by J. L. Wilder
“Fuck this,” he said as he rose.
The guests climbed into luxury cars that pulled up in front of the house. Once the last one had gone, Hunter started off. He leaped to the next roof over before climbing down the nearest storm drain and reaching street level.
“Don’t need those two chattering in my fucking ear. Need to focus.”
He hurried over to the house, climbing the fence that surrounded the small plot of land next to it. Tapping into his dragon speed, he was able to scale it in seconds before dropping onto the ground. He grinned as he landed, knowing he was finally about to have some fun.
He began to approach the side door to the house, but right as he started to move, he heard the sounds of conversation. Hunter took cover behind a nearby bush and waited.
“Brandt’s finally fucking got her.”
“Yeah. Second day she’s in town. Not bad.”
Two men approached from around the corner of the house. Hunter recognized them right away as guards. He sniffed the air, catching the scent of wolf.
Fucking security guards, thought Hunter. Easy enough to take out.
“Not crazy about Brandt having the omega,” said one of them.
“And why the hell’s that? Brandt takes over more territory, wipes out a few of the other clans, and we’re on the winning side.”
“On the winning side until he gets rid of the other dragon clans and decides wolves are his next target.”
“Not gonna happen. I mean, maybe. But if we’re working for him, proving our loyalty...”
“You heard about this guy? Doesn’t give a fuck about any of that. You’re in his way, you’re done.”
“Then why the fuck you still working for him?”
“Same as you, dumbass—money.”
They both laughed. Hunter processed the conversation. He’d known Brandt wanted the omega, and that once he’d had her and made her bear his offspring, he’d start having designs on the rest of the city. But hearing it like that made him more determined to put an end to his plans.
But more importantly, he needed to take out the guards. He waited until their backs were turned, then moved out from behind the bushes. He crept closer and closer, the two men still wrapped up in conversation about one thing or another.
Then he closed his eyes and focused, tapping into his animal. He felt the power grow in him, and when he was ready, he pounced.
Hunter went for the man on the left first, snapping his neck before he had a chance to react. When the remaining wolf turned, he repeated the process.
“What the f—” They were the only words he managed to get out before Hunter dropped him like a sack of meat.
Hunter dragged the two bodies into the nearest bush, then rose and dusted his hands.
“Here we go,” he said.
Before he could start off, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He took it out and saw that it was Adrian. With a smirk, he pressed the button to silence it.
A, if you wanted to pull off a plan, the time for that was five minutes ago. I’m doing this shit alone.
He laid eyes on the door that led to the side of the house. It was locked, but a quick pull managed to take the knob off. With a kick, he knocked the door down and strode into the house.
Hunter was in the kitchen, and two shifters were there, surprised as hell at Hunter’s arrival.
“Evening, boys!” he said.
The two men quickly shifted, changing into their wolf forms and preparing to pounce.
“A good fucking fight—finally!”
One of the wolves lunged at Hunter, and he quickly snatched the animal out of the air and tossed him onto the ground as hard as he could. A sickening crack sounded at the impact, and the body went limp.
“Too easy,” said Hunter, turning his attention to the remaining wolf. “You gonna put up a little more of a fight than your bud?”
The remaining wolf was undeterred. He bristled and growled, baring his teeth. Hunter readied himself, wondering if he should even bother to shift. He decided against it—a dragon against a wolf wouldn’t be much of a challenge.
The wolf pounced. Hunter stepped aside and raised his fist, bringing it down hard onto the wolf’s back. He dropped like the other, and when he was down, Hunter grabbed his neck and gave it a quick twist.
“Eh,” he said when he was done. “So much for a good fucking fight.”
He stood up straight and sniffed. Right away, he caught the scent, that intoxicating, irresistible scent of an omega.
“She’s here,” he said. “And I’m gonna find her.”
Hunter rushed through the kitchen, following the omega scent. It led him to a stairwell, and he went down, arriving in a basement. There, a silver-haired older man was lounging and drinking in a big easy chair, a bottle of liquor next to him.
Damn, thought Hunter. Sure as hell could go for a drink after this shit.
“Who the hell are you?” asked the man as he rose. “And what the fuck are you doing in my home?”
“You’ve got a guest I really, really want to see,” he said. “And I’m gonna see her whether you want me to or not.”
“Fucking children!” The man rose from his seat and closed his eyes, shifting into the form of an emerald green dragon. The basement was spacious, but barely able to contain his size.
“All right,” said Hunter. “Another fucking dragon. Finally, a fight worth having!”
Hunter matched the man’s behavior, closing his eyes and shifting into his dragon—the color blood red.
The two dragons rushed towards each other, grappling as their jaws snapped.
Fucking hell, thought Hunter. This guy’s tough as shit for an old-timer.
The dragon was powerful, his teeth nearly reaching Hunter more than once. But Hunter tapped into his strength, pushing the dragon aside before opening his mouth and letting loose a plume of fire. The flames caught the green dragon, the beast letting out a roar as the fire consumed him.
While the dragon was distracted, Hunter reached forward and grabbed hold of his neck, twisting it and snapping the dragon’s thick spine. The beast collapsed and changed back into its human form.
Hunter changed, smirking at his accomplishment. But the scent of the omega was powerful, even stronger than the burning dragon. He tracked the scent to a long hallway and started down it.
As he moved, the scent became so intense that he could barely think straight. Hunter felt as though he’d taken several shots of very strong whiskey, woozy and giddy all at the same time.
Finally, he reached a solid-looking door, the scent at its strongest. Hunter stopped and knew he’d reached the right place. After a quick glance down the hall to make sure no one was coming, he spoke.
“Yo! You in there?” He banged on the door, as though his deep, booming voice wasn’t enough to get the attention of whoever might have been inside.
There was no response. But the smell made it clear to him that the omega was on the other side.
“Ah, fuck it.” He grabbed the knob and pulled hard, the door coming off the hinges. He tossed it aside.
He wasn’t prepared for what he saw on the other side. It was the omega, all right.
To call her “gorgeous” would’ve been putting it lightly. She was slim and curvy, her eyes wide and shimmering, her face like something from another world. Hunter simply stared at her, his cock just as excited as he was.
Just looking at the girl made him horny as hell where he stood. As she stared at him silently and with shock, he imagined all the things he wanted to do to her. In a flash, Hunter pictured her on her knees in front of him, his cock tunneling in and out of her mouth, his prick glistening with her taste. He imagined bending her over in front of him, slamming hard into her ass and watching the soft flesh shake.
At that moment, he felt like an animal, one who could barely control himself.
“Who...who the hell are you?” her voice broke the silence.
Hunter grinned. “I’m your rescuer, your knight in
shining fucking armor. And you’re coming with me, whether you want to or not.”
CHAPTER 12
SARAH
“Not a fucking chance I’m coming with you.”
Sarah hurried into the corner the same way she’d done when Brandt had been in the room. But like then, there was no place to go.
She took in the sight of the man. To her shock, he looked just like Adrian. A rougher and tougher version.
Fuck. I don’t know who the hell he is, but he’s totally hot. The thought popped into her head as though out of her control.
Adrian’s look alike was tall, towering, and muscular. He was dressed in biker style, complete with torn jeans, boots, and a patch-covered leather vest with no shirt on underneath. The visible skin of his upper body was cut, shredded, and covered in tattoos.
His arms were thick and strong, wild hair dark and his beard the same color. His jeans were loose, but tight enough around the crotch that she could spot the outline of a half-hard cock, one that was definitely huge.
Despite her fear, the man made her horny as hell. She remembered the feeling as the one she’d experienced with Adrian, an uncontrollable lust that threatened to overpower her. But where Adrian had been refined and sophisticated, this man seemed anything but. He was more like a wild animal to her, one that she wanted to tame.
She gasped when she realized that if this man wanted her right then and there, she’d be powerless to resist. And it wouldn’t even be a matter of resisting—she wanted him so much, it scared her.
“Not a fucking chance,” he said, shaking his head and stepping closer to Sarah. “Didn’t you hear the part where I said ‘whether you like it or not?’”
There was the smell, that scent she recognized as dragon. It was powerful enough to make Sarah feel as though she couldn’t think straight. She wanted to run from him and fuck him all at the same time.
“No way,” she said. “I’ve already been kidnapped once. Not happening again in the same night.”
The man let out a laugh. “Like I said, you’re not part of this vote. You’re in danger if you don’t come with me, and if you’re too stupid to see that, that’s on you.”
“Excuse you?” Sarah was beginning to realize the man was as gruff and rough as he looked.
He reached forward and grabbed her arm. “You want to do this the easy way or the hard way? Well, there’s the really, really hard way, where Brandt takes you back to his place and you never see the light of day again. But like I said, it’s not your call. So come the fuck on.”
“I’m not going anywhere!” Sarah couldn’t believe the words coming out of her mouth. Moments ago, all she’d wanted was to be free, and now she was telling a man who’d come to break her out that she wanted to stay put.
“All right,” said the man. “We’ll do this the fun way.”
With a quick motion, the man slipped his arm behind Sarah’s back and scooped her off the bed. Once he had her in his arms, he threw her over his shoulder like a sack of flour and started out of the room.
“Put me down!” she screamed, pounding her fists against his back. It didn’t do her any good—the man only laughed, and his wide back was as solid as a tank.
“You want every fucking dragon in the metro area on our asses? Then keep your mouth shut!”
As much as Sarah hated being taken, she felt...safe in the man’s arms, safer than she’d felt the rest of the night. It was a strange combination of feelings—panic and safety all at once. As much as she wanted to get away from the man, she wanted to keep being held by him.
But she thrashed against him anyway. “Let me go!”
“Listen, kid,” said the man.
“’Kid?’” she asked as they made their way down the hall. “You’re not even ten years older than me!”
He laughed in response. “Ten years? Not even close. Now let me finish what I was saying—you’d better get your squirming out of your system now, because we’re about to go on the back of my bike, and if you pull this crap there we’re gonna be in for a hell of a ride. Now, calm the hell down and let me save you!”
She wasn’t certain in the slightest what the man was doing would be considered “saving” her. As far as Sarah knew, she was about to go from one dangerous situation to another.
They made their way through the room where the party had been, Sarah spotting the body of the silver-haired man on her way out. More bodies waited for them in the kitchen.
“Did you...kill these people?”
“Sure as hell did,” he said. His tone was almost one of pride. “Not like I was gonna be able to ask them nicely to take your fine ass out of here.”
As attracted to the man as she was, Sarah wasn’t crazy about how he was talking to her.
“Name’s Hunter, by the way,” he said. “And no need to introduce yourself—I know you’re Sarah.”
“How do you know that?” she asked.
“Because you’re the talk of the fucking town,” he said as they stepped outside. “Omega in the city—that’s some shit. And besides that, you already met my brother.”
“Shit. That makes sense.”
They stopped. “Here’s the deal: I’m gonna set you down, and you’re gonna stay put. Don’t you even think about running anywhere, got it?”
Sarah said nothing.
“Because I don’t give a shit if you were all-state track in high school or whatever the fuck—I guarantee you I can run faster, and I’ll be all over your ass like flies on honey. Understand?”
Running had occurred to Sarah, but she knew he was right—not a chance she’d be able to outrun a dragon.
“I understand that you’re kidnapping me,” she said.
“Not the word I’d use, but call it whatever you want, sweetheart.”
“Sweetheart?”
He laughed. “As much as I’d love to stand around jawing with you, we need to get the fuck out of this joint before the cavalry shows up. And trust me, you don’t want to be here when they do.”
Sarah found herself staring at Hunter, taking in the sight of his tall, muscular body. It took all the focus she had to pull her eyes away.
“Liking the view?” he asked, apparently very aware of what she was doing.
“Shut up and let’s go.”
He laughed again, and if Sarah didn’t want to smack him before, she sure did then. Hunter started off, and Sarah glanced down the road, seeing if there was any chance she could make a break for it. But again, she knew Hunter wouldn’t let her get far.
Two kidnappings in one night. Great luck so far in the city.
Hunter turned. “You gonna stand there or are you gonna come with? Don’t make me throw you over my shoulder again.”
A hot tingle ran between Sarah’s thighs at the idea, and she hated herself for it. Hunter was a prick, she could already tell. That was bad enough even without the kidnapping. But at the same time, she was totally turned on by him in the same undeniable, intense manner that she’d been with Adrian. She was beginning to realize that as crazy as the alpha-omega thing sounded, there was something to it.
Sarah followed Hunter. He spoke over his shoulder. “And don’t try any of that mind-reading shit. Doesn’t work on alphas.”
“How did you know about the mind-reading?”
“Because I’ve been around the block a few times.”
That, and his comment about his age, made her wonder what he meant. But Sarah didn’t feel much in the mood for conversation.
They reached the street, eventually coming to a stop at a massive motorcycle of black and chrome.
“Here’s LeAnn,” said Hunter, clearly proud. “Hop on back.”
Hunter climbed onto the seat. Sarah eyed her spot apprehensively for a long moment before doing the same.
“Here,” said Hunter, handing her a helmet. “Wear this.”
“What about yours?”
He laughed. “Don’t bother with that kind of shit. But you’re precious cargo, so strap that bad boy on and
take hold.”
Sarah put on the helmet and looked around for some kind of handle to grab onto. But she didn’t spot one. Then it dawned on her exactly what she was supposed to take hold of—it was Hunter.
She wrapped her arms around him, his body solid and muscular. Another hot rush went through her body, starting at her pussy and spreading outwards. Like being carried by him, Sarah loved it and hated it all at the same time.
Hunter revved the engine and they were off. They tore through the streets of the Upper East Side, going at a speed that Sarah knew certainly wasn’t legal, let alone safe. But Hunter didn’t seem to care. She leaned a bit to see his face, and sure enough, there was a broad smile on it. The man was born to ride.
They took the Queensboro Bridge onto Long Island, making their way to Astoria. Eventually, they reached a large building that appeared to be some kind of warehouse. Hunter pulled the bike in front and they came to a stop.
“What’s this place?” asked Sarah. “Besides the building where you’re going to be keeping me prisoner?”
He let out another laugh. “This place? It’s my place. And yeah, you’re going to be here until me and my brothers give the OK for you to leave. So get comfy, sweetheart.”
He hopped off the bike and Sarah did the same. Hunter casually strolled over to a large steel garage door, the handle sealed with a padlock. He fished a key out of his pocket and worked the lock. When that was done, he lifted the huge door effortlessly.
“Come on in,” he said over his shoulder with a smirk.
Sarah stepped over the threshold and into Hunter’s place. His home resembled a combination of an enormous loft and a mechanic’s garage. There were two stories, the bottom with a concrete floor, most of the space taken up by a few motorcycles that appeared to be in various states of repair. Tools and parts were strewn here and there. Posters for metal bands and slasher movies were hung on the wall, and Sarah spotted more than a few empty beer and whiskey bottles.
It couldn’t have been any more different than Adrian’s elegant, modern penthouse. But from what Sarah could tell, it certainly suited Hunter’s personality. Hunter flicked the overhead lights on, along with the stereo, fast, heavy metal playing at a deafening volume. Without looking back, Hunter stepped into the kitchen area and opened the fridge, pulling out a couple of bottles of beer.