People?
Dustin and Josh.
It had to be.
They'd come back. How long had they been looking for her? A day? Two? Mia shook her head, only now realizing she wasn't sure how much time had passed since the alpha had found her.
It didn't matter. The important thing was that Dustin was looking for her. He'd manned up, faced his fears, and asked alphas where she was. It was almost enough to make Mia forgive him.
Almost.
Adrenaline started to pump through her vein, and she glanced around the room looking for her dress. It had to be here somewhere
She tried to jump out of bed to find it, but her legs were far too tired to hold her up. Her knee buckled the second she put weight on it, and she crumpled to the ground. She would have landed hard on her ass, but Ty caught her at the last second. Sliding one arm under her legs and the other around her shoulders, he hoisted her up and cradled her against his chest.
"Where do you think you're going?" he said.
"You said there were people out there."
His brows lowered. Deep lines creased his forehead. "Not outside the door. Even if they were, what were you going to do? Run to them? Beg them to take you away?"
The alpha's scowl deepened.
Was that what she was doing? Mia wasn't entirely sure.
Just a few days ago, she would have done anything to get out of the Boundarylands, but now she was conflicted. A part of her still wanted to leave. To get back to school. To her friends. To her regular life.
But another part of her—a deeper, more fundamental part—felt a connection growing between her and the alpha. A connection she wasn't sure she could walk away from even if she tried.
Which was ridiculous, considering that she didn't even know the man's name.
"I don't know," she admitted. "All I know is that they're looking for me."
"I never said they were going to find you," he said, carrying her into the next room. "No one is ever going to take you away from me. Ever."
Ever.
Mia swallowed past the lump in her throat. His tone was so harsh. He spoke every word like it was a sacred oath.
"But you don't understand," she tried. "Dustin has to be worried si—"
"Dustin?" the alpha froze mid-step. "Is that his name? The boyfriend you ran away from?"
What? She hadn't run from anyone. She'd been left behind. Tossed out like a bag of garbage.
But Mia couldn't tell him that. Right now, his eyes were burning with an anger that scared the shit out of her. Rage like that paired with a strength that could tear the arms off a bear was a dangerous combination.
At least all his murderous intent wasn't directed at her.
For the moment.
Mia tightened her jaw. She couldn't let all his aggression be directed at Dustin either. Or even Josh. She'd be signing their death sentences.
Even though Mia could feel the tension rippling through his body, the alpha was gentle as he laid her down on the couch. In front of her on the table was a massive plate brimming with delicious smelling food—toast, and cheese, and eggs. Next to that was a steaming hot cup of coffee. Mia's stomach growled with hunger.
The alpha gestured toward the plate with a tilt of his head. "Eat."
Mia blinked in confusion. He'd made this for her?
Him? An alpha?
She sat up and pulled the plate closer. She took a bite. Damn, it was good…and she was so hungry. Before she knew it, Mia was shoveling bite after bite into her mouth.
The alpha sat in the chair across from her and watched her. His face didn't soften exactly—shit, she wasn't even sure it could—but he did seem pleased to see her eat.
"Feeling better?" he asked when she started to slow down.
"A little."
"Good. Now you can give me a straight answer," he said. "Is Dustin the one who hit you?"
Mia looked down. "I told you. I was hurt in an accident."
"That's a lie." He didn't sound angry, just so damn sure of himself. "Never lie to your alpha."
Maybe it was the hunger, or the soreness in her muscles, or the non-stop stress, but Mia couldn't help letting out a humorless laugh.
"How can you be my anything?" She dared to look up, staring him straight in the eye. "You couldn't have learned my name more than a couple of hours ago, and I still don't know yours."
The muscles along his jaw tightened. "Ty Wick."
Ty. The name fit him.
"That was just an example. I still don't know anything about you. Not really."
"You know how it feels to ease the need of your heat around my cock. You know what it means to lose yourself as my knot expands inside you."
Heat flooded Mia's cheeks. Was he trying to shame her, or just drive his point home? Either way, it was working.
"That's just sex," she said. "Biological urges. It's not the same as intimacy."
"No?" The fury was back in his gaze. "What intimate details does this Dustin know about you?"
Not many, Mia admitted to herself. She'd had some good times with Dustin in the first few months of their relationship, but she'd known better than to trust him with her secrets. Her father had pounded that point into her head from a young age.
People can't be trusted.
There's no such thing as loyalty.
The only person looking out for you is you.
As much as Mia hated to admit it, her father was right.
"Nothing," she said. "I already said you don't have to worry about him. He's not a threat to you."
A dark smile lifted Ty's lips. "I know that."
"Then I don't understand," Mia said. "Why won't you let me see him?"
"Because he's not the one looking for you."
What? Mia's stomach dropped.
"Then who is?"
"Your father."
Oh, shit.
That was bad. Very bad. If her father knew she was here in the Boundarylands, he'd stop at nothing to get her out…at least until the press found out.
"My dad is here?"
Ty shook
