The only way down for her would be the stairwells in the level supports, but the nearest one was still some distance away from their current location. From the brief glimpses he’d gotten in the air, she’d have to cross over at least two more openings to the level below to get to it.

Gra’ar flexed his wings, testing the pull of the muscles. They were tired and starting to feel strained, but it wouldn’t be the first time he’d pushed himself into muscle failure to catch a target. He could keep up with her well enough on foot, then take advantage of the open space when she went to cross one of the bridges.

Breaking into a slow jog, he followed the scent of her. Her run was causing her to sweat, deepening her natural smell and flooding the air with pheromones. It didn’t matter that he couldn’t see her, her path was as clear as if he’d never lost sight of the omega.

It didn’t take long to catch up enough to hear her footsteps ahead of him. Gra’ar slowed, hanging back in the shadows and lingering just out of sight, letting her fall into a false sense of security. She likely thought he’d given up when she slipped out of her boot, and he wanted her to keep believing that until he cornered her out in the open.

Huffing, he glanced down at the chunky black hunk of leather still clenched in his hand and couldn’t help the way his lips twitched when he noticed the blade inside it. He could have left it behind, but the thought hadn’t even crossed his mind. He rationalized it by telling himself he’d be able to get her back to the Collection Center faster if she had both shoes since he didn’t want to carry her the whole way, but the reality was he was too lost in the hunt to leave something behind with her scent on it. He’d have snatched up the blanket she lost in the beginning if he’d been close enough.

He forced his thoughts back into focus as he heard Flea’s footsteps slow. If they were where he thought they were, the first of the breaks should be ahead of her, and she was likely slowing to look for him.

Easing up to the corner she’d turned previously, he peeked around the edge of the building, spotting the little omega huddled at the opposite end of the alley. She was still well between the two buildings she was using as protection, but he could just make out the pitch black of the opening to the level below ahead of her.

Not knowing where the closest bridge was for her to cross over, Gra’ar couldn’t let her get too far ahead or she’d be back in the safety of her narrow pathways before he caught her. It was a risk to come any closer, but he knew her eyesight wasn’t as good as his in the low light.

Creeping into the alley, he moved on silent feet as he closed the distance between them. He was halfway to her when she made her move, darting out onto the sidewalk lining the opening. Launching into a run so he could corner her before she made it across and into another warren of tight passages, Gra’ar burst from the end of the alley.

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