<h4>Chapter 54: _ Fighting Back</h4>


    I froze, a vein popping out of my forehead as rm bells went off in my head.


    I knew this touch. I had felt it before. Not from him—but from Luis Miguel.


    From shitty men who thought an Omega in a vulnerable position was theirs to take from.


    I swallowed, trying to keep my shock at bay. I could be wrong, so it was better to y safe until he overdid it. I already was trialing my eyes around in search of an object... anything good enough to help me escape in case things went out of hand.


    "What... what exactly is the job?"


    The butcher let out a slow breath. His fingers danced lower his body while I watched. Just then...


    ... His hands went to his belt.


    My blood went ice cold.


    Oh, Dios mío.


    My body reacted before my mind could catch up. I stumbled back so fast I nearly tripped over my own feet. My shoulder mmed into the edge of the desk, pain jolting up my arm, but I didn’t even notice.


    "Don’t," I choked out.


    The butcher tilted his head and I watched a mocking little smile appear on his lips, as if my reaction amused him. "Don’t what?"


    My heartbeat pounded in my ears.


    I was alone. The other workers were outside, and even if I screamed, who would care?


    Who would help an Omega?


    I clenched my jaw, fingers curling into fists at my sides. "I just came to work."


    "And that’s exactly what I’m offering you," he murmured. "A job."


    I knew what he meant.


    I knew exactly what kind of "work" he had in mind.


    Motherfucker.


    His fingers twitched near his belt buckle. I was going to be sick.


    The room suddenly felt smaller, the walls pressing in, the scent of raw meat and smoke now unbearable. My stomach churned, bile creeping up my throat.


    I took a step back, my palms t against the desk behind me, bracing myself. "I said, <i>don’t</i>."


    The butcher chuckled slowly, like he thought my reaction was entertaining.


    I couldn’t believe I once thought he was one of the almost non-existent people in the pack who were actually nice to me.


    Of course, being nice to the wolfless girl muste with a price.


    "Come now, Omega," the bastard murmured. "You should be grateful. I’m giving you a chance to earn your ce here."


    <i>Earn my ce?</i>


    My hands clenched into fists. I was not going to let this happen.


    Not today.


    Not ever.


    I had spent the entirety of yesterday being victimized. I mean, I could tolerate any humiliation, but such a grown man trying to take advantage of me alone?


    Hell, no. I had still yet to recover from Luis Miguel’s harassment and I was about to go through another?


    Except this time, it’d be even worse. I was going to be really fucked if I didn’t fight back.


    I took a deep breath, forcing my expression into something neutral. I had one chance to get out of this without things escting too much and that meant pretending to have no choice.


    Only I did have a choice this time. I would lose any chance no matter how slightly that Axel would see something good enough to want in me if I allowed this to happen to me.


    I forced a smile—sweet but thin. "Actually, you know what? I <i>am</i> grateful."


    The butcher raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"


    "Yes." I nodded rapidly. "You’re right. A job is a job. And I should show my appreciation properly."


    His grin widened. "That’s more like it."


    I returned his smile sheepishly, scratching my nape.


    Then, with all the force I could muster, I lifted my knee...


    ... And drove it straight between his legs.


    A noise came out of him that I had never heard a man make before. It was a high-pitched, strangled <i>wheeze</i>, like a goat being exorcised.


    His hands flew to his crotch as he doubled over, his face turning a very lovely shade of <i>about-to-pass-out purple</i>.


    I didn’t wait for him to recover because if he did, I was dead meat.


    I ran.


    I yanked the door open so fast it mmed against the wall. The workers outside turned to stare at me.


    "Hey!" one of them barked. "Where do you think you’re—?"


    I didn’t stop to listen.


    I tore down the hallway, my boots slipping against the sawdust-covered floor. The smell of raw meat filled my nose, but it was nothingpared to the rage boiling in my gut.


    I had almost made it to the main counter when...


    "Watch where you’re going, Omega!"


    I barely dodged a man carrying a tray of butchered ribs. He cursed as blood sttered across his apron.


    "Idiota!" another worker snapped. "Stop running in the damn butchery!"


    "Oh, I’m <i>so</i> sorry for disrupting your delicate <i>meat arrangement</i>," I shot back, ducking past a stack of crates.


    More voices rose in protest, but I ignored them. I was <i>this</i> close to the exit.


    Just a few more steps. I turned the corner...


    ... And mmed face-first into something solid.


    No.


    Not something.


    <i>Someone.</i>


    A sharp <i>oof</i> escaped me as I bounced off a chest—<i>a very firm, very broad</i> chest—and staggered backward. Hands caught me before I could hit the floor, gripping my arms to steady me.


    I looked up, already bracing for more insults. But my breathing ceased and I froze at the attractive face that stared back at me.


    Axel.


    His eyes met mine indifferently, but there was a slight furrow between his brows, like he was trying to decide if he should be delighted to catch me or concerned.


    My heart, which had been racing with adrenaline, decided to take a different approach now—by mming itself repeatedly against my ribs for an entirely different reason.


    Great.


    Absolutely great.


    Of all people to crash into after <i>assaulting my almost-to-be boss</i>, it had to be <i>him</i>. <i>The man my heart raced for.</i>


    Oh, my God... what do I do? Rosa’s warning was clear; <i>stay away from Axel! </i>