Page 9 of Winter's Heat

A delicious fragrance hits me the moment I step outside. Vanilla, mixed with a heady floral scent, intrigues my senses. My head turns in every direction, trying to find the source.

It’s a moment before I realize the addictive scent is coming from the person on the ground. Jacob is crouched beside them, shielding them from my view.

Moving forward, I see that it’s a frail woman.

She’s dressed in a white dress that’s soaked through, giving me a glimpse of the pink bra she wore underneath. Tendrils of sunshine-blond hair fall all around her shoulders, curtaining her face from view. My anger slips away as I take in her trembling body.

Falling to my knees before her, I gently lay my palms on her cheeks and lift her face to me. A bluish hue spreads on her horribly pale skin. She has luscious lips but they’re a shade of a sickly blue too. If she didn’t have the look of pure terror on her face, she’d be quite beautiful.

Blinking through snow-laden dark lashes, the stranger stares up at me.

Something slams within me as I meet her gaze. “Are you okay?” I ask in a deep, rough voice.

She simply stares at me, swallowing hard. Her green eyes look deep into mine, causing me to pause.

My nostrils flare, desperate to breathe in more of her addictive scent. The fragrance of vanilla, tinged with that of roses, sweetens the air around her.

Omega...My heart pounds in my chest as my gaze drops down to her lips.

“Please…save me.” Her trembling hands clutch onto my arm. “Please, Sir. Save me.”

“Are you hurt?” Jacob asks, making her turn toward him.

I take a closer look at her while she’s distracted with him.

In the beam of the car’s headlights, I notice the dark bruise on her left cheek. Someone has definitely hurt her. A closer look reveals how young she is. Even though her body is womanly with soft, rounded curves, a touch of innocence still lingers in her eyes.

An ache slices through me. Who could’ve done this to her?

“Please get me away from here,” she says in an anguished voice. “If they find me, they’ll take me away.”

It’s strange to see a young omega on her own in the middle of a deserted street. Her addictive fragrance wrapping around me makes me doubt if she’s bothered using a de-scenter.

Is she a hooker?I wonder, taking in her wet clothes that cling to her seductive body. She’s gorgeous enough to be a highly paid escort but something isn’t adding up.

What would someone like her be doing in the middle of a deserted street with a snowstorm on the way? She barely has anything warm on her. Her soaked clothes and trembling body are proof enough that something horrible happened to her.

“Please, Sir,” she begs, tightening her hold on Jacob’s arm. “I’ll do anything…anything. Please just get me far away from here.”

Anything?

The wild wolf within me raises its head at her offer. Is she aware of the implications of that word? A young omega promising she’d do absolutely anything for the two alphas before her.

The beast within me growls appreciatively. It’ll do anything to get a taste of this beautiful, innocent prey.

Stop it, I chide myself to quell the possessiveness that arises within me.She’s hurt.

“Give me your hand,” Jacob says in a deep voice.

She extends her arm out and places her hand in his.

He pulls her to her feet but she stumbles the next moment, nearly crashing into his chest.

“Be careful!” I gasp, feeling a strange protectiveness for her.

“She’s cold and hurt,” Jacob says in a low, grim tone. Bending down, he sweeps her into his arms and walks toward the car. “Come on, Kai. Let’s get her out of here before she freezes to death.”

Hurrying after him, I open the door to the back passenger seat. The blast of warm air that hits my face makes me glad for the heated, dry interiors of our car. They’ll help her feel better soon.

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