Page 2 of Beast

“I’m s-sorry.” Terror twisted his face and he pleaded for mercy with his hands raised in supplication and his eyes wide with fear.

I shook my head; those words meant nothing to me anymore. I’d heard too many say sorry or plead for their lives, and it never fazed me.

“No, you’re not.” I shook my head. “But I promise you will be.”

I punched him in the face and felt the bones in his nose break under my knuckles. He screamed, blood oozing from his nostrils.

I leaned over him again, punching his face harder, savoring the crack of bone under my fist. His screams filled the night and I basked in his terror. My hands were bloody, and the bastard was crying like a wounded animal.

A gust of wind stirred the trash littering the alley. The sweet-spicy scent of an omega blooming into heat tickled my nose, and I paused mid-punch.

Fuck.

There weren’t many omegas, and the alpha wolf in me craved this one already. I grabbed the purse, removed the cash from my wallet, and stuffed it inside. Then I looked for someplace safe, like a store with security cameras or a police station, and ran across the street to a 24-hour gym. I wanted the woman with the kids to get her money back and a bit extra for having to deal with a purse snatcher.

Inside, transcendental non-Western music of some kind played over the speakers. Guess it had helped drown out the thief’s screams.

“Hey, I found this outside,” I said to the lady at the front desk. “Would you make sure it gets back to the owner, please?” I had to hurry this the hell up. My wolf clawed at my insides to find the omega and claim her as ours. My whole world narrowed down to getting to the omega before some other alpha beat me to it.

“Of course.” She gave me a bright smile, fluffing up her brown hair.

“Thanks.”

When I turned to the exit, she said, “Can I get your number? I mean, there might be a reward for turning this in.”

“No, thanks.” I pushed open the door, adding over my shoulder, “I don’t need anything.” Except to reach the omega.

“Wait,” she called. “My shift ends in an hour and a half at 3:30 this morning. Maybe we could get coffee?” She was cute enough if it were any other time... But without another thought, I shook my head no.

I had an unclaimed omega to find. Her scent called to me and my wolf.

The night air cooled my skin and I sprinted across the street in four long strides. Her scent was faint but still traceable. My heart raced. She was on the other side of the park. Was she in her wolf form? Some omegas never shifted, but I’d heard of a few who did. The urge to change into my wolf and track her pumped through my veins. But a wolf roaming through the city wouldn’t go over well. I didn’t care, but I didn’t want the locals trigger-happy and putting down innocent animals.

The moon hung high and full overhead. Two women ran along the trail with LED running lights around their upper arms and they both gasped when I passed them. I hid my speed as much as I dared. Let them think what they wanted. Like I could be an Olympian runner. I didn’t care. I needed to find that omega.

Her honeysuckle and light cinnamon scent drifted on the wind like a thread among the pollution of the city. I quickened my steps and I didn’t care who saw me. The urge to find her squeezed my chest until I felt like I couldn’t take in enough air.

I rounded a cluster of trees and spotted a woman with dark hair getting into the back of a car. She was in a tailored creamsuit and her hair was pulled back into a bun. She never once looked back at me. Then she eased herself into the car and pulled the door shut behind her.

I charged at her, dodging around two women taking selfies together after a long night out partying and under a streetlight. They didn’t seem to notice me as I ran between them.

The driver pulled away and I leapt across the edge of the park. I jumped the curb, and ran down the street, hoping for a glimpse of which direction she was headed. But it was too late, the car she’d gotten into was gone.

While as a wolf I’m much faster over land, even I wouldn’t be able to track a car. Cars were darting here and there but none were the four-door Dodge she vanished in. There were so many scents in Manhattan I couldn’t pick hers out easily when it was diluted with so many others.

I wanted to howl at the moon. Rip the man and his dogs behind me to shreds. I didn’t look at him, because I know if I did, I would kill him. He’d see the amber glow of my eyes and run. Which is the worst thing he could do when faced with a predator.

The scent of her remained on the night air. I noted the car had come from the southern end of the park. I prayed she lived around here and came here regularly so I could find her again.

She had to be mine.

My phone dinged and I dug it out of my pocket to allow the distraction of it to calm me some.

An urgent text flashed in my display:We have a job.

I really wanted to tell them to piss off, that I needed to find the omega. Except the car didn’t have a license plate. Maybe taking a new gig would take my mind off her until I could track her scent again.

I accept, I typed back.

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