"What's that?" He asked with a sneer.
Cassidy kept her head down and her eyes on the floor as she stepped forward. She let out a long, slow sigh as she raised her arms and gently rested her hands on Ian's shoulders.
Then she brought her knee up as hard as she could into his crotch.
"If you ever come back here again, my mate will fucking kill you.”
Chapter Fifteen
"How can someone so little be so loud?" Cassidy asked, adjusting Mia's squirming bundle of joy in her arms.
She rocked back and forth on Gail's porch swing, but the newborn refused to be soothed by the motion. Instead, she paused just long enough to refill her tiny lungs and then start wailing again.
Cassidy looked up at her friends, absolutely befuddled. "Am I doing something wrong?"
"No," Paige said with a laugh that only a weary mother could give. "Sometimes, babies just cry."
"Sometimes?" Mia rolled her eyes. "This one never stops. It thinks she even cries in her sleep."
"At least she sleeps," Paige shot back. "I swear, it felt like Isobel and Wyatt wouldn't even nap for the first three months of their lives."
Little Ellie had been born two weeks earlier with his mother's eyes and his father's fiery temperament. To hear Mia tell it, the baby had been up every three hours around the clock ever since.
"Three months?" Mia rubbed at the dark circles beneath her eyes. "I hope I can make it that long."
"You can," Paige assured her, looking up from her sketchbook. She was sketching a plan for the addition that Kian was building on their house to accommodate a family of four. "It really does get easier."
Gail looked up from the braided rug where she was sitting cross-legged, playing with Paige's twins. "If you were strong enough to make it through labor, you'll get through a few sleepless nights."
"I don't know," Mia griped. "I'd trade Ty's truck for one good night's sleep…but right now, I'll settle for another one of those maple scones."
Cassidy chuckled over the infant’s cries as she watched her friend sleepily put out her hand and waited for someone to put another treat in it.
"You're very good with her," Paige told Cassidy as she passed the tray of pastries to Mia. "Will you and Samson be trying for one of your own soon?"
"Paige!" Gail chided.
"What?" the omega asked. It was clear from her wide-eyed look that she hadn't meant any harm.
Cassidy bit her lip. She'd been wondering if she should share her family concerns with the omegas. She didn't want to bring down the light mood of their Tuesday get-togethers.
But going by Gail's knowing look and the way she'd snapped at Paige, she already knew.
"I don't think that children are in our future," she said.
"Oh, I'm sorry." Paige looked down. "I shouldn't have assumed—"
"No, no, it's okay."
And it was.
Cassidy had never thought much about having children. She'd always assumed that it would be her academic career that would get in the way of family life, but that clearly wasn't the case.
In the past few months, Cassidy had made more progress on her research than she had in almost two years at the university. Even with all her studying and writing, she still had plenty of time to settle in with Samson and spend time with her friends. Hell, she was even teaching herself to cook from several borrowed cookbooks, and had built a desk—with only a little help from Samson—where she now liked to sit and write.
Cassidy had never realized how much of her time she'd wasted in meetings and grunt work back at the university. Not to mention all the wasted breath, defending her work to a skeptical faculty.
At least now, there was nothing in the way of her recording and sharing the truth of omega life.
The problem with her and Samson starting a family was a lot simpler.
"Samson and I have been fortunate to be so compatible," she said. "But there are certain physiological differences between beta women and omegas that can't be overcome."
"Not even though he knots you?" Mia asked.
Cassidy shook her head. "An alpha can knot his mate all day long," she started.
"Oh, we know," Paige said with a laugh.
"But he can only produce sperm when his body senses the presence of estrus hormones. And only omegas go into heat, so…"
"I understand," Gail said. "Randall and I weren't able to have children because of a childhood illness, but my life is truly full. There is room for all kinds of families here in the Boundarylands."
"We keep Auntie Gail pretty busy," Paige laughed. "And our kids can always use more aunts and uncles."
Cassidy smiled…even as little Ellie started wailing and kicking again. "You have no idea how happy I am to hear it."
A few minutes later, the alphas trooped out of the tree line. Even from this distance, Cassidy could tell that they had worked up quite a sweat out there. She could see that Samson was carrying something. When he got closer, she saw that it was a bucket full of raspberries.
"We finished cutting the canes back along the creek," he said, "but there's still more berries than we'll ever be able to eat."
As everyone sampled the berries, Ty pulled an envelope from his pocket.
"Hey, Cassidy, I almost forgot. This came for you."
Cassidy handed Ellie back to her mother before taking the letter from his hand. She flipped it over and checked the return address. It was from the university.
Shit. Even though she knew this moment was coming, she'd still been dreading it. There was something about seeing the ethics committee’s final judgment in black and white that had her stomach twisting.
Samson came to stand behind her. He cupped a supportive hand over her shoulder. "You don't have to read it, you know," he said. "You could just toss the damn thing away."
No. She couldn't. Samson had never run away from trouble, and neither would she.
Steeling her nerves, she tore the envelope open. She was surprised to see that it wasn't on ethics committee letterhead. Instead, it was from Dr. Cheung.
* * *
Dear Cassidy,
Let me begin by offering my most sincere congratulations on finding your mate. Samson has always struck me as a fine man, a pillar of the Pacific Northwest Boundaryland community. I wish the two of you many happy years together.
I am also writing to express my most sincere and heartfelt apology for the treatment you received at the hands of our colleagues. Please know that I was not apprised of the visit. When I was made aware of their conduct, I forwarded my concerns to the university's chancellor, along with a full list of the standards and guidelines that were violated by those present.
I have also received a letter from Ty Wick that explained in detail the events that took place on the night of June 18th during a research trip to the Boundarylands by you and Ian Wilkerson.
After a thorough review by the ethics committee, Mr. Wilkerson has been expelled from the university. In addition, his case was handed over to law enforcement, who upon review of witness statements have placed him on five years' probation for unlawful solicitation, as he is not protected by alpha law.
Further, Mr. Wilkerson has been advised that his presence beyond the border of the Pacific Northwest Borderlands, including territory designated neutral by the Alpha Treaties, will constitute a breach of the terms of his probation punishable by imprisonment.
Finally, it is my great honor to inform you that you have been restored to the program, remotely of course. If you are willing, it would be my pleasure to continue to work together toward a greater understanding of the alpha community. I look forward to reading your dissertation upon its completion.
Respectfully,
Brandon Cheung, Ph.D.
* * *
Cassidy looked up from the letter. "It's from Dr. Cheung," she said in amazement. "He still wants to work with me. I've—I've been restored to the program."
"You sound surprised," Samson said, smiling down at her.
/>
"I am. I can hardly believe it." She looked up at Ty. "I don't know how I'll ever thank you. If you hadn't written to Dr. Cheung—"
"No thanks necessary," Ty said, waving his massive hand. "Just setting the record straight."
"But not everyone would have taken the time to write to my professor."
Ty shrugged. "We help each other out here in the Boundarylands," he said. "Especially our friends."
Samson's chest rumbled in agreement.
Cassidy felt happy tears beginning to well in her eyes, so she wrapped her arms around Samson and buried her face against his chest to hide them.
"Does this mean you're ready to go home, Dr. Carr?" he asked.
She shot him a look with her red-rimmed eyes. "I've told you a thousand times. You can't call me that. I'm not a doctor yet."
"But you will be," he said, hooking his finger under her chin and lifting her lips to his. "You will be."
* * *
Welcome to The Boundarylands Omegaverse!
Thank you for reading Samson, Book 3 in the series. There are so many more hot alphas from the Boundarylands waiting to meet you.
Keep reading for a sneak peek of Samson’s book, available here: Maddox (The Boundarylands Omegaverse)
As well as the other books in the series you might have missed.
If you want to spread the word about the Boundarylands, please consider leaving a review. The more reviews a book has the easier it is for new readers to find it.
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* * *
Kian: Book 1 (excerpt)
Paige’s chest tightened as she struggled to take a breath. Fear was literally suffocating her. She jumped as the metal door slammed shut behind her. A few chuckles spread through the crowd at her skittish reaction.
She didn’t mind the laughter. It was a hell of a lot better than snarls. Maybe that meant they weren’t going to pounce on her all at once. She started to breathe again when, after another couple of seconds, most of them turned their attention back to their conversations and beers. Those that were still giving her the side-eye seemed more amused than ravenous.
Well, that was good, right?
Maybe it meant that she’d blown this whole thing out of proportion. Maybe it meant that she was going to be okay after all.
Maybe.
These were still alphas, after all—the most dangerous creature in the whole world. Well, that wasn’t totally true. Most of the men here were alphas, but there were a handful of regular betas sprinkled among them playing pool and darts like this was any other bar in the world. Sure, they looked tough. Rugged and strong, like you would expect any man who was brave enough to live outside the safety of civilization to look, but there was no way they could be mistaken for alphas.
The alphas were different. Nearly a full foot taller than the betas, and so wide in the chest and shoulders that suddenly the massive door made sense. If it wasn’t so comically large, they would have had to turn sideways to get through.
Paige swallowed down hard. It wasn’t just the alphas’ immense size that gave her pause. It was also their presence. Even though she only counted eight of them in the building, they filled up the room to the point where it pushed all the air out. Paige pulled her shoulders in, collapsing down to shield herself from the feeling.
But she couldn’t hide. The sooner she overcame this paralyzing fear, the sooner she could get out of here.
And go where?
She pushed the question to the back of her mind. She could only solve one problem at a time.
She forced herself forward. Her legs shook, and her knees wobbled, but somehow she made it to the bar. She grasped the edge for support with one hand and pulled Officer Wilcox’s crumpled note out of her pocket with the other.
It fell from her hand the second the gigantic alpha bartender stopped in front of her.
“What do you want?” he demanded. His voice was deep and forceful enough to shake the glasses hanging on the racks.
Paige knew better than to risk looking up at him. She’d lose the last shreds of courage she had. So, she stared down at the brass rail instead.
“I—I’m looking for Kian.” Fear closed her throat, and her voice came out a whimper.
“Why?” the alpha demanded. Paige wasn’t prepared for questions. Her anxiety shot through the roof. She tightened her grip on the bar as the black fog of panic pushed in again.
“Because—” The word caught in her throat. Damn it. She needed to pull herself together. Her life depended on it. She glanced up at the bartender. “Because I was told he might be able to help me.”
The bartender’s brows pulled together. It was the most menacing glower Paige ever seen. “What kind of idiot comes here looking for help?”
Paige’s lips trembled. Hot tears pricked the corners of her eyes. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out.
Not that it mattered. Even if she had been able to talk, she was too overwhelmed to think of anything to say.
Too much had happened. Murder, heartbreak, the wholesale destruction of her life, and now the prospect of being ripped apart by a goddamned monster. It was amazing she was standing upright.
“Leave her alone, Ty.”
The voice—little more than a growl—came from the far end of the bar. Deep in the shadows of the corner, a hulking silhouette shifted on his stool. Somehow Paige had missed that one.
“The woman isn’t a threat. The stench of her fear is thick.”
Paige swallowed down. “Y-You can smell me?”
Of course, she knew the answer was yes. Everyone knew that was one of the traits that made alphas special, but knowing something intellectually was different than experiencing it firsthand.
“Every alpha in this room can,” he answered without looking up at her. “You reek of panic and desperation.”
Paige was pretty sure you didn’t need a good nose to figure that out. Her shaking hands and trembling voice were dead giveaways.
The bartender let out a loud harrumph. Instinctively, Paige recoiled from the sound.
“You want Kian? You got him.” The bartender shook his head slowly before walking away.
Wait. That hulking shadow at the end of the bar was Kian? The one who said she reeked of desperation?
Paige drew in the deepest breath she could manage and slowly shuffled toward him. The closer she got, the more warning bells sounded in her head. She shouldn’t be doing this. This man—this beast—was too big. Too primal and unpredictable. If she had any sense left, she’d turn tail and run.
Where? Straight into the barrel of Craig’s Glock?
This was it. Her only hope. There was nowhere else to run. All she could do now was pray.
Paige stopped two stools away from the giant. She knew the buffer zone was only an illusion. There wasn’t any distance that was safe when near an alpha. It wasn’t as if she’d be able to outrun or outfight him. Still, Paige couldn’t force herself to move any closer.
“Can I talk to you?” she asked.
He didn’t look up from his beer. The glass mug seemed comically small in his massive hand. She knew he could crush it into shards with a twitch. “What would you do if I said no?”
The truth slipped out before she could stop it. “I have no idea.”
“No, you don’t have a clue, do you?” He gave a short derisive laugh before lifting his drink and downing the whole thing in one swallow.
“I know that I can buy you another beer.” She pulled a bill out from her purse and laid it on the bar.
He paused for a second before slamming the empty glass down.
“That’s a good start.” He raised his hand, motioning the bartender back over. “You can keep talking until your money runs out.”
“I don’t want to bother you,” Paige said. “I really don’t want to be here.”<
br />
“That’s pretty obvious, lady,” he growled. “Get to the point.”
“My name is Paige Byrne,” she said. “Officer Wilcox in Sacramento gave me your name, and—”
“Denise sent you?” He gave another laugh, this one even darker than before. “You must be in trouble.”
“I am.” Paige blinked at his casual tone. She dropped her voice down to a whisper. “Someone is trying to kill me.”
“Figures,” Kian said. He shot the bartender a pointed look as he grabbed his next beer. “Denise has always had a soft spot for charity cases.”
“I’m not looking for charity,” Paige said, feeling strangely defensive. “I can pay if that’s what you want.”
“So, now my little sister’s pimping me out,” he muttered.
Little sister? Paige narrowed her eyes and leaned in closer, trying to spot a family resemblance, but it didn’t do much good. She could barely see anything in the low light. “You’re Officer Wilcox’s brother?”
“Of course. How else would I know her?” he said. “Who else in Sacramento, of all places, would know where to find me on a Sunday night?”
It made sense. After all, nearly all alphas were born into regular families just like everyone else. But for some reason, Paige was having a hard time trying to make a genetic link between the very normal cop who had saved her this morning and the beast sitting in front of her now.
Kian, though, didn’t seem to appreciate the extra attention. He gave a low growl of warning, and Paige immediately straightened up.
“Sorry,” she rushed to say.
The alpha lifted his beer and downed it as fast as the last. “Who wants you dead?”
“My fiancé,” she said, then caught herself. “I mean my ex-fiancé.”
“Why?”
“Because I witnessed him murder a man.”
Samson (The Boundarylands Omegaverse Book 3) Page 11