Chapter 3

Three

VANESSA

I was flustered as I dabbed my face with a tissue walking to my car later that night.

I couldn't believe an alpha was here in freaking Nashville, Tennessee. I tried to choose a remote area, but the Royal Pack had found me anyway. It was time to leave and never come back. I didn't have a choice now. I had to quit my job.

If I returned to this job and saw the alphas again, they might discover I was an omega. That was the last thing I wanted. This was probably the impetus I needed to finally leave this job. I noticed my manager, Bruce, leaning against my car.

What the hell did he want now?

"What's up?" I asked nonchalantly. "I'm not getting fired, am I?"

He let out a sigh and looked up at the night sky. "I've been thinking about you, Vanessa."

My heart sank. This was bad.

"Like I said, it's over," I said. "It's not that serious. Plus, I have a kid. I wanted to talk to you about something, actually."

It was better now than never.

"Shoot."

"This will be my last night working here."

"Listen, don't leave," he said, his eyes frantic. "I'm sorry about what I said."

"No, it's not what you said," I said. "Actually, on second thought, it is. I can't handle this type of harassment. Can you move so I can get to my car?"

I tried to scoot past him, but he grabbed my arm.

"You're wild, Vanessa. I know you like it when I take charge," he said in a low voice. His mouth to my ear. Instead of feeling horny like I usually did when he took me roughly, my stomach twisted in disgust.

"Just stop," I whispered. "Bruce, I know you're a nice guy."

"I can't stop dreaming about you. Every fucking night," he groaned, pushing me up against the car. His mustache scratched my throat as he kissed my neck. "You have a hold on me that I can't explain. Please, baby."

"No," I said firmly, pushing against his chest, but he wasn't budging. "Bruce, I'm being for real."

"You heard the lady," growled a voice from the hood of my car.

Heart pounding, I looked up to see the alpha that I had given a lap dance, squatting on the hood of my car.

Ready to attack.

"She's my girl," said Bruce, not moving an inch from me. "I'm the manager of this place. Get the hell outta my property."

"She said no," said the alpha, his eyes as dark as night. The glow of his gold irises flashed in the moon. "Step away."

I shivered, feeling the alpha command in his voice. Bruce looked startled at the severity of the alpha's command, but he didn't release me.

"She's mine," said Bruce stubbornly.

"Bruce, you better run," I warned, unsure what the hell this alpha would do to him. It was in an alpha's nature to be the most dominant male in the room, and if they were protective of an omega, nothing would stand in their way.

"Fuck no," said Bruce. At his words, the alpha jumped off the car and tackled Bruce to the ground. He began punching him in the face repeatedly.

Until Bruce was unconscious on the ground.

"Don't kill him!" I shouted at the alpha.

The alpha hopped off Bruce's limp body and stood before me, not ruffled in the slightest except for a drop of blood on his shirt. My heart raced as he placed both arms on either side of me, trapping me against the car. He was unshaken, his black hair mussed with a few strands covering his eyes from his fight.

"What is an omega like you doing here?" he growled.

It was like a bomb erupted in my head. Everything that I had ever built on my very own would come crashing down.

He knew .

He knew I was a fucking omega this entire time. During the entire lap dance, he played me.

"What does it matter to you?" I spat out.

Behind him, his pack surrounded us, blocking any chance of escape for me. One was a beta with shaggy blond hair and large wide-rimmed glasses. The other looked like a delta, judging from his lean frame and muscular torso. I turned to look at the alpha holding me hostage with his powerful, wide frame. I could feel my weak omega body feel the pressure of his alpha presence.

The need to obey and surrender immediately.

"It matters because you're not allowed to be here," he said. "We will be taking you back home. Back to Howl's Edge."

"Please, no," I said. "Just pretend you never saw me here."

"My conscience won't allow that," he said. Then he looked curiously at me. "How long have you lived here in the human lands?"

"Years, and I've been doing just fine," I said adamantly, hoping I could talk my way out of this. "You really don't have to worry about me. What are you doing here, though?"

"I don't need to explain myself to you," he said. So he was one of those alphas. The ones who thought they were above everyone. "We'll be taking you back home. Name's Jack."

He stuck out his hand to shake mine, but I ignored it. Jack raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Do we take her now?" asked the delta.

"Yep, might as well," said Jack. It was normal for alphas to control their omegas and ensure they weren't out of bounds. It was his duty to bring me back to Howl's Edge. Whether I liked it or not.

"I have a baby here," I begged. "Just let me get my baby and pack some of our things."

I had to buy some time before they hauled me out of here.

He cocked his head to one side. Studying me. "Alright then, we'll follow your car with ours. Any fishy business will get you transported immediately."

"Okay," I said quickly.

He released me, and I shakily got into my car, shutting the door in their faces.

I drove like a maniac down the road.

I weaved between cars and even passed red lights, but the alpha car behind me was quick on my tail. I pressed the gas pedal and drove around a corner, and a large truck came behind me, blocking them. Excited at the reprieve, I turned another corner in one of the back roads and lost the alpha and his pack.

I whooped out loud when I lost them. I couldn't go back to Howl's Edge.

The Royal Pack would claim the baby and dump me at the Omega Auctions. Letting out a sigh of relief, I took the long road back to my apartment. Hopefully, the babysitter wasn't asleep.

As I walked into my little apartment on shaky legs, the first thing I heard was the low hum of the TV. Then, walking into the living room, I saw the babysitter munching on snacks and watching a movie, her bare feet lying on my brown coffee table. Her long highlighted hair was a rat's nest, and she wore black sweatpants with a too-large black hoodie.

She looked up, surprised to see me there.

"Thank you for staying late, Sarah," I said.

"You're welcome," she said. "Anything not to go home and get bossed around by parents."

I would do anything to get my parents back .

"Your mom is waiting out front," I said. I had called her mother after the crazy car chase.

"Ugh," said Sarah. "Can't I just live here with you and Gabe? What happened to you? You're shaking."

"Nothing happened."

"So, can I live with you guys?"

"No, you know that won't be possible," I said. "If you lived with me, you wouldn't be up this late watching TV anyway. This isn't everyday life, trust me. How was Gabe?"

"He was good. He threw Cheerios all over the floor."

True enough, I saw the little brown ringlets thrown haphazardly all over my purple rug under the dining table. My three-year-old could be a monster sometimes despite his cuteness. He was a little copy of me, and I knew I was in for a long adventure raising that child.

After the babysitter left, I locked the front door and leaned against it, shaking like a leaf.

I was certain Jack and his pack were working for the Royal Pack. They had to be. How else would they have found me?

Jack meant danger. No matter how hot he was.

Walking into Gabe's room, I saw him sound asleep in his crib. His blond curls, a complete contrast from mine, framed his little face. His hair color was a reminder of the Royal Pack. His dad was one of the kings of Howl's Edge. I watched him take little fast breaths on his side, cuddling his fluffy toy shark, which was squished underneath his tummy. I smiled and kissed Gabe on the cheek, being careful not to wake him up. I would do anything to protect my baby.

And that meant we had to move out of here.

I walked to my room, scavenging for a suitcase. I finally found one deep in the closet and started to throw underwear, bras, and baby clothes in it. I planned to go somewhere temporarily until the alpha pack got tired of looking for me, and then I'd return for the rest of my things.

It was the only way.