Lucas nodded, pulling their bodies apart to slip his hand around Oliver’s. Their fingers entwined, and Oliver knew it had been the death of what little self-restraint he had left.
“Lucas,” he whimpered, pressing the alpha’s forearm against his body. “A-Alpha.”
Lucas’ jaw clamped shut, his expression razor focused on the path ahead. “It’s not far. I can see Yolanda from here,” he said, not meeting Oliver’s desperate gaze. He looked composed, save for the way his breath came out in ragged bursts.
Rounding the corner, they came to the edge of a murky green pond. Oliver knew from experience that it was far deeper than it looked, having fallen into it on a night out with Julian and Matteus four or five years prior.
Oliver felt like a dead weight as they skirted around its edge, Lucas pulling him along. They were almost clear of the water when loud, slurred voices called out to them. Snapping his head up, Oliver saw three males standing on the path ahead. Alphas. Two of which had harassed Pember during that fateful night at The Cock and Bull.
Lucas tucked him into his body, his heady scent slamming into his nose and making Oliver’s mouth water at the blatant possessiveness. He couldn’t help but rub his face against Lucas’ chest.
“Found you!” One of the alphas called, a dark look in his eyes. It was the one that tried to smash a poorly placed haymaker into Oliver’s skull.
“Fuck off,” Lucas growled, causing a surge of territorial ferocity to spike in Oliver’s gut.
“We had no idea the white-haired bitch was an omega. Is the little shit your mate?” He said, taking a step towards them.
“Yes,” Lucas barked back.
The alpha hummed, “Well, that’s funny. I don’t see a mark on him.”
“Stand aside,” Lucas growled, heat spreading across his skin and prickling Oliver’s chest.
“Oh, come on, there’s plenty of him to go around.”
This time, it was Oliver who growled. “He said, fuckoff.”
A confused expression washed over the male’s faces. “Reed,” Lucas hissed, fingers digging into his hip.
“That’s not an omega,” the first male said, cracking his knuckles. “Oh man, this is gonna be fun.”
Lucas took a step forward, shoving Oliver behind him. “Leave. Now. Before I end up doing something you’ll regret.”
Were it not for the heat making his senses fuzzy, Oliver might’ve seen the first punch coming, but realisation came too late as the other alphas started moving.
Then it was cold. So dreadfully cold as he lost his footing and fell straight into the pond.
TWELVE
MIDNIGHT HEAT
Oliver shuddered as icy water engulfed him. Thankfully, the pond was just as deep as he remembered, otherwise he might have splattered his brains across the rough rocks beneath its surface. The koi carp were none too pleased by his arrival. Neither were the frogs, andfuck-a-duckthe water tasted just as foul as last time. As the world grew quiet, he pondered momentarily if he might stay there forever, living like a merman beneath the murky surface. Housing was probably cheaper, taxes lower and—shit,was he losing the plot? A bolt of white hot pain shooting up his spine answered,yes—he had well and truly lost the plot that evening.
A hand on his forearm, and another around his waist hauled him out of the water with such speed, it took him several seconds to orient himself.
“Reed,” Lucas panted, a hand sliding to grip the back of his head.
Spluttering and gasping like a grounded fish, Oliver looked up as the alpha hunched over him. His sleeves were damp but the rest of him appeared dry, that was except the slick trail of blood trickling from his nose. Oliver growled, tilting his head forward in search of the three idiots who had attacked them.
“They’ve gone,” Lucas said, pulling him to his feet.
“Cunts,” Oliver spat, coughing a throatful of water onto the path. “Did you get a good look at them? Could you remember their faces? I bet there’s CCTV—ah!” He yelped, as the muscles spasmed across the backs of his thighs.
“I appreciate the thought,” Lucas said through clenched teeth. “But now is not the time to investigate.”
Although the dip in the pond had momentarily cleared his heat fuddled brain, Oliver started shaking—either from the freezing water or the almighty adrenaline dump. “S-Shit,” he shivered, as Lucas’ arm slipped around his waist once more.
“Come on, before they come back with friends,” Lucas said, tugging him forward.
