It’s hard to believe that just fifteen minutes ago, I was excited to be home in Champagne Falls. Happy to show Crew the town I fell in love with after I was forced to leave him.
The town we planned to make our home.
Now, all I can do is wish we’d never come here.
What a difference just a few minutes can make.
How quickly my world can fall apart.
“Kiara…” Davis trails off, his eyes meeting mine for a moment before darting away again, and I shake my head.
“That’s Crew. You’ve heard all about him. He’s the best omega, so of course he’s meant to be yours.” I force a smile as I step back.
Ruby’s hand closes around my wrist, yanking me back to her as her pack rounds the truck, arms stacked with boxes.
They quickly pick up on the tension in the air as Adrian’s eyes find Ruby. “Uhh… What’s going on?”
“Crew is scent-matched to Mason’s pack,” I tell them cheerfully as two sets of arms surround me—Ruby’s and Allison’s warmth washing over me as I relax back into their hold. “Isn’t it great?”
For a moment, no one speaks, and all I want to do is run away.
“Well, ummm…” Tyson stutters out. “Congrats?”
As he takes a step forward, Alexander and Mason let out matching growls, and the beta freezes.
Christopher, having had enough of the bullshit, sets his boxes down before placing his fingers in his mouth and lets out a sharp whistle that has everyone’s heads snapping toward him. “Good. Now that I have your attention, knock it the fuck off. Yes, you’ve found your scent-matched omega, but you will stop growling at my pack mate right now.”
I can feel the power behind his alpha bark even if it isn’t aimed at me, but it seems to do its job as Mason and Alexander shake their heads, the tension leaving their bodies.
“Can we get out of here?” I turn my head to face Ruby as I ask my question, and I hate the pity I see in her eyes. “I need to get out of here.”
It’s not Ruby who answers but Allison. “I’m sure we can make that happen, Kiara, but are you sure that’s what you want?”
Of course, it’s not what I want. What I want is to go back to thirty minutes ago when Crew was mine, but since that’s not an option, leaving is the only other option.
“Yes.”
Allison nods, stepping away from me and drawing everyone’s attention back to us.
I flinch against the sudden onslaught of attention, making me even more sure that fleeing is my only option.
CHAPTER FOUR
Mason
Ishake my head, Christopher’s alpha bark pushing away the worst of my alpha instincts threatening to overwhelm me.
I glance around, trying to make sense of what’s going on right now.
In front of me, Crew stands frozen, his skin pale as his head turns away from me and my pack.
He’s my scent-matched omega.
No.
He’sourscent-matched omega.
His perfume has died down, the peach in his scent turning sour. Something has upset my omega, and I just want to make it better.