Chapter 7

Cherry 

As soon as Arthur fires his gun, chaos breaks out all around me.

Alphas morph into wolves all around, some charging directly at me before they have a chance to transform, while the others wager that they will be able to catch up to them after they have changed. I can quickly leave because of the internal conflict, despite my chest hurting from the abrupt effort. I'm not used to doing things like this, but I have no choice.

I make a beeline for the edge of the platform, briefly believing that I will dive into the water and swim to safety. Even though I only managed to survive the previous time thanks to dumb luck, I've done it before. When I reach the edge, though, I am forced to confront my death as I stare out at the raging sea and the cyclone that is hurling the waves up toward the edge. I'll be pulled under by the tide if I don't perish immediately because I'm at least 200 feet below the surface.

Alphas behind me and an angry ocean in front of me…

I desire to live.

As soon as I hear a growl coming from behind me, I decide to either stay on the rig or, at the very least, find a route to the pier. A Lycan leaps on the one chasing me as I speed down the edge of the platform just as someone grabs my heels. The backs of my legs are splattered with blood, making the surface even more slick.

As the eye passes over us, the storm rages over the gulf.

I continue.

Despite the fact that I instinctively know the alphas will be able to smell me everywhere I go, I duck into a maze of shipping containers in an attempt to locate a spot to hide. My body is tingling with energy as I run, and my heart is thumping in my chest. Behind me, I can hear someone giggling incoherently that sounds more like a monster than like a person. More than one alpha is after me and is ready to capture me, according to another growl.

My back is struck by something large and powerful, and I'm knocked to the ground as claws rip into my shoulder. Lucas is the one on top of me, about to bite, when the aroma of his body strikes me. He chuckles as he grinds his hips against me, ripping at my clothing until it is barely there and grabbing my skin with it.

My hands start to evolve into claws as a result of the agony, which also causes my nails to grow longer. Lucas roars in astonishment as I slip out from under him and resume racing as I roll over and slash at his muzzle.

I am unable to distinguish where I am or where I am heading. The only thing I am certain of is that I must flee and cannot allow any of these alphas to capture me. I continue to turn only partially because I am in a hurry to save my life.

When two fully shifted alphas with bare teeth and claws collided in front of me, I was just about to make it to the elevator. One of them turns to face me while the others tear at each other's flesh and fur. I trip over and stumble backward. I'll be taken by one of these males. It will happen eventually.

My chest sags.

Cruelty is what I can expect in the future.

A third Lycan enters the fight with almost any forewarning, springing from between the other two alphas and slicing through them like butter. He leaps on top of me while entirely ignoring them before changing back into human form just as I'm slammed against the slippery surface. His weight pressing down is in stark contrast to the cold metal beneath me and his body heat.

I cry and struggle even though I know it will only make him more eager to kill.

It's not the kill, though. Not at all...it's much worse than that.

Even though he has won the hunt, his teeth barely brush against my throat. I collapse to the ground with frozen limbs and tiny gasps of breath. I feel as though I'm doing everything properly, and I resent my body for being so weak when I should be powerful. I wish I didn't like it, but I do. The alpha's cock is resting between my thighs, his knot swelled with pleasure.

I am only that, A dumb omega that needs to be claimed. The man on top of me growls, "Stop shaking. I won't harm you, I assure you". I'm familiar with that voice, which has a gruff, growling tone and the aroma of coffee and coconuts.

This isn't an Alpha of the Rig. He is Jack 

I thought he and his companion had departed, but now I find him lying on top of me, completely exposed. Jack seems to be getting ready to fight against being pulled away as I hear the other alphas moving in closer around us. Lucas is present on the periphery and watches as he whips his head up and growls at the closest alpha.

I don't need him to say anything for me to understand what the growl signifies.

Mine.

Jack returns his focus to me and runs his nose over the spot on my pulse where a mate should bite. Every touch makes me want to squirm against him and pull him in because my senses are on overdrive. As I wait for him to act, I tremble as I imagine what he intends to do about being responsible for delivering me to these creatures.

His tongue touches my skin, licks at my pulse and jawline, and causes me to tense up against him.

"This might hurt," he mutters and then he bites.

My body is immediately overcome by both pain and pleasure. With slippery between my thighs and fire churning in my core, I gasp and roll my hips against Jack's knot. Jack hisses out a breath as his tongue leaps out to lap at the wound, leaving me gasping for air as long strokes across my shattered skin are applied.

I have never even received a kiss.

Furthermore, he will always be able to locate me no matter where I go or whether Jack is my destined partner or not.

He steps back and turns to face me. His long legs are between my thighs and his powerful arms are still holding my wrists to the platform. I look up into his face as a drop of water falls from his dark hair over my lips and into his green eyes.

I took a deep breath.

He looks at my mouth as if he wants to eat me.

 "You're mine, Omega," He growls."Nobody else is permitted to claim you".

"Yes, my alpha," I nod." I belong to you".

The other alphas became silent as the rain just started to pick back up. We'll need to go indoors before the wind picks up when the storm's eye passes over us. Jack will bring me right here to the podium in front of everyone, hurricane be damned, I'm half certain of it. His entire body is as immovable as stone as his eyes flutter shut and forehead furrows.

My thoughts are hazy. I'm unable to decide what I want. The need to taste his blood on my tongue is still pulsing, burning, and tingling with pleasure from the bite.

Back at home in Austin, we share bites. We make each other ours. Not right here.

As their Prime enters, I hear a rumble of voices, followed by the alphas separating. I barely venture to give him a little glimpse before turning away in shame, but I see he appears to be very angry. As Jack rises to his feet and stands over me as if I were his treasure, he clenches his fists at his sides.

"Sailor, what the hell are you playing at?" Arthur asks with a menacing tone in his voice. "You came to my house first, and now you're breaking my rules".

Jack raises his chin in contempt as he crosses his arms. Water is dripping into my eyes and lips as I try to get up, but my alpha growls at me to stop. Still moving around me, the others seem ready to attack at any time. It's not over yet. not by any means.

 "What rules?" Jack asks. "I participated in your game and took the victory. I own this woman".

His words cause my heart to race. He is correct; regardless of what I want, I now belong to him. But what matters more right now is that it's obvious that my father didn't want this. and I'm pleased Jack caught me because of it.

"You're not my pack," Arthur declares.

 "I was born here," Jack responds. "I'm a dark moon alpha as much as any man here."

"And what are you going to do with her?" Lucas asks

Jack pulls me up by reaching down and his eyes narrow. As he looked about at the other men—all of whom were nude, dripping with perspiration, and ready for even the tiniest opportunity to sink their teeth into both of us—he wrapped an arm around me while sticking out his other hand's claws.

"I'm taking my mate, and we're leaving," he declares.

 “No. You aren't," Arthur frowns.

Alphas from the pack swarm our way to the elevator while crossing their arms. The hurricane is about to cause havoc on the platform, so there's no way we could leave right now. Moreover, the ocean won't be safe until the next morning. Jack keeps his eyes fixed on my father without even so much as a sidelong glance.

"She's mine," Jack growls, showing his teeth. " I won't abandon her."

Arthur responds, "So I guess you're staying." "Boys, secure his ship and locate his comrade".

Jack tenses his shoulders but remains still. I'm not sure why he's doing it, but I find myself appreciative of his protective embrace and his glare at the other alphas who are infringing on our space. He just put everything on the line for me, but it's unclear what he'll do next.

He might harm me. Break me. He would be within his rights as my alpha in this pack if he does so 

My chin begins to wobble, and I close my eyes as tears threaten to spill forth. I'm such a dummy, a girl dummy. I wish my tears would cease. However, here I am about to start crying in front of everyone, and I'm sure they'll enjoy watching me suffer.

"Well," responds Arthur. "You got her, man. She had your mark. Just one more step remains".

Jack growls in return as he extends a hand, but he doesn't get any closer.

The leather collar with a silver ring he is holding is all he offers.

My heart bursts into something wild, and the tears I was crying became wrath. I want to shout at the brutality and indignity of this. As Jack removes the collar from my father's fingers, my chin stops shaking and my lips form a narrow line. He turns to face me, his emerald eyes glistening with jealous need. Jack looks down at where he bit me, where blood still drips down my collarbone and stains my dress, and his tongue runs across his lips. With his free hand, he violently pulls me in about the waist before quickly wrapping the collar around my neck and securing it.

My throat feels heavy with the leather, as though his fingers are pressing it. My father is approvingly watching as I hear the other wolves laughing. The wild animal inside of me begs me to pull out my claws and die a warrior rather than a lamb.

Jack's expression, though, escapes me, which causes me to halt.

He doesn't simply appear angry, either.

He exudes disgust.