The Omega's Heart (Wilde Creek Four) (3 page)

“You’re an idiot,” she groaned out loud,
annoyed at herself for not planning her escape very well. Hell, she
didn’t even know what she was escaping from. Her father could have
been planning a party for her, not something nefarious.

Snorting, she rubbed her eyes and said,
“You’re also hallucinating.” As if her father would do anything
nice for her that didn’t directly benefit him. He’d never been the
fatherly type; he was all alpha authority, all the time.

She twisted the key in the ignition to turn
on the battery and looked at the GPS screen. Zooming out, she poked
around on the screen until a town name about three hours away came
up. Wilde Creek. Zooming in, she noticed lots of green areas, which
probably meant woods. That was good news for her with the upcoming
full moon. Maybe there was a pack in town, and she could pretend to
be a road-weary traveler and crash with a single female for a few
days until she figured out her next steps. Not that she’d be
pretending too much. She really was weary.

If she drove to Wilde Creek and just waltzed
into town, they’d probably be suspicious of her. But if she was in
distress, they’d be more inclined to help her – at least she hoped.
She looked out the windshield at the fast-falling snow, not
relishing the idea of making herself relatively helpless and
reliant on the kindness of strangers, especially not when the sun
would be setting soon and the already frigid temperatures continued
to fall. But if she wanted to be able to hunt on the full moon, she
knew she needed to strand herself to buy some time. Then she could
keep moving on. Or who knows, maybe she’d find something in Wilde
Creek worth staying for.

She snorted loudly as she turned off the
battery and extracted the key. “Now I know you’re really
hallucinating. You’re not that lucky.”

* * * * *

Acksel watched from the kitchen at Luna’s as
his mate and several omegas packed up the bridal shower gifts.
She’d told him that males weren’t allowed, but of course that was
only until she needed someone to schlep the gifts out to the truck.
Then she was very happy to see him and the males he’d brought to
help.

“She got quite a haul,” Zander, one of the
pack protectors, and son of the owners of Luna’s, said as he
refilled Acksel’s coffee.

“The females really came out in force for
her,” Acksel agreed, nodding.

“I’m patrolling in town tonight,” Zander
said, leaning against the metal counter.

“Why did Sam take you off guarding our
house?” Acksel used the pack protectors to keep watch over his own
house and Brynn, his mate. He trusted himself to be able to keep
her safe at all times, but she had been kidnapped by his enemies
before they mated, and with her pregnancy, he’d become a little
more nuts about her safety.

“He said he wants to try everyone at all the
protector jobs for a while and then figure out where our strengths
are so we can be utilized effectively. I like guarding your house;
patrols have to deal with humans.”

The protectors who patrolled in town looked
out for pack members to ensure their safety. That meant keeping an
eye on Poke’s, among other things. Some protectors enjoyed the
patrols, while some preferred to be stationed in one place,
guarding a home. It wasn’t only Acksel’s home that had guards, the
elders did as well, and anytime a mated male was away from his
female overnight, guards watched their home for him.

Acksel knew that Sam was feeling out the
protectors for specific jobs. “I’m sure that Sam will put you where
you’re most comfortable, but if it helps I’ll mention it to him.
Brynn enjoys seeing the same protectors; she gets nervous when
rotations are changed.”

Acksel’s phone beeped and he reached into his
pocket and extracted it, seeing Mia Slattery’s name flash across
the screen. She and Malachi’s mate, Nila, had left the bridal
shower already.

“Mia?”

“Hi, Acksel. There’s a broken-down car on
Radial Road and a she-wolf is behind the wheel. I called Ren to
come get her, but because she’s a stranded wolf I wanted to let you
know.”

He frowned. “Was the car in a wreck? Does she
need Doc?”

“No for both. She said the car just stopped,
but the battery is working so she’s in her car and Nila and I are
in mine just ahead of her. We’ll leave when Ren shows up.”

“Tell Ren I’ll meet him at the station.
Thanks for calling, Mia.”

“You’re welcome.”

Ending the call, he finished his coffee and
walked out to see Brynn. Bending over the back of her chair, he
kissed her and rested his hand on her swelling stomach. “I’m
running up to the auto center to check on a stranded she-wolf.”

“I’ll bring Brynn home for you. You can
borrow my car,” Zander said, stepping from the kitchen with his
keys in his hand.

“Thanks,” Acksel said, taking the keys.

“Is the she-wolf okay? You said she’s
stranded?” Brynn asked.

“According to Mia, yes.”

“Where will she stay?”

“I haven’t thought that far yet, love.”

“There’s an apartment over the auto center;
maybe Ren would let her stay there, at least until he gets her car
fixed,” Brynn said.

He smiled at his mate and kissed her. “I’ll
check in when I know what’s going on.” He looked at Zander. “Be
careful with my mate.”

“Of course, Alpha,” he said seriously.

Acksel walked toward the front door, snagged
his coat off the hook and put it on as he walked out of the
restaurant and got into Zander’s car. It took only a few minutes to
drive to the auto center. The lights inside the center were on, and
a lone female stood shivering next to the reception desk. Acksel
drove around the side of the building and found Ren unhooking an
older-looking sedan from the tow truck.

“Need any help?”

“Nah, thanks though. I’m going to get it on
the lift and then take a look at it tomorrow. It’s too fucking
late.”

“What’s her story?”

“She almost bit off her tongue telling me her
name because she was so cold, so I didn’t press her for details.
Her name is Honey.”

“The full moon is Monday. Think you’ll have
any problem getting the car running so she can get back to her
pack?”

“I haven’t looked at the engine, but I don’t
see why not, unless something really serious is wrong with it. I’ll
keep you posted.”

“Is the apartment in your garage in decent
shape?”

“Yeah. It was the old owner’s. After his wife
left him, he liked to stay late and work on cars. You want me to
put her up?”

“It would be the neighborly thing to do.”

Ren snorted. “Sure. I’ll make sure it’s
decent.”

“I’m going to chat with her for a few
minutes. Keep me posted.”

“Sure thing, Acksel.”

Acksel got back into the car and drove around
to the front of the building, parked and got out. Honey stared at
him as he walked into the building.

“My name is Acksel Moore, I’m alpha of the
Wilde Creek Pack.” He walked toward her slowly and extended his
hand.

“I’m Honey Williams.”

Her hand was cold when she met his, and he
wondered how long she’d been stranded at the side of the road
before Mia happened to drive by. He also wondered about her being
away from her pack so close to the full moon.

She shivered, but he didn’t think it was from
still being cold. She seemed nervous. His first thought was that
she might be banished from her own pack and just looking for a
place to settle for the full moon. He didn’t allow banished wolves
around his pack, so she’d have to get on her way out of his
territory before Monday night.

“What’s your story, Honey?”

* * * * *

Honey knew she had just one chance with the
alpha. If he was anything like her father, then he wouldn’t give
second chances and expected the truth at all times. It was tempting
to lie and pass herself off as an innocent victim of circumstance,
but it would just be a matter of time before the mechanic opened
the hood of her car and saw the damage she’d done.

As night fell, she’d stopped her car at the
side of the road in Wilde Creek, popped the hood, got out into the
blistering cold, and started pulling wires. Fortunately she hadn’t
disengaged the battery; she knew enough about cars to leave those
wires alone.

Then she’d sat in the car and waited. Even
with the heater going she was still cold, and by the time the
she-wolf Mia stopped by, she was downright frozen.

Steeling herself against the tears that
threatened, she lowered her eyes to the floor and said, “I left my
pack.”

“You were banished?”

Her head jerked up at the implication, but
then she returned her gaze to the floor. “No. Things were getting
strange at home and I wanted to get away for a while.”

“Does your alpha know you’re gone?”

She swallowed hard and blinked a few times
against the sting of tears. “Yes.”

Acksel was quiet for a long moment and she
could feel him looking at her. The front door swung open and they
both looked, watching as a woman strode inside, a young male
trailing behind her.

“Brynn!” Acksel admonished, rushing to her
and keeping her away from Honey.

The woman shoved out of his arms and tugged
off her wool cap as she closed the distance to Honey. Without a
word, Brynn hugged Honey and said, “Welcome to Wilde Creek. I bet
you’re hungry. I brought dinner; I’m freaking starving.”

Brynn stepped back and Honey blinked in
surprise. “Um, thank you?”

“My name is Brynn. Acksel, stop growling!
She’s a guest.”

Honey had never seen anyone talk to an alpha
like that. She tensed, ready to step between Brynn and Acksel if he
raised his hand to strike her. But instead of getting angry, he
just snarled, his eyes full of affection.

“Woman,” he groaned.

Brynn laughed. “I’m the alpha female of the
Wilde Creek Pack. Zander, why don’t you set up our food over there
and then you can stand guard. As long as it’s okay with your alpha
male,” she added sweetly, batting her eyes at her mate.

At Brynn’s urging, Honey went to sit down on
a plush chair in front of a coffee table.

“I’m Zander,” the male said as he unloaded
several Styrofoam boxes from two large bags. “I’m sorry your car
broke down. It’s a good thing that Mia and Nila were on the road,
or you might have been in real trouble.”

“Thanks, Zander. I’m Honey.”

She watched as he opened the boxes and then
folded the bags, tucking them under the table. He left for a
moment, going behind the large reception desk and returning with
sodas. She figured there was a mini-fridge back there.

Acksel and Brynn joined them and Acksel said,
“Ren is letting you stay in a small apartment here in the garage.
He’ll be back in the morning to take a look at your car.” He gave
her a calculating look. “I expect to know the full story tomorrow,
Honey. Are we clear?”

“Yes, sir,” she said, dropping her gaze to
the floor. Her stomach roiled with unease as she felt him staring
at her.

Brynn dropped into the seat across from her
and said, “We’ll be fine, go away. You’re making her nervous and
you’re giving me a headache.”

Immediately the male went into protective
mode, dropping to his knees next to the seat. “Are you sick? Is
something wrong?”

“Oh good grief, Acksel! Would you take a
pill? I want to talk to Honey for a little while and then you can
take me home. Okay?”

He made a snarling sound but stood and walked
away, leaving her and the alpha female alone in the room.

“Ah, let’s see here. Ooh, Zander’s mom makes
the best meatloaf. If I could marry food, I’d marry her meatloaf.
Yum.”

Honey snorted a laugh and Brynn grinned as
she lifted the box containing meatloaf and mashed potatoes. “Thank
you, Brynn, but I don’t want you to get into trouble with your mate
on my behalf.”

“Who, him? Don’t worry. He’s suspicious of
everyone, especially new people, but not me. I like to give
everyone the benefit of the doubt. Help yourself.” She gestured
with her fork to the table and Honey’s stomach took that moment to
growl loudly.

She looked over the open boxes and decided on
a box with pot roast with a side of roasted potatoes and carrots.
She loaded the plastic fork with meat and potatoes and sighed in
contentment at the wonderful flavor. She’d been eating fast food
for the last two days; real home-cooked food tasted amazing.

They ate in silence. Brynn finished her box
and picked up another one, with a club sandwich and fries, and
started to eat.

“Monday’s the full moon. I’m sure I don’t
have to tell you that,” Brynn said, taking a long drink of
soda.

“I know.” Honey swirled her fork through the
gravy, her stomach tightening in worry.

“If there’s a problem… I mean, if something
is wrong or you’re in trouble, then tell me and we can help.”

Honey looked across the table at Brynn, her
green eyes shining with compassion. She wasn’t sure why she trusted
the human woman, but she did. Maybe because she hadn’t had any
women in her life she could trust aside from her grandma. Or maybe
because she seemed to earnestly want to help.

“My father is the alpha of the Wyling River
Pack.”

“I don’t know that name. How far away is
it?”

“I don’t know the mileage, but I’ve been on
the road since Thursday night, just driving to get away. I slept in
my car, I’ve used only cash.”

“Why did you leave?”

Honey put her box down and pressed her hands
against her knees. “My dad has never been a compassionate male.
He’s always looked at me more like an inconvenience than a
daughter. I think he wished I’d been born a boy or not at all. My
mom took off when I was little, and my grandma raised me. She died
six months ago, and after that he started to act really strange. I
don’t… I don’t know how to explain it but I felt like a noose was
slowly tightening around my neck. I overheard him talking about
something happening two days after the full moon, and I panicked. I
can’t say what makes me believe that something bad is going to
happen; it’s just a feeling in my gut. I knew I needed to
leave.