Page 25 of Captured

The demand in the other male’s voice made Gra’ar’s shoulders tense but he forced himself to relax again. Eyeing the others moving on the roof, he twisted the truth just enough not to give away anything.

“I saw that one sneaking around up on Fourth and decided to follow her. Took a while to catch her.”

The other alpha eyed him before looking at Flea.

“You the one that cuffed her?”

Gra’ar raised one shoulder again, giving a short nod.

“She seemed like the type to keep trying to get away. Made my life a little easier.”

Huffing, the male turned his head back to him.

“What do you want her for?”

Gra’ar raised his brows and gestured at Flea, implying what most alphas would want her for, and the man facing him finally smirked.

“I’m probably saving you a bit of trouble then. Take this back up to Fourth and get yourself one that’ll be more willing than this one. I’ll deal with her myself.”

Gra’ar caught the coin tossed at him, not bothering to look at it. The brothels passed them out sometimes to bring in new customers. It would be stamped with the particular location’s logo, the color denoting the service it could be exchanged for. Most men would accept the exchange.

Turning his attention briefly back to Flea as she struggled to turn enough to face him, Gra’ar forced himself to ignore the silent plea in her eyes. He had no chance facing that many at the disadvantage he was currently at. As an omega, he doubted they were going to kill her, so the best option was for him to play along and find a way to get her back later. Infuriating or not, she’d started to grow on him. Plus, he had a reputation to maintain.

Dipping his chin in a nod, he raised the coin in a silent salute before slipping it into his pocket. He stepped over one of the bodies next to him, reaching down to turn on the spout protruding from the ground. After rinsing the drying blood from his hands, he cupped them and drank enough of the water to satisfy the sudden need from the fight before turning back the way he’d come.

It killed him to put his back to the little omega on the roof, but he knew he was being watched. Even after he’d walked far enough down the block to be out of sight, the prickle on the back of his neck told him he was being followed. He’d have done the same in the other alpha’s position. If he’d been able to fly he could have simply taken off to lose the men, but he still didn’t want to risk the tear in the membrane reopening, so Gra’ar forced himself to plod along the sidewalk toward the level support. He knew he could find Flea again by following her scent, but he had to be sure he wasn’t seen to do it. Surprise would be his only advantage.

When he finally reached the door to the stairwell it opened without protest, gliding on hinges that told how often the route was used. A single bulb shone inside, lighting the first few steps in both directions before fading away to darkness.

But darkness was his friend. It was what he needed to make the plan that was slowly forming in his mind work, and his lips tipped up in a grin as the door thudded shut behind him.

Chapter Seventeen

Flea

There was no denying the surge of fear that filled her throat as Gra’ar turned his back on her. The tiny thread of trust that had built between them snapped, the recoil tearing into her chest as she fought back tears. She only had herself to blame.

Deacon’s mention of her heat had stunned her, but his distraction while dealing with Gra’ar gave her time to put the pieces together. She’d missed the signs, too concerned with simple survival to realize the biggest threat to her freedom was on the cusp of derailing everything.

Fucking biology. She couldn’t fight what she was. She couldn’t outrun it. The most she’d been able to hope was that she could plan for the inevitable and ride it out hidden in safety, but she hadn’t paid enough attention to catch the warnings.

Like how despite being dressed in nothing more than thin leggings, a tank top, and a baggy t-shirt, she was still warm. The alphas surrounding her were all wearing coats, many with a cap pulled over their ears and hands tucked into pockets. Since Gra’ar hadn’t worn anything more than her she hadn’t caught on, but she could remember the heat rolling from him when he was close to her. On top of his other advantages, he was obviously built for colder climates.

She tried to pull her wandering thoughts back to her current predicament as brown eyes studied her once again. At one time Deacon had looked at her with the same hunger as the other males around them, but betrayal had a way of souring feelings.

“You haven’t answered me. We still have a debt to settle. Usually I’d kill someone who did what you did, but considering our history I’m willing to consider other options.”

Flea grimaced as Deacon lifted his fist higher, putting more tension on her hair and sending zings of fire racing along her scalp.

“Personally, I think you’re taking things a bit too seriously. So I stole a bit of food. I can pay you back.”

The shake he gave her rattled her teeth and her grip on his wrist tightened as her toes scrambled to stay in contact with the roof. She couldn’t stop the whimper of pain that escaped as he thrust his face so close to hers she could almost feel his lips move.

“You killed my drean, poisoned my men, stole a month’s worth of food, and ruined thousands of credits worth of product.”

Flea winced again. She felt bad about the drean, the mangy little animals hadn’t done anything to her, but it had been the only way to get to the food. It was ironic how easily she’d been able to get to the drugs while the rations were better guarded.

“Sorry?”

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