Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

D axton

I dive into the water, all my alpha instincts activated. Protect, protect, protect.

Not that my alpha instincts weren’t already activated by that dickwad sliming his hands all over Harper’s body. I haven’t seen red like that in a long, long time. If she hadn’t told me to put him down, I’d have most probably beaten him into a pulp, ended up in jail and lost my right to practice medicine. Shit!

I push all those thoughts aside and focus on the little omega who keeps ducking under the water. The water is icy cold – despite the warm spring sunshine – far too cold for an omega to handle. Despite the way the temperature makes my muscles ache, I thrash through the water and I’m beside her in a moment, scooping her up and dragging her to the surface.

“Is she okay?” Owen asks from right behind me. He must have followed me in.

“Unconscious. We need to get her onto the beach.” I hook my hand gently under her chin and roll onto my back. The current out here is powerful, pulling us out into the depths, but I take a deep inhale of air and push through the water, fighting against that swirl as Owen swims alongside me.

The little omega, Cindy, had joked about swimming in the lake. I’d told her not to. Lakes can be deadly. All calm looking on the surface, with fierce currents lurking below – particularly so when the water is this cold. What was she thinking?

My legs ache even more than they did, but I kick on and soon the water is shallow enough my feet hit the bottom. Owen takes the little omega from my arms and carries her through the shallows to the shore.

There’s a small crowd gathered by the waterfront, all looking anxious. All except Wyatt, who helps Owen to lay the girl out on the sand and works her chest as Owen blows air into her lungs. I crash down on the sand next to them and yell at someone to call an ambulance as I attempt to catch my breath.

Together, Owen and Wyatt work as a well-oiled team and within a minute the omega is coughing and spluttering up water and drawing in breath. I breathe a sigh of relief as the people around us clap and cheer and Owen helps the girl to sit up.

“You’re okay, little one,” he tells her, swiping the wet hair from her face. “All okay.”

The girl bursts into tears and wraps her arms around his neck.

“Is she all right?” Martina, the older omega party host, asks.

“She’s going to be just fine,” Wyatt says. “But we’ll take her along to the hospital to get checked out just in case.” He wraps a towel around her shoulders and Owen lifts her into his arms, just as an omega mother comes rushing towards us.

“Oh my goodness, Cindy, are you okay?” she gushes.

“Just fine, Ma’am,” I say, standing to my feet.

“They rescued her,” another girl calls out.

“They were amazing,” a second says. But I don’t hear any other compliments coming our way because we’re already walking her up towards the parking lot, Cindy’s mom trotting along beside us.

I scan the crowd and spot Harper, lurking at the back.

“I’ll be with you in a minute,” I tell Owen, then run off towards her.

“Harper,” I say when I reach her. “We’re going to take Cindy to the hospital to be checked out. Are you okay–”

“Yes, gosh, yes,” she says, shaking her head vigorously, “go. I’m fine.”

I hesitate, torn between leaving Harper in the midst of a number of obvious slimeballs and undertaking my professional duties to ensure Cindy is safe and healthy.

“Seriously, Daxton, go. She needs you. I’ll call mom to pick me up.”

I hesitate a second time, then unable to help myself, I squeeze her hand, turn and run off in the other direction.

As I catch up with the others, I can’t help remembering that psycho ex of mine from all those years ago. The one who would have had a full on temper tantrum if I’d even considered leaving her at a party no matter what the emergency.

Harper isn’t like that. She’s never been like that. She’s not a brat. She’s not spoiled.

Something like disappointment swims momentarily through me, because, fuck, who am I kidding, I really want to spoil the panties off of Harper Hall.

And that is one hell of a problem.