Chapter 30

The burner phone vibrated in my hand, the sudden movement causing me to jump. I fumbled with the device, my fingers slick with sweat as I brought it to my ear.

“Darcy?” Dr. Parsons’ voice was a lifeline in the oppressive silence of the restroom.

I choked out a sob, relief flooding through me at the sound of her voice. “Dr. Parsons, I—” My words were cut off by the intensity of my emotions, the reality of my situation crashing down around me.

“Take a deep breath, Darcy,” she instructed, her tone steady and reassuring.

I tried to steady my breathing, each inhale a shaky attempt to regain control. “I’m trying,” I gasped, my voice barely above a whisper, and I was starting to feel lightheaded.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, and then Dr. Parsons was speaking again, her tone steady and reassuring. “Darcy, listen to me. I need you to focus on my voice. Can you do that for me?”

I nodded, even though she couldn’t see me, and managed to choke out a feeble “Yes.”

“Good. Now, I want you to find something square-shaped. It could be a tile on the floor, a poster on the wall, anything. Once you’ve found it, I want you to breathe in as you trace your eyes along one edge, then breathe out as you move to the next. Can you do that for me?”

My eyes darted around the cramped restroom, landing on a bar of soap on the sink. I followed her instructions, my breath hitching as I inhaled deeply, held it, and then exhaled slowly as my gaze moved from one corner of the soap to the next. I repeated the process, the simple act of breathing guiding me back from the brink of hysteria.

“Good, Darcy,” Dr. Parsons praised, her voice a gentle encouragement. “Now, listen carefully. We have safe houses set up for situations like this. I’m going to give you the addresses. You need to get to one of them before your heat hits.”

I pulled the phone away from my ear just long enough to open the notes app, my fingers shaking as I typed out the information she recited. Each address was a beacon of hope, a potential sanctuary from the storm that was brewing inside me.

“Remember, you’re not alone,” Dr. Parsons reminded me, her words a comforting presence in my mind. “We’re here for you, Darcy. We’ll do everything we can to help you through this.”

I nodded, even though she couldn’t see me, a solitary tear tracing a path down my cheek. “Thank you,” I murmured, the words inadequate to express the depth of my gratitude.

We ended the call with a promise to stay in touch, and I was left once again in the quiet solitude of the restroom. I took a moment to collect myself, to steel my nerves for the journey ahead. I had a destination now, a goal to focus on amidst the chaos that had become my life.

I tucked the burner phone safely in my bra and took one last look at the soap sitting innocently on the counter. It had been my anchor in a moment of despair, a simple object that had helped me find my center when I thought all was lost.

With a newfound sense of determination, I pushed open the restroom door and stepped out into the night.

My breaths came in short, ragged gasps as I navigated the city streets, the cool night air stinging my lungs with each desperate step. The addresses Dr. Parsons had given me were etched into my mind, a mantra of safety that propelled me forward. I had managed to evade my father’s men and the unwanted attention of rogue alphas, but I knew it was only a matter of time before my heat made me too vulnerable to continue alone.

I was so focused on my destination that I didn’t notice the two figures emerging from the shadows until it was too late. They converged on me with an unsettling combination of gentleness and urgency, their hands gripping my arms to steady me.

“Easy, sweetheart,” one of them murmured, his voice a deep rumble that sent an unexpected shiver down my spine. My eyes darted to the other, and I recognized him instantly. Jin.

My heart pounded in my chest as they removed my mask, the fabric sliding away to reveal my identity. The moment their scents hit me, a tidal wave of recognition washed over me. The heady aroma of cedarwood and spice mingled with the rich notes of bourbon and cedar, igniting something primal within me.

I stumbled backward, my eyes wide with shock. “You—” My voice was a whisper of disbelief as I looked from one man to the other. “You’re my… my scent matches?”

The rugged man with long, dark hair, nodded, his hazel eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that took my breath away. “I’m Axel,” he said, his voice soothing the jagged edges of my panic.

My mind reeled with the implications. These men, these virtual strangers, were bound to me by fate, or biology, or whatever force governed the world of omegas and alphas. And yet, they were not just any strangers—they were members of a motorcycle club and, in Jin’s case, a stalker who had watched me for gods know how long.

The relief that came with finding my scent matches was tainted by the uneasy realization that I was trading one set of complications for another. How could I trust these men, especially when their lives were so entwined with the dangerous worlds they inhabited?

But as my heat drew closer, instinct took precedence over reason. They were my scent matches, and that bond was undeniable, a beacon in the chaos that had become my life.

“I… I need to get to a safe house,” I stammered, my voice barely louder than a whisper. “The Omega Underground—they gave me the address.”

Axel’s grip on my arm softened, his touch a strange comfort amidst the uncertainty. “We’ll take you there,” he assured me, his tone leaving no room for argument. “You’re safe with us.”

Jin, who had been silent until now, nodded in agreement, his dark eyes never leaving my face. “We won’t let anyone harm you, Darcy.”

I swallowed hard, the weight of my situation pressing down on me. Trusting them went against every self-preservation instinct I had, but the pull of our scent match was impossible to ignore. With a resigned nod, I allowed them to guide me through the city, their presence a shield against the dangers that lurked in the shadows.

As we made our way to the safe house, the first tendrils of heat began to unfurl within me, a relentless reminder of the trial that lay ahead. I could only hope that the sanctuary awaiting us would provide the solace I so desperately needed—and that these two alphas would prove to be the allies I required, not just by fate’s decree, but by choice.