“So, it was you that night.” Lukas’ voice wavered before he dragged himself to his knees, leaned back against the bathtub, and looked up at the man’s face. A recognizable dark hoodie with a large gash in the arm covered his body, and a bandanna covered everything but his suddenly familiar, amber eyes.
The man’s eyes flashed before he lowered the bandanna. A raving smile crossed his face. He crossed his arms and looked down at Lukas before introducing himself.
An unfitting game show announcer’s voice drawled from the alpha’s mouth. “Hi, Lukas. Aaaaaaron Hudson here. I’m sure you remember me.”
Aaron put a hand over his heart. As his smile grew wider, his eyes grew fiercer. “I think I played the part of the unassuming beta pretty well, don’t you?”
Fear washed over Lukas’ face.
“You may have forgotten me, but you didn’t forget my touch. I saw the fear in your eyes when I grabbed your wrist at the diner. You tried to hide it, but I saw.” Aaron sighed.
Lukas groaned as he shuddered. Aaron’s scent was terrible. He wanted Owen.
“You know, I waited every day for your response to my letters. Visited you in the diner a lot. Hell, even used scent blockers so I could get to know you better without you being scared of me.”
Aaron buried his face in his hands, sighing.
“And then I see you hanging off the arm of another alpha. I watched as your striking eyes only saw him and not me…”
Lukas looked up at the delirious alpha. Those eyes bore deep into his soul, demanding answers.
“You even went out of your way to talk to me, to take care of me when…” Aaron sighed, looking down at his bandaged fingers. Lukas’ eyes trailed up to the gash in the alpha’s hoodie.
“Yeah. Remember this?” Aaron asked, carefully pulling up the sleeve to his elbow. Lukas cringed when he saw stitches crisscrossing the gnarly-looking wound. “Pretty cool, right? Had to do it myself. If I had gone to a hospital, they would have asked questions.”
“It doesn’t look cool; it looks infected! You need to get it treated properly.” Lukas’ voice wavered. He saw mixed emotions in the alpha’s eyes.
“And here you go again. Do you treat everyone this way when they’re hurt? Or only me? Do you take care of that other alpha like this? Or is he too good to get injured?”
Aaron growled, pulling the sleeve of his hoodie down again.
“Listen, what happened in the diner, it might have been something small and insignificant to you, but to me, it was everything. I could finally look you in the eyes and talk to you and take in your scent and…”
Aaron’s voice trailed off, followed by a frustrated, heated groan.
“All this time, I’ve wanted only you. I tried to get your attention, but you were always surrounded by people. Fun, creative, quirky people I could never compare with. I thought the letters were my only chance to be noticed. I wanted to take it slow and easy, give you a chance to know me as I want to know you, but catching your scent that night in the alley, then in the diner, and especially tonight…” Aaron’s voice lowered.
“…it’s driving me wild.” A feral growl escaped the alpha.
It was at that moment, looking into those crazed eyes, that Lukas knew there was no reasoning with this man. Mr. Yorke’s words echoed back in his mind. No. I’m not going to be a victim. Not this omega.
He had to stall for time. Just until Owen got there. He thought back to the effect his voice had had on Owen when he called the alpha earlier.
He shifted his emotion into one of submission, dipping his head and bowing forward to put his hands on the tiled floor between his slightly parted knees. His fingers curled at the chill.
Putting on his best helpless voice, he whispered, “I’m sorry, alpha,” breaking eye contact with the larger man, looking off to the side.
Aaron growled under his breath, stepping away from the door and crouching in front of Lukas. His bitter scent changed a bit, indicating that Lukas was doing the right thing.
Lukas looked up with sad eyes. He forced himself to think of sad memories so he could cry, further proving his need to apologize to the angry alpha. He let his mouth hang open somewhat, letting small breaths leak from his lips.
“I’m sorry to have caused you so much pain,” he whimpered before lowering his head again, cocking it slightly to “inadvertently” expose a bit of his neck.
Lukas heard Aaron’s low growl again. He felt the alpha get closer, his breath sour and hot. Aaron’s hands ran over his thighs. Just a bit more.
The alpha purred, “Good. My omega.”
“I truly am sorry,” Lukas apologized one last time, allowing a whine to escape his throat as he felt Aaron pull him from his kneeling position.
Suddenly Lukas was wrenching the tension rod from the wall above him. He put all his strength behind the rod as he hit the crouched alpha on the side of his head, the shower curtain falling to cover the man.
Aaron fell to the floor in pain, clutching his head before rage filled his eyes.
That cold stare froze Lukas in place for a moment before he snapped out of it and hobbled out of the bathroom. He slammed the door behind him and threw his armchair in front of it.
Try as he might, Aaron had wedged the dresser in such a way that he couldn’t move it in time. The angry alpha broke out of the bathroom, holding his head. He focused on Lukas as he stepped forward.
“No more running, my little omega,” Aaron hissed.
Chapter 8
Lukas scrambled back, trying to get away from the enraged alpha. The man had blood trickling down the side of his face, yet he still persisted.
“What are you so afraid of, my little omega?” Aaron asked quietly, advancing upon the retreating figure.
Infuriated by Lukas’ silence, a roar thundered from the injured man.
“I’ll take care of you better than any other alpha! So, what are you so afraid of!?” Aaron yelled louder.
Lukas stepped back until his hips hit his nightstand. He looked back and replied with a smile, “Why, I’m simply afraid our time together will slip away!”
With that, Lukas chucked his heavy alarm clock at Aaron, hitting the alpha in the abdomen, knocking the wind out of him.
“You should wake up and smell the roses, my friend!” Lukas picked up a vase of flowers and flung it at the winded figure, causing him to fall to the floor.
“And you know what else?” Lukas asked.
A snarl came from deep within the alpha.
“You really should see the light at the end of this tunnel. I hear it’s a beautiful sight!” Lukas threw his old lamp at the kneeling figure. Damn, I’m gonna miss that lamp.
Lukas looked back at his nightstand, searching for anything else to throw, but he found nothing. He tried to throw Aaron to the side to put some distance between him and the enraged alpha before he was dragged back. He felt his stomach hit his mattress before the alpha’s weight fell against him. His arms were pulled back and held behind his hips.
Aaron ran his free hand across Lukas’ exposed skin. He traced his fingers around Lukas’ jawline, careful to avoid getting too close to his mouth.
“Bit the hell out of me last time. Won’t make that mistake again,” Aaron whispered, crowding himself closer to Lukas.
Lukas squirmed under his touch, trying to push himself back off the bed. He felt weak, like his muscles were made of taffy, and his struggles were ineffective against Aaron.
“You know, I could almost mistake you for an alpha with your fighting spirit. Only thing that gives you away is that sweet, please-fuck-me scent of yours.”
A scared whimper slipped out of Lukas’ lips as he turned his head away.
“Don’t struggle. I’ll take care of you, I promise,” Aaron said.
“You’re not Owen, so you’re not…” Lukas turned as far as he could to look at Aaron over his shoulder, trembling.
“I’m not who? Say his name again. I dare you,” Aaron threatened.
A mome
nt of silence passed between the two. Aaron, content with the silence, sighed roughly, forcing Lukas to flip over.
“I’ll make you feel better than he ever could. Ain’t man enough to take what he so clearly wants,” Aaron growled.
Running his hands over Lukas’ hips and legs, he paused as he heard the omega begin to growl.
“Now what are you doing, my little omega? Speak up.” Aaron carefully strained his ears to hear, ducking his head down to listen.
Lukas let out one last groan, feeling Aaron let his guard down before hissing, “…You’re. Not. My. Alpha.”
With one last surge of strength, Lukas butted his head forward suddenly, hitting Aaron square in the nose. At that moment, the dresser blocking the door was shoved to the side, and the weight forcing him against the bed was gone. He slumped to the floor and saw that he was in the protective shadow of Owen, who was squaring off against Aaron.
Owen’s lips were drawn back in a snarl. His eyes were burning with a cold vengeance that sent a shudder through Lukas’ body.
“Should have known it was you,” Owen growled. “Couldn’t leave well enough alone, huh?”
Aaron chuckled, shrugging.
“Why are you so upset? He’s not yours. He’s not anybody’s! But you haven’t known him nearly as long as I have. You can’t possibly love him like I do,” he snarled at Owen with cold eyes.
Owen looked around at the carnage in the room.
“You have a damn twisted definition of love.”
Turning back to look at Lukas on the floor, Owen snarled.
“Now, here’s the deal. You’re either going to roll over like a good little defeated alpha and surrender before the cops get here.”
Aaron smirked. “Or?”
Owen cracked his knuckles. “Or you’re going to put up a decent fight before the cops get here and then roll over and surrender. Your choice.”
“You’re not alpha enough for him. He’ll be mine by the end of the night,” Aaron growled before launching himself at Owen.
Owen redirected Aaron’s momentum with ease, throwing him into a wall on the opposite side of the room. He threw a knowing look over his shoulder at Lukas, sliding his cell phone to the omega before Aaron threw himself at him again.
This time, Owen caught Aaron’s fist in his and kneed him in the stomach, throwing him to the floor.
“Come on, you little bastard, I said a decent fight!” Owen’s voice thundered, yelling at the alpha on the floor. Lukas felt his pulse pounding in his head as he quickly shuffled back against the wall and called the police.
Aaron went low, knocking Owen off his feet. After receiving a couple of solid hits, Owen quickly set his legs in a firm position and kicked the rival alpha off him, launching him across the room and against the wall. A few framed pictures fell to the hardwood floor, sending glass across it.
Stunned, Aaron wheezed as he tried to stand, but Owen’s fist connected with his face before he could recover. Owen quickly threw his rival to the ground and dug his knee into his torso, his arm at the rival alpha’s throat.
Owen bared his fangs at the alpha beneath him. He was seething with such anger that the room was suffocating. Owen began to place more pressure on his arm as Aaron struggled to breathe.
“Yield!” Owen snarled at the rival alpha. Lukas shuddered as that word slipped from his alpha’s mouth. A small voice nagged at the back of his mind, getting louder with each passing second.
Submit to him. Bare yourself to him. Touch him.
The losing alpha tried to pry Owen’s arm off his throat, kicking his legs in a fury, but eventually held his hands up in submission, gasping as air filled his lungs again.
Owen quickly flipped Aaron over, binding his arms and legs with some clothing that had been strewn around the room during Aaron’s search, before looking over at Lukas. The omega was leaning against the side of the bed, arms wrapped around himself, taking in shuddered breaths.
“You’re okay now, Lukas. You did good,” Owen crooned from across the room, hoping to comfort Lukas. He couldn’t risk leaving Aaron unattended to hold the shivering omega.
Lukas groaned as Owen’s scent strengthened, blocking out the bitter odor of Aaron.
Victorious alpha. A qualified mate. Vigorous alpha. Virile alpha. Hold me, mark me, make me yours.
Lukas quietly moaned in response, trying to banish the feverish thoughts racing through his mind. His own sweet scent started filling the room, and he heard Aaron squirm and snarl beneath him, trying to tear at his binds.
“Listen, I’m not a bad guy, I’m just an alpha who wants to take care of him!”
Owen growled, forcing Aaron’s head down to the floor. “Let me let you in on a little secret. It may come as a shock to you, but a true alpha is one that guides, protects, and provides. Underneath that tough exterior, they love their mates deeply…”
Owen’s voice lowered, “…but they never, ever, force their urges on anyone.”
“And have you been a true alpha?” Aaron retorted sarcastically.
“I strive to be one every day. The world doesn’t need any more alphas like you,” Owen snarled. His gaze softened as he glanced at Lukas.
The police were at Lukas’ home within a few minutes. Neighbors were attempting to see what was happening, but many were turned away by the police. A voice stood out from the crowd as someone hustled inside the bedroom.
“Lukas? What the hell happened here?” Came a feminine voice.
Lukas weakly looked up at the source.
“Sienna?” Lukas looked surprised to see her there.
“You big doof, are you okay? What about you, Owen? What happened?” Sienna rushed over to her friend, looking him over before looking toward the alpha.
“It was Aaron,” Owen growled, cracking his knuckles.
Sienna’s mouth hung open in shock. “No way, why would he? Is he…?”
“Yeah. Alpha. Had his eyes on Lukas for a while and snapped when he saw us together. He tried to…” Owen’s voice trailed off. He bristled with anger as he looked at Lukas crumpled on the floor.
“Oh, that sick bastard,” Sienna fumed with anger. “Lukas?”
Sienna sighed, sitting on her knees next to Lukas.
“It’s pretty bad, isn’t it?” she asked cautiously, slowly placing her cool hand to his hot forehead. He shuddered at the contact.
“I just feel empty.” Lukas’ voice was hoarse, whispering so only Sienna could hear.
Sienna looked up at Owen, pleading with her eyes. Owen nodded.
“Lukas, I know exactly what you’re going through, and I know you’re scared, but you need to stick with Owen, okay?” Sienna said in a forceful tone. “I’ve got to get back to Hazel. She got really scared with all the ruckus going on. If you need me, I’m staying with my parents tonight. Be safe, honey.”
Owen and Sienna followed the remaining police to the front door, listening as the sound of their cruisers slowly died away in the noise of the city.
“You know what this means, right? Sienna asked Owen.
“Yeah, I do. I can’t believe he’s–” Owen buried his face in his hands, sighing. “He’s mine, and I’m fated to be his. I mean, I knew after we finally met outside the bar, but you’re never truly prepared to meet your fated. And then it just happens.”
Sienna smiled. “You better take good care of him.”
Owen tensed, face flushing for a moment before he turned to the woman. “I will. I promise.”
“Here, take this. I don’t have a cell phone, so if you need me, call this number.” Sienna handed over a small piece of paper with something written on it.
“Oh, this must be–” Owen took the paper, flipping it in his hand to read the contents.
“Yeah, my parent’s number. I’m staying with them for a couple of nights since Mom recently had surgery. If I don’t answer, their names are Andre and Dahlia.”
Owen nodded, “Thanks, Sienna. Try not to worry about us. I’ll get him to safety, and you sho
uld get back to your little girl and parents.”
“Take care of him, okay? I know how painful that kind of heat can be,” Sienna whispered, gazing back up the stairs before stepping out onto the porch.
Shutting the door and locking it, Owen quickly turned to climb the creaky stairs and almost slipped on something. He looked down and saw some faded, crumpled papers that looked very familiar. Archer had had them at some point.
Concern flooded him as he saw exactly what the papers were. He gripped them tightly as he walked back into the bedroom. Lukas was still in the same spot next to the bed, groaning softly. His eyes lit up with desire as he saw Owen enter the room.
Owen slowly walked over to kneel in front of Lukas, moving the omega’s shaggy hair out of his face.
Lukas leaned into his touch as he looked around his destroyed room. He looked up at Owen, lifting his hand to carefully examine the cuts and bruises on the alpha’s cheek.
“We should really get you cleaned up. Those look painful,” Lukas whispered.
Owen took Lukas’ hands in his and kissed them lightly, whispering, “Nah, it’s nothing. A sucker punch. I’ve had worse from the bars in Vegas.”
Owen’s lips left his hands, and he pulled Lukas close. The omega went lax against the warm body in front of him, and he took in Owen’s scent deeply. Feeling the caresses of the alpha, Lukas felt warmth drift across his body.
A low whine escaped Lukas’ lips.
Owen sighed before whispering, “You’re going to stay with me until this passes. I’m not letting you out of my sight again. We’re gonna pack up some clothes for you, we’re gonna pack up Miss Mulberry, and we’re gonna stay in my apartment tonight.”
The sound of Lukas’ shuddered breaths filled the room. Owen ran his hand through Lukas’ hair and exhaled slowly before showing the worn papers to Lukas.
“This is how he found you. Remember these?” Owen passed the packet to Lukas.
“The fair plans I lost. Son of a–” Lukas cringed. “And there’s my address. Yeah, Mr. Yorke was going to send someone to pick up the baked goods for the fair directly from here.” Lukas groaned before ripping up the papers and throwing them to the side.
Starry Skies for My Omega Page 8
