Erik snores.
In any other circumstance it would be hilarious, but in this one, not so much.
His arm is slung around her lazily, holding her close in an iron grip. The sheets are ruined, stained with slick and cum, and she shifts uncomfortably in the mess.
She needs a shower, then she can figure out what her next steps are.
And why the hell aren’t the police banging down the front door?
She tiptoes down the hall and peeks at the front door, which he barricaded again with the same furniture. The door sits in the frame at an awkward angle, warped from his ministrations the other night. Sunlight shines in through the small windows, the sky beautiful and blue.
The storm is over, and now she can finally plan her escape.
Much to her dismay, he locked the basement door, which likely holds her phone.
Don’t panic. You’ll figure this out.
She quickly washes up in the bathroom, rinsing away the scent and evidence of their lust.
When she turns the tap off, she exhales in relief as his subtle snoring continues.
It’s time to leave.
But as she throws on her clothes as quietly as possible, anxiety grows in her stomach. Lying on the bed with his eyes closed and lips slightly parted, he’s disturbingly handsome. The lines in his troubled face are smoothed, and he looks at peace.
He looks…happy.
She chews her lip and stares at him, watching his chest rise and fall as he sleeps deeply.
Her heart breaks as she faces the truth.
He’s a fugitive.
And if she stays any longer, she’s an accomplice.
She won’t tell anyone where he is. It will give him a head start, and he will go wherever he needs to go.
He belongs in prison, but she doesn’t want to see him behind bars again.
“Damn it,” she whispers under her breath, fighting the emotions that bubble to the surface.
We can’t leave Alpha!
The longer she watches him sleep, the more her resolve fades.
But she has to leave him, regardless of what her inner Omega screams at her.
He discarded his clothes on the floor, his dark jeans strewn haphazardly next to a blanket.
She freezes when she sees the small electronic device hanging halfway out of the pocket.
His cellphone sits within reach.
With shaky fingers, she moves as quietly as she can until the phone is in her hand.
The snores continue.
Gripping it like a lifeline, she backs out of the room and runs to the front room, cupping the phone tightly to her chest.
She holds her breath as she touches the screen.
Nothing.
Please don’t be dead, she thinks as the pushes she power button. The screen finally comes to life, and she attempts to unlock it.
Nothing.
“Please, please,” she whispers, finally tapping Emergency Call. She can think of something to say. She doesn’t have to mention Erik. She can just…
“Baby.”
She shrieks and drops the phone as she turns around to see him only inches from her, fully dressed. He looks at the phone, now feet away on the wood floor, then back at her with a raised eyebrow.
“I thought we were past this part, baby.” He takes another step closer, and she instinctively moves back.
He’s as striking as ever, with day-old stubble growing on his pale skin. His dark hair is mussed yet still stylish, layers falling into his dark eyes.
His scent calls to her, subtle and dark, and she fights the urge to throw herself into his arms.
“I have to leave, Erik,” she whispers. “I have to go back home.”
His expression doesn’t change. “I’m your home now.”
“No,” she says louder, her fists clenching. “I have a job. A life.”
“You can have a job all you want, baby. You can have as many as you fucking well please, but it will not be in Los Angeles.”
“You’re out of your mind,” she growls.
“You’ll finally have a family. We’ll make one, together.”
He says it calmly, like it’s a simple plan they’ve already decided on. But it’s a punch to her gut, and she gasps, tears filling her eyes.
She hasn’t had a family since she was seventeen. And above all, it’s what she wants.
A place to belong.
“Fuck you,” she hisses instead, blinking back tears. “You can’t do this to me.”
A step closer. “It’s already been done,” he whispers, his fingers caressing her cheek. “You know what this is. You’ve felt it since we first met.”
Soulmates.
She knows he’s right, that beyond the attraction is something that she can’t explain through biology.
Deep in her heart, she knows he’s her mate.
“I refuse it,” she whispers painfully, refusing to meet his eyes.
Her conscience won’t let her.
But he’s still as calm as before, even with her resistance. “I had a feeling you’d say that,” he sighs. His fingers lightly tilt her chin up to look at him. “You’re going to have to forgive me for this last part, my love.”
Before she can marvel at the term of endearment, his other hand shoots up and touches her neck with a sharp sting. With wide eyes, she watches as he removes the syringe, her mind sluggish as she struggles to remain standing.
“It was the only way to do this,” he whispers in her ear as she loses her balance. He keeps her upright until he moves her towards the couch, laying her gently on the pillows.
“You…” she slurs. “What…”
The overhead light spins in circles around her. She keeps her gaze fixed on the ceiling as he speaks.
“They use it on us when we act up,” he says casually. “I made sure you only got half, baby. Just relax. You need to give me time to pack our things, okay? Then I’ve got to start the car.”
It doesn’t work, she thinks wildly. You ruined the battery.
But no words come out, and she eventually drifts into a drug-induced slumber.
