I could have used a spotlight app. Liam struggled through the dark alley wishing he had his phone. But it was sitting in a box with the other competitors’ devices under the counter at Nathan Anderson’s bar, The White Wolf. The alpha stumbled as his toes hit a can and it clattered over the uneven surface and slammed into what he imagined was wet cardboard based on the dank, musty odor. He paused and cocked his head toward the entrance of the alley hoping his fumbling hadn’t attracted anyone’s attention.

Ignoring a rustling in the gloomy corner, Liam strained to make out the red brick walls draped in shadows on either side of the dead end. As the chilly March breeze whipped through the valley and stung his cheeks, the alpha shivered wishing he’d worn a warmer jacket.

The stench of rotting meat and greasy cabbage swirled around him and he pinched his nose and gulped air in through his mouth. But do I really want that foul stink in my mouth? As the alpha released his grip and took a deep breath, the whiff of spoiled vegetables shoved its long pungent fingers inside him, and his stomach clenched and churned. There should be a law against cooking cabbage.

He stopped and blinked trying to picture the alley as it was in daylight. He’d parked nearby many times while waiting for his order of wonton noodles from the Chinese takeout place on the corner.

There was always a huge dumpster on the right overflowing with garbage from the restaurant. The left wall was lined with individual trash cans from the tenants in the two-story building that housed the town’s visitor center and an IT firm on the upper floor.

I hope this is the right place. I don’t want to spend hours in here scrambling around for a clue and then discover someone else has won.

The alpha treaded gingerly with his hands outstretched until his fingertips brushed against the uneven bricks at the back of the alley. This has to be it.

He pushed away the distracting smells and scampering of tiny rodent feet and ran his mind over the last few hours as he and other competitors had dashed around Roselake attempting to solve clues in the annual St. Patrick’s Day treasure hunt.

Nathan devised the competition and the festivities each year. Any excuse to gather friends and get drunk was his motto. The middle-aged omega who was Liam’s drinking buddy regularly celebrated festivals from around the globe including more obscure ones that commemorated oranges, pigs and even mud. Due to its relatively brief history, Roselake had few festivals of its own, so Nathan borrowed others - especially from places he had visited.

Nathan’s family - like Liam’s - had escaped the old country during the dark days when alphas and omegas were hunted. People had whispered of strange beings who changed from human to beast and back again demanding first-born sons as payment for services rendered to the crown. None of it was true. Well, not the part about the the first-born children. That was a vicious rumor started by men envious of the alpha and omega’s success. Gold was my ancestors’ asking price.

Liam considered it ironic that Roselake celebrated a saint’s festival when the clergy in their country of origin had banned any dealings with alphas and omegas. Eventually, the community’s forefathers - along with a handful of betas - had escaped their birthplace and sailed to an uninhabited territory which they had leased from the king and named Idriador.

Their new home was rocky in parts but was also mountainous and covered in dense forests. They declared themselves independent, and the monarch was happy to give them his blessing- for a price. The early years had been hard and many in their group died, but over the centuries their people prospered.

But as with many in their community, both Liam and Nathan’s work required that they leave their sanctuary and travel to other countries. Many alphas and omegas still lived amongst the general population in nations around the world. Not everyone saw their new home as a utopia. Some were more than content to exist as a minority where they were treated well by most of the inhabitants while others desperately sought to make the new country of Idriador their home.

Nathan, who had retired and used his savings to build his bar in Roselake, always composed the clues for the treasure hunt. He prided himself on being an expert at deciphering anagrams. The omega always told Liam that rearranging letters in a word or words to form new ones took more finesse than solving a crossword. Liam had heard Nathan’s spiel many times as he sat at the bar nursing a beer and though he didn’t agree, he had never bothered arguing with him.

The alpha had mulled over the evening’s clues. ‘Iceman’ had been easy and led him to the old cinema while ‘reheat owl’ had had him rubbing his bristly chin as he attempted to rearrange the letters. To a passing observer, ‘reheat owl’ was a meaningless jumble but after scanning the letters for a few minutes, the alpha came up with ‘waterhole’.

He’d paused and wondered whether the clue referred to the actual lake or whether Nathan was teasing the contestants and referring to his bar as the waterhole. But the alpha assumed the older man didn’t want the competitors tearing up his establishment, so he’d raced off to the large expanse of water from which Roselake got its name. The town clung to the lake’s shores and as the population grew, it continued to creep along the shorefront.

But while those clues were easy, experience had taught the alpha the final one would be much more difficult. Nathan is evil. He enjoyed seeing the participants racing back and forth around the small town and beside the lake as they desperately tried to solve the puzzle and win the grand prize.

The alpha rarely joined in light hearted games and competitions but this year the ‘treasure’ was a weekend at a hotel and spa nestled in the forest on the far side of the lake. Though small, it was a five-star resort. Liam was rarely in town as his job had him traveling most of the year, but he’d found himself with a few weeks off when he got the message about the treasure hunt.

Many people who’d wanted to join in the competition were put off by the anagrams. While some know-it-alls assumed they could cheat by using their phone, Nathan had confiscated devices, smart watches, tablets and anything else that may have given them an unfair advantage. Liam had excelled at English and spent hours on planes doing crosswords so deciphering anagrams was fairly easy.

The alpha hunched in a children’s playground peering at the last hint. I was too cocky. ‘Nought’ - the older version of ‘naught’ - meant ‘nothing’. Was this Nathan’s weird sense of humor? Was he trying to tell us it was a con and there is no prize? Nope. He wouldn’t do that. I have to figure this out.

Wishing he’d taken up the bar owner’s offer of matches - that was the only aid each participant was allowed - Liam sat on a lonely swing and idly pushed himself forward and back. The rusted metal chains squeaked with each motion as the clue baffled him. But footsteps sprinting over the grassy slopes, had him freeze. He sniffed the faint tangy scent that wafted on the breeze. An omega!

Liam jolted back as though he’d been punched in the gut and his fingers clasped around the thick chains until the twisted metal pressed its imprint onto his skin. Ignoring the discomfort, the alpha stared wide-eyed into the blackness. He strained to hear anything above groups of people laughing and chatting nearby.

Silence. Nothing. Just like the clue. Nought!

His palms were clammy as he stood but his knees buckled and he grabbed the swing for support. What in the hell? No omega is going to distract me from winning this prize. But as Liam took a tentative step over the grass, he wondered why the presence of a random omega had affected him. Past events had made the alpha wary of getting close to anyone and he usually shunned the company of omegas - apart from old friends such as Nathan. He wasn’t looking for a mate and he avoided intimacy in Roselake preferring to engage in one-night-stands during his travels.

A snapping twig had him twist around scanning the shadows. Get out of here, Liam. You don’t want anyone following you.

He sped off in the opposite direction but avoided the raucous celebrations that spilled out into the grounds outside The White Wolf further around the lake. Adults pretending to know the words to unfamiliar folk songs and getting drunk on green beer were not part of his plan for the evening. He winced as someone heaved into bushes. Gross.

To his right was a children’s maze where parents brought their kids on the weekends. It was cloaked in darkness and he slipped into one of the narrow pathways and squatted. In his mind, he rearranged the letters for ‘nought’ and kicked his heels in the dirt when he came up with nothing. Wait. ‘Go hunt’. Yeah that fits.

But as Liam congratulated himself on guessing the clue, he slapped his forehead. That makes no sense. We are on a damn hunt. The alpha rested his head in his hands as he pictured where in Roselake you could go on any sort of hunt. It was an ordinary town.

Hunt what? Bargains?

There weren’t any sales in the stores.

Houses?

They were all cheap in Roselake.

Ideas?

Huh? No.

Animals?

Ewww no, please not that. Liam hoped Nathan wasn’t making some reference to the old country legends.

Clues?

That’s what I’m doing.

What else?

Ghosts?

Okay this is getting ridiculous. It’s worse than a Chinese puzzle.

Pulling himself upright, the alpha dragged his feet over the gravel path resigned to not winning a weekend away. Wait! A Chinese puzzle. Nathan had gotten drunk one night and ranted about cryptic references. He’d told Liam about a project he’d worked on in China and how he was fascinated with the culture. What was the place he mentioned? Traditional alleyways. What was the word?Nathan had the Chinese character written behind the bar. The omega loved when a new customer came in and asked him about it. He’d launch into a monologue about his work and travels before he’d settled in Roselake.

Liam pounded his forehead with his fist. Hutong! Yes! It means a traditional alley.

Flinging himself onto the ground, the alpha pictured the letters in his head as he rearranged them. Nought! “Yes!” His scream echoed around the empty playground. Shut up. He scrambled up and took off not having any idea where he was headed.

But as he raced across an empty street he glanced at his reflection in a store window. A flashing neon fast food sign opposite gave him an idea. The Chinese restaurant! It’s beside an alley and it’s just a few blocks from here. The owner made amazing crispy noodles and pork dumplings, and Liam often sat and watched the chef as he prepared his order. It was the only Chinese place in town. If that’s not it, I’m out of ideas.

The alpha bolted along the sidewalk. If he’d been in a city, he would have been jostled by shoppers and people out for dinner, but Roselake was a small town and shops closed early. Most people got takeout or went to a small diner if they didn’t want to cook. There were a few open-air restaurants overlooking the lake, but they were closed until April. If the town residents wanted something special during the cooler months, they drove to Hazlemere about 20 mins away. Liam spent most of his life traveling, so when he was at home, he usually opted for a microwave meal or a burger and beer.

A horn blasting a few streets away brought the alpha back to the present.

The alley.

The clue.

The prize.

He blinked again as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. As expected, the dumpster to his right was overflowing and nausea crept up his throat as the foul odor of decaying food overwhelmed him. Ignore it. You’re on a fucking mission.

A side door from the Chinese takeout place opened and a feeble yellowing light shone onto the rough concrete as an employee shoved more garbage into the dumpster. The thin sliver of light didn’t reach the back of the alley and as the old wooden door closed, Liam was once more engulfed in darkness.

It has to be straight ahead somewhere on this wall. That cheeky omega thinks he’s so clever but I always pay attention.

The alpha’s fingers crept over the rough bricks and they scraped the delicate skin on his palm while he searched for a space or a missing brick which may have held a clue. A thin trickle of blood dribbled over his wrist but as he clutched at the pitted surface, footsteps scurried along the sidewalk. No. This prize is mine.

Exhaling and taking another deep breath, the alpha sniffed the air. It’s the same omega. He was surprised he could sense anything above the putrid garbage. Is he tracking me or does he just want a weekend at the resort? He didn’t move but his whole body tingled as the footfalls became faint and finally disappeared. That’s right. Go search somewhere else.

The omega’s enticing aroma had Liam close his eyes as images of another omega flooded back. Stop! Tears welled up, but he blinked them back Not now! Summoning his inner strength, he blocked out the painful memories and turned his attention back to the dead end.

The alpha ran both hands further along the wall. Maybe I’m wrong. But as his dirt-coated fingers dipped into a space, a fist banged against his shoulder and another hand clamped on his as he searched the gap.

“What the fuck?”

“I could say the same.”

A husky voice crept out of the darkness and a spicy feral scent wafted around him. That same omega! How the hell did he sneak up on me? Liam was annoyed that someone, especially an omega, was challenging him, and he been so absorbed he hadn’t noticed the guy creeping up on him. The alpha drew himself up to his full height - all six foot three inches - and he snarled. He peered in the direction of the gravelly voice. Kicking sideways, his foot landed on his companion’s shin.

“Hey. What the hell?”

“I was here first.”

“Who cares. Unless you’ve got the prize in your hot little hand, it’s still a free-for-all.”

“It’s mine.” Why the hell aren’t there rules about this sort of thing? I did the hard work and now this guy’s trying to take it away from me. “Back off, omega.”

Liam got on tiptoes and stretched so his fingers dug into the space. The tips grazed the corner of a thick envelope and he struggled to grasp it. But the unwanted guest beside him wriggled his hand beside Liam’s.

“Get the fuck out of here.”

An elbow in his ribs had Liam fuming and he shoulder-checked the man. His aggressiveness was met with a groan. Good. Now piss off. But as the alpha’s hand scrabbled inside the gap and he yanked the corner of the envelope, his companion snatched it away from him. Shit.

Liam leapt up and his elbow connected with the guy’s jaw as he grabbed the paper.

“Hey!”

With the envelope pinched between his index finger and thumb, the alpha’s feet slammed back onto the alley floor barely aware that the omega’s fingers were intertwined in his. He landed awkwardly and grimaced as a wrenching stab of pain shot through his left leg.

He loosened his grip and a harsh ripping, similar to a zipper unfastening, slashed the air. To Liam, it wasn’t just the destruction of the paper but also his hope of a quiet relaxing weekend being torn to shreds.

“Jesus Christ.” He punched into the darkness but his blows didn’t connect.

A match flared, and the amber flame flickered in the breeze giving his companion a sinister appearance. A strong jaw, a mouth set in an irritating smirk and eyes blinking and glinting in the dim shadowy light appeared in front of him. The guy was slightly shorter than Liam and he quickly swapped the smirk for a suggestive grin.

“Fucker, give me that.”

His companion held half of the envelope with a jagged edge running through what had been the middle. The alpha glanced at his own fist clutching the matching other half. With his free hand, he grasped the omega’s wrist but as his fingers wrapped around his companion’s arm, the pair stared at one another, and Liam’s body was buffeted by emotion.

Slender tentacles of passion wound their way inside the alpha slithering through every crevice and tightening around his chest. He gasped trying to get air into his lungs as visions flashed through his head of long-dead ancestors, ancient ceremonies and forgotten rituals.

Blood thundered through Liam’s veins and he flinched as his trembling hands gripped the omega. What the hell is happening? Am I having a stroke? The omega’s face blurred before him. Help me! While the alpha’s heart beat furiously, and he gulped mouthfuls of air, befuddled thoughts vied for attention. No! Yes! No! Whatever this is, I want no part of it!

As his companion’s handsome features came back into focus, the grin had disappeared and his eyes contained something unfathomable. Fear? No. Despair? Maybe. Grief? Possibly.

Using his considerable strength, the alpha pried open his clawed fingers. Who is this guy? And why am I having a weird reaction to him? I refuse to believe I have a connection to an unknown omega who’s trying to steal what’s mine.

Air wheezed through Liam’s lips as he tried to calm his breathing. I don’t know what that was, but I have to get rid of him.

As the alpha peered at his companion, the omega’s body swayed. The man stretched out a hand and balanced himself against the red-brick wall. His companion’s panting sent shivers through the alpha, and when the omega’s breathing slowed, his voice was barely a whisper.

“We’ll have to share.”

“Like hell I will.” The alpha shoved out his arm but the man beside jumped out of the way. He’s quick on his feet.

Calm down. The alpha’s chest heaved again, and he pictured his blood-pressure rising. A puff of air from his companion’s lips, and the flame wavered and went out.

Great. Now I’m speaking to a dark blob.

“Give that to me!”

“You think as an alpha, it’s your right?”

Yeah, I do. Shit. No, I don’t. Yes! Of course, I do. “You understand that as an alpha, I could beat you to a pulp and just take it from you.”

Silence.

“I d-do.”

The omega’s stuttering voice mellowed Liam’s rage. His thoughts were fuzzy as the omega’s tempting scent drifted around. I could rip his clothes off and take him right here in the alley. And then grab the envelope.

“B-but I d-doubt you will.”

The alpha unclenched his fists. No. While Liam was an alpha with the urges and traits of his kind, he couldn’t attack the omega just to win a competition. But I could fuck him. No. Not here. But a niggling voice whispered in his head. “If not now, when?” Never!

“The rules specifically state the winner is the one in possession of the envelope.”

Now he’s back to being arrogant. Was that distress an act? “I was here first.”

“I’ve heard toddlers come up with better excuses.”

A negotiation? “What will it take for you to give me the other half?”

“You can’t bribe me. I want this as much as you.”

I doubt it. “Fine. I’ll take my half of the envelope to Nathan and you do the same. We show him what we’ve got and insist on two separate rooms instead of a suite.”

“Okay. I’ll race you.”

The shadow spun away from Liam and sped through the alley to the street.

He’s fast.