Omega Hunted by Linsey Moon

28

Kasim lookedover her shoulder after she kissed him at the other guys. “Can we have a minute?”

“We don’t have long,” Nick said.

“I understand,” Kasim said. “I just need a minute.”

Savannah looked back to see Nick and Yuu nod.

“We’ll wait outside for you,” Nick said. A moment later Savannah heard the cabin door open and shut.

Savannah’s pulse raced at the realization she was once again alone with Kasim. The way he looked at her made her question every decision she’d made since she met him. From the first night at the ball when they met they shared a connection unlike anything she ever dreamed possible. She felt a strong connection to others too, but with Kasim it was on another level.

She had nearly let him claim her, not because he chased her and took her unwillingly. He’d been injured and she could have left him and gotten away easily. It was because she wanted it in that moment. She’d wanted him. She still did, but she just couldn’t get past her situation or the fact that he wasn’t the only alpha she was drawn to.

Then again, if she had let him claim her there was a solid chance none of them would be running for their lives to escape The Lady’s guards. She would have been a blissfully ignorant newly mated omega, inside the mansion with her prince celebrating like the others. Then she would have been swept away into a life of luxury unlike anything beyond her wildest dreams.

The kind of life she always thought she would only have the opportunity to live through the books she read. It had been right there within reach, hers for the taking, and she’d walked away for principle. Now she was running from one evil to another for a small hope that she might be free another day to make the choice without anyone forcing her hand.

Kasim traced his fingers over her cheekbones and down to cup her chin. “What’s going through that intriguing mind of yours?”

She gave him a small smile. “That maybe if I hadn’t been so stubborn I could have saved everyone a lot of trouble.”

His mouth thinned into a straight line, his brows furrowing. “Don’t ever for a minute think that anything happening here is your fault. There are many people to blame, but you are certainly not one of them.”

“It just feels like every decision I’ve made since I got here has led us to this moment.”

“You are about to make it out of a situation designed for your capture and claiming with three alphas who desperately want you, but whom you’ve convinced to respect and care for you so much none of us would dare forcefully claim you.” His voice grew lower. “Not even when given the honor of taking care of you through your heat.” Savannah felt the heat in her face with her blush. “I’d say you have made some great decisions.”

She smiled, and held a hand up to cover his heart loving the way he automatically put his hand over hers.

“I might not be responsible for the guards that are coming after us, or The Lady finding out Nick’s a DOA agent, but we both know at least some of my choices have caused some pain.” She didn’t need to specify which ones. The sad look in Kasim’s eyes told her he knew she meant him. She would always remainder the ache she saw in him when the bell sounded the night before and she left him when she had been so close to letting him claim her.

“Then don’t,” he said. Her heart skipped a beat. He moved his hands to her shoulders and pulled her closer. “Don’t make that same decision now. Let me claim you. Let it be your choice. Not some thing that’s been forced on you by an unforgivable situation, but because you want to be with me. Want to be my mate.”

Savannah’s heart thundered in her ears. For the first time her first reaction wasn’t to immediately say no, but she didn’t know what to do with that. What could she do with it when there were guards coming to kill Nick and probably her too if The Lady realized she had stolen the tablet from her office.

“Kasim,” his name sounded like a plea on her lips, “I would never forgive myself if something happened to you because The Lady and her guards were trying to hurt me.”

“It wouldn’t,” he said. “She won’t risk touching me, and if you’re my mate that protection would extend to you, too.”

Could he be right? The Lady had seemed overly gracious with him the first night at the ball, and when she’d caught them and Nick in her office. It was probably Kasim’s involvement in that scenario that saved her and Nick.

With a hand under her chin, Kasim tilted her head back until she was looking in his eyes again. “I would treat you right, Savannah. Love you, and always be by your side. You would be my mate and my Queen.”

Savannah had never wanted to say yes and run away screaming at the same time the way she did in that moment. She was sure everything Kasim said was the truth, and she could see herself loving him back. There was already such a strong connection between them, she knew it wouldn’t take long for her to fall if she gave into him.

Looking out the window she caught sight of Nick and Yuu and her heart fluttered again. How could she say yes to Kasim when she knew he wasn’t the only one she wanted. That if either of the alphas waiting for her outside were standing in his place she would be battling the same internal war with herself trying to decide if she should take their offer or run. She wanted Kasim. Wanted him to claim her and be his mate for life. But she wanted Nick and Yuu, too.

Turning back to Kasim, she leaned up on her toes and gave him a slow, lingering kiss. When she pulled back, the sad look in his eyes told her he already knew her answer before he spoke.

“I want you, Kasim,” she said. “I want everything you’re offering.” She looked back out at Nick and Yuu. “I want them too. I’m not sure what that means for me. Probably nothing since I know I can’t have all three of you.” She looked back into his eyes. “If I were to say yes to you now this place, this experience, would always be the ghost in the room getting between us. We’d probably find love with each other, but deep down I’d always harbor a feeling of being owned.

“Like you hunted and claimed me when I had no choice. No freedom to make my decision without it being influenced by fear or necessity. It might not happen in a year or even ten, but one day, that would come between us. I don’t want that.”

Kasim dropped his forehead to hers and inhaled deeply. “As much as I want you, I don’t want that either.” He stepped back and held out his hand. “We better get going.”

Savannah put her hand in his and he led her out to the steps. As soon as she looked at Nick and Yuu she knew they had heard the whole conversation. Of course they had. Nick started to step towards her, but Yuu moved faster, stepping right up to her. He took the hand Kasim wasn’t holding and met her eyes with his.

“I respect your desire to be free.” His eyes briefly shift to Nick before meeting hers again. “No matter what anyone says, including the authorities, there are always options.”

Savannah wasn’t sure what he meant by the last part. She was out of options, and since she’d just turned Kasim down again, going with Nick and the authorities of the DOA who were coming to extract him was her only option. It was still nice to know he respected her wanting to be free.

She cocked a brow looking back at him. “So does that mean you’re not planning to try to steal me away to take me back to your employer when you get the chance.”

“Precisely,” Yuu said. He looked to Nick and Kasim. “I do not plan to share you with another alpha. If my employer so much as looked at you.” He paused, squeezing his eyes shut. “Let’s just say, my vow of loyalty would go out the window with a bang.”

Savannah wasn’t really sure what to make of the last part, but she was glad to know he wasn’t planning to turn the tides and try to take her to his employer again. “Thank you.”