Page 5 of Run Wild Omega

And the food. God, the food.

There are stations loaded with local favorites—miniature sliders with beef from the Ortiz ranch, a charcuterie board that takes up an entire table featuring cheeses from the creamery in Glenwood Springs, and a mashed potato bar with all the fixings.

But the crowning jewel is the cake.

It sits on a raised platform in the center of the room. Four tiers of naked vanilla bean cake, frosted with Swiss meringue buttercream that looks like drifts of fresh snow. Edible glitter dusts the top layers. Cascading down the sides are intricate sugar sculptures—pine cones, frosted holly leaves, and delicate white flowers that look like they were plucked from a frozen garden. Between the tiers are actual pine boughs, giving it a rustic, enchanted forest vibe.

“Your mom outdid herself.” Nora stands beside me, clutching a glass of wine. She’s wearing a velvet blazer in a deep plum color, her signature brooch pinned to her lapel.

“It’s amazing.” I take a sip of champagne. The bubbles settle the nausea from the hangover, but nothing can settle the ache in my chest.

“And Mara.” Nora sighs, watching the dance floor. “She looks so happy. It does a heart good to see an Omega find her place with the right pack. I really thought she was engaged to the other guys. What happened there?”

I stiffen.

She’s fishing for information. I don’t blame her. Everyone here is a little bit too curious about everyone else, but this isn’t my story to tell. Mara escaped her abusive pack and found herself a new pack all on her own.

“She deserves to be happy.”

“Oh, absolutely. And those three?” Nora fans herself with her free hand. “If I were thirty years younger… Well, let’s just say your brother cleans up nice.”

I laugh, a genuine sound that surprises me. “Careful, Nora. That’s still my brother you’re talking about.”

She winks. “You know I’m just joking. Daniel doesn’t have his eyes set on anyone but his girl.” She squeezes my arm, eyes softening. “You look beautiful too, Tess. It’s good to have you home.”

“Thanks, Nora.”

She drifts away toward the dessert table, no doubt to talk to Mrs. Lacey.

I scan the room. The energy is high. The band—a local bluegrass group that plays covers of pop songs—is in full swing. I see Sheriff Reddick dancing awkwardly with Holly Dane. Chris, the lodge worker who has a massive crush on Mara, is hovering near the buffet, looking dejected but polite.

I’m standing in a sea of love, and I still feel like I’m drowning.

I feel the phantom weight of Marcus’s hands on my hips, the sting of his words, the realization that I was a secret. I look at the cake, the happiness, the joy, and I feel like an intruder.

I set my glass down on a high-top table with a clink. I need air. I need the cold. I need to remember that the world is bigger than this room, that I exist outside of their happiness.

I slip out the heavy oak doors of the Lodge, stepping onto the wide wraparound porch that overlooks the valley.

The temperature has dropped significantly since the ceremony. Snow is falling in thick flakes, blanketing the world in muffled white silence. The wind cuts through the silk of my dress instantly, raising gooseflesh on my arms, but I welcome it.

I move to the railing, gripping the cold wood. Pine, woodsmoke, and impending snowstorm fill my nose. This is the scent of home. The scent of the mountains. It’s the only thing that has ever truly grounded me.

I take a deep breath, trying to push down the panic rising in my throat.

“You look like you’re plotting an escape, Tess.”

The tone is deep, rough, and recognizable. It cuts through the howling wind like a gunshot.

My heart stops, then restarts with a violent kick.

I know that sound. I know the cadence of it, the way the vowels stretch just a little bit.

It’s him. I would recognize his voice anywhere.

I haven’t heard it in years. Not since the night I left for the Academy.

I turn, the silk of my dress swishing against my legs.