Omega Mine

A few minutes earlier…

Wyatt had been awake for nearly half an hour, silently brooding as he watched Josie and Raven from their spot near the fire.

They probably should have moved to another spot within the camp, but the sun had set, leaving a chill in the air that was impossible to ignore. Raven began to shake so badly that Gemma went over to her belongings, bringing back a few blankets. She draped the heavy material over Josie’s shoulders before moving to the other Omega and doing the same with the second blanket.

“Is that better, Raven?” Gemma asked with a smile, running her hands up and down the Omega’s arms to help warm her.

Wyatt lunged forward, the chains groaning as he snarled at Raven, his glowing eyes filled with hatred. “Stop,” he demanded gutturally, spittle flying from his lips.

Josie’s lips parted in surprise, and Raven jerked back like she’d been slapped, shying away from Gemma’s touch and crowding Josie instead.

Gemma snapped, “You’re scaring the Omega, Mongrel.”

Immediately, Wyatt quit yanking on his chains, though a deep, feral growl continued to rumble in his chest.

David shot Josie a look of bewilderment, his eyes sliding back to Wyatt and then to the Omega practically plastered to Josie’s side.

Surely, Raven couldn’t be Wyatt’s–

The growl in Wyatt’s chest shifted in tenor until a dark, ominous chuckle filled the air. The sound of it slid down Josie’s spine like a cold, evil caress, chilling her to the bone in a way the cold never could.

She shivered, tugging Raven protectively under her arm as the Omega’s head snapped up, her gaze colliding with the Mongrel’s. She looked away quickly, but it was enough. He smiled, his gaze remaining on Raven for a handful of moments before moving from her to Gemma.

Wyatt stopped laughing, a heavy silence filling the air. His eyes hardened, a malevolent energy seeping from him that made Josie flinch. “You’re dead.”

“Shut your mouth, Mongrel,” Gemma hissed, moving over to him. She slapped him hard, and his head snapped to the side, a red mark appearing on his cheek.

“Don’t hit him again,” Josie said softly, earning an irate scowl from the Alpha female.

Grayson knocking his brother unconscious was one thing, but he was going to be livid when she told him what Gemma had done.

“He threatened me!”

“He’s chained to a damned tree,” Josie argued hotly. “Clearly he’s not in his right mind, so you’ll keep your hands to yourself unless you’re physically being threatened. Are we clear?”

Gemma’s fist clenched, and for a moment Josie honestly thought she was going to tell her to fuck off. But she didn’t. Instead, Gemma huffed, moving toward Raven’s side and taking a seat. A predatory gleam shone in Wyatt’s eyes at the move, and Josie switched spots with the Omega, acting as a buffer between her and the Alpha female.

Almost instantly, Wyatt relaxed, but he didn’t take his eyes off of them, all but confirming the suspicion that had just begun to grow in Josie’s mind.

Was Raven Wyatt’s mate?

Josie inhaled, dragging the Omega’s scent into her lungs. If Josie could smell her, then so could Wyatt. A mating heat always began after an Alpha smelled their fated Omega.

So why hadn’t the heat started for Raven? Unless they aren’t mates…?

Maybe Josie was reading too much into this, and there was another, plausible reason Wyatt seemed drawn to the Omega. She’d like to say that it was one-sided, but why, if Raven was so terrified of Wyatt, wasn’t she keeping her distance from him?

Granted, it was chilly, but the warmth of the fire wouldn’t be enough to keep Josie next to a Mongrel if she were afraid of him.

So what was going on?

Raven leaned forward slightly, and Josie couldn’t help but notice her cast a not-so discreet glance at Grayson’s little brother before looking hastily away.

“Okay,” David exclaimed, “What the hell is going on between you two? Do you know this Mongrel, Raven?”

Raven’s face drained of color. “What? N-no, I don’t know him!”

“They’re here,” Wyatt interrupted, tilting his head as he stared at Gemma coldly. “And you’re dead.”

Fear skated down Josie’s spine as she whispered, “Who’s here?”

The thick chains holding Wyatt snapped as he lunged at Gemma, a cruel, twisted snarl on his face. David fired his gun several times, the loud sound ringing in Josie’s ears as bullets flew through the air. If they hit their mark, Wyatt didn’t acknowledge it, swiping his claws at Gemma’s neck as he slammed into her.

They both fell to the ground in a tangle of limbs and rage, growling and tearing into one another as the scent of blood filled the air. Wyatt sliced at Gemma’s neck and the Alpha female cried out, grabbing his wrist in an effort to hold him back.

Raven screamed and Josie shot up from her seat, placing the Omega protectively behind her.

Shit, shit! Why didn’t she think to bring a gun with her?

“Shoot him,” Josie shouted, and David fired again before cursing.

“The damn thing’s out of bullets! I need one of the rifles we took from the guards–”

Bright, white lights erupted all around them, just as shouts and gunfire tore through the night. David flung his empty gun aside, leaping toward Josie. He pinned her to the ground, grunting in pain as he covered her body protectively with his.

“Humans! Ambush!” Someone screamed from the center of camp, and all hell broke loose.

“Humans,” Josie breathed, every muscle stiffening with dread. How? How had they found them so soon? So easily?

Raven screamed again after another spray of bullets pierced the night, collapsing onto the ground with a small moan of despair. The coppery scent of her blood was unmistakable, and Josie lost it, shoving at David’s shoulders in an attempt to dislodge him and reach the Omega. They had to help her! He barely budged, and she pushed at his shoulders again. “Move!”

“No,” David gritted out through his teeth, remaining firmly planted above her. “Grayson will kill me if I let you get shot.”

“Raven’s hurt!” Josie angled her head toward the downed Omega. She was laying on her side, facing away from them, and the smell of her blood was growing stronger. “Raven!”

Wyatt roared, jumping away Gemma’s body and sprinting toward them. He reached Raven in an instant, scooping her up and into his arms despite the Omega’s terrified wail of protest.

And then Wyatt was gone, moving so quickly from their camp he was just a blur as he disappeared into the trees.

“He took her!” Josie yelled in panic, shoving at David hard. “He took Raven!”

Oh, God, what was he going to do to her?

David shook his head, clenching his jaw as he looked around at the chaos surrounding them. Their camp was being invaded, and the townspeople they’d brought with them were either on the ground, dead or cowering, or pitifully attempting to fight back.

But how could they fight back? They were outnumbered. Outgunned. What hope did they have of making it out of this without Grayson?

“How did they find us?” Josie whispered, her voice trembling as fear spread through her entire body. She began shaking, and an icy chill slid down her spine.

“That doesn’t matter right now,” David hissed, wincing as he moved his right shoulder. Had he been hit? “We need to go. We’re lucky they haven’t spotted us yet, but it’s only a matter of time.”

As the sounds of shouting increased over the firing of bullets, David pulled Josie to her feet, grabbing ahold of her hand and beelining for the woods. It was then she spotted a bright red stain on his back, blood soaking into his shirt.

When had he gotten shot?

“Wait, Gemma!” Josie exclaimed, right as they neared the Alpha female. She hadn’t moved from where Wyatt had attacked her. As Josie caught sight of her, she gagged, bile burning her throat.

Gemma was staring sightlessly at the sky, her throat completely ripped out. Her stomach had been cut open too, her intestines outside of her body just like Wyatt had attempted to do to Grayson yesterday.

David bit out a harsh curse, shaking his head roughly as he pulled Josie past the other woman’s body. “We can’t do anything for her.”

“Oh my God.” Josie bent over just as they made it into a deeper section of the woods, retching onto the ground.

Wyatt was a fucking monster for what he’d done, and then he’d kidnapped Raven, stolen her right out from under them. They couldn’t leave her with that murdering psychopath!

Grayson! She screamed down their bond, needing her mate more than she ever had before.

His worry filled her, and for a moment she felt less stressed, less frightened as his presence entered her mind. And then something sharp slammed into her gut, agony piercing her.

Josie cried out, clutching her stomach as her knees buckled. She expected to scent her own blood in the air, to feel the warmth of it coating her hands and clothing as she gasped for air.

But nothing was impaling her. Nothing had struck her. She wasn’t bleeding at all.

“What is it? Were you shot?” David exclaimed, dropping down beside her. Frantically, he grabbed at her hands, pushing them away from her stomach to inspect her wound. She felt starved for air as she struggled to inhale deeply enough, and his brow furrowed in confusion. “There’s nothing there, Josie. You’re having a panic attack.”

David grabbed her by the arm, hauling her up under and all but dragging her toward the woods. “We don’t have time for this!”

Josie’s vision wavered, and she blinked hard, using David’s back as a focal point to keep from getting dizzy as her head swam. “Something’s wrong with me.”

David grunted, but kept moving.

Her lower lip trembled, eyes filling with tears as a horrifying realization set in. What if she wasn’t experiencing her own pain? What if Grayson was hurt somewhere in the woods, and she’d felt it?

Grayson? she cried through their bond, holding her breath as she waited for his response. Only, he didn’t respond, the silence from their bond cutting through her heart like a knife. She could still feel him, she knew instinctively he was alive, but for how much longer?

If what she’d felt was an echo of his own pain, then he must have been really hurt. He could be dying, and she had no idea where he was.

Her eyes locked onto the Beta’s back. David would be able to scent Grayson.

“Something’s happened to Grayson. David, we have to find–”

“Get down!” David turned, shoving Josie to the ground right as a male rammed into him, knocking him backward.

The males slid across the forest floor in a heap, and Josie gasped as she caught sight of Samuel, grinning maliciously as he took David’s head into his hands. Right before he could snap his neck, David bucked the other Beta off of him, leaping up to his feet.

“You didn’t think it would be that easy, did you?” David taunted, his face taking on a cruel edge. Over his shoulder, he said, “Josie. Leave.”

And let him deal with Samuel by himself? She shook her head, the pain in her stomach lessening, even though her dizziness had increased. She wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not, and her heart ached with worry. Regardless, she stiffened her spine, whispering fiercely, “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Good,” Samuel said with a glacial smile. “I want you near when I have the urge to fuck after I kill your little Beta protector.”

“You’re not getting anywhere near her,” David replied ominously.

“We’ll see.”

Josie wasn’t sure who attacked first, only that David and Samuel collided into one another, the sound of clothing ripping filling the air. Someone grunted in pain, and then David punched Samuel hard in the face, sending the male sliding backward.

Samuel caught himself before he could fall, smirking as he wiped blood from his now busted lip. Then he charged David, grabbing him around the waist and throwing him. He hit the ground hard, the sound of his head cracking echoing through the night.

Josie gasped, her hands covering her mouth in shock.

Samuel chuckled, crouching over David’s body. He slapped the Beta in the face, but David didn’t even stir, his head lolling to the side.

“I guess it really was that easy,” Samuel laughed, his nails sharpening into claws right before he aimed for David’s neck.

Josie didn’t even realize she was moving until she flung herself at Samuel’s back, her legs wrapping around his hips as her hands grabbed his face.

With a savage yell, she dug her fingers into his eye sockets, yanking his head to the side and exposing his neck as he let out a startled shout. She bit him, grimacing as warm, thick blood filled her mouth. It was disgusting, but she clamped down on his neck, determined to rip out his jugular.

His claws cut into her upper back as he attempted to dislodge her, but she refused to let go, digging her canines in deeper.

“You stupid, fucking bitch!” Samuel shouted, his claws leaving her back. He swung wildly over his shoulder, his fists colliding with her cheek, her ear, and finally the crown of her head.

Blinding pain engulfed her and she let go, collapsing onto the ground behind him with a miserable moan.

Samuel whipped around, blood pouring down his neck and one eye. Growling viciously, Samuel leaned down, snatching her up by the front of her shirt and lifting her high into the air.

“Did you honestly think you, a slut Omega, could take me out?” He shook her, and darkness filled the edges of her vision as her head whipped back and forth. She barely noticed, too busy focusing on the throbbing of her head from where he’d struck her. The world around her began to spin faster and faster, and she blinked hard in a desperate attempt to clear her head, but it didn’t work.

“Maybe Ortega will let me fuck you in front of your mate, who we apprehended right before we found your little group in the woods.” He pulled her close, licking the blood from her lips. His hot, fetid breath was nauseating, and if Josie hadn’t just vomited, she might have again. “You think Seven will enjoy watching me cum inside every hole in your body, bitch?”

“I think he’ll wish he’d been the one to kill you.”

David’s voice reached Josie’s ears right as Samuel’s neck twisted roughly to the side, bone crunching as the Beta released her.

Josie landed on her feet, but her legs gave out, and she found herself sitting in a heap on the ground, staring hazily at David’s back as he laid Samuel on the ground in front of him, and out of her line of sight. He knelt down by Samuel’s upper body, and she heard the sickening, wet sound of muscle and skin tearing.

David tossed something several feet away. A head, she imagined.

“Jesus, Josie, you’re covered in blood.” Suddenly, David was beside her. No, there were two of him. Two of him were there, cradling her closely to his chest. That was nice of him.

She snorted, a light, hysterical laugh escaping. “I don’t think it’s mine,” she assured him through a fit of giggles, sobering immediately as the world around her began to dim. “Oh no.”

“You’re in shock. That’s okay, it’ll wear off.”

If David said anything else, she didn’t hear him, consumed by a darkness that swept her into oblivion.