The Omega jumps out of bed and looks out the window. The dark glass conceals Ariadne on her side, but she can clearly see Victor.She prays that Victor's weaker nose can pick up her scent, but the Alpha doesn't look up.Suddenly, a powerful lemon scent assaults Victor's nose.Harry is trying to mask Ariadne's presence. Otherwise, Victor might be able to smell Ariadne.Damn it.Ariadne presses her ear to the cold tile floor. She can hear them below, voices muffled but distinguishable."Victor," Harry hums. "To what do I owe the pleasure?""I've looked everywhere," Victor answers. "She's gone. We couldn't catch her at the airport. I think she's gone.""We have eyes everywhere," Harry lies. "We'll find her."There's the sound of shuffling, the clinking of glasses."Why does it smell like lemon ass in here?" Victor complains.Harry laughs. "I spilled some floor polish. Getting old, I guess."That f*cking

"That's me," Victor answers, wishing he could shed his own name."This morning, something bad happened," Daniel sighs, guilt dripping from his pores."Some people came into the store, loan sharks. My father, he-he stupidly borrowed from them to pay back the banks and-"Victor can't eat anymore. He closes his container and prepares for whatever news the boy has.He imagines the worst. Ariadne is dead. And soon, he will be too because he's not strong enough to live in a world without her."They were going to kill us, but Ariadne traded herself," the boy whispers."It was Alpha Harry. He took Ariadne away. I-I couldn't do anything, but she-she said that you were her mate when- so you can help her. I know she doesn't want to see you, but I- you look so thin and- maybe you're not a bad guy. You could save her. Bring her back to me."Something doesn't add up. But what?Well, this boy is helplessly in love with Ariadne, that much Vict

It's a lot to handle, both figuratively and literally.Ariadne sits in the car, holding her family's ashes, which shouldn't be as heavy as they suddenly are. She stares at Victor, who, in turn, mirrors her perfectly.And it's silent, as if the whole world is gone, leaving a blank canvas and them in that little car."You want me to what?" The conquest circling his head like a cartoon blue jay, Victor asks, dumbfounded."Mate me," Ariadne breathes."But y-you always-" Victor begins before losing the pace of his words. The Alpha glances downward to his hands, cheeks flushing.Ariadne's never seen him this taken aback, which somehow makes the Omega's heart flutter."I know what I've always said," Ariadne begins, fumbling over her words, desperate to catch something."I-I was sure. I was absolutely sure that this day would never happen. But then I saw you. And you saw me back."Does the Alpha understand what she's trying to s

“Baby?” Victor coos.“We’ll have to start planning how we’re going to deal with Harry and the rest soon. But- but I just want one more day where we can-”“In case we die?” Ariadne cuts him off. “One day to remember, to make it all worth it.”“I can mate you right now,” Victor offers. “We don’t need a ceremony, or cake, or flowers.”The Omega melts at that, legs turning into jelly.“Victor, I don’t need a mark to know who you are,” Ariadne responds. “We can do it after we settle everything, and we will settle things.”“So then, what do you want to do for now?” Victor hums, closing in, wrapping himself around Ariadne, a hand on her still flat tummy.Though they both know it will soon swell.The Omega’s missed his touch so badly for the last three weeks. It’s Ariadne's homecoming. What els

The first shot is followed by a barrage of gunfire. Ariadne looks to her left, wondering why Lisa doesn't simply drive away from the line of assault. They are getting f*cking stormed on.And the answer is immediately evident.Lisa is dead, with a bullet wound on the side of her face. Her body is draped over the gear shift at an awkward and broken angle. The first shot was carefully done to take out the driver."We gotta get out of here," Calvin shouts.Edward makes a mad dash to the front, climbing between the seats. He tosses the Beta's body like a rag doll out the window.There's no time to mourn her, no funeral. The dogs will eat her tonight.Then Edward turns on the engine and drives more profound into the casino port for cover. Dustin presses a button on his phone, and metal shutters come down over the two largemouths. The bullets ricochet over the plates. It sounds like there is an army of people outside.So much for no blood. There's enough to swim in.Dustin kicks open the bac