Page 60 of Switch Heater

After a few deep breaths to calm myself, I crank the car and glance up. The air in my lungs freezes when I look in my rear-view mirror. There’s someone there, standing between two cars behind me, and he’s staring directly at me. A man, clearly an alpha if I go based on his size. His features are hard to make out because my eyes go blurry from the terrified tears filling them. I knew it. I knew someone was following me. But why? And how did he manage it without me catching him?

I feel weak right now. Fear and the like are not things I’m used to feeling. Omegas may seem weak, but we’re all taught self-defense. We’re all taught how to keep ourselves safe, especially from potentially dangerous alphas and even betas. But we are omegas in the end, and sometimes our designation gets in the way, like right fucking now.

Not taking my eyes off the stranger, I reach for my phone and hit the last number I called, putting it on speaker. It feels like it rings forever, and the anxiety pooling in my stomach continues to get worse. I’m frozen, my fight or flight not kicking in. Instead, freeze is the one I’m stuck with. You’d think, being in my car, it’d be easy to just back out and speed away, but it’s like my body has locked itself up, too afraid to make any sudden moves.

Come on, come on. Pick up! Please pick up.

“Ripley? Hang on, Syn’s in the shower. We’re all getting ready to head to your parent’s. Don’t tell me you’re canceling on us.” Knight’s deep, soothing voice answers.

I whimper when he chuckles, my eyes locked on that man. He stops when he hears it, a soft growl echoing down the line.

“Sweetheart, what’s wrong?”

I can’t speak. What the fuck is wrong with me? Why can’t I do anything? The man tilts his head the longer I sit there. He knows I’ve seen him. He knows I’m watching, but he doesn’t make any moves to come closer.

“Ripley, answer me!” The bark Knight lets loose jump-starts my heart and oddly calms me enough to breathe again.

“Knight. Someone’s been following me.” I whisper into the speaker.

“Where are you?”

“In my car in the parking lot at Daily Harvest,” I tell him with a shaky voice.

“Okay, Sweetheart. That’s good. Now, I want you to tell me how you know someone’s been following you.” He says calmly once he’s gotten ahold of himself.

“I... I’ve felt like I’ve had eyes on me the whole time I’ve been running errands. I felt like someone was following me, but every time I looked, no one was there. But... Knight. A man is standing between two cars parked behind me. I haven’t taken my eyes off him, and he hasn’t moved. He’s... he’s staring directly at me.” An involuntary shudder wracks my body as I tell Knight about this.

He growls again, and I hear a muffled ‘what’s wrong?’ in the background. Syn. I hear him give her a vague reply, and another, softer growl echoes down the line before I hear her voice. He must have put me on speakerphone.

“Baby Girl. Are you okay? Do I need to come get you? I can be there in ten minutes. Five if I break all the traffic laws.” Syn’s words are rushed, and I can hear the anxiousness in her voice.

Her worry is evident, and it soothes something in me that they both care so much about my safety. That they’re worried about me.

“No, I’m fine. I’m in my car with the doors locked. I don’t know why I haven’t just driven away yet. That’s what I should have done immediately. Something in me just locked up when I looked in my mirror and saw him standing there. I just got nervous and needed to hear from one of you. He’s still just standing there watching me, but I think I can get myself out of here now. I’m sorry for worrying you guys.” I’m trembling, my heart racing in my chest, but I mean it. I should be able to easily drive right out of here with no issues.

“Listen to me, Sweetheart. Don’t ever apologize for calling us when you’re worried or scared or whatever else you’re feeling. Do you understand me?” Knight’s tone is stern and no-nonsense, with the tiniest hint of an alpha bark laced within, and it makes me gasp.

I’m glad he picked up the phone. Knight has been the one I’ve spent the least amount of time with, but right now, he’s showing that doesn’t matter. That he will be there if I need him. And damn, if that doesn’t feel incredible. To know that this pack, these alphas, will be there for me.

“I asked you a question, Sweetheart. I expect an answer.” Knight says impatiently.

“Y-yes, Alpha.” I stumble out.

“Good girl. Now, I want you to put your car in reverse and leave. Stop looking at whoever is back there. Everything is going to be okay.”

I nod, even though he can’t see me. Closing my eyes, I take a few deep breaths to steel myself. I am not a damsel. It’s probably just some creep that caught the scent of an unbonded omega and decided to be even fucking creepier by becoming a stalker. No big deal, right? Right.

When I open my eyes again, I place the car in reverse. Looking back into the rearview mirror, I see he’s gone, making my heart plummet into my stomach. The spot he was standing in is empty, like he was never there, and I imagined it. But I didn’t. I know I didn’t.

“Well, that’s not creepy,” I mutter under my breath.

I back up as quickly as I can when the coast is clear and get the hell out of dodge. I breathe my first full breath when I’m back on the main road heading home, and the tightness in my shoulder’s eases minutely. What a shitty start to my day.

“Still there, Sweetheart?” Knight calls out, startling me.

“I’m here. Thank you. I didn’t mean to worry you.”

I feel silly. Yes, it was terrifying, looking up and seeing some stranger there just watching me, but I was in my car. I could have driven away the minute I noticed them and, if they’d gotten in my way, just hit the son of a bitch with my car. Instead, my body locked up, and I could barely breathe as the panic locked me in.

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