Chapter 2

Chapter

Two

When I got home, I figured there would be a fun mood with everyone finally finding their footing back together again. Working together again. Maybe we'd rile Cal up about the girl he was getting too into likely just to take him down a peg. Instead, I slammed the brakes.

I nearly forgot to take the key out of the car before I rounded the other side.

I didn't expect an omega. Especially not this one.

I yanked the passenger door open, unable to take it anymore by the time we made our way up the driveway. The crying, the pleading, the thickness of pure instinctive scent.

All I could hear was Cal's reminder about what I wanted and needed three years ago when... I shut my eyes, grimacing as I was forced back into the memories where I'd hurt myself. Where I'd hurt my pack.

I wished they could be wiped from my brain altogether. But I wasn't going to let it happen again. Not to anyone. Not if I could help it.

I reached out to take the omega from where she lay curled up in my beta's lap.

"I can take her," Cal said, rushing alongside me with every movement I made. Each one grated on me no matter how much need and want and goddamn fear I felt ringing through the bond between us and the rest of the pack inside starting to jump into action at our arrival. "I got her."

"Let it the fuck go, Cal!" I barked.

Cal froze, removing his hand as he carefully leaned back as I got her up in my arms. I grimaced, muttering an apology as I ran with him behind me up to the townhouse door. Cal caught up to open the door and let me inside.

The omega shook against me, and before I could think my chest started to pur.

I was… I was purring.

Again.

I hadn't purred since. I hadn't purred since I was young and stupid and…

"It's okay," I murmured, my breath coming fast. In and out.

I could hear all the sounds of the place years ago I didn't want to go back to, but now she was here right in front of me and I had her. I was going to keep her safe.

My alpha demanded it. "I got you."

"Marko?" Liam's voice traveled in from the living room.

Demetri's steps picked up down the steps as he saw what drew everyone into the entryway. "What is going on here?"

Liam's brow furrowed though I wasn't concerned with him right now. "What's wrong with her?"

"Is that an omega?" snapped Demetri.

They were talking.

"She doesn't seem like she's in heat."

I grit my teeth as I carried her farther into the house, trying to ignore them all as they pieced it together. Cal could fill them in. I had more pressing things to deal with right now and I couldn't stop until I did. "She's going through withdrawal. What room should I use to put her in?"

"Marko. Wait."

"You can"t keep her here. Who does she belong to?"

As my chest rumbled, everyone heard it that time, pausing with wide eyes at what was happening. Marko, the once feral alpha, holding a tiny omega.

She stiffened in my arms.

I clenched my teeth together, half a second away from baring them at my packmates. Challenging them. I would if I had to. "Where should I put her?"

Demetri shook his head, his voice even but all the more powerful compared to my own, reminding me of my place I didn't want to break out of, but right now I'd do whatever I had to for…for…

I looked down at the omega.

Demetri turned to Cal. Good. "What is she doing here?"

"Does it matter?" Liam asked from where he hadn't moved from the living room archway, though I couldn't help but notice how his eyes trailed back to the omega too, over and over again.

"It's Ella. My beta– The beta I was going out with," Cal tried to explain. "We were out and then..."

Then she wasn't a beta anymore. Slowly, everyone seemed to catch on.

I headed towards the stairs, voices coming up around me as I carried her off. She needed somewhere comfortable to calm down. She needed water and to get out of this stupid dress she had on that couldn't be comfortable. Where did her shoes go? Did she lose them while running away from the club? From me?

I took her to the guest room, nearest to my room. I knew the sheets were clean and unused and it had an ensuite bathroom if she needed it, though to be honest she looked more pale than green. That worried me more than anything.

It would be one thing if we could get all the drugs out of her body was coursing with, but that didn't seem to be an option.

Carefully, I laid her down on top of the blankets, working to pull them down.

Before I could tuck her in, she cuddled up with the folded-over blankets. Her face pinched as she sighed.

Her voice was so quiet, softer than a whisper as all that fire and energy seeped out of her. "Please, don't tell anyone. I can't let anyone know. They"ll know, they"ll know, they"ll know..."

"I'm not going to let anyone hurt you. You're going to have more than a few questions to answer though," I said.

Ella burrowed further down into the pillows, away from me even though I could see it pained her to do so.

An uncomfortable shiver wracked her frame.

My face pinched as I watched her, imagining just how much pain her body must've already put her through before now. Why she must've been doing whatever it was she had been… for seven years.

Another bead of sweat pooled on the back of my neck as I remembered a time when my body convulsed like that when I whimpered like a child just like that and I almost didn't want anyone to help me at all.

I reached out for her as she squeezed her eyes shut. I knew I shouldn't. I couldn't help myself.

I swiped the side of my index finger up her flushed cheek. "Why are you so afraid, little omega?"

She didn't answer.

But she didn't pull away from me. If anything, she… leaned in closer.

"Promise?" she whimpered.

"I..." I stopped making promises a long time ago, yet my head was nodding. Agreeing. "I won't let anyone hurt you, omega. Especially not me. I promise you that."

Her brown softened as she blinked up at me once more, just before she started to sob.

I promised her. I promised myself.

Never again.