Chapter 15

Hope

He carried me even though my legs were working just fine and weren’t injured at all. My good arm was slung around his neck, the other held to my chest.

He stalked down the street. Keeping to the shadows as much as possible but I knew people had seen him.  And if they had seen him then they would gossip about it.

Little ole omega Hope, the outsider being carried by a giant hulk of a man would be gossip indeed.

“You don’t need to carry me.” I whispered as I saw the rags that passed for curtains in a nearby complex of metal containers turned into homes twitch.

“I know.” He didn’t slow his pace and seemed to know exactly where he was going.

“My legs aren’t broken. I can walk.” I muttered.

His eyes glanced down at me. So blue in his tanned face. And I was sure he was smiling under the swath of material over his lips. His eyes were smiling after all. “I know that as well.”

“I must be getting heavy?”

His eyebrows shot up. “There’s nothing heavy about you Hope. You weigh less than a feather. I could lift you with my little finger and not get tired. Now - where is?”

“People will talk if they see us like this.”

He stopped in his tracks. His eyes scanning around us like he had just become aware that there was people all around us. Rushing by but looking at us out of the corner of their eyes.

“Oh.” It was almost like he had forgotten his own rules. Letting me slide to my feet he shook his head. “You’re right you should probably walk. We don’t have far to go. I just need to find-“

“Where exactly are we going?” I scurried to keep up with him. “Lincoln.” My good hand scraped at his sleeve and he whirled about so suddenly that I stumbled backwards and almost landed on my ass.

A growl tumbled from his full, very kissable lips. “Hope.” He warned. “What have I told you about using my first name like we are equals especially here when people could hear you.”

I shook my head. So it was ok for him to carry me down several city blocks like a husband carrying his new wife over the threshold but it wasn’t ok for me to call him by his name?

Talk about double standards.

“Sorry Alpha Lincoln.” I muttered sarcastically. “Can I know where we are going, Alpha Lincoln?”

“You said you were hungry and wanted dinner.”

For a second I stared at him completely confused and then a giggle erupted from my lips with a snort that caused his eyebrows to shoot up.

“Is something I said funny omega?” He snarled.

“No, I mean yes.” It felt good to laugh. I couldn’t remember the last time I had done it and really meant it. “I mean I’m not laughing at you but I just meant it as a joke.”

Lincoln’s eyebrows slammed down. “That was funny where you are from? Hunger is not something to be mocked.” He shook his head.

That killed the laughter dead. I stared him straight in the eyes. “I know more about hunger than you do Alpha Lincoln. Look around you. Every one here is starving. I don’t expect you to understand that anymore than you understood my joke.”

“Is the settlement you were born so much different? Do people not starve? Or does every one have equal.”

I looked around frowning, taking in the filth and the rubbish and the downright dreadfulness of this place and I wanted to tell him it was different but was it really? Things might look better back in my time but we still had poverty, we still had massive differences between the classes. Children still starved.

I lowered my eyes.

“I see.” Tenderly he tilted my face towards and smiled. “Thinking of your old home has made you sad. Maybe if I could find some one to sell us food then I would be rewarded by a smile again?”

“Lincoln if you are looking for a trader for food then you are several hours too  late.”

“What do you mean?”

“Food is scarce here. It’s sold and all gone usually before seven am. If there’s anything left now then it won’t be edible.”

His frown deepened. A deep line appeared between his eyebrows. “You were at the facility, you wouldn’t have been able to-“ he trailed off.

“What have you eaten today, Hope?” He asked. I didn’t answer him. “What were you planning to eat?”

I shrugged. “Probably nothing.” I admitted.

His skin tightened over features that seemed to shift before my eyes. “You didn’t plan to eat at all today?”

“Probably not today or tomorrow either. It’s fine I’ve gone longer than -“

He caught me around the waist and dragged me to him. “When?” He vibrated with an anger I didn’t understand. “Was the last time you are.”

“I had bread the day of the first meeting.” My voice dropped. I didn’t want to admit that to him. I wanted him to think I was brave and strong and doing ok in this life fate had given me.

“Bread is not a meal.”

“I don’t want your sympathy.” I snapped and instantly regretted it when his fingers tightened into my hips almost painfully.

“And I am not giving it. But you will eat more than a crust of bread every few days. Now where can I take you, where will have food at this time of the day?” He asked talking more to himself than to me.

I had no answer to him. And if his silence was anything to go by neither did he.

There was a pause and then he blinked. “I have food at home.” He said quietly. “Lots of food, you could take your pick.” His head dropped and he sniffed my hair. A deep inhale. “Maybe a bath.”

A bath? I hadn’t had a bath in so long. “Are you saying I smell?”

“Yes.” He said without hesitation. “You are filthy.” His breath ruffled my hair. “But you smell like strawberries at the same time.”

“You’ve had strawberries?” I couldn’t help but keep the wonder out of my voice.

“Yes, they grow in the grounds of one of my houses. I take it you have as well?” Over and over again his breath brushed against my skin. “Do you like them?”

“Yes.” I didn’t even hesitate. “Yes  I love them but I haven’t had them since I came here.”

Lincoln’s eyes sparkled. “Then today you will have some. Come with me.” He held out his hand and waited.

Could I take his hand and let him lead me to god knows where? I was like a kid wandering off with a stranger that offered me candy.

He was dangerous.

“Ok.” I slid my hand into his and his fingers closed over my good hand. I trusted him, even if I feared and didn’t understand him.

“We will have to try and not be seen.” His eyes darted from my hand to my eyes and back again. “Otherwise it will diminish your chances of being chosen by another alpha.”

I wanted to tell him that maybe I didn’t want to be chosen by another alpha but didn’t have a chance because a man, almost as tall as Lincoln, skidded around the corner.

“Alpha there is a problem. You are needed.” He glanced down at our entwined hands and his eyebrows shot up in surprise.

“I’m in the middle of something. Can’t you-“

“No. It’s above my pay grade.”

Lincoln groaned. Letting go of my hand he had taken three steps when he seemed to remember I was there.

“Will you be able to see yourself home or-“

“I can find my way home, Alpha Lincoln.” I forced myself to smile.

“Good. Don’t go getting into any more trouble on Hope? I can’t always be around to save you.” Bending down he kissed my cheek and then took off at a run an Olympic sprinter would have been proud of.

One second he was there and the next he was gone. I let out a frustrated groan.

There went my dinner and now I had no choice but to head home and face the music.