CHAPTER SIXTEEN

DEMON

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The fluorescent lights of the general store buzzed faintly over the aisles of mismatched goods. I hadn’t set foot in this place in nearly a year, maybe longer. Usually, I called ahead and had my things delivered to the edge of my property, where I met the delivery associate and paid cash for my items to avoid people, questions, and stares.

However, today, I couldn’t let anyone near my cabin, near them . My jaw tightened at the thought of Greek and Sofia, tucked away in my home, their scents still lingering in every corner, on every surface. The thought of someone else catching even a trace of their combined fragrances made something low in my chest rumble, a deep, involuntary sound that escaped before I could stop it.

A beta male down the aisle jolted, wide-eyed, clutching a pack of batteries like it might save him from me. He scrambled off, leaving the aisle empty except for me and my cart. I sighed, forcing the growl back down, reminding myself not to be growly and scare the other shoppers.

I turned my attention to the shelves, trying to focus on my task. I needed supplies. Soft things for Greek. I didn’t really know what he liked. I could take him shopping later, but for now, I needed to bring back something that might make him feel wanted and, most importantly, safe. My eyes landed on a few throw pillows, zeroing in on three specific colors. Red, beige, and blue.

The red reminded me of Sofia, her fiery hair and even fiercer spirit. The beige reminded me of Greek’s hair, pale blond like the morning sun. My fingers hesitated over the blue pillow. It matched my eyes, sure, but would they want something that reminded them of me? Would it feel like an intrusion or, worse, a claim they didn’t want?

I stood there, second-guessing myself, until frustration crept in. With a low grunt, I tossed the blue pillows into the cart alongside the others. If they didn’t like them, they could toss them. But at least I’d tried. The blankets were next, soft ones that were of much better quality than the scratchy ones I had at home.

My fingers brushed over a fleece throw. I picked it up, testing its texture. It was plush and warm. Something that would feel good against Greek’s skin. Something that might help it sink in that he wasn’t in that hellhole anymore. I didn’t know all the details. Actually, I had no details. But I knew he’d escaped something horrific.

I wanted to do everything I could to help him get rid of those bad memories. I grabbed a few of the fleece throws in the same colors as the pillows and threw them into the cart. The store didn’t have much clothing, but I grabbed a few things I hoped would fit Greek and Sofia. The stares hadn’t stopped since I walked in, and I could feel every pair of eyes in the store on me.

It wasn’t just my size that drew attention, though that was part of it. Alphas were usually big, but I was bigger, broader. Taller. Scarred. And I was wearing shades indoors. Needless to say, I stood out in a crowd. And that wasn’t good. Not for someone like me. I glanced around, feeling the familiar itch of regret. Coming here had been a mistake.

I was an alpha on the run, but this? This felt like a reckless decision, a moment of weakness that I shouldn’t have allowed. Yet here I was. It was too late to turn back now. I reminded myself that no one from my father’s pack had tracked me here. No one had asked questions in years. I’d been careful. Always careful.

I had no reason to think they’d suddenly show up here. Lawrence, the store owner, would’ve warned me if there’d been any sniffing around. He’d been reliable so far, feeding me information in exchange for cash. That thought soothed some of the panic, enough to keep me moving.

I pushed the cart forward, forcing myself to continue shopping. And then I saw it: the aisle of knick-knacks. My cart stalled as I stood there, staring at rows of little figurines and trinkets that seemed so out of place in my life. Yet I couldn’t pull myself away. My fingers twitched as I reached for a small ceramic fox.

Its sly grin and pointed ears reminded me of Sofia. My sly fox . I turned it over in my hands, tracing the smooth edges of the figure before placing it in the cart. Next was a rabbit, its ears drooping, its expression soft and shy. The resemblance to Greek was ridiculous, but it also felt... right.

I picked it up, the delicate porcelain fragile in my large hands. My chest tightened as I imagined him smiling when he saw it. I added it to the cart without another thought. I shouldn’t have stopped. I should’ve walked away from this aisle and kept things practical. Food. Clothes. Nothing more.

But my hand hesitated again, landing on a bear figurine. A gruff-looking thing, stocky and solid, its tiny eyes almost the same color as mine. Sofia had called me a bear. A nickname . It shouldn’t have mattered, but it did. More than it should have. The bear went into the cart, too.

I stood there for a moment, staring down at the figurines nestled between cans of soup and folded sweaters. They looked ridiculous. I looked ridiculous. What the hell was I doing? I wasn’t the type to pick out gifts, let alone obsess over which trinkets my future bond mates might like.

But the idea of seeing Sofia’s mischievous grin widen when she spotted the fox or Greek’s shy, surprised expression at the rabbit made me happy I’d chosen the items. It wasn’t just about the gifts. It was about the thought of them staying. Of giving them a reason to stay. No, it wasn’t even just that.

I wanted them to be happy. I wanted to be the reason they were happy. I wanted them to be happy to be with me. Was that even possible? With a frustrated grunt, I pushed the cart forward. I hated how much this mattered to me. How much they mattered. I hadn’t even known either of them for a full twenty-four hours.

Yet the beast within me had already proclaimed them MINE . At the register, the store owner, Lawrence, was waiting. The older man nodded as I approached, his salt-and-pepper hair cropped short, his muscular frame still imposing despite his age. The tattoo on his neck peeked out from the collar of his shirt, an old military insignia.

“Good timing,” Lawrence said, his deep voice calm. “Storm’s coming in fast. I’m about to board up the place.”

I grunted, placing the items on the counter. Lawrence raised an eyebrow as he rang me up, his eyes flicking to the fox, bunny, and bear figurines. He didn’t say anything, but the corner of his mouth twitched like he was holding back a smile. I ignored it.

“Got a few more jugs of water in the back,” he said, nodding toward the storage room. “Flashlights too, if you need’em. Should’ve come earlier. Most of the shelves have been wiped clean.”

“I’m good,” I replied, though I let him grab the water and flashlights anyway.

It wasn’t like I was running low, but having extras wouldn’t hurt. Especially now that I was no longer alone.

As he loaded the jugs onto the counter, I asked, “Any chatter I should know about?”

Lawrence paused, his brow furrowing slightly as he scanned the last of my items. “Nothing local. But I heard something about a pack compound getting hit a town over. Black Fang Pack.”

“Who attacked them?”

“Don’t know yet,” he admitted, shaking his head. “Got a guy looking into it. They were a nasty bunch, though. Full of alphas who thought they ran the world. I heard they’d been trying to breed omegas. Good riddance, if you ask me.”

I nodded, wondering if that was where Greek had escaped from. Not likely. How would he have made it this far in his condition? I didn’t ask about my issue. If anyone were sniffing around for me, Lawrence would know.

For now, I was safe. I paid for the items, then added a little more for the information and helped him load my stuff into my truck. As I climbed into the driver’s seat, Lawrence waved me off.

“Stay safe, Demon. Storm’s gonna be a bad one.”

I nodded and drove off, the backseat of the truck loaded with pillows, blankets, food, snacks, and those damned trinkets. The trinkets. A fox, a rabbit, and a bear . My chest felt lighter than it had in days, and I couldn’t stop the small smile that crept across my face. The thought of seeing Sofia and Greek again filled me with something I couldn’t quite name.

All I knew was that I was already counting down the minutes until I could get back to them. Until I could get home.

***

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SOFIA

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The oversized clothing hung off me like I’d raided a giant’s wardrobe. The white t-shirt, soft and worn, billowed around my frame, the hem nearly brushing my knees. It wasn’t entirely a bad look, but it needed something to stop me from drowning in the fabric. Grabbing the back of the shirt, I pulled it tight and then twisted it into a knot, tying it securely to give it some semblance of shape.

The transformation wasn’t revolutionary or worthy of a photoshoot, but at least I didn’t look like I was playing dress-up in Demon’s clothes. The pants were another challenge entirely. The waistband was comically loose, sliding down to my hips with every step. I folded it over once, twice, then a third time until it sat snugly enough to stay put.

The length was another issue. They pooled around my feet like puddles. I rolled the cuffs up as high as they would go, but they still dragged slightly. I could work with it, though. The cozy material felt nice against my skin, and I couldn’t help but imagine Demon wearing these clothes, his scent lingering faintly on the fabric.

Greek wasn’t faring much better. His t-shirt hung off his lean frame, the neckline slightly too wide, exposing one sharp collarbone. The pants he wore had been folded at the waist so many times that they looked bulky, and the legs still bunched at his ankles despite his best efforts. I took a step closer to him, tugging at the hem of his shirt.

“Hold still,” I said, grabbing the fabric and tying a knot at his side to make it fit better on his shoulders. It wasn’t a knot like mine, but it helped. While working, my fingers brushed his waist, and his cheeks flushed a delightful pink. “There. Now you look less like a kid swimming in his dad’s clothes.”

Greek ducked his head, mumbling a soft, “Thanks.”

His shy smile tugged at my heartstrings, and I had to resist the urge to ruffle his hair. Once we’d wrestled our outfits into some semblance of order, we decided to explore the bedrooms. The guest room was first. It was plain, almost sad in its simplicity. A standard-sized bed sat in the center of the room, draped in brown sheets without so much as a comforter to make it inviting. In the corner, a lone chest stood, its wooden surface scuffed and worn.

I wrinkled my nose. “Well, it’s functional, I guess.”

Greek ran his fingers over the chest, but he didn’t open it. “It’s... not bad.”

Those words made me wonder how bad his living conditions had been. But he was right, this wasn’t bad at all. And I needed to make sure I didn’t scoff or frown at anything in Demon’s home. I didn’t want to offend him or Greek. Not everyone had grown up like I had. I needed to remember that.

“Let’s check Demon’s room,” I suggested, already tugging him by the hand.

He followed without protest, his warmth a comforting presence at my side. Demon’s room wasn’t much more impressive. However, it had a certain charm to it. The king-sized bed immediately caught my attention, its sheer size making me pause. That was a bed all three of us could roll around in without anyone falling onto the floor.

I liked it. I liked it a lot. There was also a dresser against one wall, and a chest similar to the one in the guest room sat at the foot of the bed. Everything was simple, practical, but it was the faint trace of Demon’s scent that made the room feel more alive.

I grinned, nudging Greek with my elbow. “We could all fit in that bed, you know.”

Greek’s face turned crimson, his ears practically glowing as he stammered, “S-Sofia!”

I laughed, flopping onto the bed and inhaling deeply. Demon’s scent was there, faint but unmistakable. It wrapped around me like a warm hug, though the lingering scent of blockers dulled the full effect.

“His bed smells like him,” I murmured, shivering at the thought of catching his true scent.

Greek hesitated, then sat beside me, his hands folded neatly in his lap. “This room feels... safe,” he said softly, and I knew then that we’d made our choice.

We would sleep in this room! We left the room and returned to the living room, where Greek perched on the couch. I sat down beside him, then noticed one of his bandages slipping loose, the edges curling away from his skin.

“Hold still,” I said, nodding to the bandage. “Let me find the kit.”

It didn’t take long to locate the supplies Demon had used to patch him up. The closet was small and organized, and the bandages and antiseptic were neatly arranged. I returned to Greek, kneeling in front of him as I carefully peeled away the old bandage.

“I-I can do it,” Greek stammered.

“Do you want to do it, or would you like me to take care of you?” I asked, wanting him to stop thinking he had to do everything for himself. “If you don’t want me to do it, I won’t. But if you like having me do it, then I’ll gladly do it,” I added.

“I don’t want you to get tired of me or think I’m weak.”

“Never,” I told him.

The wounds beneath were already healing, the edges knitting together in a way that made me envy omega and alpha biology.

“You’re healing fast,” I remarked, cleaning the area before reapplying fresh bandages. “I wish I could heal like this.”

Greek tilted his head, a small smile playing at his lips. “Betas who’ve been claimed by alphas heal faster, too.”

I couldn’t stop my grin. “Then maybe I’ll heal faster soon.”

His blush returned, but he said nothing, letting me finish. Once I was done, I returned the supplies, washed and dried my hands, and then sat beside him again. He seemed more relaxed now. But the silence in the room was driving me crazy.

To fill the silence, I launched into a story about my family, describing my parents and their careers, painting a picture of the loving chaos I’d grown up in. Greek listened intently, his eyes bright with curiosity. When I told him about leaving home to find my own way, his expression softened.

“That was brave of you,” he muttered.

“Brave or stupid,” I teased, though my smile faltered as I recalled the hunger that had driven me to steal from Demon.

I told Greek about it, and for some reason, the thought of me stealing from the big alpha was funny to him. His burst of laughter was sweet and unrestrained, filling the room like sunshine after a storm. I wanted to be closer to him. Unable to help myself, I turned to the side and laid down across him, causing him to tense briefly before he relaxed.

I rested my head on his lap, his fingers brushing my cheek as I continued to talk. His scent enveloped me, warm and comforting, as I told him about my cousins, who I always pestered to practice martial arts with me every time I saw them. I wanted him to understand what a loving family could feel like.

I wanted him to know that I could give that to him if he let me. The sound of a vehicle pulling up outside made us both grow tense, his hand stilling against my cheek. We exchanged a look, then moved in unison, rising from the couch. We didn’t know if it was Demon returning or someone else.

Just to be safe, I grabbed a knife from the kitchen and motioned for Greek to stay back. He refused, shaking his head as he moved to stand beside me. Stubborn omega . We heard movement outside. Someone was messing with the shutters. I prayed it was Demon. But if it wasn’t, I was prepared to defend my omega.

The lock clicked. The door creaked open. I raised the knife, ready to go all stabby on an intruder. Relief flooded me when Demon stepped inside, his broad frame filling the doorway. His gaze swung to mine before dropping to the knife.

“What are you doing, Little Fox?” Demon asked.

“Protecting our home,” I replied. He chuckled and my heart did a little jig in my chest.

“Put the knife down before you hurt yourself,” he told me.

One day, I’d show him just how good I was with a knife. But today, I was more interested in what he had in those bags. If this big bear had returned with a gift for me, I would probably swoon. And if he’d gotten something for Greek, well, that would probably send me to my knees, ready to suck him off.

Needless to say, gifts made me happy.