January Blue

Shades of Scars

Black Tide Valley Omegas

Copyright © 2025 by January Blue

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. It is illegal to copy this book, post it to a website, or distribute it by any other means without permission.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

January Blue asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

First edition

Cover art by RJ Creatives Book Cover Design

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This one is for the ones that need a little reminder that their scars are beautiful. They do not define you. They made you who you are.

I carry my scars with me everywhere I go. I don’t forget.

Jalen Hurts

Contents

Foreword

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

33

34

35

36

37

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

62

Epilogue

Foreword

Trigger Warnings for Shades of Scars:

Human Trafficking plot line

Mentions of sexual assault

Torture

Gun violence

Explicit sexual content

Kidnapping

Mentions of infertility

On page pregnancy

Blood

Murder

As always, read at your own risk. This book is not for the light of heart. There are a lot of dark aspects to this book. Take care of yourself. Your mental health matters.

-January Blue

1

Scarlett

“Do you ever just think that today’s going to be the day that fate decides to stop being a fickle bitch and actually throw one of us a lifeline?”

My room mate has fucking jokes, apparently. I snort, rolling my eyes without looking over at the pretty brunette perched on my rickety ass kitchen table, an unlit blunt stuck between her cherry red stained lips. “Are you already high?” I would be exasperated with her, but that would mean I’d actually have to give a shit.

Spoiler alert: I don’t.

“You never take me seriously, Scar. Honestly, I think your name should be Debbie, because you’re always such a goddamned downer.” She gets a little whiny when she’s already high, too. When I flick my gaze over to her at last, finally taking my attention off of the email I’d been reading through on my phone, her dark blue eyes are practically sparkling and not at all bloodshot.

Interesting.

“Don’t you have a shift at the diner?” Redirecting Kate usually gets her to back off enough to give me some breathing room. It isn’t like it’s hard to tell that I’m the poor omega’s only friend in this entire shit hole city. I’ve barely known the girl for a year, and she’s already stuck to me like a bad smell. Nothing I seem to do is enough to shake her loose.

If anything, being mean to her only seems to endear me to her more. And there’s no damn way I’m going to be nice. It just isn’t in my blood. Too much bad shit has happened to me to get the ice surrounding my heart to thaw enough for a genuine friendship with a fellow omega.

There’s a reason I keep people at a distance.

Kate Bennett clearly doesn’t give two fucks about that, though.

She takes out her lighter then, lighting up the blunt between her lips before I can say another word. It isn’t that I have a stick up my ass about the pot. If it was any other day, I would’ve passed it around with her. In the entire eleven months I’ve known her, I’ve never been able to tell her what to do.

“I switched shifts with April. She needed tonight off since she can’t make it in tomorrow.” Kate shrugs with an infuriating amount of give no fucks, taking the blunt out so she can puff smoke circle into the air in my general direction.

“I have shit to do tonight.” I flip her the bird before returning my focus to my phone.

She groans like she’s being murdered. “Come on, Scar. You never come out with me. It’s Saturday night, for Christ sake. Live a little.”

I purse my lips. “I told you. I’m busy.” If she doesn’t leave it at that, I’m going to have to get creative in redirecting her. Murder is off the table, since I’ve listened to enough True Crime shit to know I’d never get away with it.

“Come on,” she grumbles and hops off the table, waggling the blunt towards me without actually getting too close. She knows better than to get in my space without my express permission. At least ten feet away at all times. Those are the damn rules. “That new club just opened last month. I bet I can get us in VIP without even flashing a nipple. April went opening weekend, and she said it’s fucking amazing.”

I scoff. “Seriously, Kate, no thanks. I’m pretty sure you know me well enough by now not to even suggest something like that.” I’m definitely not going to tell her that I have a job interview at the very club she’s so desperate to get into. If she finds out about that, she’ll beg me to get her in VIP permanently, and there’s no way that’s going to happen. Not that I think the owner of the club would mind, if I did happen to get the job.

I just don’t want Kate bugging me every damn Friday and Saturday night.

I have boundaries, dammit. I need the space and the cash.

“Killjoy, Scarlett. A serious fuckin’ killjoy.” She grumbles while shoving the blunt back between her lips, finally turning away to head towards her bedroom.

Glancing at the time on my phone, I groan softly. I have forty minutes before I have to be downtown for my interview. Raven is the newest club in Black Tide Valley. The alpha that owns it apparently breezed in out of nowhere, shortly after I arrived a few months back, and bought up the last large commercial building located off of Tide Parkway.

It was a surprise last month when the Grand Opening announcement appeared in the local paper that a new club was opening. I don’t know very many people around the city, but the alpha in charge of the place is quite the enigma. No one seems to know much of anything about him. If he belongs to a pack, that’s also a secret. The only thing I know about him is his name, courtesy of the interview invite still sitting in my inbox.

Mr. Madden. No first name. Just a fancy ass last name that sounds like he’ll be more trouble than he’s worth.

Goddammit, I need this job.

Ducking into the bathroom I’m forced to share with Kate, I close the door and flick the lock for good measure. I quickly strip and start up the shower, slipping beneath the spray of water before it has the chance of fully heating up, enjoying the way it pelts against my skin like shards of ice for a few, blissful seconds.

Using my favorite scentless body wash, I scrub my skin until it’s red and nearly raw, refusing to look over at the scar on my right shoulder. If I do, I’ll completely lose my shit and forgo the interview to stay holed up in my nest of cheap, stiff pillows and blankets that aren’t nearly as soft enough for my tastes.

I don’t bother washing my hair. I just got the ends dyed my usual sky blue, and I don’t want the color to fade quicker than it needs to. I turn off the water, and reach out to grab my towel hanging on the wire hook on the back of the door.

Drying off in record time, I exit the bathroom with the towel wrapped tight around my too slender frame, coming to an abrupt halt when I spot Kate in the kitchen making a smoothie. Weird fuckin’ omega. She glances over at me as soon as the bathroom door opens, and a frown pulls down her plush lips.

I ignore her as I head into my bedroom, closing the door and engaging the lock before she can say anything. I’m sure she’ll have some words to say when I come back out, so I make sure I take as much time as I can to pull on the strappy black dress I’d picked out for the interview. It falls to mid-thigh, making my pale skin appear even more so. It’s the fanciest outfit I have.

Mr. Madden hadn’t indicated the dress code in the email, but I know enough about the position I’m applying for to dress the part. I glance at the alarm clock on my night stand and then quicken myself. In record time, I throw on some light makeup and run a flat iron through my blonde waves so they don’t look so wild. Thank God I keep it shoulder length, otherwise it would’ve taken a hell of a lot longer to style it.

Before I slip out of my room, I stuff my feet into a pair of simple, black, four inch heels, and turn myself towards the full length mirror in the corner. I grimace at the mark on my shoulder, but there isn’t enough cover up in the world to hide the angry, mottled scar.

A reminder, that while I may be safe inside the boundaries of Black Tide Valley, I will never be free.

I rip my gaze away from my reflection and leave my room, forcing the awful memories that plague me out of my head. For now. Kate seems to be finished making her smoothie, and I inwardly groan when I catch her arched eyebrow aimed in my direction while she watches me from her spot against the kitchen counter. She has her long, chocolate curls pulled back from her face now, but she still has on the same pair of ripped skinny jeans and dark green cable knit sweater from earlier.

I move to my purse perched on the kitchen table and dig around inside until I find the dreaded packet of pills I really don’t want to have to take. Kate finally speaks up. “If you keep blocking your scent every time you go out, you’re never going to find your scent matches.” I love how she doesn’t mention the seared bond mark already branded on my shoulder.

Perhaps she knows exactly why I never bring it up. Because it’s apparent that I don’t fucking want it there. That I’d do literally anything to have it removed from my skin.

It just makes me remember exactly why I can never find my scent matches. Life is already difficult enough. The rules cannot be broken.

“I don’t want mates.” I shrug as I toss the suppressants down my throat and swallow them dry. She says nothing while I toss my phone in my purse and grab my favorite leather jacket off the hook by the front door. There had been one time, right after I’d moved in, when she’d asked me about the scar on my shoulder.

She doesn’t bring it up anymore.

“Be safe, Scar,” is all she murmurs to my back as I slip out the door. I try not to stumble on my way out at the sincerity there.

I cannot afford to make friends. Not now. Not ever.

2

Scarlett

Life on the Tide Valley Parkway is entirely too wild for my tastes. It’s why I enjoy living on the outskirts of the city, and as far away from other people as I can possibly get. I only make it a point to come down to the heart of the city if I need essentials.

Now, I’m willingly volunteering for a position at the Parkway’s newest and hottest club.

So many fucking alphas.

It’s seven in the evening on a crisp Saturday night, and the line to get inside Raven is already miles long, wrapping around three blocks with no end in sight. I feel eyes on me while I walk straight through a gap in the line and beeline for the side employee entrance where I’d been instructed to go via email when I arrived.

Predictably, two hulking betas are standing outside the side door when I approach, and my hand immediately slips inside the pocket of my leather jacket to grasp the small pocket knife I keep stashed there for emergencies. The one on the left has his arms crossed over his puffed up chest, and he narrows dark green eyes at me at my sudden appearance.

“Employees only.” His scent hits me at the same time as his words, and it takes all of my willpower not to wrinkle my nose in disgust. There’s something pungent about it. Like rotten leaves and mildew. My attention shifts towards the second beta, and he doesn’t appear nearly as imposing as the other. He smells better, too. It reminds me of campfire smoke and early morning dew drops on blades of grass. A much better combination.

“I have an interview with Mr. Madden. He told me to come in through this entrance.” I reached for my purse slung across my shoulder to get out my phone in case they needed to see the email, but the nice smelling beta holds up a hand to stop me.

“Miss Reighn?” He tips his head to the side as he studies me, and I dip my head. “Mr. Madden informed us you’d be coming. Follow me.” I swallow hard, refusing to look at the mammoth beta still glowering at me when the other leans forward to open the sealed door.

The moment he opens it, the heavy thump of music spills out into the night air. He gestures for me to go in first, and I have no choice but to slip past hulk 2.0 so I can get inside. Thankfully, the asshole stays outside when the door shuts behind us. They must not think two are needed to escort the weak little omega.

“Just ahead to the right will take you backstage.” The beta calls over the pounding music, and I shuffle forward until I reach the doorway he’d mentioned. He follows me through, up a few steps, and past a curtain that obscures the insane set up on the other side.

Four people are busy setting up sound and equipment when we step through, and I pause to let the beta security guard take the lead. One of the guys fiddling with an electric guitar glances up at his approach and offers the bouncer a smile.

“Ant, this is Miss Reighn, the beta vocalist Mr. Madden wants to hire. She’s here for a working interview.” My eyebrows shoot up to my hairline at that, and Ant peers over the bouncer’s shoulder at me still standing by the side entrance to the stage.

Deciding that I don’t want to appear timid and weak, I step forward until I’m a fair distance away from the two, and give a slight dip of my chin. “Scarlett Reighn. Sorry, I was unaware I’d be performing tonight.” My heart rate kicks up in my chest when Ant lets out a knowing laugh.

“Wren’s a sneaky bastard. He probably didn’t want to scare you off. You don’t have to stay if you don’t want to sing the set with us.” With so many scents whirling around back here, I can’t pick up Ant’s, but I know he’s an alpha, anyway. I can just tell by the way he holds himself. I’m not sure how I feel about that.

Sucking in a breath, I shake my head. “I don’t mind. I dressed for the occasion, just in case. I have to warn you, I might be a little rusty. I haven’t done a show in a few years.” Understatement of the century. Ant just smiles at me, and the beta bouncer takes a step back from us.

“If you have her handled, I’ll head back to my post.” Ant dips his head to him, and then he turns back to me. “Good luck out there.” I offer him a simple nod. I don’t usually smile at people, and he doesn’t seem put off by my seemingly abrasive attitude.

Who the hell smiles at strangers, anyway?

Once he’s gone, Ant turns his full attention on me. From his back pocket, he pulls out a wad of papers and passes it over to me with a warm smile. “Take a look at the set list and tell me if there are any tunes you don’t know. We’re all fairly new to this as a group, so we’re just here to vibe tonight. Boss will be watching from the back as we play the first set. Once that’s all said and done, I’m sure he’ll pull you back for the rest of your interview.”

I unfold the roll of papers and glance briefly over the list of songs, relief washing through me when I recognize them all. “This shouldn’t be a problem. I’m pretty familiar with these.” I hand the packet back over to him, and he slips it back into his jeans pocket with another easy smile.

“Awesome. If you want to hang your purse and coat over there, I’ll introduce you to the rest of the band. It’s show time in ten.” He gestures over to a small alcove at the back of the stage where I can see other coats and belongings stashed. I don’t really care for my things being out in the open like that, but I do as I’m instructed, before heading back to where Ant waits for me.

Then, he turns to the three other band members milling around behind us with that dopey grin plastered on his face. “Guys, this is Scarlett. She’s going to be jamming with us tonight for a bit. Test the waters for the boss to see if she’ll be a good fit for us.” All three of them shift their attention to me.

A tiny beta woman with sharp cheekbones, dark, short cropped hair, and vivid blue eyes sits on a stool in front of an electric keyboard. She offers me a small wave, and I return the gesture. “Hey. I’m Vivianna, but you can call me Vi if you want.”

“Scarlett. Or Scar. Whichever you prefer. It’s nice to meet you.”

I turn my attention to the burly alpha behind the drums. He has dark brown eyes and chin length, shaggy brown hair that frames a stoic face with a perfectly trimmed beard that reminds me of an eighties rock star. He dips his chin in my direction, but doesn’t wave. “Rocky. Nice to meet you Scarlett.” He rumbles out, and I try not to shiver at the sound.

“Fitting name.” I quirk a brow, trying to be funny. Thankfully, he chuckles, a twinkle glinting in his eye.

Finally, I glanced at the tall female alpha that clutches her bass guitar to her chest like she’s going to try to use it to beat me to death. She’s the only one openly glaring at me like I’ve purposefully offended her in some way, even though I’ve yet to be introduced to her.

We stare at each other for a long, tense moment, before Ant laughs in that seemingly good-natured way of his, trying to lighten the mood that’s made the atmosphere suddenly plummet a few too many degrees. “The alpha that looks like she’s just got done sucking on a lemon is Raven. She’s the boss’s older sis. Don’t let her attitude dampen your spirits. She’s like this with everyone.”

Like the boss bitch I am, I don’t even grimace at the introduction. Seriously? Mr. Madden’s fucking sister? A freaking alpha that looks like she wants to take her amp cord and wrap it around my neck to strangle me. Who the fuck pissed in her goddamned cheerios this morning?

“I fucking told Wren we don’t need a vocalist.” She practically snarls, and I give myself a pat on the back for holding back a flinch at her scathing tone. Masquerading as a beta is hard work, especially when presented with such dominant alphas like Raven Madden. My omega instincts are screaming at me to roll over and bare my neck to this alpha.

“We’ll fuckin’ rock with a vocalist, Raven. Don’t get your panties in a twist over nothing.” Ant rolls his eyes, and I’m loath to admit I’m a little impressed by how brazenly defiant he is with her. She’s scary as hell with eyes so dark, they look like blades forged with ice. I bet she’d be lethal even without her designation to back her up.

I fully expect her to drag me off the stage by my hair any second now, but all she does is twist her lips in a sneer before turning away to continue fiddling with her guitar. Ant blows out a breath beside me akin to a sigh of relief, then turns his attention back to me, that infuriating smile pasted back in place. I’d like him to stop smiling at me like that.

“Mic should be all set, Scarlett. Try not to let Raven get under your skin. She’s an asshole to everyone. Even the boss. Too much alpha and not enough omega around to settle her instincts.” He winks at me like I’ll understand the joke. I really wish he’d stop flirting with me. It’s starting to make my skin crawl.

He gestures to the mic front and center of the stage ahead, and I just give him a respectful nod. No sense pointing out that I’m pretty sure she doesn’t need a reason to hate me. Alphas don’t respect betas. And somehow, I just know she’d think even less of me if she knew what I really am.

Thankfully, no one has commented on the ugly scar that mottles the skin of my shoulder.

Probably because they haven’t been paying attention…

I take my position by the mic, pushing thoughts of pissed off alphas and all the rest of my demons out of my head. The minutes tick by, and then the lights above flare to life before the curtain pulls back. My heartbeat jumps into my throat when I look out at the mass of writhing bodies already on the dance floor. A cool trickle of sweat slips down my spine beneath the fabric of my dress at the first thrums of music behind me as the band begins the set.

Then, I close my eyes and let myself fall back into the familiar ease of music and soul. And when my mouth opens to sing, I’m flayed apart all over again as my memories consume me and drag me under, straight to hell.

3

Caito

“It’s been a goddamned month, and we already have a shipment delayed. I’m going to rip that asshole Jericho limb from limb if he doesn’t stop fucking with my business.” Wren snarls as he rages behind the VIP bar, narrowly missing running into poor Adam, who’s just trying to set up drink orders for a few of the patrons lucky enough to get onto our exclusive VIP floor.

“Stop being so nice to the prick, then. Show him there’s a new alpha in town, and tell him the Parkway doesn’t belong to him anymore.” I shrug from my stool as I nurse a glass of fancy ass whiskey I don’t even know the name of. Not that I care. I’m fuckin’ Irish. We put whatever booze we can get our hands on down our throats without second thoughts.

My best friend and pack lead freezes long enough to give me a withering glare dark enough to make the balls of a lesser man shrivel up and fall off. I’ve known Wren Madden since he was a nerdy eight year old who spent most of his time playing dungeons and dragons instead of taking responsibility for his family legacy.

It sure did piss Raven right the hell off that he’s sitting on the metaphorical throne meant for her.

So, the suck-up went and named his club after her just to ease the constant tension between them. Fat fucking chance it’ll help in the long run. She still wants to skin him alive and hang his meat suit up in her closet for shits and giggles.

That alpha is one scary bitch, no lie.

She needs a goddamned omega to help her chill the fuck out.

Hell, I need an omega to help me chill the fuck out.

I think hell will freeze over first before either of us finds the other halves of our souls.

“I’m not being fucking nice to him. He’s just unwilling to take my threats seriously. I’m probably going to have to hand deliver him a nice little present tonight as a reminder of just who the fuck owns this city now. I’ve warned him. Multiple times.” Jericho Barrons is a wannabe gangster that mostly runs his shit out of the north side of Black Tide Valley, which just so happens to include the Parkway we’ve planted our base on.

This is a city built for the rejects. The runaways and nobodies. Jericho’s a rogue that thinks he can put his nasty boots down on anyone that challenges him. He’s grown into a seemingly unstoppable parasite that Wren’s now hellbent on cleaning up.

Even I don’t know why the hell my best friend chose this dump of a city to set our roots down in. But who am I to complain?

For better or worse, Black Tide Valley now belongs to pack Madden. And I’ll defend it just as fiercely as Wren will. As Apollo and Lark will.

Fuck all knows why Raven had to tag along. Probably just so she can continue to remain a thorn in her brother’s side. Can’t have him creating a legacy without her beside him at the helm, like she’s a goddamned toddler that still needs training wheels on her princess bike.

She’s incredibly scary and annoying.

“Take a breather, man. Going on a murder spree is just going to garner the wrong kind of attention. Until we’ve established our empire, we have to play by the rules, just like everyone else.” I flick my gaze towards poor Adam who’s practically trembling as he pours cocktails from a silver tumbler. We also don’t need to be dragging anyone else into pack business.

Wren growls, but thank fuck he quickly catches my drift. He claps a hand down on Adam’s shoulder, startling the hell out of him in the process. “Personally deliver those drinks and give me some space.” The order is clipped, and the beta wastes no time obeying, scurrying away with the tray of booze like a rat.

And for all we know, he could be. A rat, that is. Working for Jericho Barrons right underneath our noses. “We need to be careful about how we speak here until we can fully vet our employees.” I caution Wren, and he grumbles again like he’s being murdered. He won’t admit I’m right, but that’s fine by me. Part of my job in this pack is keeping our leader’s head on straight.

Wren flicks his wrist and glances down at his watch before he curses. My interest peaks as he moves around the bar and starts to stride towards the stairs that’ll take us down to the main floor for general admission. I don’t bother grabbing my drink as I follow after him, stuffing my hands into my pockets as I go. “What’s lit a fire up your ass now? Off to baby sit Raven during the set?”

I keep close to his back while we descend the steps. Wren slashes his hand through the air in an irritated gesture. He absolutely hates it when I take digs at his sister, but I can’t help myself. “I have a working interview set to start in three minutes. A potential vocalist for the band.”

My eyebrows lift all the way to my hairline, but he can’t see it since his back is to me. “And Raven finally agreed to add a vocalist?” I scoff like I don’t believe it, because I really don’t. Raven barely approves of anything that’ll make Wren happy.

And our surly alpha pack lead is adamant he wants a vocalist in the club band.

“Contrary to popular belief, my sister doesn’t get a fucking say in everything I do.” I don’t comment on that as we reach the main floor, bodies writhing all around us to the heavy music blaring around the building, most of them already two sheets to the wind on their vice of choice. Be that booze or the harder stuff, we have it all here at Raven.

Wren pauses at the back of the overly crowded dance floor–a good vantage point in view of the stage–just as the lights above it flare to life, and the curtain begins to draw back slowly. When I get my first eyeful of the delicious looking woman standing front and center, dressed in a sinful little black number, her blonde hair cropped close to her shoulders with the tips dyed sky blue–I know exactly who I want to get a piece of later.

Preferably right across Wren’s fancy ass desk upstairs.

“An omega?” I narrow my eyes. Of course, I can’t smell her from way back here, but there’s just something about her that screams the designation.

“Beta.” Wren goes and crushes all of my hopes and dreams in one fell swoop, but I try not to let that little tidbit disappoint me too much. I’ll still fuck the life out of the little thing, given the chance.

“If I hire her, she’s off limits to you.” Wren growls, further trying to put a giant wedge through my plans. Little does he know that I really don’t give a shit about his damn rules. “I mean it, Caito. If she’s as good as she says she is, I need her to stay. You can’t be fucking her and getting her attached to you, only for you to inevitably ruin her.”

I arch a brow over at him then, finally dragging my gaze away from the beauty on stage. “Who says I’ll give her up after just one fuck?”

He casts me a narrow-eyed glare. “I do. Because that’s what you always do.”

I clutch my chest as if I’m wounded. “I resent that statement. I know how to treat a lady.”

Wren scoffs. “Not betas.”

He has a point there, but I’m not going to agree to give him ammo.

Before I can shoot back a response, however, the first thrums of music start up, and my attention snaps back to the beautiful little beta on stage. I watch as her eyes close, her posture going too rigid, but then my mind completely blanks as soon as she opens her mouth and begins to sing.

As her voice carries out, the world falls away around me until the only thing that remains is the two of us. I’m riveted as the melody rushes over and through me, making my cock jerk to attention. I can’t breathe while I listen to her sing. She’s fucking incredible. Like star-level talented. The lilt to her vocal chords sends tingles shooting down my spine in the best fucking way, and suddenly–I want her to sing to me every goddamned day for the rest of my life.

“Holy shit.” I breathe, and Wren rumbles beside me as if in agreement. I stand there, unaware of anything else around me while she sings through the set. The minutes tick by. The crowd only grows in numbers as people seem to filter in just to hear this beautiful angel sing. I want to clear them all out. I don’t want anyone else to listen to her as she bares her soul to the world.

That soul belongs to me. I’m as sure of it as I’m sure of who I am down to my core. She makes me forget that the one thing I really crave is an omega. No one’s ever guaranteed to find their scent match in their lifetime. Who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth? I know this creature belongs to me, beta or not.

And I will have her. Fuck Wren and his rules.

The set ends with a flawless, nearly deafening cheer from the crowd. The curtain draws closed, and I growl as soon as my view of my latest obsession is cut off. Wren clasps me on the shoulder before I can manage to duck away from him, already on the hunt to take and claim.

“No. Absolutely fucking not.” He snarls, but I’m ten seconds away from snapping his goddamned hand if he doesn’t let me go when one of our waitresses appears, as if Wren had summoned her. Fuck, maybe he had when I’d been too lost in the sensations that pretty beta’s melody made me feel.

He flicks his attention to her, but he keeps his hand on me, and I growl again. He ignores me. “Bring the vocalist to my office for the rest of her interview.” Interesting that he doesn’t want to go fetch her himself.

But this is an easy enough job for me. I just have to come along with Wren so I can get my hands on her as soon as he’s done with his interview. Part of me hopes he doesn’t hire her, just so I can steal her away and not have to worry about the headache he’ll cause me if he does hire her, and I decide to pursue her anyway.

The waitress dips her chin before slipping away, off to follow her orders, and Wren finally turns his attention back to me. His eyes narrow on me when he gets a good look at the expression on my face. It’s no doubt slightly unhinged with my growing obsession already. “Stay out here and watch the floor.” He orders, but he knows I have no intention of listening to a damn thing he says. I don’t even know why he’d bother.

He slips off in the direction of the elevator that’ll take him up to his office on the top floor. I wait several seconds–a feat that should dub me a goddamn saint–before I stalk after him with single minded focus. I have a beta to make mine.

And there’s nothing Wren Madden can do to stop me.

4

Wren

Entering my office, my sour mood only intensifies when Caito swaggers in barely two minutes behind me. “I gave you an order.” I growl, but I know my words fall on deaf ears. I can’t pretend I hadn’t seen the glint in his eye while he’d been watching the beta on stage.

The infuriating asshole just shrugs and then plops down into one of my guest chairs to the right of my desk, propping an ankle up on his knee and lounging back like he’s the King of the coop. I pause beside my desk on the opposite side of him and narrow my eyes. “I’m warning you, Caito-”

“Spare me the bullshit, Wren. I’m allowed to sit in on your interviews. This is, after all, the pack’s club. Hiring employees doesn’t just fall to you.” I grit my teeth when he waves a hand at me, but I don’t argue with him on that front. It’s his other reasoning that’s steadily getting on my nerves.

“You’re not going to fuck her.” It isn’t a request. If he ruins this for me, I’m going to have to throttle him. That woman can sing, and the way the crowd had reacted to her was a clear indication of how well she’d do for business around here.

And I’m definitely not going to mention to him just how affected I’d been by her during the show. I won’t break my own damn rules. She’s just a beta that needs a job, and I can put distance between us as her boss. There’s nothing more to it.

Caito just smirks at me, and I thrum my fingers aggressively against the edge of the desk, still glaring at him. I open my mouth to remind him again of the rules–fuck knows why I bother–when a solid knock sounds at the doorway where it’s still slightly ajar.

I glance over and spot Gus, one of our best VIP bouncers, peering through the partially open door. “Sorry to interrupt, boss, but Miss Reighn is here as per your request.”

Out of the corner of my eye, Caito drops his foot back to the ground and leans forward, eyes already trained like a hawk on the shadows behind the bouncer. The hand that had been slack at my side clenches into a fist, but I hold my tongue. “Send her in.” I start to round the desk as Gus disappears, but then a slight breeze carries towards me when the door’s pushed farther inward, and I freeze.

Caito senses it right as I do, and the low rumble that emits from him has all the tiny hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. I swallow my own growl as I turn to face the small woman standing in the doorway, just as frozen as we are.

Her eyes are blown wide as she darts them between us, and I can see it in her eyes. I can see it in the way Caito takes a measured, determined step towards her. I watch her nostrils flare wide, and then she blanches, and I fucking know.

Even if I can’t scent her from here, I know why panic flits across her face. Fuck, I know why Caito dives for her just milliseconds before she turns to bolt. Chaos consumes the next several seconds, and I feel my heart jump up in my throat when she twists away from my pack brother, like that’ll help her escape. All it does is expose her back to the real predator in the room.

She misjudges how quick he can move when he’s on the hunt. His arms catch her before she can take more than two staggering steps back towards the only other exit in the room. Caito may be hell bent on making sure she doesn’t escape, but she’s also just as determined not to get caught.

Faster than the strike of a cobra, her elbow slams down into the crook of his forearm before she throws her head back like a wildcat. I wince when her skull connects with his nose, the sound of bone and cartilage cracking echoing through the room. Caito snarls, and his arm only tightens around her further. He’s quick to drag her back towards the desk as if she were merely just a kitten struggling to get out of its momma’s jaws.

“Omega.” Caito rumbles when he shoves his nose against the crook of her neck, his other hand coming up to tangle in her hair to keep her from throwing her head back again. Blood’s now pouring freely out of his broken nose, but he doesn’t seem to give two fucks about that while he inhales deeply.

I round the desk, unable to stop myself, and the second I’m within touching distance of her, the rest of the barriers between the three of us fall away. Her scent explodes outwards, breaking past the suppressant she’d obviously taken recently. My entire body visibly shudders when I inhale smokey jasmine and tart citrus like my life fucking depends on it.

Caito groans as he does the same, and his grip on her tightens, even though she’s fallen limp temporarily in his arms. My eyes open to lock with her beautiful dark, hazel gaze, and I realize right then and there that I never even stood a chance.

“Mine.” My pack brother snarls, and then I see the panic flare again in her eyes when his bloodied teeth scrape against the sensitive flesh just below her earlobe. Right over her pulse point, which I can see thrumming erratically beneath his vicious, manic grin.

“Gus!” Finally, I regained some control over myself again to call in for reinforcements. I need to get Caito the fuck away from her before he goes and marks her without her permission and fuck us all to hell.

My favorite bouncer rushes into the room, eyes darting around to quickly assess the situation. They quickly fall on the three of us. “Boss?”

“Separate them.” Is all I say before I dive for the little omega that’d been masquerading as a goddamn beta. Gus, thankfully, catches my drift and dives for Caito at the same time. I rip her out of his arms just as the bouncer collides with him, taking him to the ground in a tangle of snarling, snapping teeth and flailing fists.

Shit. I’ve never seen my pack brother like this.

As soon as she’s out of his arms, the omega flails while I drag her backwards behind my desk, making sure that there’s at least one giant obstacle between the nearly feral alpha and her. Hopefully it’s enough to slow him the fuck down. It takes every ounce of my will power to release her the second we’re a safe enough distance away from the pair still grappling on the ground.

She immediately retreats into a corner between my personal bar and a bookcase, just as Caito lets out a vicious, spine tingling snarl. I’m pack lead, and even my spine snaps ramrod straight at that sound. I can see just enough from my spot behind my desk to watch him get the upper hand on the poor bouncer, and I vaguely hear the omega suck in a sharp gasp. I’m helpless, watching as my pack brother rears back, before slamming his fist into Gus’s face.

“Caito! That’s enough!” My alpha bark snaps through the room with enough force to make everyone stiffen up, feral alpha included. Every wild, alpha instinct I have goes rigid when the omega at my back releases a pitifully low whine in response to my command, but I can’t take my eyes off of Caito to check on her. The alpha in me is howling and clawing at me to go to her and comfort her, but we can’t have two alphas out of their minds in this room.

She’ll never survive it.

Caito slowly lifts himself off of Gus, but he doesn’t offer the other man a hand up. He turns that predatory glare on me, malice glinting there. Then his dark green eyes flash towards the cowering omega in the corner that smells like all of our dreams come true. The sound that rumbles out of his chest is pure alpha.

He takes a slow, deliberate step forward like he’s going to go for her again. “Mine.” His chest continues that dangerous rumble, and I step to the side, effectively blocking his view for the moment to capture his attention again.

“Rein it in, brother. You’re scaring her. This isn’t the way.” I hold up both of my hands in a placating gesture, ignoring the soft sounds of panting behind me, and the overwhelming scent of distressed omega. My omega. Ours.

Caito tilts his head back, nostrils flaring, and he growls again, taking another step forward. I glance over my shoulder at our omega, but her eyes are laser focused on Caito, not me. He’s clearly the bigger threat to her. So many questions swirl through my mind, but there’s only one that takes precedence over the others. “Why lie about being a beta?”

She flicks her gaze to me, studying me for a moment before she lifts her chin. Some of her terror has ebbed, but the panic is still ever present in her dark hazel eyes. It’s heavy in the air all around us, suffocating me and making me feel extra stabby. “Is that really the question you want the answer to?” She challenges, and fuck me, it makes my cock twitch in my pants. This omega is already showing a back bone. It makes me want to test all her limits just to see how far I can push her before she snaps.

Thinking about her feral with defiant rage makes it hard not to reach down and adjust myself.

“Your suppressants clearly didn’t work.” I point out, and Caito starts rumbling. It takes me a second to realize that he’s purring.

Alphas only purr for their scent matched omegas.

Fuck me.

There’s a glint in her eyes while she continues to stare at me. “They work every other time.”

I scoff. “A smart omega would know that they wouldn’t be effective when faced with a scent match.”

Those dark, beautiful eyes narrow. “Is that what you think this is?”

I can’t help myself. I smirk, and I fucking love the way it makes her lips tighten in anger. “Do yourself a favor and stop lying to yourself. Denying the truth will only make a fool of you.”

Her lips thin even further like she’s trying to stop herself from baring her teeth. I crave her fire. I want it more than anything I’ve ever wanted in my entire life.

And that’s a serious fucking problem.

“We’re not scent matched.” Caito unleashes a low growl at that, both of us recognizing every word as the bullshit it is.

Then I see it. Her chin wobbles and her eyes glisten in the highlights of my office. Her panic is real. Even though she’s faced with her scent matches—every normal omega’s dream come true—she wants to deny this.

It’s absolutely perplexing.

And incredibly infuriating.

I’m lost for words. I don’t know what to do in this situation. I’d always believed when I found my omega, it would be something magical. An instant connection between us that could never be broken. I’d always believed that everything would just fall into place.

This is not at all how it’s supposed to be.

“The job is yours if you want it.” It’s the only thing I can think of to say. She blinks at me, surprise shuddering her expression, and I force myself not to smile. This infallible omega can be ruffled. “Take time to think about it. If I don’t hear anything by the end of the month, I’ll take a hint.” The lie makes bile rise up and flood the back of my throat, but I need to tell her what she needs to hear right now. If I voice my true feelings, like I’m sure Caito wants to, I’ll spook her off.

She might even run once she leaves here.

Fucking hell. I’m going to have to task Caito to stalk our damn omega to make sure she doesn’t bolt the city.

How could life become so complicated in such a short amount of time?

Goddammit. I can already feel a migraine settling in my temples when I think about how I’m going to have to go back to the pack house, smelling like our scent matched omega, without her.

Apollo and Lark are going to lose their absolute shit.

I can see the indecision warring in her eyes while they bounce back and forth between Caito and I. “Y-you’re letting me go?” Disbelief colors her words, and I shrug, even though the otherwise indifferent gesture fucking annihilates me. It’s hard to feign indifference, when all I want to do is gather her up in my arms, and sink my teeth and cock inside of her. It’s enough to nearly bring me to my knees.

If she walks away from me, I’ll never recover.

Shit. I’ve barely gotten the scent of her, and I already know I’ll never be able to stay away. I have it just as bad as Caito, and if I know my other pack brothers as well as I think I do, Apollo and Lark won’t be any different.

Finally, Caito speaks, and hearing his voice causes me to startle slightly. Our omega notices. “He’s giving you a choice, mo chroí. We may be your alphas, but we will not be the ones to chain you.” His words shock the hell out of me, leaving me gaping. Seconds ago, he’d been ready to beat the life out of anyone that stood between him and our omega.

Now he’s offering her a lifeline?

Jesus fucking Christ. I can’t handle the whiplash of emotions being tossed around right now.

“You’re not my alphas. I don’t need or want alphas.” She straightens up then from where she’d been cowering in the corner between my personal bar and a bookcase, finally taking a single step forward. Such a brave little thing. I want to praise her for the slightly upward tilt of chin and the fire crackling in her dark eyes, but I wisely keep my mouth shut.

Caito–in another turn of shocking events–takes a step back instead of forward. However, his next words strum a chord within her all the same, making her expression shudder slightly. “We’re letting you walk away now, mo chroí, but make no mistake. You belong to us. We know it, and you know it.” Even though he’s across the room, he leans in as her eyes flare wide for a split second, before narrowing on him fully in agitation. “But do try to run. I’m an excellent huntsman.”

He practically purrs those last words, but she bares her teeth at him in a challenge. Little does she know that it’ll only egg him on more. Caito’s a fucking animal when he catches the scent of something he wants.

And boy does he want this fiery little omega.

Shit. So do I, dammit.

“I’m leaving now.” She says instead of challenging him in a way I can clearly tell she’d do. Caito just grins like a fucking psycho, and takes another step back, clearing a path for her so she can make her way around us to the open doorway. It’s a taunt if I’ve ever witnessed one in my life.

“Please, will you allow one of my security team personnel to escort you back home?” I cut in before she can take so much as a handful of steps away from us towards the exit. With each foot of distance she puts between us, my heart constricts painfully in my chest until it feels like I can’t take a proper breath of air.

She pauses, chewing on her bottom lip.She wants to argue. I can see it in her eyes, but I can also see her contemplating it. Maybe she thinks if she allows one of my guys to get her home safely, then there will be less of a possibility that one of us stalks her home.

Fat fucking chance, Sweetheart.

“How do I know he won’t just report back to you where I live?” She narrows her eyes on me, ignoring Caito practically salivating at the mouth where he stands a few feet away from her. It’s probably too close for comfort if she has anything to say about it, but she doesn’t.

“You’ll just have to trust us.” I shrug, showing that casual dismissal again that makes me feel like I’m swallowing shards of glass.

She hesitates, but only for a few more seconds, before she dips her head. “One escort home.” She concedes, and I feel myself deflate like a balloon.

She doesn’t need to know that Caito will be trailing them the entire way. It’s best if she doesn’t realize just how truly psychotic we can get when it comes to keeping her safe.

And it’s about to get a hell of a lot worse.

Her small frame hesitates by the door when she reaches it, and I already have my phone out to text Gus in the hallway to take her home. When our eyes meet again, my breath hitches in my throat at the raw longing in her expression, gone so quick the next second that I almost doubt if it had even been there.

Then she’s gone. Leaving behind devastation in her wake.

I wait for all of a handful of heartbeats before I say, “Follow her. Keep her safe. Report back once she’s home.” I trust Gus to an extent, but everyone who isn’t pack in this city are virtually strangers to us.

“I’m going to have to gut Gus later if he comes around me smelling like her.” Caito warns in a low rumble, and the sentiment is mutual between us. Hopefully he does the right thing and keeps his distance from her while he delivers her back home.

Caito leaves before I can so much as utter another word, shutting the door behind him in his wake with enough force it makes me shudder.

With the scent of smokey jasmine and citrus utterly wrecking all of my senses, I settle back in my desk chair and free my cock from the restrictive confines of my slacks.

I make myself come in record time, gasping on her essence clogging my office. I’m such a fucking goner.

5

Scarlett

There’s an incessant buzz beneath my skin when I let myself into my apartment an hour later, thanking the fucking heavens that Kate is blessedly gone when I shut and lock the door behind me.

Hell, I even use the deadbolt and the chain.

It doesn’t matter that Kate will have to call me later to let her back in. I can’t risk the exposure when I’m here by myself. Not after I just walked away from the only thing I’ve ever truly wanted in my entire life, despite my reservations.

You can’t have them. I keep inwardly chanting to myself, stalking deeper into the space I share with Kate. You’ll doom them if you try.

Yet, when I strip down bare and climb into the makeshift nest on my too small bed, I can’t help but yearn for them. I can’t stop myself from wondering if it’s just the two of them. Alpha packs aren’t exactly rare, and they usually consist of more than two at a time.

Somehow, deep down, I can feel it in my bones that there are more of them. I shouldn’t be thinking about all of this as I curl up underneath the soft blankets and sheets of my pitiful nest, but I can’t stop. My mind is whirling and racing a million miles a second.

When I’d left my apartment earlier for my interview, I never would’ve imagined in a million years that this was how my night would end. There are plenty of stories out there that speak of omegas spontaneously running into their scent matched alphas, but that had always been a far off fairy-tale fantasy of mine. Something completely out of my reach.

I’m fucking broken. My past is a constant threat over my head that I would do well not to forget. As if in response to that thought, the nasty mark on my shoulder seems to pulse in agreement.

I can’t have them. Even though it’ll kill me, I have to reject them.

Then why hadn’t I done it back in that office? What made me walk away and give both of them hope that I’ll ever come back?

Because there’s a bigger part of me that knows I’ll never get away.

The magnificent red haired alpha had warned me as much. I groan, trembling beneath my blankets when I recall just how intoxicating he’d smelled when he’d wrapped himself around me like a tree. Winter Evergreen and rich, dark chocolate. My jaw fucking aches at the thought of the hunger it had ignited within me when he’d snuck his nose against my skin to catch a whiff of me.

Fuck, I’d known he wanted to bite me. Just as I’d wanted to bite him.

Small fucking mercies I’d opted to put my leather jacket back on before I had stepped into the office.

If they’d seen the twisted, seared mark on my neck…

No. I can’t think about that. They can never find out. It’ll only lead to questions I can’t answer.

I should leave, I think while I curl myself up in a tight ball, trying to block out the pain the memory of walking away from them caused me. I’ve only been left here by the demons of my past because they know I’m a caged animal. If they find out I’ve found my scent matched alphas?

I squeeze my eyes shut, blocking out the terror before it can consume me. I’ve worked too goddamn hard to let those assholes win. I’ve buried those memories and everything that’s been stolen from me so deep, that it’ll never touch me again.

But it’s all just a fucking facade. A pretty way for me to pretend that I’m not as free as the world thinks I am.

I’m nothing but a puppet with thinly veiled, loose strings.

And one sharp tug from my master will bring me crashing back into a nightmare that I’ve risked everything to escape.

* * *

“You look like shit, Scar. Are you sick or something?” Kate’s words cut through me like a knife, and I barely stopped myself from wincing. I’m sprawled on the old leather couch that dominates most of our small living room, idly picking away at a spot on the cushion beneath me as I slowly wallow away into nothing. Self pity does not look good on me.

“I’m fine.” I grumble, but there’s not much heat behind it. I don’t have the energy for it. Out of the corner of my eye, I watch my roommate finish up her routine to get her ready for a shift at the diner down the block from our place. It’s been three days since the earth shattering revelation that I’d found my scent matched mates, and Kate still has no idea.

She never will.

“You look like a warmed up corpse, and you smell like one too. When’s the last time you showered?” I finally shift my full attention over to her, just in time to see her wrinkle her nose in my direction. Normally, on a good day, I’d care about stuff as trivial as everyday hygiene.

Today’s not one of those days. The other two hadn’t been, either.

“How do you know what a warmed up corpse smells like?” I lift a brow at her, going for snarky, but it falls flat.

She narrows her gaze on me. “Where did you run off to Saturday night?”

I toss a hand in her direction and return my attention to ripping the leather off the couch with vigor. “That’s not important.” It’s very fucking important, but again, she’ll never know that. They’re my secrets to shoulder. I’ve known Kate the longest since I’d moved here nearly a year ago now, and I still don’t feel like I can trust her with everything my fucked up life has to offer.

“Oh, it’s definitely important. You completely went off the rails the day afterwards. Something happened while you were out.” I can feel her glare heating the side of my face, but I don’t look in her direction again. I should get up and make my way to my desk. I could be working on a piece to sell on my private auction site right now, but I can’t force myself to get up. There’s no inspiration to be found within the hollow shell of my imagination.

Not unless I want to draw the faces of alphas that can never be mine.

God, I hate this. Hate that all I want to do is call up Mr. Madden and take that stupid job I never should have applied for in the first place. Just so I can be close to them. So I can smell them. Just one more time.

But I fucking can’t. I just can’t.

And it’s tearing me to shreds inside. Knowing that my goddamn mates are so close, yet so far away. I can’t be the one to breach that gap between us. I have to be strong, fairy-tale.

It’s why I haven’t left the house, either. The fact that they’re out there somewhere in the city, waiting for me to come to my senses, is enough of a deterrent.

“You met someone.” She suddenly accuses, and I make the mistake of snapping my attention back to her. Triumph bleeds into her expression as it lightens with glee. “Ha! I knew it! Tell me all about it! Please, I’m dying Scarlett. If either of us deserves an exciting life, it’s you.” Her tone goes all shrill, and I can’t stop the wince as it grates on all of my nerves.

“I didn’t meet anyone.” The lie tastes bitter on my tongue. Then, I decided to be at least a little truthful. “I had a job interview, and it didn’t go as planned.” There. That wasn’t so hard. I can make connections and shit without having to hide every single thing about myself from those closest to me.

Her brow furrows. “A job interview? I thought you had a good thing going with your art?”

A pang shoots through my chest at her words, reminding me I haven’t picked up my pencil and sketchbook in quite awhile. “That’s a hobby. It’s not something I can live off of long term, and I refuse to be a freeloader.” That isn’t really the case between us, and we both know it.

Which is why Kate scoffs. “Your last sold piece paid our rent for the last six months. I still owe you for the new tires on my car, too.”

I wave a hand at her dismissively. If only she knew the price I’d be willing to pay, just so I can maintain this tenuous hold on the illusion of my freedom. Kate’s annoying as hell, but she’s the closest thing I have to a friend. The first one I’ve ever had in my entire life.

It’s fucking tragic and nauseating.

“Stop bringing that up. I thought I told you it was a Christmas gift.”

I peek over at her just as she cocks a perfectly trimmed brow at me. “A Christmas gift you gave me in April? After we’d only known each other for two months?”

I pin her with a stare. “Don’t you have a shift to get to in fifteen minutes?” It’s enough of a distraction to have Kate glancing towards the clock hanging above the fake fireplace mantle, on the opposite side of the living room. She curses and springs to her feet, effectively halting any further interrogation she might’ve had planned for me, thank fuck.

She blows me a kiss as she rushes for the front door after snatching her purse and keys. “Stay out of trouble, Scar. Watch some trashy TV and draw me a pretty picture. I’ll bring you home a burger for dinner.”

Then she’s out the door, and I’m all alone again. I groan as I pull myself up off the couch, long enough to flick all the locks on the front door, before heading to my room, right where my makeshift nest is calling my name. Fuck real life obligations for a little while longer. I’ll finish up my pity party for one.

And afterwards, I’ll come up with a reason to call up Mr. Madden and reject him.

My life sucks so hard.

6

Lark

“Stop slinking in the shadows like a serial killer. It’s not a good look for you.” Caito’s slightly accented voice calls out to me from my spot where I’m crouched in the bushes at his back, right by a park bench off of the sidewalk he’s currently standing on.

Keeping sentry over our omega’s apartment.

“Her roommate just left.” I point out when I drop the spy act and finally join him. I lick my lips as I stuff my hands in my pockets, my fingers curling around the delicate gold chain I always keep on me. It helps me more now than it ever has before.

We haven’t been in this city long, but I already hate almost everything about it. The only good thing just so happens to be the newly discovered mate I have, hidden away in a fourth floor apartment.

When Wren had come back to the penthouse that night three days ago, I’d gotten one good whiff of him and had instantly fallen in love. There isn’t anything more to it. I haven’t even laid eyes on the mysterious omega, and I already crave her in a way that’s otherwise unnatural.

But she’s my scent match. The other half of my soul. The woman I’ve been searching for my entire existence.

Nothing’s more simple and beautiful than that. Life’s now a kaleidoscope of colors that now fully revolve around a woman I’ve yet to meet. I know what she smells like, and my alpha yearns to breathe her in every single day for the rest of my life.

I wonder if she tastes as good as she smells.

Wren had hinted at there possibly being some underlying trauma that might be holding her back from seeking us out. I want to kick in her door and demand answers so I can fix it, but I know that isn’t what she really needs.

Caito’s soft hum distracts me from staring up at the entire front side of her building and the single little window that apparently leads to her bedroom, information gathered by the Irish weirdo now fiddling with his phone. “What are you doing?”

Naturally, like the creeper he is, he smiles like the serial killer he’d just accused me of being. “I’m ordering some food for my omega to be delivered. Omegas need food like they need air.” He shrugs, and I quirk my lips up into a small grin. I wish I had thought of that first.

“Don’t you have interviews to be conducting for Wren?” This is my not so subtle way to try to get him to leave so I can take over stalking our omega. I mean guarding. Yes. Guarding sounds less creepy.

“Wren can suck my dick if he thinks I’m leaving her unguarded.” Caito says without even looking up from his phone. I peer over his shoulder to see exactly what he’s ordering, and I’m impressed at what I see.

“Are you buying her a car? A car is not food.”

“She doesn’t have one. I’m not about to have her walking all over the city or taking fucking Ubers everywhere.” He shrugs like buying our omega a seventy thousand dollar Mercedes isn’t all that big of a deal. Which it isn’t. His reasoning’s are solid enough for me. Wren’s richer than God, thanks to his daddy’s hand-me-down empire as well as the one he’s steadily building. He can afford to buy her seventy of those things.

“You know,” I start with a drawl. “I’m not chopped liver. I can take over guard duty for a while if you have other things to do.”

“No. No one else can be trusted to keep an eye on her as diligently as I have.” I roll my eyes when he slips his phone back into the pocket of his dark, ripped jeans, before stuffing his hands into the pockets of his hoodie.

“She’s my omega too, asshole. I’ll guard her just as fiercely as you.” I would’ve taken offense to Caito’s apparent lack of confidence in me when it comes to our omega’s safety, but I can’t say I blame him. He’s an obsessive fucker. We’ve only been pack brothers for the last six years, not nearly as long as he’s been with Wren, but I get it.

“Something else is bothering you.” I take note of the way his entire posture is tense as he stares up at the window as if he can somehow see through it. It’s partially cracked, probably to let in some fresh air since the weather isn’t as crisp as it has been over the last several days. I want more than anything to see her appear in that window, just so I can get my first real look at her. I can only go off the description that Wren and Caito had given. That, and the memory of her fresh scent that had clung to the both of them like a second skin.

It’s not nearly enough.

The only thing holding me back from storming into her apartment to wrap her up in my arms, is the warning Wren had given me just before I left. I don’t want to scare my omega. So if it’s space she wants, it’s space she’s going to get.

I just hope she doesn’t take a lifetime to choose us.

I refuse to think about the alternative.

Caito’s jaw clenches even as he keeps that unwavering stare on the cracked window. “She smelled… off when I held her in Wren’s office for those brief moments the other night. I don’t know how to explain it, and I’m fucking praying I’m wrong about the feeling in my gut.” He admits then, and I feel my brows furrowed in confusion. Her scent hadn’t seemed off to me when Wren had come home that night, coated in it from his time spent in her presence.

“What’s your gut telling you?”

“My nose touched her neck as soon as the suppressants wore off.” He’s starting to get more agitated the more he thinks back on the memory.

I narrow my eyes on him. “What are you saying?” I demand, because there’s a sick feeling twisting my gut from the expression he now wears when he turns to give me a look. I don’t like the way anger is vibrating off of him in palpable waves as our gazes lock.

“I smelled another alpha on her. I smelled a fucking bond mark.”

I feel my world fall out from underneath me, shock rippling down my spine at his revelation. “Excuse me?” Now I understand why he’s suddenly so angry and acting more obsessive than usual.

“I know what a bond mark smells like on a bonded omega. It carries a hint of the alpha that put it there when you get close enough. She was wearing a jacket when she came into the office. She hadn’t been when she performed on stage, but I’d been at the back of the club when I watched her. I wouldn’t have seen it. She was hiding it under that jacket. It’s why she looked so damn petrified. I’m sure of it.”

I shake my head, trying to make sense of it. “She’s not living with an alpha. Her roommate is an unbonded omega. It’s just the two of them. You’ve been standing out here for three days with hardly a break, and when you’re occupied, Wren’s here. Either one of you would’ve seen an alpha coming and going from her apartment.” I can’t seem to wrap my head around it.

“Which means she’s hiding herself from the alpha that’s bonded her.” Caito growls, and realization dawns on me. It makes that nauseating feeling festering in my stomach morph until I feel the bile rising in my throat.

“You think she’s been bonded against her will?” I whisper the words, almost afraid to voice them out loud. I don’t want to think about the implications of that.

“I can’t confirm it without hearing it from her lips, but I’m almost certain that’s what’s going on. She wouldn’t actively distance herself from her scent matched alphas unless there was a good reason. In her mind, she can’t accept us if what I believe is true. If she’s hiding from an alpha that’s forced a bond on her, then she won’t want to bring us into that. I’ve seen it more times in my life than I care to admit.”

“I can’t believe this. What kind of sick fuck would bond an omega against her will?” Caito gives me a look like he thinks I’m being deliberately dense.

“There are plenty of them out there that would do it. Omegas are rare. Omega flesh trading does exist.” I know that to be true all too well. It’s why unbonded omegas are regulated through the system here in the states. But things are different in Black Tide Valley. This is the city where anyone and everyone that doesn’t have a place in the world comes to escape life. It’s the exact reason our pack wants to call it home. Every single one of us has something to hide away from.

Apparently, so does our precious little omega.

“If she’s hiding from someone that’s forced a bond on her, then she isn’t safe in an apartment where the only other defense she has is another unbonded omega and a flimsy fucking dead bolt.” My entire body is buzzing with the need to go to her. I need to scoop her up in my arms and cart her back to the safety of our pack penthouse, where we have enough security measures in place to make sure nothing and no one will ever touch her again.

“As much as I agree, for now, we can’t. Trust me, it’s taking all of my willpower not to break down her door and haul her back to the penthouse like a caveman. But she needs to learn to trust us. We have to earn her heart, and we can’t use force. She will bolt at the first sign of trouble. I saw it in her eyes that night.”

Surprise flashes through me momentarily at how level-headed Caito’s being about this. Usually, he’s the ‘act first and ask forgiveness later type’. “So we just wait for her to come to us? I don’t like the sound of that.” Understatement of the century. “We need to make her see she’s better off with us. We can protect her and keep her safe from whoever she’s hiding from. Until she’s comfortable enough to tell us who the fucker is, then we can rip his spine out and choke him to death with it for ever laying a hand on her in the first place.”

Caito grins over at me once I finish like the undiluted psychopath I know he is. “I like the sound of that last bit, but all jokes aside, we give her space. It’s what she needs. We’ll just make sure it’s incredibly hard for her to ignore our existence.” He shrugs with a mischievous glint in his eye that tells me he’s up to no good.

“Alright. I’m in. What’s the plan?” I’ll probably come to regret it, but there’s no backing down now.

I’m going to woo the panties right off of my omega. Whatever it takes.

7

Scarlett

“Okay, seriously, Scarlett? What the actual fuck is all of this? Did you lose your marbles and go on an online shopping spree?” Kate’s shrill voice rings out from the living room, all the way to my room, where I’m hiding like a war veteran with extreme ptsd inside of my nest.

I don’t respond, refusing to acknowledge what I know she’s just discovered. “Scarlett!” She snaps, her voice closer than it’d been before, and I know she must be in the doorway of my room. I should’ve locked the damn thing before retreating to my nest after receiving the last surprise delivery an hour ago.

Nine agonizing days have passed since I’d run into my scent matched alphas, and now, they’re playing dirty with me.

Whoever would’ve guessed that materialistic things delivered daily to my doorstep would make such massive dents in my super alpha related defenses.

Today there had been nine massive edible arrangements, all in the shapes of zoo animals, and they’re now taking up all the available counter space in the kitchen.

Currently, I’m curled up underneath the eight blankets made of the softest material known to mankind from yesterday, while being surrounded by the seven giant teddy bears from the day before that.

There are six bouquets of roses in various shades dominating the small kitchen table, and five cartons of chocolate milk inside of the refrigerator. Normally, I would’ve wondered how they’d known that chocolate milk was my favorite thing in the entire world, but I’m already too freaked out to even begin processing that.

I peek out from my nest to find Kate standing in the middle of my room, clutching the bag with the four pairs of obscenely sexy lingerie sets from a boutique on the other side of the city. The one that’s way too expensive for my usual tastes. My roommate knows that, too. I think that’s why she looks confused as hell when our eyes finally meet.

“Are you going into heat?” She sniffs the air, noting the elevated aroma of my perfume, but I finally sit up, pushing some of the stuffed bears out of the way. She wrinkles her nose at them, but doesn’t comment when she drops the bag she’d been holding on the floor by the edge of my bed.

“No.” It’s a simplistic answer, and she narrows her eyes on me.

“What is going on, Scarlett? Do you have some sort of secret admirer?” Her gaze flicks to my exposed, ruined shoulder. There’s that same question in her eyes that she’s never dared ask me before.

I know I can’t keep up this charade forever. I won’t tell her about the mark. That’s one horror I’m not willing to let myself relive at the moment. However, I can be honest about the reason for the absurd gifts littering our small apartment. It’s an easy enough confession.

“I wasn’t entirely truthful to you about what happened on that Saturday night the last time you brought it up. I did have an interview. At Raven, specifically. For the vocalist position that was posted on the city hall bulletin board.” Confusion furrows her brow as she stands there, processing my words.

“Why would you lie about that?”

I shake my head. “It wasn’t about the interview. I…” I trail off, really struggling to put the reality of my situation into actual words.

Lifting my chin, it barely wobbles as I force the words out into a rushed confession. “Mr. Madden, the owner of the club… He’s my scent match. And there was another there that night, too. I’m pretty sure they belong to a pack. There might be others, but I took off before I could find out anything else about them.”

Kate’s shocked into silence for several long, agonizing minutes. Then, she squeals, the sound sending a shudder down my spine as I watch her jump up and down like an overexcited puppy who’s just been presented with a bag full of treats. “Holy shit, Scar! Holy fucking shit! You met your scent matched alphas?! How could you keep this from me? Oh my God. Why are you here right now, wallowing away inside your nest instead of shacking up with them?”

She fires each question at me in quick succession, making my head spin. This is the hard part. Trying to explain to her exactly why I can’t claim them, without getting too close to the truth for comfort. If she’s smart, I believe she can put two and two together to figure it out.

The bond mark on my shoulder that’s clearly taken something incredibly hot to try to burn it away. The fact that I’m even in Black Tide Valley in the first place. She knows as well as I do that only the desolate and broken flee here. She might’ve been born here, but I wasn’t. She chose to stay in this city because she wants to.

I stay because it’s either this prison cell, or his.

Kate falls into another stretch of silence that spans a few minutes, and I watch her work through everything from where she still stands in the center of my room. I take the time to ease myself out of the comfort and warmth of my nest, moving to my wardrobe to grab some clothes to make a trip to the Parkway.

Finally—softly—she says, “Whatever your reasons for being here in the city of rejects, you can’t throw something like a scent match away, Scar. It’s special, yes, but it’s so much more than that. You should give it a chance. It might just be the thing you need the most in life.” The way she speaks gives me pause. It’s almost like she knows exactly what it feels like to lose something like that.

It makes my heart constrict painfully in my chest.

My resolve cracks a little more. “I know, Kate.” I hate saying the words. It makes me feel like I’m nothing but the weak omega those demons of my past claim me to be. A fucking coward.

She watches me while I strip and pull on a pair of soft, cotton black sweats and an oversized, pink hoodie with the Parkway logo on it. “Where are you going?”

I slip into a pair of boots I pull out of the bottom of my wardrobe after pulling on socks, and finally, I face her, making eye contact once again. “I’m going to have that chat I should’ve had with them that first night we met.”

She gives me a sympathetic look, and lord fucking help me, I don’t feel the least bit confident in the choices I’m about to make.

They’ll most likely lead to our utter damnation.

8

Scarlett

It’s a twenty minute walk to Raven, which will give me enough time to really think about my plan and change my mind accordingly. I don’t even know if it’ll be open since it’s only three in the afternoon on a Monday. I’m kind of running off of instinct at this point. My omega brain knows that the club is where I’ll find my mates. Everything else is irrelevant.

Kate had offered to give me a ride just before I left, but I’d needed the fresh air. I haven’t been out of the apartment in nine days. It’ll do me some good to stretch my legs.

I’m exactly five minutes into my walk when I run into trouble of the alpha variety that I’m definitely not interested in. “I knew I should’ve taken a damn suppressant before I left.” I mutter to myself just as I come up on a crosswalk with two hefty looking alphas waiting for the signal to turn white.

A breeze at my back ruffles my hair, predictably carrying my scent on the breeze right towards them.

Their backs are to me, but the moment they catch my scent and turn, like I’m a beacon calling out, I instantly know I should’ve stayed the hell home. The taller of the two locks gazes with me and takes a step forward.

I freeze on the spot, tempted to turn and bolt back in the other direction, but that’ll only make things worse. An omega running from an alpha is a recipe for disaster. It’ll no doubt activate their natural instincts to give chase.

I’d rather slit my own throat than allow another alpha to put their hands on me again without my permission.

“Omega.” They both rumble in unison, and my eyes dart around, looking for a way out. Across the street, heading in the direction I’d just come, a couple is walking their dog. If I scream, maybe they’ll take pity on me and at least call the cops to report my untimely kidnapping.

Because I have no doubt that’s what these alphas plan to do.

I can see it in the way they’re watching me, their nostrils flaring with each gust of wind that carries my scent to them. I can’t smell them yet, and maybe that’s a good thing. I don’t want to know what they smell like. It’ll only make my panic worse.

Finally, I take a single step back, and that’s when all hell breaks loose. The taller alpha dives for me and I stumble back, the other not far behind. I start to scream, but the fucker’s fast. His shoulder slams into my sternum with enough force to knock the air from my lungs as we go sailing backwards.

Stars burst across my vision when my head cracks against the sidewalk. Fuck, don’t pass out. Don’t fucking pass out. I gasp for breath as the alpha presses his disgusting body against mine, where he has me pinned against the concrete. I gag when he grinds his erection against my clenched thighs, while his friend hovers over us.

I catch sight of his manic grin through my semi-blurry vision. My head throbs in time with my rapid pulse, threatening to pull me under from my new head injury, but there’s no goddamn way I’ll let that happen.

Years of torment, self preservation, and more than a few self defense classes kick in, and I jump into action. I bring my knee up into the alpha’s groin hard, making him gasp out a choked cry of pain, before he predictably rolls off of me to cup his broken balls.

I fight through my swimming vision and pounding head to roll away from him, only to come into contact with the other one’s legs. “You fucking bitch! Show your alpha some goddamn respect!”

I let out a choked cry when his hand fists in my hair, yanking me up until I’m pressed against his body. My limbs flail wildly in every possible direction before his free hand circles my throat, the tightening of his fingers cutting off any other sound I might’ve made.

My hands automatically go for his eyes, just like I’d trained. My thumbs find purchase in his eye sockets, and I enjoy the sound of his screams of agony when I dig them in hard enough that some blood spritzes me in the face, before he tosses me away from him reflexively.

I hit the ground for the second time, this time landing on my side. My shoulder cracks against the pavement, and I cry out in agony. I’m definitely going to be feeling that for a few days. Vaguely, through the pain, I hear the sound of tires screeching, just before the alpha that had his balls lodged up into his body looms over me again.

I bare my teeth at him as he wraps both hands around my throat, bringing his body back down on me, but making it so I can’t use my legs or my hands. I buck and thrash beneath him, but he grins down at me like he’s already won.

My vision wavers while I struggle to get oxygen in my lungs. His fingers flex around my throat, taking obvious glee in making me suffer. I don’t give up, even when my heart skips a few beats and my lungs constrict from lack of air.

And just when I think I’m about to die, a fiery angel of fury saves me from the brink of oblivion.

A terrifying, unnatural roar pierces the air, followed by a scream of terror, then the alpha is being ripped off of me. Sweet oxygen floods my lungs the moment his hands disappear, and I suck in air greedily, coughing and spluttering as I slowly get my bearings back enough to take stock of the situation unfolding around me.

It takes another minute before my vision clears enough to see the mayhem happening around me.

The alpha from Raven with the fiery red hair and honed to kill body is tearing into the two alphas right there in front of me. The one who I’d nearly gouged the eyes out of is already laying in a crumpled heap a few feet away. His face is twisted towards me where he lays belly down on the sidewalk, but his arm is sticking out at an unnatural angle, and his jaw is definitely unhinged. There are even several bloody teeth laying on the concrete right by his dripping mouth.

But the one thing that freaks me out the most are his wide, bloody and lifeless eyes staring back at me.

I jerk my gaze away from the corpse and over to the incredibly enraged alpha beating the life out of the other one another dozen or so feet away. This one’s face is barely recognizable while fist after fist slams into him, blood and teeth flying with every powerful strike. Even from here, I can hear the meaty sounds of flesh hitting flesh, but it’s not nearly as nauseating as the sound of bones shattering with the impact of his fury.

He doesn’t stop. Not until the man falls limp and his eyes are just as unseeing as the other. The alpha lets out a ferocious snarl, sending a shudder racing down my spine, before he literally picks the man up and tosses him a good six feet away.

Blood drips from his knuckles and coats his chest and thighs as he straightens, lip curling back when he looks over at the crumpled corpses of the alphas that had dared attack me. When his eyes finally turn towards me, they’re nearly black with a bottomless rage that makes my core clench in a way that’s entirely inappropriate for the moment.

He’s just killed two men in front of me. I should not be turned on. The fuck is wrong with me?

He takes a few steps towards me, and this time, I don’t retreat like I had in Raven. Even though he’s still practically vibrating with barely restrained fury and blood lust, an innate part of me knows that he’d never raise those fists to me.

It’s weird. And incredibly terrifying.

A rumble starts up in his chest when he steadily approaches where I’m frozen on my ass on the sidewalk. It isn’t until he crouches down, just a few inches away from me, that I register the sound. Awe spears through me like a golden beam of sunshine. He’s purring. For me.

An alpha only ever purrs for their omega.

He reaches out a hand, and just as I subconsciously lean in so he can touch me, he stops before he touches me. His hand is coated in blood, and he opens his palm, eyeing it with an expression I can’t read, but I understand the hesitation.

I lean in to his touch before he can pull his hand away, and I preen when he sucks in a sharp breath, blinking at me as awe morphs his expression into something both deadly and beautiful. “Are you alright?” His words come out in a rasp of sound, as if his throat is raw from too much screaming.

It takes me another thirty seconds to clear my head enough to respond. “I think so. Just sore.” I’m pretty sure I have a concussion, and maybe a fractured shoulder or something, but I don’t say that. He’s already on edge. I don’t need to voice any possible injuries to set him off. Not right now.

“Can I hold you? I’d like to get you to safety.” I blink at his request, peering around him towards the corpses laying a few feet away. “Eyes on me, mo chroí. Tell me I can touch you.” It’s just shy of a demand, but he leaves the statement open for me to refuse.

The problem is, I don’t want to.

“I was heading to Raven to speak with Mr. Madden. W-will you take me to him?” I know it’s a bad idea in my current state, but my inner omega wants nothing more than to be comforted by her alphas. I need it, too, if I’m willing to be honest with myself.

He wastes no time scooping me up into his arms. I grit my teeth against the aches and pains of my body while he marches us over to the curb, where a shiny silver Mercedes is idling, half up on the sidewalk with black skid marks stretched out behind the back tires.

He sets me gently into the passenger seat, buckling me in before he rounds the hood and slips into the driver’s seat, backing the car off the curb with a slight bump to get it off the sidewalk. Then we’re speeding down the street. I want to ask about the bodies he’s leaving behind, but I can’t even comprehend that at the moment.

“I’m sorry.” I murmur after a long, tense few seconds of silence. Out of the corner of my eye, I see his hands tighten on the steering wheel.

“Don’t.” He growls, and I finally chance a peek over at him. His eyes meet mine for the briefest of seconds, before he returns his attention back to the road. He’s clearly still very much on the edge. He’ll probably be that way for a long while yet. “You don’t need to apologize for being attacked, mo chroí.”

I shake my head and grit my teeth. “I’m not apologizing for that. I usually wear suppressants before I leave the house. If I’d taken one before I left, none of this would’ve happened.”

“Alphas are capable of controlling themselves around unbonded omegas. This has nothing to do with you and everything to do with them. They should have known better. That’s what’s wrong with this damn world. Alphas think they’re entitled to anything and everything they want, consequences be damned. I promise you, we are not like that.”

It isn’t the conviction in his tone that surprises me so much as the words themselves. I’ve never heard an alpha speak like this. Omegas are rare, and typically most alphas treat their omega like property.

I would know. I have first fucking hand experience with the behavior of sadistic, egotistical, entitled alphas.

“I never said you were.” I say softly, needing him to understand. I don’t know what they’ve been thinking the last nine days since I’d disappeared from them. It’s obvious they don’t think I’ve rejected them. If they had, this one wouldn’t be so damn considerate.

I fucking hate how complicated my life is.

I just want to be a normal omega, dammit.

Instead of commenting, he says in a soft tone, “My name is Caito, by the way. In case you didn’t know that.” There’s a slight accent to his words that draws me in like a moth to a flame. I want to know where he came from. I want to know everything about him.

“Scarlett.” I offer, though I’m sure he already knows that, since I’d used that name on the application for Raven.

“Scarlett is a beautiful name.” He offers as he turns the car down the Parkway. I think he’s heading to Raven, but then he passes right by the parking lot, and keeps going for another mile. Eventually, he turns, the car inching down a ramp to a garage door.

He presses a button on the visor, and the door lifts, before he drives forward into the darkness. I realize a second later, when he parks between half a dozen other fancy vehicles, that it’s some sort of underground parking garage.

He puts the car in park before he twists to face me in the seat. This close to him, I finally allow myself to succumb to his scent swirling in the enclosed space around us. My body reacts to it instantly, until I find myself leaning towards him, my lips parting for my tongue to dart out and lick my too-chapped lips. He smells so damn good. Like a thin mint cookie.

It makes my mouth water thinking about whether or not he’ll taste as good as he smells.

My scent spikes, rising with his to mingle, making a unique combination. His pupils dilate and his nostrils flare. He lets out a ragged groan that shoots straight to my clit. Fuck, I want him to kiss me, but I’m terrified.

Thankfully—or not, depending on how you look at it—he leans back away from me, hand reaching for the door handle to push it open. I try not to get offended when he practically spills out to get away from me.

My disappointment is short-lived. He’s quick to round the car to open my door for me and help me out. My head pulses when he pulls me up, and I let out a soft cry, unaware I’d let him pull me by the arm of my injured shoulder.

He growls, and my world dims as his arms encircle me. The last thing I remember, before my world plunges into darkness, is the sound of my name ripping from his throat, raw and filled with terror.

9

Apollo

Shouting from downstairs filters in underneath my closed door, making the piece of charcoal clenched between my fingers pause over the canvas I’m working on. It’s quickly followed by a loud crash and an angry roar, which immediately has my hackles rising.

I jump to my feet, and in three long strides, I wrench my door open, letting in the riot of noise and chaos happening on the main level of our penthouse.

I’m at the bottom of the stairs and stalking towards the commotion coming from our living room set up past the kitchen in the blink of an eye. Adrenaline is already coursing through my veins at the possibility of violence. The peace I usually find when sketching has been shattered, and now I’m itching for a fight.

And something clearly has my pack brothers in an uproar.

“Get Kars on the phone, now!” I register Wren’s snarling voice first before I round the corner of the archway leading into the living room, but I freeze the moment the scene comes fully into focus.

Lark scrambles for his phone laying on the coffee table, and Wren is pacing back and forth in front of the large sofa where Caito’s hunched over someone else laid out on the couch. I take a few more steps closer to the sofa, and finally Wren and Caito look up.

Caito steps back, a low growl emanating from him just as a scent bowls into me, nearly bringing me to my knees. Spiced jasmine and the tart tang of citrus hangs heaviest near the sofa, and when I peer over the back of it, I spy the source.

“What the fuck have you done?” My tone’s deadly calm, but I can feel the fury rising up in me like an approaching tidal wave. My omega is unconscious on our couch, her head lolling to the side. I can smell the lingering bits of pain in her scent, even in her current state.

“Calm down, Apollo!” Wren barks, the sound booming out into the space around us, but it’s not even enough to make her so much as stir.

I narrow my eyes at my pack lead. “Don’t you fucking dare tell me what to do-”

“Enough. She was heading to Raven when some asshole alphas caught her scent. It’s my fucking fault they even got their hands on her. I was taking a call when she slipped out of her apartment and didn’t even realize she left until minutes later.” Caito’s absolutely livid, but he holds his hands up to me in a placating gesture, as if he can sense the darkness lurking beneath my skin, threatening to consume me and send me into a homicidal rage.

My eyes shift to my omega when she makes a soft noise in her current unconscious state, and I watch her beautiful face contort in pain a little when she shifts slightly. “Kars is on his way. Ten minutes tops. I’ll head down to bring him up as soon as he gets here.” Larks words slice through me like a hot blade, and I stiffen.

“Where is she injured?” I snarl, my hands clenching into fists to stop myself from throwing my pack brothers out of the way so I can get to her. Parker Kars is our pack doctor, for lack of a better term. He does a lot of unsavory work for us under the table, and in exchange, we bankroll a clinic for him on the south end of the Parkway. It’s a trade off situation, and I’m not sure it’s the appropriate call to bring him here.

If my omega is injured, I don’t want some back alley hood doctor putting his hands anywhere near her.

As if Wren can read my mind, he growls, “Kars is the best we have at the moment. We haven’t vetted any other doctors in the city as well as him. My inner alpha will not allow a stranger anywhere near her right now.” My teeth grind together so hard, I’m afraid they’ll shatter from the force, but the fucker has a point.

Better the devil you know, and all that shit.

“Tell me you dispatched the motherfuckers that did this.”

Caito nods. “Unfortunately, there was little time for the torture I would’ve really liked to inflict on them.”

“They’re dead?” Wren’s tone isn’t accusatory.

“Yes. I’m sure we’ll be getting visitors soon. I’m sure there were plenty of witnesses around. I didn’t have time to remove their bodies. She was hurt.”

Wren shrugs. “This city may be a cesspool of rejects and loners, but they still have strict laws regarding omegas and their safety. When they learn she’s our scent match, you won’t be at fault for ending them.”

“I wouldn’t have given a fuck if they had, anyway.” Caito snorts. He lowers himself until he’s sitting on the floor beside the couch where our omega’s laying. I just barely stop myself from snarking at him that he’s hogging all of her space for himself, but then I note the glint in his eye when he swivels in his spot to face her again.

He’s still under the influence of his alpha and the blood lust. If anyone gets near enough right now, and he believes they pose a threat, he’ll end them on the spot.

Hopefully it ebbs by the time Kars shows up.

Wren isn’t the only one we need to worry about.

Taking careful steps, I move around the sofa until I stop on the other side of the coffee table. It’s hard to believe that this small woman is the other half of my soul. She’s absolutely breathtaking, even in this unconscious state.

She’s dressed in a simple pink sweatshirt ,and soft, cotton black sweatpants with a cute pair of ankle boots. Her shoulder length blonde hair spills out across the throw pillow Caito has positioned underneath her, and the light blue dyed tips bring a small smile to my lips. She’s so damn small compared to all of us. Lark being the exception, but even he has packed on muscles that’ll dwarf our omega in comparison.

She’s everything I didn’t know I’d been missing until this moment. “Fuck.” I breathe, unable to hold it back. So many emotions roil underneath my skin as my eyes continue to track over her.

Both of my pack brothers make noises of agreement without voicing any words. Then, Wren speaks. “We need to talk about what this means before she wakes up.”

“Lark should be here before that happens.” I warn, already knowing the clusterfuck it’ll cause if we have any discussion about our omega without him. We don’t make pack decisions without all of us present.

“He already knows about my suspicions,” Caito mumbles, and leans closer to her, scenting her slightly exposed neck without laying a hand on her. Judging by the way his shoulders tighten, I can tell he doesn’t like what he discovers.

“I smelled it on her too when you brought her in a bit ago.” Wren confirms, and I’m glad I already know what the hell they’re talking about, otherwise it would’ve incensed me more. “It’s floral and too sickly sweet to be hers.”

Caito dips his head, his entire body starting to tremble with the force to hold back his building fury. “I need to see it.” He growls, but then we hear the front door open again before he can reach for her.

A few heart beats later, Lark stalks in with Kars trailing behind him, his medical bag slung over one shoulder and a hard set to his jaw. “Which one of you is it?” He demands without any preamble. When his eyes roam over us and meet mine for a brief second, I bare my teeth at him in a soundless snarl.

He jerks his attention away from me quickly, and then his eyes land on our omega. His entire body goes stiff and he blinks at her in confusion. He’s lucky he’s a fucking beta, otherwise I think I’d have to kill him for the way he’s looking at her.

Fuck, I still might do just that. Or, at the very least, pluck out his eyes.

Wisely, he rips his stunned gaze away from her and makes eye contact with Wren. “What’s going on here?” He’s slightly less demanding, and that irritates the hell out of me. He knows not to step on Wren’s toes since he’s the piggy bank behind his little clinic. He doesn’t show any of the rest of the kind of respect we deserve.

I’ll make him regret it if he doesn’t do his fucking job in the next ten seconds.

“This is our scent matched omega. She was ambushed by two alphas a little bit ago.” It’s the only explanation Kars needs.

His face pales, but he quickly shakes it off as he moves to Caito still sitting beside the couch. At the beta’s approach, he lets out a soft growl of warning, but he doesn’t lunge for him when he lowers himself down to a crouched position.

He studies her for a moment with clinical detachment, not moving a single muscle. Then he swallows. Hard. “I need the sweat shirt off. I can’t properly assess injuries with so much fabric in the way.”

All four of us stiffen at that, both Caito and Wren letting out low rumbles of irritation. I know it’s a logical request, but I still don’t have to fucking like it. My fingers twitch with the sudden urge to rip the beta’s head off. Fortunately for him, I refrain.

“I’ll do it.” Lark steps forward. As a physical therapist, he’s certainly better equipped to do so. If she has any broken bones, his expertise will come in handy. I relax when Kars moves out of the way to make room for Lark.

With tender gentleness, Lark pulls at the sleeves of the baggy sweatshirt. “Help me sit her up so I can pull it over her head.” He directs Caito, who’s the closest. Together, they manage to slip the garment up and over her head without jostling her too much.

Our worst fears are confirmed when they settle her back against the pillow beneath her. My eyes narrow in on the mark that scars the pale skin of her shoulder. The skin over it is mottled in a way I recognize all too well.

It also tells me a lot. Not only is she hiding an active bond mark, but she’s tried to cover it up in the only way she knows how: by burning it.

Caito snarls, and Wren bellows a curse as he turns away from the horrific scene in front of us. Lark makes a low rumbling noise in his chest before he steps back so Kars can take his place again.

I’m fucking frozen when Kars gets his first glimpse at what has us all collectively losing our shit. He chokes on a shocked gasp. “What the hell is this?” He goes to take a step back, but I move incredibly fast.

I clamp my hand down on his shoulder, already predicting his next move. “Do your fucking job and examine her for injuries. That is the only thing you need to concern yourself with, lest you forget who you owe everything to.” I lean in close to growl in his ear, and he goes rigid under my touch.

“If you’ve bonded her against her will-”

Caito snarls as he rises to his feet, all that pent up fury bubbling to the surface and spilling over in the way that makes the beta still clutched in my grasp flinch. “It would be wise of you not to continue down that road of questioning, beta. Now use your fucking brains and do as you are told.” His voice is barely restrained violence, his alpha riding him hard to put this asshole in his place for even suggesting we’re responsible for the scars on her body.

Kars looks around at all of us, clearly not liking being left in the dark, but I could honestly give two shits less about what he thinks. The only thing that matters is his ability to help our omega.

He gives a curt nod, and I release him after a moment so he can slide between Caito’s and Lark’s hulking frames to return to the couch. He kneels again, deliberately keeping his gaze off the offending bond mark my omega had tried to sear away from prying eyes.

I grit my teeth and clench my hands into fists while he pokes and prods her arms, neck and chest, steering clear of her breasts. He then moves on to her legs, doing the same thing. His hands slide underneath the back of her head and twist her neck gently from side to side, peering at every angle as he does.

After about ten minutes of his examination, listening to her heart and breathing, checking her vitals, he rises back to his feet to start returning his gadgets back to his bag. “My initial diagnosis would be a pretty severe concussion. Did she pass out after the attack?” He directs this question to the whole room.

“Not immediately after. About fifteen minutes later. I was helping her out of the car, and as soon as she was upright, she passed out.” Caito responds with cool, biting words.

Kars nods. “I think she might have a bone fracture somewhere either in her clavicle or acromion.” He gestures to the shoulder that isn’t sporting a bond mark that shouldn’t be there, before continuing. “There is a lot of swelling and it’s already got a nasty bruise. I won’t be able to tell you for sure unless I can get her into an X Ray. When she wakes, I suggest bringing her down to the clinic so I can give her a scan. If she’s got a broken bone and the damage is extensive, she might need surgery.”

Anger floods through my system at this entire situation, and I turn away from them so I can get my bearings before I lose my fucking shit. Those assholes are lucky Caito’s already beat the life out of them, otherwise I would immediately head to finish the job. No one hurts my omega and gets away with it.

And as soon as I find out who put that mark on her skin without her permission, I’m going to end him, too. Nice and slow. Draw it out until he regrets the day he put his filthy fucking mouth on her.

“We will bring her down to the clinic as soon as she wakes.” Wren vows. He’s now turned back to our little group with his massive arms crossed over his chest. He reminds me of a viking war general preparing to head into battle with just his fists and brawn. Bastard’s scary as hell when he gets that glint in his eye.

He knows how to get shit done, though. That’s why he’s our pack lead.

“Call me if anything else comes up.” I can tell the words pain Kars to say, but he offers them anyway. He doesn’t wait to be dismissed, and Lark stalks after him, most likely to make sure he leaves without getting sticky fingers.

Desperate people do the most foolish things sometimes.

Once he’s gone, and Lark returns, Wren squares his shoulders. “Come on. Let her rest. We have much to discuss, and I don’t want to disturb her.” His eyes soften when they land back on the little omega on our sofa, but he resists the urge to snatch her up. I can tell he’s feeling the need, because it’s the same feeling hounding me right this second.

I hate to leave her like this, but the discussion that needs to happen can’t wait. So, I follow after my pack, even as the hollow pit deep in my gut expands with each step taken away from her.

10

Scarlett

My head feels like it’s been split open when I finally come to. I can feel my pulse thrumming hard in the back of my skull. I let out a soft groan, my eyelids fluttering open slowly. The next thing I register is the throbbing pain in my shoulder, and I reach over to tenderly press my fingers against the spot that hurts the most.

“Son of a bitch.” I hiss, dropping my hand back down to rest across my abdomen. I have to squint against the pain to take in my surroundings. The first thing I lay eyes on is the crackling electric fireplace off to the West side of the room.

There’s a coffee table a few feet away from the massive sectional I’m laid out on, and it holds a decorative bowl with remotes and gaming controllers inside of it. The space around me is cavernous, and nothing at all like my dingy little apartment.

It also smells like I’ve died and gone straight to heaven.

The scents of my alphas swirl around me, comforting me in ways I haven’t been in so long. There’s the scent of Caito–Winter evergreen and decadent dark chocolate–and then there is Mr. Madden that I recognize from his office. Freshly picked, ripe oranges and spiced brandy that warms my soul from the inside out.

There’s also the strange mix of gunpowder and whiskey, as well as sandalwood and coconut.

Four powerful, alluring scent matched alphas.

The next bolt of pain that rockets through me has nothing to do with my head or my body.

My eyes water when I look down at myself. The sweatshirt I’d pulled on before I left is draped over the couch, but there’s no point in panicking to pull it back on. I know they must’ve already seen the blatant violation to my body.

Is that why they aren’t here? Are they repulsed by me now? Certainly, if they are, they definitely would’ve kicked me to the curb by now.

Ever so slowly, I shift my body until I’m partially propped up against the back of the arm rest and the pillow I’d been laying on. It gives me a better vantage point to take in the rest of the unfamiliar room I am in. This has to be their living room.

Above the electric fireplace built into the dark gray painted wall, is a massive mounted TV. On the mantle below are several gaming systems all lined up. In every corner I look, I’m greeted with all the masculine touches of bachelor alphas.

I hate to admit it, but I’m relieved by the revelation that it’s obvious they don’t have an omega living here with them. I mean, I wouldn’t have blamed them if they did. There are a lot of packs and omegas alike that never find their scent match, and they often settle with partners that are at least compatible with them in every way other than scent.

I don’t want to think about the desperation of alphas who never find their scent matched partners.

The sound of shoes scuffing on hardwood draws my attention to a doorway I hadn’t yet noticed just behind the sectional. A second later, Mr. Madden ducks into the living room, and my breath catches in my throat at the sight of him.

He’s just as magnificent as I remember. He reminds me of every viking warrior hero in the romance books I love to read. Muscles ripple across every inch of his body when he moves with predator grace. Colorful tattoos decorate both of his arms peeking out from the half sleeves of the tight black shirt he’s wearing.

His white blonde hair is shaved short on the sides and left long on top the strands woven into intricate braids cascading down to reach his shoulder blades. He also has a scar dissecting his right eyebrow, narrowly avoiding the corner of his eye, before ending at his temple.

Dark, ice blue eyes that remind me of the night sky lock onto me, and he freezes after taking a few steps into the living room. His shoulders stiffen, unsure how to react upon seeing me awake for a split second.

Then, he’s marching towards me with purpose. I barely refrain from flinching when he rounds the sectional until he’s two feet away. He crouches down to get eye level with me, the fathomless depths of his eyes swirling with emotions I can’t get a proper read on. He smells so damn good it hurts, and I find myself leaning towards him like I had with Caito in his car before.

It’s like I’m a moth and he’s the searing hot flame. I have absolutely no sense of apprehension or danger. He, too, leans towards me like he can’t quite help himself. We’re so close that he could kiss me if he really wanted to.

We stay like that for such a long time, the both of us just staring into each other’s eyes like we’re afraid that if we blink, one of us might disappear without a trace.

I can tell it takes him an immense amount of control to lean back away from me. Far enough that I can breathe again without feeling like my lungs are about to combust. I suck in his scent, groaning softly in response when it shoots right to my already throbbing core.

Just as I’m about to launch myself at him, he clears his throat and speaks, breaking the spell entirely. “Are you hungry?” It’s such an odd question to ask that it throws me off enough that I pull myself further back from him.

My brow furrows. “I’m sorry. Can you tell me what happened?” I remember passing out, but that’s the last thing I can recall.

Mr. Madden’s dark gaze softens on me, and he nods. He rises back to his full height before offering me a hand up. I make sure I give him the hand not attached to the arm that’s steady throbbing is growing worse, and he carefully helps me to stand.

I sway a little once I’m on my feet, and he places a respectful palm against my hip to ground me so I don’t fall over and hurt myself more than I already am. He’s patient while I wait for the dizziness to subside, and when I meet his eyes, he has a shield shuttered over his emotions. It should send alarm bells ringing in my head, but it doesn’t.

Nothing about this man makes me want to bolt in the other direction.

And that’s surely about to become a huge fucking problem for me.

“We think you have a concussion.” He responds, his tone also unreadable. I nod. That makes sense. I’d hit my head pretty hard on the concrete during the attack. “We had a trusted doctor look you over. I promise we only removed your sweater because he needed to get a better look. Nothing else was removed.”

“I believe you.” My voice is so quiet, I’m not sure he hears me for a moment, but then his fingers flex against my hip.

“We can take you to get properly looked over in a little bit. Why don’t you come to the kitchen? Lark made dinner, and I think it might be time we talk.” He doesn’t demand anything from me. He leaves it all open for me to refuse.

Problem is, I don’t want to.

“Okay.” I murmur, and then allow him to keep his hand in mine while he leads me out of the living room, back through the doorway he’d just come through. As we trail down the hall, I start to pick up the scents of roasted meats and other delicious things, and my stomach lets out an untimely growl, just as we duck into the expansive kitchen. I didn’t even realize I’d left behind my sweatshirt until then.

Fucking hell…

I startle when laughter sounds from a beautiful alpha standing at the stove nearby. “I take that howling stomach as a sign that the omega is hungry.” His smile is brilliant, and he turns his body to face me fully where Mr. Madden has brought us to a halt.

He’s devastatingly gorgeous in that golden retriever type way. His sandy blonde hair with streaks of silver and gold throughout the strands is shaggy, curling around his ears and giving off a boyish impression of him. Steel blue eyes meet mine and steal the breath right out of my lungs. They twinkle like bright stars behind thick framed, purple glasses.

He’s wearing a pink apron that says Kiss the Chef that would’ve otherwise made me laugh if I hadn’t been so damn captivated by his looks. I blush, which is practically unheard of for me, when my stomach lets out another obnoxious growl just as a timer goes off.

His smile is radiant as he flicks off the alarm on his phone resting beside the stove, then bends over to pull a steaming pan covered in tin foil out of the oven. I can’t help but admire his ass in the low slung gray sweatpants he has on when he does so.

Mr. Madden chuckles softly beside me, our hands still clasped together, and the sound makes a shudder ripple down my spine. “Come.” He gently guides me over to a long, solid oak dining table to the right hand side of the kitchen that’s already set with various other dishes. Five place settings are spaced around the table, and he pulls out a chair for a spot that’ll put my back to the wall.

I don’t mention how grateful I am for that particular insight when I lower myself down into the chair and he pushes it in for me.

It isn’t until I’m settled in the seat that I notice Caito sitting at the end of the table to my right. Our gazes collide like the opposite ends of two magnets, and I stop breathing for a second or two at the sight of him. He’s lounging back in the chair as if he doesn’t have a care in the world, one forearm resting on the arm, and the other elbow down while he clutches a glass of amber liquid in his hand.

I watch, utterly captivated, as he brings the glass to his lips. They part, and the liquid flows over his tongue like smooth honey. His Adam’s apple bobs with two swallows before he lowers the glass again. Not for a second does he take his eyes off of me. Why is watching a man take a drink of liquor so damn hot?

“Are you thirsty, mo chroí?” That rich accent of his that I can’t quite place flows over me when he uses the foreign words, and I bite down hard on the inside of my cheek to stop myself from launching myself across the table to climb him like a tree.

Holy fucking hell.

I’m in so much damn trouble.

My tongue darts out to lick my dry lips, and those green eyes of his darken impossibly further with the action. “Water, please.” I don’t trust myself to drink anything else. My brain’s already scrambled eggs at the moment. I don’t need the extra boost of alcohol to help with that. Plus, it can’t be good for a concussion.

A smirk cracks the corners of his luscious lips before he takes another sip of his drink. A scent swirls around me when a hand reaches down in my line of sight to place a glass of ice water beside the empty plate in front of me. My nostrils flare, taking in the gunpowder and aged whiskey musk that makes me want to reconsider my decision to forgo the booze.

I lock eyes with a massive alpha with deep, umber skin and a mesmerizing pair of burning amber orbs that seem to flicker with a barely contained inferno of longing and need. I find myself breathless all over again as we stare at each other, and he slowly pulls back from having placed the glass of water I’d requested on the table.

He reaches a hand up, and I note the dark stains on his fingertips as he rubs them over the light stumble on his sharp jawline. He has the underlying scent of charcoal coating him, but it isn’t as overpowering as the gunpowder and whiskey.

“Hi.” I squeak out, vaguely aware of the alpha that had been at the stove earlier setting other things out on the table, including a dish full of yummy smelling chicken breast smothered in some sort of sauce that smells heavily of garlic.

“Hello.” He still stands several inches away from me, but close enough I can feel the rumble of his reply. It shoots right to my clit, predictably, and I end up shifting slightly in my chair to relieve some of the pressure steadily building between my legs due to all of their combined scents.

How is any of this even happening right now? Why am I allowing this? I should turn tail and run in the other direction. I can’t be here with them. I came here to make things as they have to be.

I can’t have these alphas.

But fuck if my body doesn’t rebel against that sentiment all the same.

“My name is Apollo.” He says again when I don’t respond right away, and the gravely pitch of his tone damn near makes me come in my sweats. Holy fuck.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I turn my attention back to Mr. Madden, who’s taken the head of the table on the opposite end from me and Caito. “Mr. Madden-”

“It’s Wren to you, Sweetheart.” He cuts me off before I can continue, and I try not to swoon at the nickname, while simultaneously growling at the authoritative twinge to his words.

Bossy alphas.

“Wren…” I trail off, testing his name on my tongue. I hate the way my body reacts to the approving twinkle in his dark, stormy gaze. “I can’t stay long.”

“You can stay however long you desire, Dream Girl.” This comes from the cook when he finally takes a seat in the chair across from me. Apollo rounds the table to take the seat a few feet to the right of him, thankfully leaving the chair to my left vacant.

I refuse to blush at the use of another nickname.

“Thank you for the food.” I say, instead of responding to his comment. He gives me a heartbreaking smile that makes me squirm in my seat again. If I don’t get out of here fast, I’m going to do something we’ll all regret later.

Throat suddenly parched, I reached for the glass of water and brought it to my lips. I gulp down half of it before he speaks again. “My name is Lark. It’s nice to finally put eyes on you, Dream Girl.” He winks at me over the rim of a wine glass that he lifts to his sinfully plump lips. Kinda want to bite down on them. See if he tastes as good as he smells.

Beside him, Apollo snorts, but he says nothing. I return my attention to Wren. I have so many things I need to say right on the tip of my tongue, but when our gazes meet again, I practically choke on the words. I don’t want to be the cause of their heartbreak.

What can I say to get them to understand why we can never be?

“Eat first. Then we will talk.” His tone leaves no room for argument.

I grit my teeth and move my eyes over the spread across the entire length of the table. I start to reach for a spoon stuck inside a pot of creamy looking mashed potatoes, but a twinge of pain from my shoulder makes me muffle a cry of pain and pull back.

“We will take you to the clinic as soon as you eat, mo chroí.” Caito says from his spot to my right, and I just nod. There’s definitely something going on with my shoulder that I won’t just be able to ignore like I usually do.

When I look around at the alphas, it is to see varying degrees of anger and concern radiating in their eyes. “I’m fine.” I manage to breath out through clenched teeth, but it’s very obvious that’s a lie.

Instead of calling me out on my bullshit, Caito snatches up my plate. He starts putting portions of food from his end of the table on my plate before passing it to Lark. He does the same before passing it to Apollo. This continues until the plate is heaping full and clasped in Wren’s hands.

He rises smoothly from his chair, rounding the table until he can set the plate down in front of me. I ignore his eyes on me as I focus on the food. This is a hell of a lot easier to look at than any of them at the moment.

It’s way too much food, but I pick up my fork and dig in anyway. I’m a prideful omega, but when it comes to free food, I’ll never turn my nose up. As soon as the first bite touches my tongue, I’m done for.

I’ve consumed half the plate before I register anything else going on around me. When I sheepishly look at each of the alphas in turn, I note that not a single one has touched anything they’ve piled onto their own plates.

I’d feel embarrassed, but another emotion is slowly overriding all of my senses when I take in the singular expression reflected back at me on all their devilishly handsome faces.

Unbridled lust.

It makes my thighs clench again before I can clear my throat to formulate any words. “We all need to talk about what has happened.” I feel stupid for pointing out the obvious yet again, but it literally can’t be helped. These alphas already have the ability to turn my brain to mush just by being in their presence.

It makes a sick sense wash through me like a cold wave at the realization that I’m never going to be able to do the right thing here.

They’re all staring at me like they expect me to go off like a bomb. I blow out a breath before I can continue. “This is never going to work.” I make a gesturing motion to include the entire table, us included, but I don’t have to go into detail for them to understand.

I expect all four of them to go into an uproar about it, but I’m pleasantly surprised when they don’t. Lark clears his throat, setting his wine glass down and drawing my attention to him. “Because of that.” He dips his chin at me, but I know without even following his gaze what he’s referring to.

My entire body trembles even when I lift my chin to steel my resolve. It’s fucking pointless, but I have to try, anyway. “There are many reasons, but yes.” I concede. “This is one of them.” I don’t lift a finger to touch the ruined mark on my good shoulder because I don’t want to end up vomiting up all of the delicious food Lark clearly worked so hard to make.

“Tell us about it.” Wren’s words borderline his alpha bark, but it’s just out of reach. He clearly doesn’t want to overstep that boundary and force my compliance, even if it pains him to do so. He wants answers just as much as the rest of them, I’m sure.

Sadness crackles through me like a live-wire when I shake my head and lower my eyes to the half empty plate still in front of me. “I can’t.” It’s a lame response. A coward’s response. But I can’t open that can of worms up here.

When did I become so goddamned meek?

“Can’t or won’t?” Caito leans back in his chair then, his plate still untouched. I refuse to lift my eyes directly to him as I shrug.

“Both.”

He growls, but I ignore him. “Look at me, mo chroí.” This time, just the hint of his alpha bark cracks through his demand, and my spine snaps straight when my eyes are forced up to meet his.

I bare my teeth at him in a defiant snarl, but he looks like he could give two fucks less what I have to say on the matter. His dark green eyes are wild as he lets them rake over me like the promise of a claiming, and I can’t stop the shiver that expands out through my entire body, from the tips of my fingers, to the tips of my toes.

“Tell us about the walking dead man that put that mark on your skin.” Caito holds my glare without a care in the world.

“No.” I bite out the word through clenched teeth, my hands squeezing into fists on my lap beneath the table to stop myself from throwing my meat knife at his stupid, perfect face.

He tips his chin up, a smirk curling the corners of his lips and making him look entirely too sexy for my own good. “Caito.” The way Wren says his name is meant to be a warning, but the man in question doesn’t seem at all phased by it. He doesn’t even glance in the other alpha’s direction. He keeps his focus trained on me, like a hunter locked onto its prey.

“She’s going to tell us what we want to know.” He sounds so sure of himself when he says it that I almost believe him.

I scoff. “You’ll have to chain me up and start the torture session before I even consider giving in to another alpha’s demands of me. Fucking never again.” I snarl, feeling my resolve settle deep in my bones.

This is all going downhill way too fast to stop it.

Like we’re all hurtling towards the bottom of a steep ravine with no way to stop before our bodies break apart on cold, hard stone.

11

Wren

My fingers tighten around the glass of whiskey clutched in my palm before I can haul back and throw it across the table at Caito. He’s fucking this all up. I need to put a stop to this before he does something he’s going to regret. He’s going to drive her away before we even have a chance to have her.

Caito leans forward to rest his elbows on the table and threads his fingers together as he stares Scarlett down. “Do you think I am capable of that? Do you think any of us are?” He presses, and she lifts her chin in a rare form of defiance I can’t help but to admire. While I’ve never spent a significant amount of time around omegas in general, I know it takes a lot for them to stand up to an alpha. Especially one as dominant as Caito.

Apollo is to my left, body vibrating with barely contained anger. Out of all of us, he gets along with Caito the least. I’m not certain if it’s because he’d been the last to join our pack, or what. He clashes heads with my oldest pack brother over any little thing, and it is clear our omega will be no exception.

I’m just surprised he’s still holding himself back.

He must really not want to scare her.

“Caito, enough.” I say, and he finally flicks his gaze to me across the expanse of the table.

“If we are to protect our omega, we need to know all the facts. I’m sorry if you aren’t alpha enough to get the answers we need, but rest assured, brother. I am.”

I slam my free hand against the table then, fury surging through me at the taunt, and my chair screeches as I shove it back to stand abruptly. The glass in my hand shatters when it slips from my fingers onto the floor. A snarl twists my lips, and I open my mouth, ready to rip him a new asshole, but Scarlett cuts in before I can.

“I don’t need your protection. I just need you to leave me the fuck alone. Do you understand me? I cannot be what you want me to be. I rejec-”

“No!” All four of us shout in perfect unison, cutting her off before she can say the word that’ll surely damn us all. Lark and Apollo are now on their feet with me, but Caito has remained seated, though he looks about two seconds away from hurling himself across the table at her. Everything is spiraling out of control and I can’t fucking handle it.

An angry fire is burning in the depths of her beautiful, dark hazel eyes, but I can see the other emotions she’s trying to hide behind the cracks in her careful, stony facade. I can see the regret and agony and turmoil. Fuck, I can even feel it myself. I know exactly what she is feeling. Know it as intimately as I know my own demons and struggles

“Don’t.” I warn in a much calmer tone than I’m currently feeling. Her attention shifts focus to me, and I make sure to let all of my anger bleed out of my eyes when I look back at her. I allow myself to open up, and let her get a glimpse into the man I am behind my own facade. “Don’t make that decision for all of us. You don’t get to decide you are unworthy of us because of the demons that haunt your past. We get to choose if we want you, even though you might feel you’re already broken.”

My words may seem harsh, but I am desperate to get my point across to her. Her lips quiver while she looks back at me, tears glistening in her eyes. I can see her cracking, little by little. I know it’s not wise to push her like this. It could very well lead to our ruin, but I have to fucking try. I can’t just let her slip through my fingers. I’ve been waiting a fucking lifetime for my omega. So have my pack brothers.

We’re all in agreement at least in this.

“You can run away from this all you want, Dream Girl, but I’m here to stay. Wherever you go, I will follow. And I’ll kill any motherfucker that gets in my way.” Lark speaks up then, drawing her teary-eyed gaze away from me. Another crack stands out in stark relief, and she shudders.

“I was all in the moment your scent hit my nose. Wren’s right. You don’t get to take the choice to love you away from me. Your demons are my demons now, love.” Apollo’s deep tone carries out across the kitchen with conviction, and I watch her sway in her seat with the impact of his words against the gradually crumbling walls encasing her heart. I can see that steely resolve of hers wavering with each of our truths spoken like decrees of law.

“Your secrets will one day be mine, mo chroí. The others will have to kill me before I let them take away my vengeance against the walking dead man responsible for scaring this perfect skin of yours.” Caito finally leans back in his chair, some of the aggression leaking out of him as we all watch her lose the battle against us.

“You don’t understand. They will hurt you. I can’t…” She trails off, a single tear finally slipping free from the corner of her eye, and it fucking breaks something inside of me. Caito’s wrong. He’ll have to get through me before I let him draw first blood on whoever instilled such fear in our perfect little omega.

“In time, you will learn that there’s nothing we won’t do to ensure your safety and happiness, Sweetheart. I don’t need a scent match to tell me I’d gladly give everything to make you mine. Most think Caito falls the hardest, but that’s a lie. You are mine. Nothing and no one will get in my way when it’s time to claim what’s mine.” Caito snorts at my declaration, but he doesn’t interrupt me while I swear my allegiance to my perfect fucking omega.

Call us crazy, but none of us are going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Fate—the fickle bitch—has finally given us the omega we’ve all been yearning for, and none of us are going to fuck it up. I’ll gladly spend a lifetime more proving that she is worthy of me. Of us.

Her face falls into her hands then and she starts to cry. Her entire body begins to shake with the force of her sobs. I want to wrap her up in my arms and hold her tight, but she’s injured, and I’m not sure she’d want that. She needs space to work through all of these wild emotions.

My pack brothers are on the same page.

Dinner goes cold while she cries. Ten minutes go by before she finally lifts her face to peer around at all of us. Her cheeks and nose are cherry red, and her eyes are puffy from all the shed tears.

When she finally speaks, the sorrow is still heavy in her voice, but she finds humor in this situation, anyway. “Gods, I’ve let your dinner get cold.” She hiccups on a sob, as if she really is devastated by this announcement.

Lark’s the one to soothe her worries. “Don’t worry about it, Dream Girl. These guys are used to eating cold food. Our lives are very busy.” He assures her, and she blinks over at him with her lips parted like she’s stunned.

“There’s so much I don’t know about any of you…” She mutters under her breath, reaching for her water glass so she can finish the rest of it. I settle back in my seat, Lark and Apollo following suit before the both of them start in on their food. She watches them eat, but neither of them complain as they finish their plates in record time. I barely even notice the crunch of glass beneath my—thankfully—booted feet.

When her gaze bounces back and forth between me and Caito, we finally pick up our forks, if only to appease her. She fiddles with the ends of her hair with the fingers on her good arm until we’re also done with our plates.

Eventually, she blows out a breath, and we all zero in on her. It’s clear she has something she needs to say. “I can’t… tell you about them. N-not yet. Maybe not ever. There are things that I can’t give you. There is a reason they have left me alone all this time. If they find out I’ve met my scent matched alphas, they’ll come for me.”

She starts off so unsure, but by the end, there’s a stony conviction back in her tone.

“It doesn’t matter, Sweetheart. They are never going to lay another hand on you again against your will.” I lean back in my chair, wishing for the rest of my whiskey now that some of the tension has died down.

“I personally hope they come for you.” Caito shrugs, and Apollo growls over at him like he wishes he could rip his spine from his body.

“Not fucking helpful, asshole.” He mutters as he drums charcoal stained fingers against the table top.

Caito shrugs, having heard him anyway. “Let them come for her. I’ll fucking gut them of their entrails and smear them all over the streets of this godforsaken city. A message to the entire world that no one fucks with Pack Madden’s omega and gets away with it.” He makes the threat sound so posh and refined with his lilting accent.

Scarlett chokes on a shocked gasp, but I’m not sure if it’s from the threat itself or the way Caito bares his teeth in a snarl that barely resembles a smile. “Who even are you guys?” She mutters this under her breath, but we hear her, regardless.

“We’re the fucking Kings of Devils, Sweetheart. Better get used to it.”

12

Scarlett

“Do all four of you really need to be in here for this?” Kars, the beta doctor the guys insisted I see instead of my primary care doctor, openly scowls at the four hunks of pure alpha that’s squeezed into the small exam room with me. Caito looks at the poor man like he’d like to remove his arms from his body and beat him to death with them.

“Just because you owe me your entire existence, doesn’t mean I trust you with my omega. You’ll have to take it up with them about their reasons for being here.” Wren jabs his thumb over his shoulder at the other three, but they just give the beta hard, unyielding states until he grumbles and looks away. Smart man. These alphas are clearly unhinged.

I definitely don’t think about how that turns me on. Nope. Not going there.

Turning to face me, he looks me up and down with a clinically assessing sort of gaze. I can feel his eyes linger on the still exposed mark on my shoulder, but thankfully, he doesn’t comment on it. It’d already been hard enough talking about it with the four overly possessive man beasts crowding around the exam table. I hadn’t even been able to give them details, and I still don’t think I ever can. Not even if I really want to.

It’s too damn painful to relive.

I can’t deny though how well they’ve broken through the extensive barriers I’ve been building around my heart over the last several years.

It’s annoyingly impressive.

“How are you feeling, Miss…?”

“Reighn. Scarlett Reighn.” I supply, and he nods. “I’ve had better days. My head hurts. I hit it pretty hard against the sidewalk when I was attacked. But it’s my shoulder that hurts the most. I think I landed on it wrong in the scuffle. It might be broken, or fractured at the very least.” I try to shift my shoulder up, but white hot fiery pain lances through me with the action, so I quickly think better of it.

“I figured as much. I’d like to take an X-ray of your arm and shoulder if you don’t mind? I have a simple machine in the back that’ll work well enough to give us the look we need.” He gestures towards the door, and I chew on my bottom lip.

“I… I don’t have insurance… so I’ll have to pay out of pocket. Do you know how much the scan will cost?” All four alphas stiffen around me at my confession. Normally, I would feel embarrassed, but I’m in too much pain to care.

Kars opens his mouth to reply, but Caito’s quick to cut him off. “Cost is no issue, mo chroí. We own Kars and this clinic.” The doctor scowls at his bored, indifferent tone.

My gaze darts back and forth between them while my teeth continue their assault on my poor bottom lip. “I can pay for my own treatment. I don’t need alphas who come bowling into my life to dictate every little thing. I’ve managed just fine on my own so far.”

Kars looks impressed by my back bone of steel. Caito’s jaw flexes, lips tightening like he wants to argue. Instead, he narrows a cool glare on the beta. “Just do the scan.”

“One of you can come back with her during the scan. The space back there is too small for all of you.” He warns with a very visible swallow, like demanding such a thing is likely to get him hung up in a tree somewhere.

Predictably, Caito opens his mouth to volunteer, but Wren cuts in before he can. “Apollo will go back with you. The rest of us will wait here.” Then he levels a hard look at Kars. “If you harm one hair on her head, Apollo will rip you apart limb from limb. I can always find a new doctor to put in my pocket.”

I don’t think the warning was needed, but Wren delivered it anyway. Kars, to his credit, doesn’t even blink or flinch at the threat. Instead, he nods. “It shouldn’t take more than ten minutes. I have one of the best machines money can buy, after all.” It’s a subtle jab at Wren, but the viking god alpha ignores it.

Apollo places a hand on the small of my back that sends a shiver racing up my spine where I can feel the heat of him, and we follow Kars out of the tiny room. He leads us to the right and to the very end of the hall, before pushing open the last door on the left.

He hadn’t been lying about the lack of space in the room. It’s big enough to house another exam table with a massive X-ray machine mounted in the middle of the ceiling, and hanging down with an extension arm so it can be moved around easily.

“Since you just have a tank top on, it should be fine to leave it on. I only need images of your shoulder. If you’d please?” He gestures towards the exam table, and with Apollo’s help, I climb up and lay down on my back without being prompted.

The beta gives an approving nod before he moves to a control panel on the wall. He pressed some buttons before turning back to me. Grabbing the extension arm of the machine, he brings it down directly over my shoulder.

Once he’s confident he has it placed properly, he twists back to the panel and taps a few more buttons. The machine hums to life above, making a series of clicking noises, before Kars jabs a few more buttons. He adjusts the position of the extension arm to take various images of my arm from different angles, before he pushes it away.

On a small side table in the corner is a computer which he moves to while Apollo helps me back off the table with the doctor’s approval. He taps and clicks away at the keyboard for a moment, humming under his breath, before he turns back to us.

“Shall we head back so I don’t have to repeat my diagnosis?” He gestures towards the door. I startle when Apollo’s hand slips into mine, but I immediately relax with the touch as we head back to the exam room where we’d left the other alphas.

We file back into the room and I climb up on the table again for something to do with myself. Kars pulls out a small handheld tablet from the pocket of his lab coat, tapping away at the screen for a second, before he twists the device to face me and the alphas in the room.

There, on screen, is an image of my shoulder on X-ray. Kars zooms in on my shoulder and taps a finger against a small dark spot on the scan. “You have a small hairline fracture along your clavicle vertically that spans about half an inch. At this time, I don’t believe surgery will be necessary, but I will recommend you use a sling for the next four to six weeks until the fracture can repair itself. Minimize time outside of the sling if possible to only when sleeping.”

I blow out a breath of relief. “So, not broken? No surgery?”

Kars gives a small shake of his head and smiles for the first time since I’d been introduced to him earlier. It seems like a genuine one, too.“As long as you can keep it in the sling and allow it to heal naturally, I don’t believe that’ll be necessary.”

“Good thing it isn’t my working arm.” I sigh with a shake of my head. I can tell I’ve immediately piqued the alpha’s interests, but they don’t say anything while Kars discharges us as quickly as possible.

We leave the clinic with a script for some pain meds and a fancy new black sling securing my arm to my body for optimal healing.

13

Scarlett

It’s eight o’clock at night by the time the alphas drop me off at my apartment. It takes considerable effort and negotiation skills to convince them I want to go back home instead of their fancy penthouse. Kate has called me no less than ten times over the last two hours since I never returned back home at the time I’d said I’d be back, and she’s no doubt on the verge of filing a missing persons report.

Still, somehow, I manage to stand on the sidewalk for another ten minutes arguing with Caito about his lack of boundaries when it comes to unnecessarily expensive gifts.

“No. I’m not accepting this.” I would’ve crossed my arms over my chest if it hadn’t been for the fact that one of my arms is now in a sling. Instead, I shoot for a defiant glare that’ll hopefully make him see reason.

Of course, I’m never that lucky. Alphas can’t be tamed. They do whatever the fuck the want without permission or consequences.

Caito, the bastard, is able to cross his massive arms over his expansive chest. “If you want to get to and from places, and we aren’t around, I need you to have this. Come on, mo chroí. It’ll put my mind at ease.” He urges me, his plump lips twisting into a pout that makes me fucking weak in the knees. Bloody fucking hell. I’m turning into a simpering fool.

“I can take Ubers if I need rides.” I roll my eyes, already knowing how big of a problem he has with that, too. “Plus, my roommate has a car.”

“As if being in a car with a complete stranger, who can take you against your will if they want to, is supposed to make me feel better. And I don’t know your roommate, therefore, I don’t trust her, either.” Dammit. I hate when men are being reasonable, albeit paranoid as hell.

“Look, I don’t even leave my apartment enough to warrant owning a car. It’s why I haven’t bought one myself since moving here. It’s a waste of money.”

“Caito! Stop antagonizing our omega! It’s getting cold out here, and she doesn’t have a proper coat on.” Wren barks from their SUV across the street from my apartment building. Caito and I still stand beside the Mercedes he’d rescued me with earlier, which is apparently a gift for me that I can’t possibly dream of accepting.

I’d managed to get my pink sweatshirt back on with a little help before securing my arm back in the sling before they dropped me off, but Wren’s right. I’m starting to freeze my tits off out here.

“Fine, mo chroí. I will allow you this one thing.” He steps up close to me then, his nearness making my brain short circuit and my breath catch in my throat. My heart hammers an erratic beat in my chest when he presses the front of his body against me.

His head lowers until his nose skims the bare skin of my neck above the fabric of my sweatshirt. I feel him inhale deeply, and a sound rumbles from his chest in approval. I definitely don’t think about the way my nipples tighten from the noise. “I will put an end to the bastard that put this mark on your skin, mo chroí.” The ominous tone of his voice sends shivers racing down my spine in response, but the threat just makes me arch into him more like a horny hussy. Get a fucking grip, Scarlett. “The only alphas my omega is going to smell like belong to my pack.”

His nose brushes up the column of my throat until he reaches my jaw line. I swallow down the whine threatening to unleash from my throat at the first hint of his lips against my skin, so damn close to my mouth when he draws closer. The fingers of my free hand fist into the fabric of the tight, dark, hunter green Henley he wears, as if I need it to ground myself at this moment.

His rich scent–winter evergreen and dark chocolate–washes over me, taking up all available space in my lungs. There isn’t a single inhale of air I take that’s free of his scent while I suck in breath after breath. He knows exactly what he’s doing to me.

“I’m going to kiss you now, mo chroí.” It isn’t a question. And I’m a fool because I don’t stop him when his lips finally brush against mine. I can’t stop the groan that slips free from me the moment our mouths meet. It’s an explosion of feeling, and finally tasting him on my tongue is nearly my undoing. I know what we’re doing is incredibly dangerous, but I just can’t help myself. This alpha clearly has never been denied in his entire life.

The kiss ends all too soon, and then he steps back, leaving me feeling cold and empty without his presence invading my space. When I look into his hungry glittering eyes, I nearly throw all caution to the wind and throw myself at him. I want him so damn bad it hurts.

Thankfully, he’s the one that shows restraint. He extends a hand out and brushes calloused fingers over my cheek in reverence. “We will see each other again soon. Remember our vows, mo chroí.” And then he’s moving away from me, stalking across the street to where the others still wait for him.

It takes all of my will power to turn my back on them and walk away. It’s so much worse than that night at Raven, when I’d left the two of them behind. Now that I’ve scented them all, I crave them like nothing I’ve ever craved in my entire life.

Too damn tempting.

So damn dangerous.

* * *

The next morning, Kate’s watching me while I attempt to stuff all of the fruit from the edible arrangements into all eight of our Tupperware containers to save and put in the fridge. I know exactly what it feels like to go hungry, and I’m not about to waste good fruit. The least I can do is save most of it, then try to eat the rest before it goes bad.

I’m about to eat so much pineapple that I’m going to start to smell like one.

I turn to my room mate with a giant chunk of the stuff speared on a Kabob stick, and she starts eyeballing the bouquets of flowers next. “We’re just going to have to toss those in a few days when they start to die.” I shrug and go back to chewing on my sweet, tangy treat. The chocolate covered strawberries are next on my list.

“Please tell me that you’re done ignoring their existence and they’re going to stop stuffing our tiny ass apartment full of favors of their appreciation and devotion.” She hedges as I come to join her on the couch. She turns to stare at me like she’s never seen me before when I settle back in the cushion on the opposite end from her.

Ignoring her shocked expression, I continue to munch on the chunk of pineapple. “I don’t know. They’re very… persistent.”

She snorts. “Understatement of the year, Scarlett. Are you going to tell me what happened?” She gestures to the sling, and I know she’s probably thinking the worst.

“I made the mistake of leaving the house without a suppressant. Two asshole alphas caught my scent and decided to fuck around and find out.” I really don’t want to talk about it, but I figure if I’m going to be more open to alphas that are basically complete strangers to me, I can definitely extend that courtesy to the omega who’s been my roommate for nearly a year.

Her eyes widen and she leans forward. “Shit, are you okay? Is it broken?” She eyes my arm, and I shake my head.

“No. Caito, one of my… uh, one of the alphas stepped in before they could do much damage.” I quickly correct myself before I go claiming those alphas as mine, and Kate quirks a brow. She never misses anything.

“And how exactly did he step in, Scarlett?” She presses, and it almost sounds like she knows something I don’t.

I turn my full attention on her as my brows furrow. “He stopped them.” I’m not about to go telling my roommate that one of my scent matched alphas murdered two men for attempting to assault me in the middle of the sidewalk about two blocks from our apartment.

“You should know,” Kate begins, tapping her nails against the knee of the leg she has tucked underneath her. “Jojo, one of my coworkers down at the diner, called me last night about some double murder that happened outside of her apartment building. It’s all over the news.”

My blood turns to ice in my veins. I toss the now empty Kabob stick I’d been holding with my good hand onto our coffee table, before I reach for my phone in the front pocket of the hoodie I’m still wearing from last night.

My fingers find it, but then they brush something else, and I pull both things out to examine them. “Son a bitch.” I mutter under my breath at the shiny key clutched in my palm.

“What?” She demands, and I growl, tossing the Mercedes key fob that Caito must’ve slipped to me last night during my moment of weakness, onto the coffee table with the Kabob stick.

Ignoring her, I scroll through social media until I find the news report Kate had been talking about. As I read it, I can practically feel all of the color drain out of my face. “Dammit.” I breathe out on a ragged sigh of air, my body trembling with a sudden spike of adrenaline-laced dread.

“What is it, Scar? You’re freaking me out? What happened to you last night?” Kate fires off questions to me, but I shake my head.

A loud knock sounds at the door then, jerking our attention towards it. After a second, a voice booms from the other side, making my heart stall in my chest. “BTV police. We’d like a word with the residents of this apartment.”

Kate sucks in a sharp breath and we trade looks with each other. Before she can get up to answer the door, I’m there, peering through the peep hole to make sure it isn’t some psychopath on the other side of the door.

Swallowing hard, I open the door to come face to face with two beefy looking officers in full uniform. “Hello. Can I help you gentlemen?” Somehow, I manage not to sound like I’m completely losing my fucking shit, even though I’m mentally having a complete meltdown. This is it. I’m about to be locked up in prison.

“My name’s Detective Peterson, and this is my partner, Detective Masters. We need to have a word with Miss Reighn.”

“I am Miss Reighn. May I ask what this is about?” Better to play stupid than straight up out myself as a witness to a violent crime. Well, a witness and a victim.

Detective Peterson, the one that had spoken, peers at me up and down in a slow perusal that immediately makes my skin crawl. I can feel Kate hovering behind me, but I make sure I keep the door cracked just enough where they won’t realize she’s standing there.

Just in case they try anything fishy.

I have first hand knowledge of what a crooked officer of the law is capable of when their authority is challenged.

“May we come in for a quick chat, Miss Reighn? There are witnesses that put you at the scene of a crime that took place late yesterday afternoon. We just have a few questions, and then we’ll be out of your hair.”

I’m already shaking my head as soon as he finishes. “I’m sorry, Detective. I don’t feel comfortable with that for various reasons.” I tilt my chin up and watch his nostrils flare. He must realize that no omega would willingly invite strange alphas into her home.

His eyes narrow on the sling holding my arm close to my chest, and irritation turns his scent sour. So much like spoiled milk, that it makes me want to gag. “Listen, Miss Reighn. It would be in your best interest to cooperate with us. If you’re hiding information regarding a crime you were involved in, things could turn ugly for you. We are just trying to help-”

“You will not be doing anything without my omega’s lawyer present. Especially not in her house without her alphas, Detective.” A familiar voice booms out down the hall, and my entire body goes rigid when both officers turn to face the raging man marching towards them. Clearly on the warpath.

I peek out when they’re distracted to confirm it is, indeed, Wren Madden stalking down the hall like a predator that’s set his sights on his prey. “M-mr. Madden? We were unaware that Miss Reighn was your-”

Wren snarls, the sound echoing down the hall like a clap of thunder. He’s fucking pissed. “It shouldn’t matter, Peterson. You will not be allowed to speak to my omega in her own home. Besides, it isn’t her hands covered in the blood of your asshole pack mates, now is it? Now, tell me why you are really here, against proper protocol, I might add?”

A small gasp slips free from Kate and she finally shoves herself into the doorway with me, unwilling to miss out on the action. Masters chances a glance over at us now that Kate’s joined the party, but Wren’s warning growl snaps his wary eyes right back to the seriously pissed off viking god alpha taking up nearly all the space in the hallway, effectively blocking the only exit.

“Mr. Madden, she’s still a witness to a violent crime that needs to be investigated-” Peterson begins, but Wren’s eyes flash with anger, and he shuts right the hell up.

“Caito will meet the both of you down at the station with our lawyer. Once you’re finished with his interview, if you require further information, then I will consider allowing you to speak to my omega. Otherwise, get the fuck out of my sight before I’m forced to resort to violence all over again to protect my omega from outside threats.”

I can practically feel the indignant rage pouring off both alpha detectives as they face off with my vengeful mate, but I’m not foolish enough to step in. He has it all handled, and I’m happy to step back and let him work whatever magic he seems to have over the people in this godforsaken city.

“He is so fucking hot.” Kate leans in close enough to whisper that in my ear, and it takes all of my willpower not to turn around and gouge her eyeballs out for daring to look at the alpha that belongs to me. Stupid fucking omega hormones. It doesn’t matter that I can never allow myself to claim him. I don’t want her getting any ideas.

Instead, I bump her away from me with my good shoulder, and she giggles softly before stepping off.

Wisely, the two detectives don’t even glance over at us. “We will be in touch, Mr. Madden. Make sure she doesn’t leave town until this is all sorted.” Peterson hands over a business card to Wren, who just peels his lip back in a sneer, refusing to take it.

They slip by him, making sure they don’t touch, and head back down the hall to the exit. Once they’re out of sight, Wren turns to me, but he doesn’t release any of the tension still bracketing his broad shoulders.

His gaze flicks to Kate briefly, before returning his focus on me. Good alpha. “Are you alright, Sweetheart?” His tone is deceptively calm and soothing for someone strung as tight as a bow string.

“Why don’t you come inside and she can tell you all about it.” Kate coos at him, twirling a lock of her hair around her finger while she bats her eyelashes at him. I grit my teeth when he smirks, but he wisely doesn’t look over at her.

“I will, as long as it’s OK with your roommate.” He says this to her, all while keeping our gazes locked together.

I really don’t want him to see this side of my life. It isn’t Kate that I’m worried about. Not really.

He offers me a charming smile, one my foolish omega heart can’t deny. Sucking in a deep breath, I grumble, “Would you like to come in?”

I’ll never admit how much I enjoy giving in so easily.

14

Scarlett

If Kate doesn’t stop staring at Wren, I’m going to seriously have to reconsider my decision not to pluck out her fucking eyeballs.

It doesn’t help either when she makes stupid remarks like, “I’m sorry, Scarlett. He’s like every book boyfriend come true. Except this one’s a sexy viking god.” I can tell it amuses Wren, but only because I’m getting so worked up about it. I may not be able to allow myself to have him fully, but that doesn’t mean he’s up for grabs for other omegas.

“Don’t you have a shift at the diner this afternoon?” I grouse where I’m seated on our ratty couch. She’s lounging back on the cushion she’d been sitting on before those Detectives had come, and poor Wren’s managed to squeeze his massive frame into the narrow recliner we have across from us. There’s a whole coffee table between us, and I don’t fucking like it. It’s like my body’s trying to tell me it’s a sin having him so close and not being all up in his business.

“Yes, but it’s ten o’clock in the morning, Scar. Lighten up a little. Don’t you have a client sketch to finish?” She can be just as snide as me sometimes, and that’s annoying as hell.

I narrow my eyes on her, opening my mouth to snap back, but Wren cuts in. “Client sketch? Are you a designer?” I groan inwardly at the question, and Kate turns towards him with glee in her eyes I really don’t like.

“Oh, Scarlett didn’t tell you? She’s really talented. Tell me, Wren, are you an art enthusiast?” She practically purrs the question at him, and it takes all of my will power not to reach out and slap her. It’s like she’s desperate to spill all of my secrets.

“Shut up, Kate. Seriously. That is not something you have the right to divulge.” I’m glaring daggers at the side of her face, but she just waves me off like she’s not concerned about my threatening tone.

Wren’s watching me when he answers her, but I refuse to look directly at him for this conversation. “I enjoy art, but Apollo–my pack brother–is more into that scene than I am.” I perk up at that bit of information, shifting slightly on the couch.

“Scarlett’s made a pretty big name for herself in a lot of online forums and galleries. I’m sure your little Apollo has heard all about her. Well, at least her alias, anyway.” Kate taps a finger against the coffee table where one of my sketch pads sits, closed thankfully, and it snags Wren’s attention like a bear to honey.

“May I?” He dips his chin towards it when I finally meet his eyes, and I only hesitate for a second or two, before I nod with a shrug.

“It’s really nothing special.” I mutter, but I hold my breath as he takes the worn pad in his hands. He falls silent for several minutes, his facial expression doing all sorts of weird things while he looks through it, most of the emotions coming and going too fast for me to read them.

He pauses on one of my favorite sketches, a piece I published on my art blog a few months ago after I first arrived here. “This is… this is the pier.” His voice sounds strange as he stares at it, and when he looks up to meet my eyes, I nod. “You’re Ruby. Ruby Rain. I never made the connection.” His tone makes me wonder what it is about that piece that he connects with so much. The Parkway pier wasn’t even one of the most popular destinations here in the city, though, admittedly, it was one of my favorites.

“It’s just a hobby.” I shrug again. I don’t usually get uncomfortable with praise for my art, but the way he’s looking at me now makes me shift again on the couch cushion.

“You sold this about six months ago in an online auction after you posted it on your blog. Apollo wouldn’t shut up about it.” He says in disbelief, and I quirk an eyebrow at him.

“Yes. I remember selling it.” Understatement of the fucking century. I got ten grand for that piece during that auction. “How do you know about the auction? From Apollo?”

He shakes his head, looking back down at the sketch again before looking back up. “You came in through the employee entrance at Raven, so you wouldn’t have seen it. I know about that auction because I’m the one that bought the piece. It was meant to be for Apollo’s birthday, but he wanted to hang it up in the entrance lounge of the club.”

Shock ripples through me, and I’m stunned for a solid thirty seconds before Kate bursts out into inappropriate giggles. When my head snaps towards her, it turns into a full on belly laugh. “Holy shit! Your scent matched alpha was your sugar daddy before you even met him!” She howls with laughter, clutching at her abdomen.

My mouth gapes open, and Wren’s deep chuckle brings my attention back to him. “Well?” His eyes sparkle as he shuts my sketchbook and places it back on the coffee table. “I did drop ten grand on that piece.” Somehow, his words make Kate lose her freaking shit until she’s laughing so hard, she’s crying.

“I don’t understand what is so funny.” I grumble, really wishing I could cross my arms over my chest, but I can’t because of this stupid sling.

“It’s not funny so much as ironic, Sweetheart. You’ve been a part of our lives longer than we realized. Hell, Apollo has an entire album full of smaller pieces you’ve published on your blog. You’ll have to ask him about his super-fan subscription to all things Ruby Rain the next time you see him.”

“Holy shit, that’s priceless.” Kate wheezes as her laughter slowly tapers off to hiccuping chuckles.

“That is ironic. A simple coincidence.” I state in a bored tone, stuffing my free hand into my pocket so Wren can’t see the way it trembles with the news that one of my alphas is already in love with a big piece of my soul.

I’m kind of terrified to tell him.

Fucking hell. It’s only going to make his brand of obsession with me worse.

“I don’t believe in coincidences.” Wren smirks at me, and I roll my eyes, because it’s better than showing any real type of emotion on this particular subject matter.

Doing a complete one-eighty, Kate flips the conversation and shocks the hell out of me all over again. “Why don’t you show your alpha your nest, Scar? I bet he’d like to see where you lay your head down at night. You know, so he knows you’re safe and cozy.”

My mouth pops open when I turn back to face her. She has an evil glint in her eye, and I could absolutely strangle her for it. She’s playing a dangerous game here, though I’m sure she doesn’t care.

Rising slowly to her feet, she stretches like she hasn’t a care in the world. “I’m going to run down to Mrs. Fanning’s place and see if she needs help walking her dog.” Then she saunters out of the apartment, knowing full well the things she’s just done and put into play.

“You don’t have to show me anything, Sweetheart. I can get going if you want.” Wren starts to rise to his feet, and I scramble up to join him. He gives me a sympathetic look, and that somehow makes me want to do the exact opposite of what he’s suggesting.

I’m going to have to kill Kate later for this.

“No.” I exhale in a deep sigh. Against my better judgment, I hold out my hand to him before I can second guess my life choices. “I want to show my alpha my nest.” I’m not sure why I say it like that. I blame it on the stupid omega hormones running rampant through my body at the moment. His close proximity is doing very little to help the situation.

His eyes are fucking smoldering as he lays his hand in mine. Fuck it. We’re doing this, I guess. My cheeks flame when I begin to perfume while I lead him from the living room and into my bedroom. I bring us to a halt in the middle of the space and slip my hand out of his to gesture towards my little makeshift nest on my bed. It’s nothing fancy, but it’s enough for me.

He stares at it for a moment, taking note of all the added things sent from them. He takes so long observing my nest, I start to fidget, nervous he’s not going to like it. It had never even occurred to me that I would want or even need my alphas approval when it came to my nest. Is this an omega thing I never knew about?

He turns to me then, his usually cool eyes blazing with an intense heat that steals the breath from my lungs. However, it can’t compare to the next words out of his hot as sin mouth. “You have such a pretty nest, little omega. You’ve been such a good girl, getting your nest ready.”

Fucking shit. I’ve heard stories of alphas giving their omegas praise for building their nests, but to actually be a recipient of that praise? It makes me fucking weak in the knees.

My eyes trail down the length of him, biting down into my plump bottom lip when I catch sight of the noticeable bulge in the front of his jeans. The sight of it definitely has my imagination running wild.

“Do you like what you see, Sweetheart?” His words are practically a purr, edging me on in a way that feels intentional. This alpha is going to be the death of me.

“C-can I have this?” I lift my hand and place it against his chest, my fingers slipping down the hard planes of his muscles.

He quirks a brow at me. “What, Sweetheart? My shirt?”

I nod, biting my lip harder. “All of it.” There’s a little bit of a growl to my words when my fingers twist in the soft fabric of the long sleeved black shirt he’s wearing.

His hands move to push his dark gray jacket off his shoulders. As soon as it hits the floor, he reaches one arm behind him and grasps the neckline of his shirt, before pulling it off in one smooth motion.

Liquid heat pools low in my belly when he hands it over to me. My inner omega is in complete control when I take the shirt from him and march to my nest, bending over to spread it out across one of my favorite pillows, before I turn back to him.

Wren Madden is a glorious sight for the eyes. Those tattooed sleeves on both of his arms end right at his shoulders, but he has an impressive Celtic piece that expands the center of his chest over his pectorals. It definitely helps him pull off the whole viking god vibe he has going on.

I’m so fucking here for it.

My heart stutters in my chest as he holds my eyes while reaching for the fly on his jeans. With expert fingers, he unbuttons them, and then he shoves them down powerful thighs that ripple with corded muscles until they pool at his ankles. He steps out of them before bending to pick them up and hand them over. It’s obvious he has zero reservations about this.

I clutch the warm fabric saturated in the rich scent of oranges and spiced brandy to my chest. Feeling bold, I bring his jeans up to my face and inhale his essence deep in my lungs. When I exhale, an obscene groan slips free from me, and he growls in response.

My entire body starts to burn the moment he takes a step towards me with single minded intent. “Scarlett.” He groans, the sound pained and full of heat and longing. It makes my nipples tighten in response, drawing his gaze down.

I inhaled the fabric of his jeans again. “Yes, alpha?” I breathe out, and his eyes darken further, if that’s even possible. I know I’m playing with fire, but I can’t help it.

My eyes trail down his powerful body until I reach the massive bulge barely concealed behind his tight black boxer briefs. “Can I take care of that for you, alpha?” I take a step back, moving towards my nest in an open invitation. He matches me step for step, until the back of my knees knock into the mattress.

“Do you want me inside of your nest, Sweetheart? Will that make you feel better?” He reaches a hand out, brushing his knuckles across my heated cheek in a tender promise.

“Yes, alpha.” I murmur softly, and I swear I almost come when I watch him climb into my nest. He takes up nearly the entire queen sized mattress, and when he cuddles down into my blankets and pillows, effectively coating my nest in his delicious scent, I almost weep.

Carefully, I take my sling off and place it on the bed side table. I don’t need both arms for what we’re about to do, but I don’t want it in the way.

He watches me like a hungry hawk as I place my knees on the edge of the bed, bending forward until my breath can fan over the exposed V in his lower torso. My tongue darts out on instinct, running over golden skin honed to perfection, and his body arches up into me instinctively.

It’s a powerful feeling. Having my alpha at my mercy.

My fingers trail up one of his calves to his thigh, until I can tease the skin just underneath the fabric of the boxers. I inch closer and closer until my nails scrape against his balls, and he hisses in response.

I play with him a little as I continue to lick every inch of his lower abdomen until I’ve had my fill. He tastes like citrusy desire and warm, spicy liquor. He groans when I remove my hand from the leg hole of his boxers, but it doesn’t last long.

My eagerness piqued, I finally reach up with my good hand to peel back the hemline until his cock springs free, nearly hitting me in the face.

My mouth waters at the first sight of him, so long and thick and corded with veins. He’s already dripping for me, and I shift slightly to rub my own thighs together for that delicious friction I’m secretly dying for.

The first flick of my tongue over the weeping tip of his dick causes him to buck up in response, and he lets out a strangled gasp. “Shit, Sweetheart. Warn a guy next time before you strike.”

With a wicked smirk, I strike again without the warning he’d just pleaded for. I wrap my lips around him and suck him down until I make it about halfway, before I come back up, using my teeth to scrape up the throbbing length of him.

His moan is like a siren song to my ears.

I wrap my free hand around the base of him while I begin to suck and nip at him like my life depends on it. His cock continues to weep his delicious essence until I’m driven completely wild with need for it. I start bobbing up and down and sucking him so hard, that the mattress creaks beneath his powerful writhing body.

“Oh, fuck, Sweetheart. Shit, omega! Holy fucking hell!” He pants and gasps and groans, each noise and praise that spills from his lips like exquisite torture of the best variety.

I peek up at him from beneath my lashes, and watch as he slowly loses control of himself with each pass of my tongue and teeth over the steel hard length of his cock. His hands fist into the sheets and blankets of my nest while his eyes roll back when I remove my fist so I can take him deeper.

My hand reaches down again until I find his swollen balls, and I cup them in my palm and roll them around until he starts to buck up into my mouth with wild abandon. Each time he hits the back of my throat and the muscles there constrict around him, his knot bumps my lips, making me crave it in other places I can never dream of taking him.

“Sweet merciful-fuck, Scar. I want to knot this pretty mouth of yours. I want to fill your throat and belly so full of my cum that you taste me for days. Shit, I’m going to do it, omega.” He growls, finally thrusting his fingers into my hair so he can fuck up into my mouth as he chases his release.

I can feel my slick soaking through my panties and sweatpants with each thrust of his powerful hips. My throat flutters around him when I swallow with each plunge of that delicious cock. Our scents have saturated the air around us, thoroughly covering my nest just the way I’d wanted it. Oranges and Jasmine. Tangy and spicy. The perfect fucking combination.

“Fuck, I’m going to come, Sweetheart. You’re going to swallow all of it, aren’t you? Don’t you dare waste a single drop.” He practically snarls, his fingers tightening in my hair as he bucks up into my mouth wildly.

My hand releases his balls to wrap around his pulsing knot, and when I give him a firm squeeze, he loses himself. Every muscle in his body goes rigid when he spills himself deep down the back of my throat with a guttural moan. I swallow around him reflexively, my hand steadily massaging his knot until I’m sure he’s emptied every last drop down of my throat, just as he’d commanded.

He goes limp beneath me, the only sound in the room with us is his ragged breathing as he slowly comes down from his high. When I finally release his cock from my mouth with an audible pop and I look at him, I’m satisfied with how relaxed he looks snuggled down amongst my nest. It now smells like his arousal, and I’m sure I’ll spend the next several days here just soaking it all in.

It’s the only thing I can allow myself.

He reaches for me then, as if reading my mind, but I sit up and scoot back a little out of reach from him until my back’s against the wall at the end of my nest. He sits up, eyes roaming over me with that heat still blazing an inferno in his dark, cerulean eyes.

“Let me take care of you, Scarlett. I owe you.” His voice is so soft as he speaks to me, and it makes my heart twist painfully in my chest.

I shake my head, trying to offer him a reassuring smile that I don’t have the heart for. “It’s okay. I just wanted my nest to smell like you. I’ll be fine now.” He watches me lift my good arm up to brush some hair back from my face that’s stuck to my overheated cheeks. I can’t tell him why we’ll never be able to do anything but this. I just hope that he won’t push it.

His pleasure will just have to be enough for me.

He looks like he wants to argue, but the longer I stare at him, I can see him falter. He clearly doesn’t want to upset me, and this is a very obvious line I’ve drawn. “Alright. Can we at least cuddle for a while before I have to leave for work?”

I swear, my heart seriously can’t take anymore hits, but I relent easily. This is something I can allow myself, at the very least. Those assholes don’t have to steal this comfort from me in the same way they had my pleasure. This is something entirely different that they won’t be privy to.

As I settle against him, wrapped up in his arms and surrounded by the scent of his own pleasure, I can’t help but mourn the opportunity I just let slip me by.

It has to be this way. It’s for the best.

Lie. Lie. Lie.

15

Caito

Arms crossed over my chest, I tap my fingers against the underside of my forearm—the only outward sign of my impatience—while staring down the two assholes that have been interrogating me for the past two hours. My seemingly blase attitude has only served to piss them off more.

Considering it’s their pack mate’s deaths we’re discussing.

Carson Wright, our favorite take-no-bullshit lawyer, leans forward in the seat beside me, pinning the detectives with a withering glare. “I think you’ve wasted enough of my client’s time, gentlemen. This is a simple case of second hand self defense. The ‘victims’ in question were spotted by multiple witnesses attacking my client’s omega. There’s nothing else to discuss.” Carson is my favorite because he knows how to hold his own against assholes like these guys.

A muscle ticks in Peterson’s jaw as he struggles to hold back the rage that’s clearly been boiling underneath his tough guy exterior during this entire bullshit interview. “Mr. Archer has admitted that they aren’t even bonded. Tell me why an unbonded alpha would stake claim to an omega that doesn’t belong to him.”

I narrow my eyes at the fucking prick. “She’s my scent match, and we just met. Just because she doesn’t bare my mark, doesn’t mean she’s not mine. I didn’t admit that for you to take a dig at the relationship dynamics between my omega and me.”

Peterson shakes his head, and I don’t at all like the smirk curling the corners of his lips. “Mr. Archer, we aren’t stupid. You don’t think we don’t keep track of all unbonded and bonded omegas that reside in Black Tide Valley? We’ve been aware of Miss Reighn from the moment she stepped foot in the city. I think you know she doesn’t belong to you.”

His words make me stiffen at the implication in them. “My omega’s past is her own. It doesn’t matter what filthy miscreant put their hands and mark on her body. Would you care to go into detail how exactly you know she’s ‘bonded’.”

Masters looks slightly confused when he glances at his partner’s face, but Peterson doesn’t take his eyes off of me. “I have it on good authority that she’s happily bonded, and trust me, you don’t want to overstep, Mr. Archer.”

Interest piqued, I finally dropped my arms from my chest and leaned forward. “Do you think I’m afraid of whoever it is you’ve allied yourself with? Tell me, Peterson, is it not against the law to bond an omega against his or her will? I’m sure if you want to go down this road with me, I would love nothing more than to have it included in the record that my omega was not only bonded against her will, but also held-”

“Enough,” Peterson growls like the good little boy he really is. “That won’t be necessary.” He bares his teeth at me, but I just smirk at him. He knows just as well as I do that he’ll never get anywhere with that kind of questioning unless he’s willing to throw his entire case against me away.

“So, what will it be, gentlemen? Will you take my advice, or do you wish to press criminal charges against my client?” Carson, taps his pen against the empty legal pad that he got out just for show.

Peterson looks pissed as hell. “We still need to get a statement from Miss Reighn-”

“No. I gave you everything you need for an open and shut case, including the five other witnesses that saw what happened.” My voice is firm, unyielding.

“Do you want to push me, Mr. Archer? I can notify some friends of mine that would be very interested in learning the goings on of a particular bonded omega. All I need from her is a statement.”

Fury is a wicked strike through my heart and I grit my teeth to stop myself from saying something I’ll truly regret. “You can speak to my omega, but you will do so in Mr. Wright’s office. Friday morning. And Masters will perform the interview. Those are my terms. Trust me, Peterson, you don’t want to push me, either.”

I can tell that he doesn’t like it, but I can also see he realizes he doesn’t have a choice. Now that he’s threatened my omega, he’ll be wise not to push it. I have no problem taking her away from this godforsaken city. I fucking meant it when I said no one will ever lay a hand on her again without her permission.

“Very well, Mr. Archer. This Friday at ten a.m. at the offices of your legal counsel. Don’t be late. You are excused.” He says that like he thinks I couldn’t have gotten up and walked out of here whenever I wanted.

I leave without looking back.

* * *

Wren’s in a foul mood when I step out of the police station, and I can’t for the life of me see why, considering he smells like he’s been cozying up to our omega. Lucky bastard. “What’s with the scowl? One would argue that you don’t have any right looking that angry when you smell like sex and one incredibly, delectable omega.” I say as I slip into the passenger seat of his favorite Audi RS7.

He white knuckles the steering wheel while he pulls out of the side parking lot and guns it in the direction of the penthouse. “Whoa, slow down there, Wrenly James. Take me back to watch over our omega, or pull over the damn car so I can start walking there.” I narrow my eyes at the side of his face, but the prick won’t even look over at me while he ignores my order.

“Apollo has it covered.” He says that like it’s the end all be all, and he can get totally fucked if he thinks I’ll stand for that. I reach for the door handle and lock simultaneously, and he curses and slams his hand down on the gear shift. “You need to report on your interview, and I need a goddamn drink.”

Dammit. Now the morose fuck has me curious as to why he looks like someone just pissed all over his favorite pair of silk pajama pants. He has weird tastes like that. “Are you going to tell me what has your panties in a twist? It’s barely noon. You never drink before noon. Tell me what happened. It clearly involves my omega.” I settle back in my seat, and he gives me a cross look out of the corner of his eye, but otherwise keeps his attention firmly on the road.

“Ours. She’s our fucking omega.” He growls like I give a fuck about the proper use of terms and shit. I just cross my arms over my chest and give him a rather unimpressed look. Thankfully, we only live about seven minutes from the police station, and we make it in under five with how aggressive Wren’s being.

He doesn’t say anything as he gets out of the car, stalking across the underground lot with single-minded focus. I tell myself that I’m only following him because he owes me an explanation. If something happened with Scarlett, I want to know about it.

And if it’s something negative and if it turns out he had anything to do with it, then I’ll need to figure out how I’m going to hide his dead body after I snap him in half like a fucking toothpick.

I’m silent as a wraith, staying behind him the entire way up to our penthouse. We owned the entire building, but we avoided the floor beneath ours on account that we don’t want to have our asses handed to us by Raven. I’m one ruthless bastard, but when it comes to my best friend’s scary as hell alpha sister, that’s a whole other can of worms none of us want to ever open.

Wren doesn’t even like dealing with her, and he’s supposedly her favorite. Her words, not mine. Which is weird because I’m wholly convinced she hates everyone.

Especially her younger brother.

I’m just as well convinced she’d rather see him dead than lift a finger to help him with anything in life.

Predictably, Wren heads straight for the mini bar when we enter his office. I don’t bother to shut the door behind me. Lark’s down at his new office dealing with client appointments, and Apollo’s apparently watching over our omega.

I settle back on the small love seat adjacent to his desk, watching the muscles in his back ripple while he fixes himself a drink. I can see the clear lines of tension all throughout his shoulders, and that has me even more perplexed.

If I’d come home smelling like sex and our omega, I most definitely wouldn’t be sulking like this.

He’s hiding something big. I can practically smell it. Well, aside from the other things I’m clearly smelling on him that I totally will not admit are making me raging jealous right now.

Calm down, Caito. She’s ours. Wren will never intentionally hog her. We are taking this at her pace. As long as it turns out she was comfortable with whatever had gone down, I won’t complain.

Might need to run one out later, but that’s beside the point.

After a silent and tense minute or two, Wren finally turns to face me. I arch a brow at him as he takes a sip of his favorite whiskey. “Tell me about the interview.” He gestures to me with a hand and takes a seat at his desk.

“Tell me what happened with our omega.” I counter, expecting him to sigh and glare at me, but he just shakes his head, leaning back in his seat while sipping on his drink.

“She sucked me off.” He offers, and I feel my other brow hit my hairline. It isn’t often I’m surprised by Wren. I’ll give him this one.

“And?” I press when he doesn’t immediately elaborate, and I don’t like the pained, twisted expression that shutters across his face, taking a large gulp of amber liquor to maybe lessen whatever is haunting him about this particular subject.

It’s times like this that I wish I was a mind reader.

“Fuck. A lot of shit, man. First that fucking prick Peterson shows up to try to interrogate Scarlett in her own home. Then Kate-”

“Kate?” I cut him off, now leaning forward in my seat, my curiosity piqued.

“The omega room mate. She invited me in to check on Scarlett. I probably should have declined. I sat with them for a bit, and she told me about her identity as Ruby Rain-”

“Are you fuckin’ serious? Apollo’s going to blow his shit when he finds out.” I interject yet again before he can continue, and he gives me a dry, narrow-eyed glower.

“Stop butting in, asshole. I’ve got some important shit to share.” He grouses, pursing his lips and preparing to be silent until I concede. Ever the expert at hiding my emotions, I gesture for him to carry on. He studies me for a moment before he does just that.

“The room mate… I can’t tell if she tries to help Scarlett out, or purposefully attempts to sabotage her. She up and suggested Scarlett show me her nest, and then left us in the apartment to let the chips fall where they may. Fuck, bro. She showed me her nest. Let me tell you, I’ve never been so goddamned turned on in my life. And then she went and told me to get in it. Shit.” He breathes out in a harsh breath, tilting his head forward to rest into the palm of the free hand not holding his drink.

I frown when a tremor works its way through his body. “For the most part, I believe it’s a pretty normal reaction for an omega to want her scent matched alpha in her nest. Scent marking is a thing omegas enjoy, I know that much.” I hedge, already knowing that this particular detail isn’t the cause of his obvious duress.

“Like a fucking idiot, I let her suck my dick. It felt incredible, by the way. But when I offered to return the favor, already smelling just how aroused she really was, she turned me down. I could see it written all over her fucking face, Caito. I’m such a damn fool. I should have thought about it before I let her make such a large sacrifice.” He goes on, lifting his eyes up to meet mine, but I’m still lost.

The feeling made me extra stabby.

“She… turned you down? Why would she do that?” I ask the questions, but I already know the answer. Same as Wren. I come to the exact conclusion he must have when he’d left her earlier. Instantly, my confusion turns to white hot fury. “She can’t shield her emotions from that prick.”

Wren’s mouth tightens into a flat line. It’s all the confirmation I need. “She won’t allow herself to feel any sort of strong emotion out of fear that whichever fucker has bonded to her will feel it. She doesn’t want them to find out about us. It’s the only thing that makes sense. She wanted me, Caito.” He explains it all, even though I really don’t need him to. His words only serve to make my anger intensify.

“It’s just a hunch, but I believe Peterson knows the jackasses responsible for all of this.” I say this as a broad term for the entire situation surrounding Scarlett. “He insinuated he knew that she’s already bonded, and that they might want to know that their omega is hiding out in a city of lost souls and rejects. So he either knows who they are, or knows someone who does. I don’t believe in coincidences. He showed up to her apartment already knowing who she was. He wants an interview with her.”

Wren’s expression morphs into something fierce and scary. “Like fuck is he getting within less than two miles of her at any given time.” He hisses in outrage, and I know he’s not going to like what I have to say.

“I’m sorry. I already agreed.” The look he gives me is enough to make a lesser man’s balls shrivel up right on the spot. I hold my hands up in a placating gesture. “He threatened to report back to them if we didn’t cooperate, Wren. Not in as many words, since the entire interview was recorded, but I couldn’t deny his request without putting her in danger.”

This makes him pause, but he’s still clearly not happy about this. “He doesn’t have a solid case to stand on. I’m sure Carson told him as much. Why would he need to interview her?” He asks the question, even though we both know he already has his answer. He shakes his head, agitation clearly etched into the lines of his hard face.

“Friday we will meet with Masters at Carson’s offices. That was the deal. Peterson does not get to do the interview. The partner seemed like he hadn’t been clued in on the true motivations guiding Peterson. We will use that to our advantage.” I assure him, even though I’m not feeling entirely at ease about any of this.

Fucking hell. I just found my omega. Now we have threats coming from multiple damn directions, getting in the way of what I want.

It’s a recipe for disaster. The fucking board will not tip in anyone’s favor but my own. I don’t care what it takes.

Scarlett is ours.

I’ll gladly put a swift fucking end to anyone who cares to stand in our way.

Wren leans back in his chair and finishes off his drink in one smooth swallow, before leveling one of his signature looks on me. “Fine. I want a pack meeting tonight as soon as Lark is finished with his last client. I will put a detail on Scarlett’s apartment until we are finished.”

And just like that, the game is on.

Bring it on, motherfuckers.

16

Scarlett

“Scar, one of your lover boys is here for you.” Kate pokes her head into my room, and I sit up from where I’m tangled in the sheets and blankets of my nest. She quirks a brow at me when I wipe away the drool on my face.

“The hell are you talking about?” I grumble and flop back down into the mattress, snatching up one of the teddy bears the guys had sent me for a snuffle snuggle. It smells just like Wren, a scent I can’t get enough of. It makes me think of the way he bites his lip when he comes…

“Lark something or another. Got that hot as hell nerdy jock vibe down pat. Says he’s here to take you out for breakfast and a walk in the park. You know, normal shit alphas do for their omegas they are courting.” She leans against the frame in the doorway, crossing her arms over her chest and looking entirely too pleased with herself.

“Tell him to go away. I’m not a breakfast person, and we are most certainly not courting.” I turn my face into the teddy, inhaling deeply like an addict that’s desperate for their next fix. I’m just missing three other tantalizing addictive scents.

Maybe I can bargain with Lark to give me his shirt, too… Perhaps a quick roll around in the nest?

“I’m not telling that hot piece of ass that you’re refusing to see him. I’ll send him in here if you don’t get your ass up and deal with him.” She shakes her head before she turns to leave, and I bolt upright again, glaring over at her as if the look can set her on fire right where she stands.

“I seriously don’t like you.” I growl, sliding out of the bed so I can aggressively stomp my way out of my room towards the front door. Despite my earlier thought process, I’m not thinking when I yank it open, revealing Lark standing in the hall with his hands stuffed into the pockets of sleek black athletic shorts. My brain short circuits for a moment, my eyes raking over him in a way that’s entirely too suggestive.

Ah, shit sticks.

Kate’s fucking right, of course. He’s too damn hot to turn away.

He smirks at me, and that shakes me out of my momentary stupor. I narrow my eyes on him. “Can I help you? It’s eight in the morning.” I cross my good arm not cradled in the sling over my chest when those steel blue eyes of his drop to the rest of my body, and then I suddenly remember I’m only wearing a bright pink tank top— sans bra—and a tiny pair of matching boy shorts. Like, super tiny. Like, I definitely might accidentally flash my vagina if I bend over too far or something.

When he looks back up at me, so very slowly, he uses his middle finger to push his purple rimmed glasses back up the bridge of his nose where they’d slipped slightly. “I want to take you out to breakfast.” He says it like it’s the most casual thing to show up on someone’s doorstep without proper notice at eight in the morning on a Wednesday.

“I have plans this morning.” I lie, and I immediately hate the way his face falls with disappointment, and then I hate myself for hating that I upset him with my blatant dismissal. The way they’ve managed to break through all of my carefully built barriers is rather alarming. Sighing, I shift uncomfortably on my feet. I can’t believe I’m about to give in. “Give me fifteen minutes. You can come in and sit while you wait.” Curse my foolish omega heart.

I take a step back, and gesture into the apartment. Here I go again, inviting yet another one of them into my safe space. I tell myself that I will not allow him in my nest like Wren while he follows me into the living room. “Take all the time you need.” Lark says, his smile back in place, eyes practically sparkling behind those adorable glasses of his. He knows he’s won.

“Don’t worry, Scar. I’ll keep him company while you freshen up.” Kate saunters out of her room, dressed to kill already at the ass crack of dawn, I give her a small warning growl when I pass her. It takes all of my willpower to walk away into my room to change. The logical part of my brain trusts her, but my idiot omega instincts are screaming at me to get rid of the intruder omega too close to our mate.

Seriously, omega biology is so fucked.

The entire time I get dressed in a simple cotton purple sundress with little white daisies on it and apply some light make-up, I’m attempting to talk myself out of this terrible idea. It doesn’t matter what they promised me at dinner the other night. I can’t allow myself to connect with them the way my inner omega desperately wants to.

It has to be this way. Even if it kills me.

But I can’t fucking help myself. Even if this all ends in a goddamned tragedy.

When I’m finished, I give myself a once over in the mirror, and sigh heavily. Part of me wants to grab a sweater to put on so the hideous mark on my shoulder is covered, but I like looking pretty, dammit. Plus all the extra clothing isn’t comfortable with the sling. Plus, despite fall nearing, the daylight hours can still be quite warm.

Exiting my room, I find Kate and Lark participating in an epic stare down and not wrapped around each other like I half expected. Is it weird that I trust Lark more than I trust Kate? I’ve known her the longest, and I wouldn’t have put it past her if she had made a move on him. That probably makes me a shitty friend and roommate.

Lark is the first to break, rising from the recliner Wren had been sitting in just the day before, and when his eyes lock onto me, I swear I see him visibly gulp. It takes him a moment to formulate proper words after he’s done eye fucking me. I will not admit how satisfied that makes me feel. “You look incredible, Scarlett.”

I swallow hard, too, when he holds an arm out for me to slip mine into. My inner omega preens as soon as the bare skin of his forearm touches mine, and I just barely stop myself from shuddering in reaction. There is something so terribly wrong with me.

Kate rises to her feet, and gives me one of her signature smirks. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, but for fucksake, have some fun. Try to loosen her up, will ya.” She directs that last part at Lark, but he just gives her a droll look that oddly makes me happy.

“I’ll have her back before dinner.” He supplies, and that startles me a little, considering how early it is still, but I only have time to snap up my purse with my phone tucked inside of it before he pulls me out of the apartment to the sound of Kate’s soft laughter.

What have I gotten myself into?

17

Lark

Scarlett is more closed off than usual as we step into the diner down the block from her apartment. When I’d asked her where she’d wanted to go, she’d told me to pick with a casual shrug of her shoulders. I would have been upset about her blase attitude, but Wren had already informed us about the possibility she’d shut down, and exactly why that is.

That doesn’t mean I have to like it.

The last thing I want to do is push her, though.

I have my own plan to smuggle my way into my omega’s good graces. The scents of fried foods and delicious coffee waft over us upon entering, and I refrain from smiling when Scarlett’s stomach growls loudly in response where she stands beside me, coming to a stop in front of the hostess stand just inside the door. The place is packed for the breakfast rush, which isn’t a surprise. This place had the best reviews when I’d done some research before deciding to go on this venture with my omega.

A young blonde woman standing behind the hostess podium glances up when we come to a stop, and her eyes immediately zero in on me. She smiles in a way that instantly makes me uncomfortable, but I’m a nice guy, so I brush it off. She doesn’t even look over at Scarlett. That aggravates me more than how inappropriate and unprofessional she’s being with her facial expressions when she looks me up and down.

“How can I help you, sugar?” She smells like overly ripe bananas and that fake vanilla extract that I usually find repulsive. Her tits practically pop out of her uniform top, which is missing a few buttons, when she leans forward against the podium.

“A table for two please.” It takes me a second to force a friendly smile, hoping she doesn’t take it the wrong way. Confusion flashes in her eyes when she glances beside me for the first time. Her brows hit her hairline at the sight of Scarlett standing rigid beside me, glaring daggers at the waitress.

“Scarlett? What are you doing here?” Clearly, the waitress knows my omega. Maybe that’s why she’s not put off by the death stare Scarlett has leveled her way.

“Trying to have breakfast with my alpha. Now, would you like me to remove your eyeballs from your skull, or can you manage to keep them to yourself and find us a table?” A surge of satisfaction shoots through me at her referring to me as her alpha, and I offer the beta a smirk when she has the balls to glance at me again in disbelief.

She’s quick to jerk her attention away from me when Scarlett lets out a small, yet still completely feral, growl. She blinks at my omega, slightly shocked. “I’m… sorry. Kate didn’t mention you had an alpha.”

Scarlett just looks at her with cool, emotionless eyes, but I can still sense the dangerous anger roiling beneath her skin. It’s twisting her scent in a way I seriously don’t like. It’s also entirely too fucked up that I find her possessive behavior sexy as hell. I’m reminded of the slew of inappropriate things I’d like to do to her to reward her for publicly acknowledging her connection to me.

“Considering my personal life and business is not Kate’s to share, I’d imagine that’s a sufficient enough explanation. Not that I need to give you one. Maybe don’t let the men you’re interested in see just how desperate you are at first glance, Rosa. You’d probably have better luck catching the right kind of attention if you didn’t flirt shamelessly with every male that comes within five feet of you.” I will not admit how painfully hard my cock gets at hearing my omega put another woman in her place.

I’ll just pretend she’s acting like a cave woman for my benefit.

I’m secretly loving that she’s letting her omega instincts guide her.

The waitress—Rosa—sputters and goes red in the face, but Scarlett just crosses her good arm over her chest, somehow able to appear threatening despite the sling she wears. There’s anger and embarrassment shimmering in Rosa’s eyes when she snatches two menus from a stack behind the podium. She’s smart to keep her eyes off of me as she addresses Scarlett. “I have a two top booth in the corner. Follow me.”

My little fiery omega doesn’t bother looking at me while moving to trail after the beta, but I keep my smirk painted on my face, regardless. Yeah, Scarlett could fake it for the entire world that she wasn’t interested in us, but I know, deep down, that it’s a lie. I take that as a win in my book.

Rosa sets the menus down before turning towards us again. She manages to offer my omega a smile, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “This is Cosette’s section for the morning. She’ll be right with you shortly. Enjoy your meal.” She steers clear of me like I have the plague, taking off back towards the hostess stand like the fires of hell are on her ass.

Scarlett doesn’t wait to take the seat with her back to the corner where a solid wall meets one made entirely of windows. I don’t much like my back to a crowded restaurant, but if the position helps put her at ease, I am all for it. I’m already fully committed to walking over hot coals if that’s what it takes to win this woman’s heart

Besides, Caito is currently outside across the street, sitting on a bench with a book in his hands, acting as back up. None of us trust any one in this city, especially not after what happened a few days ago. Thankfully, Scarlett hasn’t noticed her super powered scent matched security detail as of late. I’m not sure how she’ll react to it when she finds out, which hopefully won’t be today.

Grabbing one of the menus, I start to flick through it, but then pause when she doesn’t pick hers up. “Everything alright?” I ask with a bit of hesitancy, and she brings her eyes back to me from where she’d been looking over the crowded diner with a keen eye, arm still firmly wrapped across her chest.

“I used to work here when I first came to the city. It’s how I met Kate. I know that menu by heart.” She shrugs with her good shoulder, a sort of non-answer that makes my lip twitch.

I’m quiet for a moment, flipping through the hunk of plastic and only vaguely reading the options. I already know what I want, too. “Didn’t like it here?” I query, and Scarlett gives me an odd look, but before she can respond, a dark-skinned waitress with a mop of stylish, shiny brown curls and rich copper eyes appears.

This time, she only has eyes for my perfect omega. “Oh my gosh, Scar! How are you? Long time no see!” She flashes pearly white teeth in a genuine smile that has me relaxing more. It’s obvious that this one doesn’t feel the same animosity towards Scarlett as Rosa does.

Scarlett offers the woman a smile. My nostrils flare to take in the newcomer’s scent, and a small smile makes my lips twitch. Bonded omega. “I’m well, Cosette. Thank you for asking. How have you been? Hope those rugrats of yours are staying out of trouble.”

Cosette laughs, the sound like the tinkling of a bell. “Georgia is freaking five now and little Henry just turned two. I’ve got my hands full, that’s for sure. Alphas always make kiddos sound like a grand ole’ time, until you’re busy running after them and lecturing them not to put everything they have a fancy to in their mouths.”

For the first time since I’d met my little omega, her eyes lit up with genuine amusement. It’s an awe inspiring sight. “I told you to put your foot down with those burly alphas of yours. You can’t go letting them think they run the show.” Scarlett actually winks at Cosette, and that somehow delights me even more.

I want her to wink at me like that. I want to be in on all of her jokes. I want to know everything there is to know about the beautiful omega sitting across from me.

Cosette snorts at that and shakes her head, wild curls bouncing around her head when she does. Finally, her eyes shift to me when she pulls out her order pad from the pouch pocket on her uniform shirt. “And who might this lovely thing be?” She looks me up and down, but not in the same way Rosa had.

I open my mouth to introduce myself, but Scarlett surprises me again when she speaks, “Cosette, this is Lark, one of my scent matched alphas. Lark, this is Cosette. She’s the one that set me up in my apartment with Kate when I first moved here. Her alphas own the complex I live in.”

Cosette’s eyes widen slightly during the introduction, but then a wide smile stretches across her face shortly after. “Well, I’ll be damned. I never thought I’d see the day when you brought an alpha around, let alone a scent match.” She gives me another once over, but it’s brief. “Aren’t you the fella that opened that new PT office on the North edge of the Parkway a few months back?”

My smile is genuine this time and I nod. It doesn’t even make Scarlett all that twitchy, either. “That would be me.” I can feel my omega’s curious eyes on me as I speak, and when I look over at her to offer her the same smile, she blushes and looks away. Well, I’ll be damned.

Cosette looks between the both of us. “You might know one of my scent matched alphas, Frankie Donahue.”

“Ah, yes. Torn ACL about a month ago cage fighting.” I recognized the name right away. I liked the massive, yet oddly quiet, man a lot. We’d been working at repairing any lasting damage from the injury since he’d been referred to my office. He sometimes brought a little dark-skinned boy with him that I immediately deduce must be the two year old she’d been talking about with Scarlett before.

Cosette offers a sigh, and she nods. “I keep trying to get him to cut back, but the cage is an outlet for him.” She doesn’t have to explain it to me, but I nod anyway. Frankie’s admitted as much to me in the short time we’ve been working together. As an alpha myself, I understand the need to let loose pent up energy.

Nothing good ever comes of an alpha that doesn’t know how to handle all the hormones that come with our designation.

Especially when an omega is involved.

“Don’t worry. I’ll get him back into shape before you know it. He’s a tough one.” I assure her, and she offers me a tight, but genuine smile.

“Enough about me. It’s busy here and I’ll have my ass handed to me by Jerry if I don’t hustle. Can I start you two off with anything to drink? Do you know what you’d like to order yet?” Her gaze returns to Scarlett.

“I’ll take a chocolate milkshake and a stack of blueberry pancakes with a side of bacon.”

I smile at that when Cosette turns back to me. “Coffee, please. No cream. Also, an order of the cream cheese stuffed french toast with fresh strawberries and a side of bacon as well.”

Cosette ducks off after scribbling our order, and I return my attention to my omega. She’s looking down at a crack in the surface of the table like it might hold all the answers to her problems. When I reach out a hand towards her, she startles at the movement, but I don’t think it’s out of fear.

Fuck, I hope it isn’t, anyway.

“So, tell me why you left the diner.”

Her eyes snap to me, and I really don’t like the way she shudders when I return to the topic we’d been on before Cosette had arrived. I just hoped whatever came out of her mouth wasn’t bad enough to make me lose all sense over my thinly veiled morals.

If she starts crying, all bets are off.

18

Scarlett

Ishould’ve picked the damn restaurant like he’d wanted me to…

Tension coils tight within me, and I know he can sense it. I really don’t want to tell him why I’d had to leave the diner shortly after I’d started when I moved to Black Tide Valley. When I look him in the eye, I can also tell that he’s not going to let it go now that he’s seen my reaction to the subject being brought up.

I decided to give it a try, anyway. “I’d rather not talk about it. It’s in the past, anyway.” Reaching for my silverware roll, I unwrapped it before I began to fold the napkin; one of my anxiety fueled habits kicking into gear.

He’s quiet for so long, that I actually pause to look up at him. Of course, I get caught in his stare, his eyes hard as granite and unyielding. “Tell me, Dream Girl.” He murmurs, the softness in his tone so at odds with the way he’s watching me.

I get a short reprieve from answering when Cosette returns with our drinks, setting my shake down in front of me, and I reach for it to give myself something else to do with my hands, now that I’m done folding the napkin into a little origami swan. My old co-worker and sorta friend arches a brow at me when she notices the little napkin figurine, but she doesn’t comment on it.

“I’ll be back shortly with your food.” Her voice is sultry and sweet, before she turns and walks away, voluptuous hips swaying with each step. Sometimes, I get a little envious of how confident she is in her own skin. Lark doesn’t even glance over at her. He keeps all his focus trained on me. It makes me absolutely terrified he’s going to look so deep inside of me, that he sees down to the core of my nightmares, and still judges me for them.

Despite all of my bravado, I won’t survive a rejection from him. From any of them.

Yeah. I have it bad.

I take a sip of my shake, trying literally anything to get out of talking about that brief nightmare in a recent train of events that have consumed my life. My not so stellar introduction to the type of people that run in this city. Not just the rejects. The monsters that have crawled out of the gutters, desperate to carve out a place in this world of their own.

I fiddle so long with my shake, downing nearly half of it, when Lark finally speaks again. “I’d like you to tell me, Scarlett.” He lets out a deep sigh, like he’s disappointed in me, and I fucking hate that. “But I’m not going to make you.” He adds after a tense pause, and I inwardly throw myself off a bridge in my imagination.

Gritting my teeth, I huff in annoyance. Fuck these alphas for being so damn perfect and breaking down my walls, and fuck my stupid omega hormone driven heart for falling for it. “It’s not really all that glamorous of a story.” I grumble. Total fucking lie. He’s going to lose his absolute shit when he hears it.

He arches a brow at me. “I love boring stories,” the jackass says.

I let another minute tick by, and then Cosette returns with our food, but she doesn’t stick around long. “Enjoy your meal! I’ll be back in a bit to check on you!” She calls over her shoulder as she sweeps away to handle some other tables in her section.

Snatching up a piece of my bacon to appease my growling stomach, I sigh. “As a seemingly unbonded omega, I garnered a lot of attention. Started getting regulars.” I begin while I chew on my bacon, barely stopping myself from groaning at how good it tastes. This place seriously has the best bacon in the entire city. Sometimes, when Kate’s finished working a morning shift, she’ll bring me home leftover bacon, and I seriously consider kissing her feet every single time. If she ever wants to get on my good side, or she needs something from me, she always supplies the bacon.

Lark cuts up a chunk of his stuffed french toast, before stabbing a ripe red strawberry, and popping it in his mouth. I look back down at my stack of pancakes so I don’t get hot and bothered while watching the hot as sin man eat. I’m such a fucking creep. “Anyway, most of my regulars were amazing, but I had a few unsavory ones. One day, one of them took my friendliness a little too personal. During a rush, I had to pee so damn bad, so I ducked into the bathrooms to take care of business.” I pause again, already noting that Lark has stopped eating and is staring at me with a twitch already starting in his left eyebrow.

Not good.

I make sure I finish off my last slice of delicious fried piggy before I lose my stomach with this next part of the story. “He cornered me in the bathroom. Caught me as I was coming out of the stall.” I swallow hard, squeezing my eyes shut as I relive the memory. It isn’t as bad as most of my other memories pre-Black Tide Valley, but it’s uncomfortable to rehash none-the-less.

“Dream Girl-”

“It’s fine.” I cut Lark off before he could tell me to stop. He wants to know, so I am going to tell him. I’ve already opened the wound. No sense stopping and letting it fester between us. “I… I can’t give you details. He punched me in the face. Shoved me back into the stall and tried to take me against the wall. All I really remember is biting down on his cock when he tried to shove it into my mouth.”

I gag, unable to stop the reaction when my brain’s being assaulted by the sensations of the memory all over again. Suddenly, it’s no longer bacon I taste on my tongue, but the coppery tang of alpha blood. My hand trembles as I reach for my milkshake, desperate to rid myself of the ghost of him.

Such a goddamn coward…

“Fuck.” Lark grinds out through clenched teeth, and I manage to look at him for the first time since I started the story. I would’ve startled at the intense fury blazing in his steel blue gaze if it had been anyone but him. This is my alpha. An innate part of me knows that I have nothing to fear from this man. It was the same reaction I’d gotten when I’d watch Caito kill two grown men with his bare hands for touching me.

It’s so incredibly fucked up.

Yet so damn freeing.

“The entire diner heard his howls of pain. He’d locked the door behind him, so Jerry had to shatter the door in pieces just to get in.” I go on, wanting to finish this story as quickly as possible so I can get back to my pancakes. Oddly enough, I’m still hungry as hell. Definitely not normal. “After that, Jerry—the owner of this place—begged me to stay. Told me how sorry he was. I was a damn good waitress. I brought in a lot of revenue. But I couldn’t work here anymore. It was too public. An omega without alphas is nothing but a hindrance. I couldn’t guarantee my safety after that, and neither could Jerry, despite the big game he talked. Jerry’s a nice guy. A mated alpha to an omega for the last thirty years.”

It’s painful to talk about this. I’m actually thankful that Cosette or Rosa haven’t outed me to Jerry if he’s here this morning. I’m sure he would’ve come out here to try to sweet talk me into coming back. He really is a nice guy. Too damn nice for the hoodlums of this city, that’s for sure.

Despite my roiling stomach, I cut into my stack of pancakes, taking a few bites before I dare peek at Lark again. He looks so damn angry. He’s clenching his fork so tight in his fist that I’m afraid the metal handle might cut into his skin.

“You should eat while it’s hot.” I gesture towards his barely touched food, hoping to knock him out of his mood. It works, for the most part. He blinks, glancing down and staring at the mound of stuffed french toast like it’s personally offended him.

It makes me chuckle a little. The sound of my light laughter jerks his attention back up to me, and he gives me a bewildered look. “Why are you laughing? You just told me how you were assaulted in this very restaurant, and now you’re laughing? Are you OK, Dream Girl?”

I choke on another laugh and shake my head, taking another bite of pancakes full of delicious blueberries, syrup, and butter, savoring it before I respond. “The longer you stick around me, the more you’ll learn that I am shit at taking things seriously. It’s how I’ve coped my entire life with things that would otherwise break normal people. I’m not the average omega. I come with a lot of emotional trauma and baggage. I need you to know that.”

Lark stares at me as I finish, but I just shrug and return to my food. Finally, with super tense muscles, he picks up his coffee cup and takes a sip of the liquid that’s probably cold by now. I still watch as it helps marginally relax him until he’s able to return his focus to his food.

After a few minutes of eating in silence, he surprises me with his next words. “Tell me Jerry took care of the asshole?” His thready tone makes me smile. I smell violence in the air.

“He served the last six months down at the BTV jail for minor assault charges that Jerry filed for me. He would’ve gotten more had I testified. I didn’t want to face him again.” My face fell, and I pushed around the last bit of my food on the plate. I’m pretty full, anyway, so it’s a good way for me to keep my hands busy. “He was released on another six months of probation two weeks ago. I got notified as the victim as soon as it happened.” I shrug, feigning nonchalance.

“So he’s back out there on the streets? A potential threat?” Lark is seething, and he slowly sets his fork down beside his mostly empty plate. Probably to stop himself from taking it and tracking down the bastard to stab him to death with it.

“Probably being a menace to society as we speak. The only upside is I think I broke his dick, so there’s that. I was able to read some of the court transcripts when the trial was done, and it was mentioned that he suffered intense injury to his ‘manhood’.” I snicker, actually proud of myself for that one. They’d wanted to prosecute me for that, but there’s a reason they put omegas on the jury stand during trials in cases of aggravated sexual assault. They shot that shit down faster than someone could say the word hoodwinked.

Lark looks impressed as hell when Cosette finally comes back with our bill. She gives me a soft smile when she hands it over to the alpha, and I make sure I smile back. She’s a good person. I don’t need to go out of my way to be a dick to her. “It was so nice to see you again, Scar. You never visit. Do make sure you drop in again soon, yeah?”

Lark hands her over a pile of cash, telling her to keep the change, and I nod in agreement. “Perhaps Lark and I will make this a weekly thing.” That gets the alpha’s attention, and I can see him beaming out of the corner of my eye.

Cosette giggles like he’s the funniest thing on the planet. “I’ll be sure to make Rosa put you in my section every time. Take care.” She reaches out, and I rise to my feet so I can offer her a one armed hug. I’m typically not a hugger, but like I said, Cosette is a good human.

And I can inwardly admit that the hug is just what I need to take the edge off from the horror story I told Lark over breakfast.

A great start to my first date with my scent matched alphas.

19

Scarlett

When we step outside of the diner, I spot Caito leaning against a shiny metallic green Range Rover that totally suits him well. He’s like a super jacked up leprechaun, and I struggle to keep a straight face after that thought so he doesn’t ask me why I suddenly start laughing out loud like a lunatic upon seeing him.

Of course his eyes are already on me when we step out of the doors, and Lark groans like he’s being murdered. “Can you just let me have one day with our omega, you fucking jealous jackass.”

Caito scoffs, but he doesn’t take his eyes off of me as he straightens from his position against the fancy SUV. He watches me like a hunter watches their prey, and it makes a shiver race down my spine when we approach. “I have a thing to discuss with Scarlett. Besides, Wren has a job for you. He texted you about it.”

Right on cue, Lark’s phone chimes, and he pulls it out to read the text from Wren. He glowers at Caito as he shoves the device back in his pocket. He points a finger at the other alpha when he comes to a stop beside us, hands stuffed in the pockets of his jeans and acting all casual. “You are an asshole, you know that? Both you and Wren.”

Caito takes one of his hands out of his pockets to give Lark a sarcastic wave. He doesn’t smile, but I can tell he’s amused. “Run along now, deartháir.”

Lark glares at him for a moment longer before he turns to me. Tentatively, he reaches out a hand to me. I’m curious more than anything, so I put my hand in his. Then he brings it up to his mouth, brushing his lips across my knuckles and making me shiver with the contact.

“I’ll get started on that little problem you mentioned over breakfast.” When our eyes collide, there is a deadly promise there, and it makes my breath catch at the intensity of it.

Then he drops my hand and strides away down the block where he’d parked his car without another glance at Caito. I watch until he’s gotten in and pulled away, heading back across the city towards the Parkway, before I turn back to the intense alpha hovering at my back.

“If you have something to say to me, say it. Otherwise I’d like to go home.” I cross my good arm over my chest, really wishing now I’d worn something that covered more of my skin. He wasn’t paying any attention to my body, his eyes focused solely on my own, but I still feel too exposed. Like he’s attempting to look down too deep inside of my soul.

I’m terrified of what he might find if he continues.

“It’s a beautiful day. Would you do me the honor of joining me for a walk through Black Tide Park, mo chroí?” He holds out a hand to me, and I look at it for a moment. Against my better judgment, I slip mine into his, and the smile he offers me is enough to make angels weep.

God, he’s so damn beautiful. His auburn hair is styled perfectly and blazing beneath the mid-morning sun high above us. He even trimmed up his beard since the last time I’d seen him. He’s like perfectly contained chaos. I shouldn’t like it so much, but I do, dammit.

I allow him to lead me back over to his Range Rover, and he helps me inside before rounding the hood to slip behind the wheel. The way he moves reminds me of a lithe jaguar stalking through dense jungle undergrowth. Every time I find myself glancing over at him on the drive over to the park, I feel heat begin to pool low in my belly, and I know I’m in for a world of trouble if I don’t start distancing myself.

I am too damn weak for that, though.

Caito parks the SUV in one of the public parking lots that border the giant park at the center of the city, and he’s out of the door and opening mine before I can even reach for the handle. I try not to get giddy like a schoolgirl at the chivalrous act. I take his hand and he doesn’t let go, even as we start walking down the winding pathways all throughout the park.

He finally speaks after about five minutes or so of silence, and it’s not at all what I’d been expecting. “What problem was Lark talking about before he left earlier?” The question is innocent enough, but there’s an edge to his tone that makes me look over at him while we walk. His hand is warm in mine, our fingers tangled together, and I force myself to focus on that before I answer.

“Nothing worth repeating. I trust him to take care of it all on his own.” I shrug and he growls under his breath at that. Caito seems like the type to try to take on all the problems on his own. I think Lark would be upset if I shared my story again regarding the diner, and then Caito decided to take matters into his own hands. There is definitely enough of my baggage to go around for everyone to handle.

“I wish you’d let me help you more.” He grumbles, not at all pleased with my response.

I roll my eyes over at him, and he catches it, giving my hand a squeeze as if it’s a warning or something. I don’t heed it. “I do. But I can also let Lark help me. Same with Wren and Apollo. I don’t just belong to you.” I don’t know why I say that. I shouldn’t have. I don’t need him getting any ideas that I might be coming around to this whole courtship thing.

We cannot be a pack. I cannot have these alphas.

Caito cocks a brow at me like he can hear my inner turmoil. “Lark is the love not war type. I think he might need my assistance.” I choose to ignore that, and he’s silent for several more minutes before he speaks up again. “I really do have something I need to talk to you about.”

Instantly, I’m on high alert and already overthinking things. He doesn’t stop walking as I ask, rather cautiously, “What is it?” I bet it has something to do with what happened the other day with those alphas. Wren hasn’t been around since the incident in my nest, and I’m not sure if I should be thankful or not.

Mostly not. His scent is already starting to fade from the nest, and it’s making me desperate to find a way to get him back in it again. I also miss the taste of him on my tongue. I’d known it would be a mistake to do what I’d done, but I hadn’t been able to control my urges.

Now, I’ll never be able to stop craving moments like that.

He sighs heavily, reaching up with his free hand to rub at his beard. “I need to take you into our lawyer’s offices on Friday morning to conduct an interview with the police about your attack. I really don’t want you involved in it, but…” He trails off, his body going tense with anger.

When he looks over at me, I come to a halt just by the look in his dark green eyes alone. “Just tell me.” I whisper, and his fingers flex around mine where we are still connected. “Bad secrets only hurt good people.”

His jaw clenches. “I wasn’t going to keep it a secret from you.” I give him a look that he can interpret however he chooses. His eyes flash again with an emotion I can’t get a good read on, but then he sighs again. “I have reason to believe one of the detectives that showed up at your apartment might know who you are. He alluded to knowing you are bonded and hinted that maybe he would notify your alphas of the situation.”

He doesn’t need to go into great detail. I know exactly what he’s referring to. The way he said the word alphas held so much disdain that it left a bad taste in my mouth. My heart plummets to the pits of my roiling stomach, and for the first time since I arrived in Black Tide Valley, a real spike of fear rocks me to my very core.

Immediately, my scent sours, causing Caito to curl his lip, but I somehow know it’s not from displeasure. Not in that way. He sure is displeased, alright. Most likely due to the fact that the scent of my fear is now permeating the air around us like noxious gas.

His eyes flick down to the ugly, twisted mark on my shoulder, a fresh spark of fury igniting in the dark depths. Surprise flickers through me when his hand darts out, gripping me by my chin so I can’t look away from him while he speaks. “I already told you, mo chroí. No one is ever going to touch you again without your permission. I need you to believe that.”

The soft spoken words are so full of sincerity, it’s hard not to believe him. But I know what the demons of my past are capable of. It’s been a goddamn miracle all on its own that they’ve let me live out here on my own for this long. That he has let me.

I can’t stop the shudder that ripples down my spine as the last words he ever said to me echo through my mind like a horrible mocking bird on repeat. You are nothing, pet. Used up trash that’s not even worth my time anymore. Remember what you are always. No matter how far you go, I will always be watching.

I don’t realize I’ve squeezed my eyes shut until I feel Caito’s warm breath wash over my closed lids, and they snap open in response. He’s so close to me that our lips are a breaths-length apart. Liquid heat replaces the cold hand of dread that had once been clamped around every vital piece of me, and it happens so suddenly that it makes me feel breathless.

His scent surrounds me, healing so many broken parts of me in a way I never thought would ever be possible. Crisp winter evergreen and dark chocolate clogs my senses and makes my mouth water. I’m suddenly desperate for the taste of him. I need him to erase this nearly overwhelming terror threatening to consume me whole.

“Caito…” I breathe out his name, and my entire body quivers when his nose brushes against mine in response.

“Tell me you believe me, mo chroí. Tell me you believe I will keep you safe. I can’t bear it if you doubt me.” His tone is low and sultry, but I know there is a demand there that requires a legitimate response from me.

“How about I just show you?” I know this is going to come back and bite me in the ass, but I can’t help it. My mouth collides with his in a tangle of tongues and teeth, and when he growls against my lips, I feel slick heat gush from my center between my legs.

My perfume explodes into the air around us just as his fingers delve into my hair. He forces my head back, angling it just right so he can kiss me deeper. He fucking consumes me like my lips are the secret to all of his life problems. He presses in closer to me, bringing our bodies flush with one another. I have the sudden urge to climb this man like a tree right here in the middle of this very public park.

Having him touch me like this is dangerous. I’d never been the best at shielding my true emotions. Being here like this with him, tasting each other with wild passion—it’s going to get us both killed.

It’s with that thought that I pull away. My pussy practically fucking twerks when he growls at the loss of my lips against his, but it has to be this way. I can’t let that happen again. I have to have better control over my instincts and desires.

“I’m sorry.” I whisper, fully releasing his hand so that I can take another step back from him. He growls again, but I shake my head, lifting a trembling hand to my lips to touch them. They feel swollen, warm, and moist. I can taste him on my tongue, and it’s nearly enough to drive me mad. “That shouldn’t have happened. I won’t do it again.”

I half expect Caito to reach for me and yank me back towards him to prove a point, but he surprises me when he keeps his hands to himself. He’s quiet for so long that I finally look up at him. It was the wrong thing to do. My knees quake when he says, voice so soft that I nearly miss the words,“When they come for you, I will be ready. I will end them, and then you will be mine.”

Fuck, that shouldn’t turn me on so damn much.

I’m so fucking screwed.

20

Apollo

“Holy fuck, Wren wasn’t lying about the painting.” Hands stuffed in my pockets while staring up at one of my favorite pieces in the front entrance of Raven, I startle at the voice that suddenly breaks the silence behind me. I whirl around to come face to face with Scarlett, and my eyes widen at the sight of her.

Jesus, she’s so damn gorgeous. It’s almost painful to look at her. She offers me a small smile, standing just behind me dressed in a pair of skin tight leather pants, a black crop top bedazzled with rhinestones that spell out the word sassy, with a leather jacket laying over her shoulders since she couldn’t manage to get her bad arm through the sleeve due to the sling.

“Hey.” It’s all I can manage to spit out after standing there, ogling her like a creep.

“Hey.” She says with a knowing glint in her eye. Then she turns her face upwards to peer at the painting I’d just been admiring again. It takes my breath away all over again when I look over my shoulder at it.

Her first words filter back to me, and I feel my brow furrow when I glance back at her. She drops her gaze back to mine expectantly. “Wren told you about this painting?”

She bites down on her bottom lip. “He did. Said it was your favorite. I’m… familiar with the artist.” It sounds like there’s more there to her explanation, but I can’t quite put my finger on it.

Reaching up, I scrub a hand across the back of my neck, and it pleases me a little when her eyes zero in on the skin that gets exposed on my abdomen when my shirt rides up a little. “I’m a bit of a super-fan. Wren bought this during one of the artist’s online auctions for my birthday, and I wanted it hung up here.”

“He told me.” She smiles like she has a secret. Confused, I narrowed my eyes on her. She shrugs. “I’m a bit of an art enthusiast myself.” She says, and surprise flickers through me.

“Seriously?” I step closer to her, and her entire body goes taut like a bow string when I get within touching distance. “See? Another sign fate meant for you to be mine. I’m a low level artist. I go by Apollo Star in the online art world.”

“Oh, yes. I have a few of your pieces saved in one of my favorites folders on my tablet. You have killer talent with charcoal. Broken Bird is my favorite piece of yours.” She sounds a bit embarrassed when she’s finished gushing, but it makes me feel damn good that she appreciates a huge part of who I am.

“That’s one of my earlier pieces before I actually officially came out. I’m impressed you still have a copy saved. I took most of my earlier work down once I established myself.” Well, impressed is an understatement. I’m damn thrilled.

She blushes, looking slightly mollified, but when she opens her mouth to respond, a razor sharp voice cuts in, interrupting whatever she’d been about to say. “Look what the sewer washed in. Apollo, seriously, take out the fucking trash.” I wince as I turn fully to face Raven as she stalks towards us, her dark blue eyes like shards of glass trained solely on Scarlett.

Raven is the spitting image of her younger brother and just as alpha as he is. Her long white hair is pulled back in a severe pony tail that swishes as she walks, eyes narrowed on my omega like she’s ready to launch herself for an attack.

I step in her way before she can get any closer, and Wren’s hotheaded sister stops in her tracks, turning her glare on me instead. “Enough, Raven. I’m not going to stand here while you verbally assault my omega. Wren also won’t be happy to hear about this, either.” I cross my arms over my chest. I’m at least a foot taller than her, but I swear she still finds a way to look down her nose at me like I’m scum beneath her shoe.

Raven’s gaze flicks around me to glower at Scarlett, but my omega stands her ground. “It would appear that you and my brother are both fools. She’s clearly another worthless, desperate omega who wants to snag the newest bachelors in this godforsaken city.” Her nostrils flare towards Scarlett, and then she peels her lips back in disgust. “I knew I smelled it on you. She’s already fucking bonded. She’s probably just a using whor-”

“Raven Celeste Madden!” Wren’s harsh bark cracks through the air, slamming into all of us with the force of a Mack truck. Scarlett gasps, but I don’t dare take my eyes off the fuming female alpha still standing toe to toe with me, looking like she wants to rip my omega limb from limb. “Don’t you fucking dare finish that sentence. If you do, it will be the last words you ever speak again.”

Well, shit. Wren means business. I finally look over at him as he stalks into view, heading for the little omega behind me. Raven snarls, the sound usually enough to make my hackles rise, but I’m too focused on keeping Scarlett safe. Wren’s sister is too damn unpredictable. I’ll have to watch her closely from now on. It won’t surprise me in the least if she goes after Scarlett for this.

Especially now that her precious baby brother has put her in her place for it.

Predictably, Raven doesn’t listen. “I told you, Wren. I don’t give a fuck what delusions you are under. She is not welcome in my vicinity.” She peels her lips back as she watches Wren step close to Scarlett. I glance over my shoulder briefly to watch him brush his knuckles softly against her cheek, and she visibly shudders in response to his touch in a way that I know is anything but fearful.

Wren doesn’t take his attention off our omega when he speaks, “And I warned you. My omega is not up for discussion. If you can’t get on board with this and treat her with respect like she deserves, you can fucking leave.”

Surprise flickers through me at that. I’ve never, in all the years I’ve known the siblings, heard Wren speak to his sister like this. He loves her more than anything and even feels guilty constantly about their upbringing together. He does everything he can for her to make up for the way their father had treated her after he’d been given a son by their mother.

Raven takes a step back then, and I finally look back at her to catch the hurt flash across her face, before she shuts it down. When Wren turns to look at her after a moment of silence, her usual mask of anger and hatred is back in place. If I hadn’t seen the emotion flickering in her eyes just before she shuddered it away, I wouldn’t have known any different.

For the first time in his life, Wren is putting someone else above his sister. And that will probably be the catalyst that destroys her.

Possibly even Wren, too.

I expect her to shoot my insults back at him regarding Scarlett, but she just snarls low under her breath before she slips past all of us and heads out the front doors without a backwards glance. A heavy silence descends over us for several minutes before Wren turns his attention back to Scarlett.

“Come on, Sweetheart. We can talk in my office.” He holds out a hand to her, and she only hesitates for a few seconds before she places hers in his open palm. He leads her back the way he’d come, and I follow after him because I can’t resist the pull I have to my omega.

Somehow, deep down, I know that this will not be the last showdown we have with Raven regarding Scarlett.

Ain’t that fucking peachy.

21

Scarlett

Somehow, I know that the moment I step into Wren’s office I’m going to regret it. Maybe not right away, but in the near future for sure.

I’d come here to talk to him about possibly performing once or twice a week at the club to help me squirrel away more cash in my emergency fund in case I need to high tail it out of the city. I already have a good chunk saved from selling a few pieces during my spontaneous online auctions the last few weeks, but it never hurts to have more.

“Caito doesn’t know you slipped under his nose.” Wren sounds amused when he says it, and my gaze bounces back and forth between him and Apollo, who had followed us up here. This is very dangerous. Being in an enclosed area with two of the most tantalizingly irresistible alphas in the entire universe. Past recent events have all but proven that I can’t be trusted around these men.

If I had a lick of common sense, I would turn my ass around and leave.

It would appear that I lack that more severely than I lack self-preservation.

My stupid omega hormones don’t give two fucks that the most likely outcome of this particular situation is likely to get me killed. Or worse: them killed. Fucking hell.

Wren arches a brow at me when I hook a thumb over my shoulder. “I think I made a mistake coming here. I’m just gonna go-” I take a step back, but I bump into a wall of solid alpha muscle, the scent of gunpowder and whiskey invading my senses as soon as I suck in a sharp breath. Sweet baby hippos.

I’m proud of myself when I hold back a shudder when Apollo’s warm breath washes over the exposed skin behind my ear. I hear him inhale deeply, taking my own scent into his lungs. The low rumble that begins in his chest makes my fucking knees quake. “What’s the rush, love?”

“I have a thing I forgot about.” It’s a lame excuse, one I’m sure they’re not going to buy.

“Why don’t you sit, Sweetheart. Tell me what I can do to help you.” It isn’t a request, and his words are entirely too loaded not to be construed as a sexual innuendo. It’s seriously unfair how badly these alphas can scramble my brain.

“It’s really nothing. I was just stopping in about the offer you put on the table after my interview. I… wouldn’t mind doing a performance or two a week here if you’re still offering.” Wren hums at my words. He doesn’t move around his desk to sit like I expect him to. Apollo remains flush against my back, making my body tingle in all the places we touch. He chuckles when I suck in a breath as he places a hand on my hip, the tips of his fingers brushing against the bare skin of my midriff due to the crop top I’m wearing beneath my leather jacket.

“Please, don’t.” I try to put some force behind my whispered demand, but even I have a hard time believing them. Hell, I know I’m full of shit. I want him to touch me more. Want him to run his fingers down into the waistband of my leather pants so he can feel for himself just how turned on I am for him just from our close proximity.

I know I’m in trouble the moment I begin to perfume.

I lose all sense of my mind when Wren steps up, effectively sandwiching me between him and Apollo. One of his hands goes to my other hip while the other captures my chin in his fingers, drawing my gaze up to his. The dark depths of his eyes fucking smolder with heat and desire. The both of them aren’t playing fair right now, but I just can’t bring myself to do anything about it.

“Is that what you really want, Sweetheart? To sing in my club?” I nod at his husky words, unable to form a response of my own while drunk on their combined scents. Apollo’s gunpowder and whiskey mixes well with Wren’s oranges and spiced brandy. Add in my own heady jasmine and citrus pheromones and I’m a damn goner.

“I’ll give you everything you’ve ever wanted and desired, Sweetheart. Tell me you want this, and I’ll give you the damn world.” His warm breath fans over my parted lips, and I groan at his sensual words.

“I shouldn’t. I can’t.” I’m panting, unable to control my reactions to them any longer. Being pressed between them like this is more than I can handle. This is different than dealing with them one on one. My senses are too overloaded to think straight. Common sense is no longer in the room with us.

“Come on, love. Let us show you how we can be together.” Apollo’s hand moves from my hip to slip down where I’m flush against Wren. My core throbs in response, and I nearly sob with relief when his fingers brush against the front of my leather pants, right where I’m aching the most.

“Y-you better make it worth it. Th-this is likely to be the end of us all.” I don’t know how I manage to speak relatively clearly, but I fucking do it.

Wren—the fucking prick—chuckles at that, like I hadn’t been trying to be dead serious. His lips are so damn close to mine when he says, “I’m not scared of your demons, Sweetheart. Let them come out to play. I’ll own them just as I’ll own you.”

Then he kisses me, and my entire universe tilts on its axis. Kissing Wren Madden is like being too close to a firecracker when it goes off. He removes his hand from my chin so he can tangle his fingers in the short strands of hair at the nape of my neck. His tongue obliterates my mouth, and I can’t stop myself from clinging to him like he’s a life raft and I’m adrift in an endless, stormy sea.

Lightning crackles in my veins and all I can think about in that moment is how I can manage to get closer to him. I wish I could crawl inside of him and live there forever. Safe and warm. Protected. Loved. Apollo holds me steady while his pack lead consumes all of my rational thoughts.

Before I know what’s happening, Wren has his arms around me and he rips me away from Apollo. Our mouths disconnect, and I whine for the first time since meeting these alphas at the loss of contact. “Don’t stress, omega. I’ve got you. I’ve always got you.” His purr rumbles to life inside of his chest where he holds me close while marching me over to… his desk?

My ass suddenly lands on the hard surface, and I gasp into Wren’s mouth when he presses his lips back against mine. He invades all of my personal space, wedging himself between my parted thighs so that he can rub his body against my aching center. Fuck. I need my pants off like yesterday. I need to feel this alpha exactly where I hurt the most. My rapid pulse thrums in time with each sweep of his tongue across my teeth and lips.

“Wren.” I whine again because I can’t help it, and he responds by kissing his way down from my lips, over my jaw, to my neck. His hands come up and slip beneath the fabric of my leather jacket, before he pushes it off my shoulders to expose more of my skin. The oversized crop top I’m wearing shows off more of my shoulders, including the hideous mark I’d rather not have on display right now.

His kisses trail so close to said mark that I feel myself stiffen, some of my earlier trepidation creeping back in, but then he shocks the hell out of me when he speaks again. “When I’ve dealt with the bastard that put this mark on your skin, I’m going to replace it. I will bite you so hard and so deep that you forget he ever existed. You are going to be so thoroughly mine that all you think about is me and all the pleasure and love I can make you feel. Do you understand, omega?” The declaration is a shock to my system, renewing the pleasurable heat steadily working its way through my system, igniting all of my nerve endings in a way I’ve never experienced before.

It’s addicting. Terrifyingly intoxicating. I never want this to end.

I gasp out loud as soon as I feel a second pair of hands on me. Apollo wraps his palms around my shoulders until he’s helped me lay back atop of Wren’s desk. When I glance up at him in my upside down position, his eyes are trained on his pack lead in anticipation.

Glancing at Wren, I watch him lick his lips while staring down at the exposed skin of my stomach. My breath hitches in my lungs when he spots a particularly nasty scar of my past that expands horizontally across my belly button, and then he caresses it with gentle fingers. The heat is still smoldering in his dark eyes, but there’s something else now glinting there, too.

Beautifully violent outrage.

Somehow, I’m not self conscious when he slowly lifts up my crop top until my bra covered tits are exposed. He traces every odd shaped scar with tender attentiveness, but he doesn’t say a word. I feel the hot rush of tears prick my eyes when he lowers his mouth to each one, pressing over a dozen heartbreaking kisses along my abdomen. Thank fuck he doesn’t know the depths of the internal scars I bear. I think it would destroy him if he did.

Without much thought, I reach a hand out to stroke over his stubbled cheek, drawing his attention back to my face. When our eyes meet, I feel time halt. “Make me remember who I really am, alpha.” I whisper these words, never fully expecting him to understand the hidden meaning behind those words.

Because somewhere along the road of life, I’d lost myself. I can’t recall a single day before that fateful day I turned sixteen where I’d ever truly felt like Scarlett Reighn. Those pieces of me had been buried deep within when I’d been forced on my knees to pay for a past I had no part in.

I’ve been petrified ever since that I would never get those pieces back.

Wren rumbles in response to my statement, the sound reverberating through me and shooting straight to my pulsing clit. I shift, trying to rub myself against the thickness of his body wedged between my thighs, but Apollo’s hands hold me still, pressing down on my shoulders down in a warning. The pack lead doesn’t need to be told twice.

The ease in which he removes my leather pants and soaked panties is astonishing. My inner omega preens when he passes said panties over to Apollo, who quickly pockets them out of sight, most likely for later use.

I don’t have time to think about what he might do with them before Wren wraps his massive palms around my knees, prying my thighs apart further. Every muscle in my body tenses when he reaches back to drag one of the armchairs closer until he can sit down, exactly at perfect face level with my aching cunt.

His nostrils flare as he leans in, inhaling the heady aroma of my slick already dripping onto the expensive surface of his desk. “That’s it, Sweetheart. Soak my desk with your delicious cream. Make it so that anyone who enters this room over the next week can smell who I belong to.” The first finger enters me while he speaks, and my back arches upwards, a keening cry falling from my lips. I could give two fucks less how dangerous this all is. Especially when he starts to pump that finger in and out of me.

I try to squirm, but then Apollo’s slipping one hand down the valley of my breasts to sprawl over my stomach just above my pubic bone to hold me still. I look up to see his eyes flashing with lust and longing simultaneously as he watches Wren’s finger plunge into my dripping pussy.

“Do you like that, Sweetheart? Watch how strenuous his hold on his control is while he watches me fuck you with my finger. Shall we go for two? Three? Do you think I can make you come before I even touch this pretty little clit?” My eyes literally roll back in my head, a loud moan escaping me when Wren works another finger inside of me. There’s no way I can hold back the things he’s making me feel.

I can feel my walls already fluttering around those two digits, and I know for a fact he’ll live up to his word. I’m going to fly over that cliff in the next minute or so, and he’s not even anywhere near the little bundle of nerves throbbing at the apex of my thighs. It’s just the thought of Apollo losing control while he watches his pack lead pleasure me that has me hurtling towards the edge of oblivion.

Apollo’s fingers flex against my skin where he’s holding me down for Wren, and his whispered “fuck”, along with the curling of the pack lead’s fingers against my g-spot, has my orgasm tearing through me. It’s so fast and so brutal that I damn near pass out from the ferocity of it. My strangled cry is cut off when Apollo’s mouth lands on mine, swallowing every sound I make from the pleasure his pack brother has brought out in me.

Fucking shit, I don’t think I’ve come that hard in my entire life. It takes me an incredibly long time to come down from the heights Wren’s taken me to, and Apollo kisses me tentatively through it all. When he pulls back after another minute or two, I glance down to watch Wren rise to his feet.

My eyes widen, but not because he casually slips the two soaked fingers he used to fuck me into his mouth. He’s gloriously naked from the waist down, and I swear his cock is pretty enough to make damn angels weep. It’s already dripping for me, his knot very present at the base and visibly pulsing with the need to be unleashed inside of me.

“Fuck, yes, alpha. Knot. Please. I need it.” Fucking consequences be damned. If I don’t get his knot inside of me right that second, I’m going to combust. He hums softly, a wicked glint in his eyes while he slowly licks his fingers clean of my slick.

“Don’t make her beg again. Otherwise, I’ll gladly be the first to give our omega my knot.” Apollo growls at him, and when I glance up at him, it’s to see him glowering at Wren with barely restrained desire and jealousy.

“Come on, alpha. You can fuck my throat while he fucks my pussy. Give me both. I want your knot, please.” I reach for the belt buckle holding his jeans up, my mouth already watering at the prospect of tasting him on my tongue.

Startled by my words slightly, he removes his hands from me. At first, he captures my wrists as if to stop me, but my pleading whine is enough to break all semblance of control he has over himself. “Fuck, love. You don’t know what it does to me to hear you talk about how eager you are for my knot.” He groans the moment his cock springs free when he releases it from the confines of his jeans.

“Both of you are so impatient.” Wren growls, but there isn’t a lick of anger behind his words. “Look at me, omega. Your eyes will only be on me when I enter you for the first time. Only then can you have your fun with your alpha.” My attention is yanked away from Apollo, and just as my gaze collides with Wren’s, he grips my hips hard and thrusts deep inside of me.

The dam inside of me breaks, and for the first time since I’d run from my demons, I finally let go.

22

Wren

Iswear my soul leaves my body for a second the moment I’m fully sheathed inside of my omega for the first time. It’s like every single piece of the lost parts of me finally clicking into place. Her pussy clamps down around me in a vice grip, and I damn near come after the first thrust.

Scarlett’s fist wraps around Apollo’s twitching dick, and he groans when she tugs him closer until his hips are flush against the opposite side of the desk. He’s just at the right height above her so that she can slip the head of his cock between her lips. She moans around him when I pull back and thrust back inside of her hard enough that she nearly gags around him when he hits the back of her throat. I can only imagine how difficult giving a blow job from that angle is, but judging by the way Apollo reacts to our omega, it must not be all that bad.

I’d be jealous if it wasn’t for the fact that I’m currently deep inside of her. When I formed this pack as a young alpha, I knew eventually that this would become our reality. I’m a possessive bastard, but as long as my omega is happy and sated, I don’t mind sharing.

My next thrusts are more shallow while my hungry gaze watches Scarlett adjust to taking Apollo at such an awkward angle. Her fingers are wrapped tight around his knot, keeping steady pressure to bring him maximum pleasure. “Do you like that, Sweetheart? I sure do love watching you choke on my pack brother’s cock while I get the honor of fucking this tight, pretty pussy.”

My pace picks up when we get a good enough rhythm where she’s not gagging too much around Apollo’s thick length. Muttered curses fall from my pack brother’s lips, and he tosses his head back towards the ceiling, getting lost in the sensation of being seated inside our omega’s hot mouth. I’d had first hand experience myself just how good she could give it just the other day.

Reaching down between us, my fingers find her clit, and she moans softly around Apollo at the first flick of my thumb. Her cunt ripples around me, making me gasp and growl in pleasure, bucking my hips forward to chase the feeling again and again. I’ve barely begun, and I can already feel that familiar tingle at the base of my spine start up. I’m so incredibly close to blowing my load inside of her, but there’s no way I’m coming before my omega has found her second release.

“I’m going to fill you up so full of my cum that you’re going to drip with me for days, Scarlett. Now that I’ve had you, I’m never going to give you up. You’re mine.” The flick of my thumb enunciates each word I deliver like a fierce promise. It’s not the only vow I’ll ever make to her.

We are only just getting started.

“Ours.” Apollo corrects me as his own thrusts become more uneven. I watch Scarlett’s throat work while she swallows around him. “Fucking shit, love. That’s it. Use those teeth of yours. Mark me like I’m going to mark you soon enough.” He pants, his hands finally delving into her hair to hold on tight.

Ecstasy flashes deep in his eyes, and he curses with a guttural groan as he spills himself down the back of her throat. The sight of her working down every last drop of him is almost too much for me to handle.

He strokes tender fingers down her cheek when he slips free from her mouth., cock jerking as if in protest. “Your knot, alpha.” She whines at him, but he just smiles down at her with a sort of reverence I’ve never witnessed coming from him.

“Next time, love. I promise. I’ll knot this gorgeous mouth when I have you all to myself. Our pack lead deserves the first knot.” His gaze finally lifts to me, the open invitation I really don’t need to finally let go.

I growl, the sound rumbling through me and to her, igniting the frenzy even further. My control slips, and I thrum my fingers against her clit with renewed vigor as I chase my release. “Fuck, yes, alpha.” She’s practically sobbing while I pound into her hard enough to have the desk shifting across the floor slightly, the sound of groaning wood accompanying her whimpered plea’s. “Knot, please. I need it. Give it to me, alpha!”

“Come, Sweetheart. Let me feel you lose control around my cock. Squeeze the fucking life out of me. Coat me in that delicious slick.” My command is bordering on a bark, but it works in my favor.

My perfect omega screams as her orgasm tears through her with one last flick and twist of my fingers. Her back arches off the desk, and she does exactly as I’d ordered. Her cunt spasms and twitches around me, and I fucking lose it. Three ragged thrusts later, my knot presses at her soaked entrance until it pops in fully right where it belongs.

I feel it swell, locking us together as I empty myself deep inside of her with a euphoric groan of pleasure. My legs shake with the force of my orgasm, spilling thick hot ropes of my seed all over her still fluttering walls. “Shit, Sweetheart.” I groan again, slapping my hand down on the desk beside her head when I lean over her body, pressing us together. The feeling of her skin flush against mine causes a ripple of ecstasy to race down my spine. What I wouldn’t do to get her alone again in her nest so I can completely coat her in my scent.“You are so goddamn perfect.”

I reach up to trace my fingers over the light freckles that dot her cheeks and the bridge of her nose. Behind the sated pleasure glimmering in her beautiful dark hazel eyes is something else I can’t quite place. It’s almost like sorrow, but the set of her jaw tells me I shouldn’t push her on it. I don’t want to ruin this blessedly perfect moment.

Silence descends upon the office for a few minutes, and then she speaks, her words so soft I almost miss them. “I wish I could be the omega you deserve.” The confession slams into me like a sack of bricks, making my knot deflate the rest of the way. I’m so stunned that my body moves when I slip free from her delicious heat, and she presses a small hand against my chest to push me away.

I stumble back a step, and she’s quick to pull on her pants and jacket, ignoring our combined release making her scarred thighs glisten. Fuck, I hadn’t noticed that before. Just how scar-littered is her body, anyway? My jaw clenches while I watch her move towards the door, hardly sparing either of us a glance. Her walls are already back in place before I’ve even fully caught my breath.

“Scarlett.” I call out just before she can disappear on me again, and the tone of her name on my lips forces her to pause. I remain quiet until she glances back at me, and our eyes meet. “You’re already everything I’ve ever wanted or needed. Never forget that.”

Tears shimmer in her gorgeous eyes, but she doesn’t respond. Her gaze flicks to Apollo when he joins me on my side of the desk, and that same pain shudders over her expression when she meets his gaze, too. She only hesitates for another thirty seconds or so, before she slips out of my office, leaving me feeling empty and defeated.

A heavy sigh escapes me, but then Apollo claps me on the shoulder in a show of support. “She just needs time to adjust, brother. She’ll get there. You know as well as I do that she’s only holding herself back because of the threat of her past.” I grunt, but that’s the only response I can give him on that front.

Bending over, I pull my pants back up and tuck my still semi-hard cock away. It’s hard to ignore how my entire office smells like us, her slick still pooled on the edge of my desk where she’d been planted while I’d fucked her. Apollo watches me move around the hunk of wood until I settle down in my chair and pull my laptop close to me, opening the lid so I can get to work with a renewed sense of determination.

“I know that look, man.” My pack brother adds as he takes a seat in the chair I’d used to finger fuck our omega earlier. I glance at him to spot him eyeballing the puddle of Scarlett’s slick like he’s tempted to lick it up, and I growl in warning to garner his attention.

“Leave it. That’s mine.” For a second, he looks like he’s going to ignore me. He isn’t Caito, though. Apollo doesn’t enjoy pushing my buttons the way my oldest pack brother does. If he’d been here instead of him, he’d never have let Scarlett leave the way she had.

Which reminds me…

Reaching for my phone sitting on the far right hand side of my desk, I pull up my thread to the asshole in question and shoot off a quick text.

Me: You should be more observant. A certain pretty little omega gave you the slip for nearly an hour, and you never even noticed.

Sending it off, I wait, but it only takes him a second to read it and respond.

Caito: I know exactly where my omega is. I’m following her home right now. You’re going to explain to me later why she’s sobbing while driving. Don’t think I won’t send her your body parts to pay tribute and show her just how loyal I can really be.

Fuck. I slam the device down, not bothering to text back. Apollo arches a brow at me when I finally open my eyes again to look at him over the lip of my laptop lid. I’m not upset that Caito just threatened to send me in pieces through the mail to our omega in retribution for upsetting her. I’m fucking pissed at myself for not stopping her from leaving in the first place.

“Caito will see our omega home safe.” I say by way of explanation, but he doesn’t look the least bit convinced that that’s the only thing bothering me.

“What are you doing?” He finally asks when I return my attention to my computer.

“Hunting.” I have some assholes to find and annihilate before I can fully convince my sweet omega that she’s all mine. Priority number fucking one.

23

Scarlett

Caito gave me his number when I came home from Raven, so I manage to text him Friday morning to let him know I wasn’t feeling good so he can reschedule the interview I was supposed to have with the police. I don’t think he believed my story, considering he’d been in my apartment foyer when I’d gotten home and had seen my tears and most likely smelled my shame.

It’s now a week later, and I don’t think I can get away with ignoring everything and everyone for much longer. “Seriously, Scar. You come home smelling like sex and alpha one day, and then hole up here for the next week like a hermit because why? Are you scared of commitment or something?” Kate is apparently done waiting for me to resurface from my room long enough for a proper conversation.

I’m leaning back in my nest, surrounded by the scents of my alphas thanks to the clothing they’ve sent over. I have a pencil gripped tight in my hand as if I’m preparing to use it as a weapon, instead of finishing the piece I’ve been working on splashed across the sketchbook in my lap.

Obviously performing a night or two at Raven is out of the question, and I’m too damn reclusive to leave my apartment for anything else, so I’ve resorted back to selling pieces on my online gallery.

Of course, Wren has purchased every single one I’ve uploaded over the last week for three times the amount I’d originally posted them for. Within seconds of uploading a new one, a sneaky Mr. Madden has snatched it up and left a little love note for me in return. If I really want to, I can totally move me and Kate into an apartment ten times more elaborate than even the guys’ penthouse with the amount of money I’ve made off of half a dozen works.

“Go away, Kate.” I grumble and look back down at the half finished piece splayed across my lap. I don’t know why I’m working on it when I have other important things to finish, but I can’t seem to help myself. It’s a memory etched into my brain that I need to get down to immortalize it. I’ll never be able to sell it, but that’s fine by me. It’s only for my eyes, anyway.

Or Wren’s… Considering it’s a sketch of him, drawn from my point of view when he’d been thrusting between my thighs in his office at Raven just last week.

Kate sighs heavily like she really is exasperated with me. “Listen, that one Greek god looking alpha of yours just broke in here while I was making coffee. He’s sitting on the couch looking at your sketchbook while I come fetch you-”

“What?!” I squeak, tossing my pencil and sketchbook aside and diving out of my nest in a panic. I hit the ground in an awkward heap, and I groan when my shoulder twinges in pain.

“Careful there, love!” I hear Apollo call out from the living room, and I groan again while picking myself up off the ground. If he’s looking at my sketchbook, he’s definitely going to realize what secret I’ve been keeping from him.

When I glare over at Kate while pulling on a pair of leggings with holes in the knees, she holds her hands up. “Don’t look at me like that. I didn’t let him in here. Motherfucker picked the lock and let himself right in. Seriously, Scarlett? What kind of alphas are you mixing yourself up in? A murderer and a burglar? What’s next?” She huffs, and I snort at that, though there’s nothing funny about the fact that Caito is, in fact, a murderer. Even if it’d been completely justified.

At least I hope so. Every time I’ve texted the man over the last few days and asked him about the case, he’s brushed it off as if it’s no big deal. It’s like he’s telling me I don’t need to concern myself with it. It’s rather annoying.

I quickly glance at my reflection in the full length mirror set up in the corner of my room, but I honestly look like shit. The shirt I have on also has holes in it, one of them large enough to reveal the teal colored sports bra I have on underneath it.

Deciding I don’t care all that much about it, I slip past Kate and out into the living room where I find Apollo exactly where Kate had said he was. He doesn’t look up at first when I march over to stand in front of him with my hands on my hips, too busy flipping through the pages of my sketchbook to notice me.

Or he does notice and he’s choosing to ignore me.

Clearing my throat, I demand, “What do you think you’re doing? You can’t just let yourself into people’s homes without an invitation.” I try for a glower, but then the asshole looks up at me, and I’m suddenly being taken back to that terribly erotic day in Wren’s office at Raven. I swear that when he looks into my eyes, I can still taste him on my tongue, infusing himself with my very being in the process.

When he smirks at me, I realize then that I’m really not all that mad he’s gone and broken into my apartment. I’d like to tell myself that I am, but it would be a lie. I’ve been avoiding all four alphas for the last week to try to distance myself all over again, but it’s been a huge mistake.

I’ve been absolutely fucking miserable this entire time, hoping and praying one of them would force a situation with me again, just so I could see them again. And here he is. Doing fuckin’ God’s work. Blessing me with the tantalizing scent of gunpowder and whiskey, and too sexy alpha muscles that ripple in his abdomen beneath his shirt when he sits back against the cushion behind him.

It’s grievously unfair.

Apollo taps a finger against the page he has open on my sketchbook with a knowing glint in his rich amber eyes. “So, you’re an art enthusiast, huh? So much so that you have a personal portfolio of Ruby Rain’s pieces dating back to the beginning of her career?”

I purse my lips, considering fucking around with him a little, even though I know the jig is up. “She could be a good friend of mine. You never know.” I shrug, and his smirk only widens.

He snaps the book closed and tosses it to the side. Before I can open my mouth to retort something else when he doesn’t speak right away, his arm darts out to grab my good arm. He’s gentle as he yanks me down into his lap until my thighs are cushioned on either side of his own. I brace my good hand against his chest to give myself some breathing room, and I damn near melt when his alpha purr kicks to life inside of his chest. The ultimate universal stop button for omegas.

It rumbles through me, acting as a stimulant and shooting straight to my core, kick starting the blazing hunger that always remained dormant within me for these alphas whenever they’re not around. I melt against him, careful of the arm in the sling across my chest, and his purr kicks up a notch as soon as I settle my head against his shoulder. I want to stay like this forever.

“The entire time I boasted about being a super fan, you knew. I can’t believe I’ve been obsessed with my omega longer than I realized.” He chuckles, his hot breath fanning over my cheek and making a smile curl my lips. This is everything I didn’t know I’d been missing.

“I’m still just the same old omega. I just know how to draw really well.” He scoffs at my words, one of his hands reaching up to brush his knuckles against my flaming cheek.

“You’re far too humble. Your work is fuckin’ magic, love. I’ve never seen anything that compares to it.” His words warm me up from the inside out, and I feel myself blush harder. I allow myself to listen to the beat of his heart for a few seconds longer before I pull away to look at him.

“Seriously, though. What are you doing here? You know there’s such a thing as a cell phone right? You could’ve texted me.”

He smirks at me in that already too familiar way of his. “Well, I wouldn’t have to resort to breaking into my omega’s home if she’d just stop avoiding me.” I poke him in the cheek and he laughs, the sound like music to my ears. It makes me melt all over again.

“I’m not avoiding you.” I quickly retort, but it’s an obvious, bold faced lie.

He arches a brow at me. “Oh, really? Then I suppose you’ll be more than happy to accompany me on a date I planned out for this afternoon?” I stiffen at his words, and he chuckles softly in response. He has me there.

“I’m really not sure, Apollo. One of the last times I went out, I was attacked. Now, I have to go in for questioning tomorrow morning after skipping out last week on it. There’s already way too much heat riding on my ass as it is. We shouldn’t keep doing this.” I move to slip off of his lap, trying to put distance between us, but he’s having none of that.

His hands land on my hips, halting me before I can move so much as an inch. “I promise you it will be safe, love. Where I’m taking you is one of the most secure places in the Valley. Don’t be so afraid to live your life. It’s far too short to continue living it in fear.” As he speaks, he lifts his fingers to brush against my cheek while he gazes deeply into my eyes.

Amber orbs swirl and smolder when he looks at me, as if he can see directly into my soul. These alphas are freakishly good at making me feel like I’ve been stripped bare after just one look and a few pretty words and promises.

Why the hell can’t I just let go? Sure I’m absolutely terrified of what will happen when my demons discover this dirty little secret of mine, but it’s not much more than that. How am I going to trust these alphas with their vows of protection and love unless I give them a chance?

I’ve spent my entire life in the shadows of people who think I don’t have any rights to my own freedoms and happiness.

I think it’s about damn time I prove to myself that I’m not the same scared, weak girl they still think I am.

I may be riddled with the scars of the things I’ve survived, but I am not broken.

“If you guys are going to fuck, please don’t do it on the couch. That oversized behemoth of an alpha is going to break the only decent piece of furniture we have if you start going at it.” Kate cuts through my ‘coming into my power’ moment when she stalks into the living room from her bedroom. She puts her hands on her hips when we both look over at her, and I can’t help the laugh that bubbles out of me at the expression on her face.

At the sound, Kate blinks in surprise. I can’t say I blame her. In the entire year I’ve known her, I’ve never once laughed around her. “Don’t worry, Katelyn. We’re going out.” Apollo allows me to slip off his lap, but I suspect that’s only because I’ve just inadvertently agreed to his proposal for an afternoon date.

I turn back to him and offer him a wink, feeling immensely lighter now that I’ve come to a conclusion about how I’ll proceed with these alphas in the future. The demons of my past are going to come for me whether I fight this connection or not. I might as well live it up while I can. Apollo is right. I won’t spend the rest of my life in the shadows of my fear.

“Be right back. Just give me ten to get ready.” I don’t let him respond before I duck off into my room to get dressed for my second mystery date with an alpha that’s far too addicting for his own good.

24

Lark

Leaning against the side of my car with my phone in my hand, I glance up when my mark steps out of a set of revolving glass doors in a fancy high rise apartment building across the street from where I’m stationed. I make a show of scanning the sidewalk as he walks over to a sleek black Audi the valet just pulled up for him, a pretty brunette hanging off his arm. The both of them are dressed to kill, heading off for a dinner date.

It’s odd that he’s alone, but I chalk it up to the possibility that maybe the rest of his pack are busy. I shake it off as I slip behind the wheel of my own car, waiting patiently for the charming alpha to get his omega settled in her seat, before he takes off. It’s so easy to slip out into traffic and follow them, making sure I keep behind two other cars as I go.

Predictably, he pulls up outside of a rather expensive restaurant located on a marina stuffed full of insanely huge yachts. Another valet opens his door for him and takes his keys before the alpha rounds the hood to help the omega out. I wait until they slip through the doors before I pull up and do the same, handing off my own keys for my car to be parked for me.

Once inside, I’m greeted by an overly bubbly hostess that reminds me of the one at the diner I’d taken Scarlett to back home. Here I don’t need my omega to stand up for me. I know who I belong to. “Welcome to La’ Fresca! Table for one?” She’s beaming at me, golden brown eyes roaming up and down my body, but it doesn’t make me uncomfortable. In fact, it’s quite hard for me not to make a scene by curling my lip and hurling an insult at her.

I don’t need to draw unnecessary attention to myself.

“I’ll sit at the bar. Just in for a few drinks while I wait for my wife to finish up at the salon.” It’s a lie, but the beta woman doesn’t need to know that. I’d looked up this place ahead of time when I’d discovered it marked in my mark’s digital calendar after I’d hacked his phone yesterday. I know exactly where the couple will be sitting, and the bar will give me a great vantage point for surveillance.

She looks gravely disappointed at my mention of a wife, but I don’t let my annoyance show. Most beta women I’ve met in the past are always so hung up on snagging alphas as if they can single-handedly take them all away from omegas. I’ve never understood it, always chalking it up to jealousy. Omegas can offer alphas things betas can’t. They just don’t realize that a lot of omegas would most likely choose a different designation, if given the chance.

The grass isn’t always greener on the other side.

Thankfully, she keeps her mouth shut while leading me through the restaurant towards the bar. I spot my charges just inside the doors from the patio, and have a little inward laugh at the flustered expression on the alpha’s face while he sits across from his omega partner.

Usually, their favorite spot is on the patio right on the water, but I’d made sure to call this morning for a party reservation that will never show to take up the whole space, offering a considerable sum of money to achieve my goal. In this game of cat and mouse my pack has opted to play with the fucks responsible for our omega’s misery, money is nothing but expendable. Wren will have no problem emptying his entire fortune if it means it’ll keep Scarlett safe and permanently end the threat hovering over her.

Finding the prestigious pack Erossi clear on the other side of the country in a simplistic city known as Fairvale Arbor had been easy enough. Thanks to Wren and his wealth of connections, we’d been able to dig up more than we needed to know about the pricks holding our omega back from opening herself fully to us. Those three assholes have absolutely no idea just how motivated we are to rid the world of them in order to set Scarlett free.

I slip onto a free stool closest to the table the couple occupied, perfectly within earshot just as I’d planned, and the beta hostess sets a menu down in front of me with another offered smile. The look I give her has her smile slipping, and she scurries off without another word. I take my phone out of my pocket and spot a message from Caito flashing on the screen that makes me smile.

Caito: It’s honestly not fair that he sent you for surveillance.

My pack brother knows exactly why Wren chose me to carry out this small mission. If he’d sent Caito, the psycho would’ve just killed the entire pack without much thought for how it would work out in the end. And it certainly wouldn’t have ended all that well. Considering the prick currently cussing out the poor waitress that just approached his table is the Chief of Police here in this quaint little port city.

The bartender finally approaches me, and I order a jack and coke to sip on while I listen in on the interaction between Harlan Erossi and his scent matched omega. Yeah, I know a whole lot about the asshole. I know that he’d purchased Scarlett from her father when she turned sixteen and had presented as an omega. I know he has two younger brothers, Jacob and Levi Erossi, that are also a part of his sick pack and have been complicit in defiling my omega against her will. I know that about two years ago, Harlan met the omega sitting across from him only to discover that she’s their scent match.

I know that as soon as that happened, they moved her into their fancy high rise apartment and kicked Scarlett to the curb. But not before he threatened her into never taking another alpha for herself. Not before he fucking bit her and tied her life to his in a bond that can only be broken by death or rejection.

Something told me that we’ll never get him to concede the latter.

Taking a sip of my drink, I tune into their conversation for a moment. “Harlan, please-”

“You will address me as alpha in public, Daria.” Harlan snarls low through gritted teeth, uncaring that his tone carries throughout the entire restaurant. I catch the eye of the bartender when his head jerks in their direction, and he gives a subtle shake of his head in response, a look of disgust crossing his features before he turns away to help a couple sitting a few seats down from me.

“Yes, alpha. I’m sorry. Anything for you.” She lowers her head, hands folded tightly in her lap. Right then, Harlan’s phone rings and he rises up out of the chair to walk out onto the patio so he can answer it. I unlock my phone, tapping at it a little until I tap his call to record the audio so I can listen to it later.

Once that’s set, I flick my gaze over to the dark haired omega sitting like a statue. She’s staring out at Harlan, who has his back facing the inside of the restaurant. From my vantage point, I can’t see any bond marks marring her skin. She makes it easier to look for them with the dress she has on that completely bares her shoulders to the world. If he or either of the other two have marked her, it’s not visible to my eye.

It tells me everything I need to know about Harlan Erossi. That he possibly doesn’t value his scent matched omega as much as he does Scarlett. If he does, why hasn’t he marked his omega up in a spot that’s pretty visible to the world, depending on what she wears? If I had to take a wild guess, it has everything to do with his public appearance. In his mind, he’d had no choice but to send Scarlett away once he’d found his scent match. He couldn’t very well start a picture perfect life with a scent matched omega if he’d had an illegally purchased omega on the side that he forced an unwanted bond on, now could he?

Harlan’s phone call lasts all of two minutes before he hangs up and stalks back towards the table. He looks absolutely pissed, and I find out why a second later when my phone pings with an incoming text from Wren that makes the blood pumping through my veins run cold. Fury is rippling off of the alpha in waves, and it makes the little omega waiting for him visibly shrink back in fear.

Wren: He knows. It’s game on. Get home.

* * *

I made it back into the Valley later than I’d originally planned. I quickly shoot off a text to Wren telling him I have something to take care of before turning off my phone so the controlling ass can’t track my location. I don’t need him butting in on this little side project of mine.

I pull up outside of a run down one story house that can’t be more than 900 square feet. A rusted metal gate attached to a rotten, wooden fence swings on crooked hinges in the light breeze as I slip out of my car, stuffing my keys into my pocket.

Before shutting my door, I pull out my handy crowbar from beneath the driver’s seat. I stalk to the front door on silent feet, taking it all in as I go. Two huge windows rest on either side of the screened in door, but one of them is busted out and completely covered in a plastic sheet that has holes in it already.

I take half a second to think before I raise my fist and pound it against the cracked glass on the screen door. In hindsight, it’s probably a bad idea, but what’s done is done. Thankfully, I don’t bust the sheet of glass out completely with the force of my knock.

Several minutes pass before I hear the telltale sound of a deadbolt sliding free, and then the door behind the cracked glass inches open slightly. Bloodshot brown eyes peer out at me through the crack, taking note of my easy going disposition. I even throw in a smile. Can’t have alarm bells blaring just yet.

“What do you want?” The voice belonging to the eyes is rough, like his poor lungs have gone through one too many packs of cigarettes. Yellow teeth flash when his tongue darts out to swipe over cracked and bleeding lips. Those eyes rake over me before flicking to the crowbar notched against my shoulder. I probably should’ve hidden the weapon I planned to use on the fucker, but it’s hard to hide my f crazy sometimes.

I’m not like the rest of my pack, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have a dark side.

One that I fully intend on embracing today to avenge my Dream girl.

“I’m looking for a Mr. Spencer Kruger.”

“Who’s asking, nerd?” He growls, and it takes all of my will power not to roll my eyes. I don’t know why people assume that only nerds wear glasses. Some of us just can’t see, dammit.

My patience is running thin, though. I haven’t seen Scarlett since our breakfast date and I’ve been stuck on the road for longer than I’d expected today.

I already know I have the right house and right alpha. I’d done my research beforehand. I definitely don’t have to do any type of work to put this sick fuck at ease. Sure, it would’ve been easier to offer him a baggie of Wren’s good shit in exchange for letting me in the door, but what’s the fun in that?

He’s too busy side-eyeing the crowbar to react when I wrench open the screen door, lift my booted foot, and slam it into the door he’s clutching like a lifeline. His big body goes sailing backwards, crashing into a wall in the entryway, but I waste no time stalking inside and shutting the door behind me. His big head has already left a hole in the plaster wall.

Immediately, I’m assaulted by the stench of rot, stale piss, and cigarettes. My eyes start to water, but that doesn’t deter me from swinging my crowbar and cracking the asshole in the shoulder while he struggles to his feet.

His howl of pain is like music to my ears. Already my blood is pumping in my veins as the scent of his blood fills the air. “What the fuck, man! I ain’t done nothin’ to you!” He screams, but I’m already bringing the crowbar back down, right across his right calf. The crack of bone accompanies another scream of pain. Thankfully, I’d already double checked that he has no neighbors on either side of his decrepit house.

“You’re totally right, Spencer. You didn’t do anything to me. However, you did attempt to assault my omega, and you have to know that I can’t let that stand without teaching you a little lesson first.” I say this as I bring the crowbar down against his other calf, smiling like a creepy maniac when that bone snaps as well.

He’s crying now, big snotty tears that stream down his ruby face. His greasy black hair hangs down in his eyes, and then he pitches to the side to vomit. I snarl, leaping out of the way just in time to avoid the bile splashing across my favorite pair of tennis shoes. Definitely going to have to use the shower back at Raven before heading home to wash away the stench of this place.

“I-i did m-my time for that!” He cries out when I swing the bar towards his face, just barely stopping myself from slamming it against his temple.

I’m not here to kill this bastard. “This is the only warning you are going to get. If I so much as hear your name in regards to any other assaults against omegas, I’ll pay you another visit, Spencer. And trust me, you don’t want that. You’re lucky my omega already mutilated your disgusting dick, otherwise I’d have to do it myself. Do I make myself clear?”

“Fuck! Yes! You crazy fucking psycho! J-just don’t h-hit me again!” He stammers, sprawled out on the entryway floor in a pathetic, broken heap.

Straightening up, I offer him another smile as I notch my crowbar at my shoulder again. I love the way he trembles while he sobs and clutches his shoulder where I’d first hit him. “Remember this moment when you next have the urge to do something you shouldn’t, Spencer. If you value your life, you’ll keep your fucking mouth shut about this little lesson of ours.”

I leave the house then to the sound of him screaming profanities at me. When I get back behind the wheel of my car, I release a huge sigh and some of the tension that I hadn’t realized I’d been holding on to expel out of me.

Breaking the legs of the asshole that forced himself upon my omega really is a good way to relieve some stress. Perhaps, I’ll have to pay Mr. Kruger a visit on another day very, very soon.

Maybe I’ll even let Caito come along to play.

25

Scarlett

Half an hour later, Apollo is pulling up outside a pretty nondescript building with a secretive smile on his face. My heart feels lighter when he slips out to round the hood, before he pulls open my door. He helps me out, and my entire body begins to tingle when he automatically wraps an arm around my waist.

“Where are we?” I ask curiously, but he just smirks as we start up the wide set of steps that lead to a massive set of closed ornate double doors made of heavy, pale-hued marble, accented with gold painted iron.

“Patience, love. Trust me to show you a good time.” He teases, leaning over to brush his lips against my cheek, and I feel a blush creep over my face with the contact. It’s so simplistically sweet, yet something I’m entirely unused to. I don’t know the city as well as I probably should, considering I’ve been living here longer than they have, so I have no clue what lies beyond these doors.

Apollo reaches out, pulling open one of the doors so we can slip inside. As soon as we do, and the door shuts behind us with a heavy thud, a gasp slips free from me when I get my first real look at the interior of the building. Holy shit. Holy fucking shit. “Apollo…” I breathe out his name on a shocked gasp of air, my eyes darting around as I struggle to take in everything around me as quickly as possible.

He’s taken me to an art gallery for our first date. A gallery that I hadn’t even known was here to begin with. If I had, maybe I would’ve been bolstered to send in some of my pieces anonymously to be displayed here. The space is warehouse style, with some sections walled off with massive sheets of marble for rooms with various different styles of art work. As far as my eye can see, the building is full of magnificent pieces that take my breath away.

“I take it you’ve never been here before?” He sounds amused, but I’m too in awe to snipe at him about it.

“No.” I breathe, taking a step forward, but then a tall, lithe woman steps in our path, blocking off the sight of the gallery from me. I startle back slightly into Apollo’s massive frame, and my arm tingles where he steadies me with a gentle hand.

He maneuvers me behind him, and I realize why a moment later when the woman’s scent reaches me. Blackberries and bubbly champagne. Alpha. “Hello. Welcome to Dutton Rogue Gallery. How may I assist you today?” She doesn’t seem bothered by Apollo shielding me, and she makes sure to keep her attention on him and not me. That alone helps me relax slightly.

“Apollo Reaves. I’ve booked the building for an hour.” He doesn’t hold his hand out to the other alpha, but she also doesn’t seem bothered by that.

Her smile is mega-million watt level. “Oh yes, of course! I can still call Mr. Rogue-”

“That won’t be necessary. We will just tour around for an hour and be out of your hair.” Apollo cuts her off, and she dips her head with respect.

“Of course, Mr. Reaves. I will be around. Do let me know if there is anything I can help you with.”

Apollo weaves our fingers together, before he tugs me away from the alpha without another word. I think about glancing back over my shoulder at her, but I think better of it.

We don’t stop until we’ve reached one of the private closed off sections of the gallery full of brilliant hand carved statues and pieces of metal work and other various types of stone.

“I’ve never met a female alpha face to face before. Well, other than Raven.” I murmur softly to him when we come to a stop just inside the sectioned off portion of the gallery.

Apollo hums in thought. “I’m not sure where you originally came from, but where we used to live, there are more than plenty of them. Black Tide Valley doesn’t seem like the type of place where female alphas tend to migrate to unless they have a reason.”

“I suppose that makes sense.” I offer while getting my first good look around, some of that spark of awe returning to me as I do so. Apollo has no idea just how much being here means to me. After having never been on a date before in my entire adult life, I managed to snag two special dates with two amazing alphas. It’s a miracle.

“Care to look around, love? I’ve booked out the entire gallery for the next hour. Dutton is a good friend of mine and was more than happy to lend his space to me for our date.” Apollo places his hand on the small of my back, and a blush creeps across my cheeks at the contact.

As we walk forward and begin to peruse the selection pieces, I can’t help but comment. “I feel kind of stupid. How did I not know Dutton Rogue lives in Black Tide Valley?”

I stop at a statue of Astarte with a unique twist that piques my interest. “He doesn’t. He lives about fifty miles away in Port Iris, his home city just down the West coast. He has galleries just like this one set up in Barker and Green Mount to the North as well, and he’s looking to open his first gallery on the East coast next year in Yulemite.”

“Wow. That’s impressive. What made him venture to the US from France?” I query as we move through the building from display to display. There’s such a wide variety of pieces from artists I know, and some I don’t. While we work our way through other rooms and sections, I quickly fall in love with several works from new to me artists that I make a note of, most definitely planning on stalking them online later when I get home.

Apollo stops just outside of one of the last walled off sections we’ve yet to go through, turning his body towards me to garner my attention. When I meet his eyes, there’s a glint there that would make a normal omega nervous, but it just makes me lift a brow at him in challenge.

My breath catches in my throat when he steps closer to me, making the soft peaks of my breasts brush against the hard planes of his chest through the fabric of our clothing. I tip my chin back to keep our gazes locked, and his entire body begins to rumble with the beginnings of a purr, which causes me to metaphorically melt into a puddle of goo.

He nuzzles the tip of his nose against mine, and I force myself to stay still for him. “I want to show you something, love.” His arm snakes around my waist, careful of my arm in the sling when he crushes my body against his as gently as he can. I just nod, wanting nothing more than to feel his lips on mine. He’s so damn close. All I have to do is lean up a little more.

I swallow back a whine when he pulls away, blinking rapidly while he guides me into the room we’d stopped outside of. It takes me a moment to pull my attention off the attractive angles of his face to get my first good look around. My mouth drops open when I come to a halt, Apollo pausing beside me.

He’s patient as I step forward and twirl around to take in the entirety of his little surprise. “And you thought I was a Ruby Rain super fan.” His eyes fucking twinkle while he watches me gape in stunned awe. It’s an entire room dedicated to my pseudonym used in the art world.

“Oh my God. Dutton Rogue has an entire room filled with every single one of my published pieces.” I say it out loud because I still can’t believe that what I’m seeing is real. He’s even got some of my pieces I published before my life had been sold away and I’d lost this vital part of myself. Pieces of my work that are no longer even available to the public on my art blog.

“I’m kind of jealous of the way you say his name, love. I thought I was your favorite artist.” Apollo slinks up behind me, wrapping one of his powerful arms across my chest, and the other around my waist to pull me back against him. Heat floods through my entire body at the feeling of every hard, perfect line of him pressed against me.

When he presses his satin soft lips against the patch of skin behind my ear, a small whimper escapes me. His arms tighten at the sound, and when his tongue darts out to taste me, a rush of slick gushes from my core in response, unbidden. I moan when he trails the hand of the arm band around my chest up until it collars my throat. He uses his thumb to press underneath my jaw, forcing my head to the side so he can have better access to the smooth expanse of my neck.

“Apollo…” I bite off the whine that nearly escapes me. My pussy throbs with need at his answering hum while he licks and nips his way over my skin.

Our scents rise and twine together thick in the air around us, and with each breath I suck in, I can’t get enough. “We can’t do this here.” Even as I say it, I can’t help myself when I grind back into the hard length of him pressed against the curve of my backside.

“We can do whatever we want, love. Tell me what you want, and I’ll gladly give it to you.” He purrs against my neck, drawing another whimper out of me. My hips rock back against him, my thighs beneath the yellow sundress I’m wearing already sticky with slick. Sweet mother Mary and Joseph.

“What about cameras?” I pant while his fingers flex, messaging my throat and making it that much harder to breathe. I am fucking here for it.

“Are you really concerned about that, love?” He rumbles against my skin, nearly making me sob when the arm banded around my waist starts to inch closer towards the throbbing ache at the apex of my thighs. If I just let go, he can slip that hand beneath the skirt of my dress. Rub his fingers through the mess he’s made of me. Discover just how little he has to work to get me soaked for him.

“Please, alpha…” I let out another breathy moan when I feel his fingers brush the bare skin just beneath the hemline of my skirt. “I-I need… t-touch me, fuck.” The tips of his fingers dip beneath my skirt, high enough to brush the slick sticky skin of my inner thighs.

My muscles tremble as he begins to stroke me there, coating his entire hand in my arousal. Omega pheromones are thick like fog around us, spiced jasmine and tangy citrus, and he growls against my neck, nipping lightly and making me jerk with a shocked gasp. Pleasure is already coiling tight deep inside of me, and he’s barely even begun to touch me.

“Don’t stress, love. I’ll give you what you need. Always.” My pussy practically twerks at his sensual promise. I swallow another whine, desperate to keep that sound to myself knowing exactly what it can unleash, when he swirls his fingers around in the sticky mess he’s made of me.

“Apollo.” I groan his name while he lifts his fingers up from beneath my skirt, bringing them close to my face like he expects me to need a visual of just how weak I am under his expert hands.

“Taste yourself, love. Tell me if you taste as good as you smell.” He presses his fingers against the seam of my lips, and it’s no hardship to open for him. This isn’t the first time I’ve tasted myself, but it’s definitely the first time an alpha has made me enjoy it.

My signature omega flavor bursts across my tongue, tinged with an element I’d never experienced before when I’d been forced to do this in the past. There is something uniquely different about it that I can’t quite put my finger on. It isn’t until Apollo removes his finger and slips them back beneath my skirt that I recognize it for what it is.

Contentment. Happiness. Freedom.

“Apollo, please…” I gasp at the first brush of his skillful fingers against my throbbing clit beneath the silk of my absolutely drenched panties. “What if that alpha comes looking for us?” I barely manage to get my concerns out before he taps three fingers against me as if he’s attempting to give my pussy a playful slap.

Fucking shit. Why do I love that so much?

Finally, a whine slips free from me, unbidden, when his teeth scrape against the overheated flesh of my throat. He growls, tugging me tighter against him in a visceral reaction to my omega whine. It’s like a siren call to an alpha, and it usually can’t be ignored. Their baser instincts won’t let them.

“Let her watch as I make my omega come apart around my fingers. It makes no difference to me. Let her envy me for the treasure that I’ve found, for I guarantee that she will never have a woman as exquisite as you.” He speaks those incredibly erotic words right when he slips that wandering hand of his underneath the soaked fabric of my panties.

This fucking alpha…

I buck against his hand the moment he slips a single finger inside of my dripping cunt, all the while he manages to slip his other hand up to cup my throat again. “That’s right, love. Fuck yourself on my finger. You smell so delicious. I can’t wait to have my taste as soon as you are finished.”

Tears are already rolling down my cheeks at the first curl of his finger against my g-spot. A kaleidoscope of color explodes across my vision as my body coils tighter with ecstasy. Fuck, he’s barely even begun the torture, and I am already half an inch away from the edge.

His teeth scrape against my skin again, fingers tightening around my throat, and I choke on a sob. “Let’s add another finger, shall we, love? We have about five minutes before our time here is up. Do you think I can make you come before that alpha comes looking for us?” Fucking Christ. I know he can. I am so goddamn close. My legs are quaking while he adds that second finger as promised.

“Yes, alpha, please. I need it. Make me come, fuck.” I gasp out, barely coherent enough to form the words. My hips are surging forward against his hand in an erratic dance, chasing after a flash of thunder that is already speeding directly towards me. It’s fucking magic. Especially when he latches his mouth around my throat, sucking my flesh into his mouth in a tease of a claiming bite.

“Come for me, love. Give me your pleasure. Soak my hand in that delicious slick of yours so I have a reward to clean up after.” He releases my flesh from between his lips and teeth, growling the command into my ear.

That’s all it takes. He doesn’t bother to stop me with a hand over my mouth when I let loose a keening scream of pure ecstasy. I feel my cunt clamp down around his pumping fingers, and my hips stutter in the thrusting dance I’d been performing. A slick gush of liquid heat floods the palm of Apollo’s hand, and he growls in my ear again in approval.

In an instant, my body sags, my legs no longer able to hold myself up, and he catches me with the hand he holds around my throat. He doesn’t seem phased while he holds me up, and I take a moment to catch my breath and come down from the high he’d taken me to. Holy fucking shit. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve never been touched like that—in a way that wasn’t intentionally cruel or vindictive—or if it’s because it’s him.

My perfect scent matched alpha.

My soul mate.

A love I’ve never been able to claim until this moment.

The thoughts running through my mind while he slides his hand from beneath my dress are absolutely terrifying. I barely get to enjoy his groan of bliss as he sucks my slick release clean from the palm of his hand, lapping up every last drop so none goes to waste.

As soon as he’s done, he spins me around to face him, and I nearly face plant into his chest. He cleaned up fast, and just in the nick of time, too. Seconds after his hands fall to my hips to steady me, the alpha receptionist from before sweeps into the room with a brilliant smile that very quickly freezes on her face.

Apollo has us turned just enough so I can see the way her nostrils flare and her eyes darken with desire, just as he insinuated they would. It takes her another fraction of a second to recover, and that honestly impresses me more than I’ll ever admit.

It takes her several attempts at clearing her throat before she’s able to form proper words. “Mr. Reaves. As always, I hope your visit was exceptional. I must open the building to the general public now, if you don’t mind…” She trails off with a wave of her hand behind her towards the exit.

“Thank you, Rita. Our visit was delightfully exceptional. I’ll be sure to sing my praises to Dutton for your marvelous guide-ship.” The sarcastic asshole beams at her, and I feel my cheeks blaze with embarrassment at his response.

She at least looks slightly flattered, even as Apollo grabs my hand and we sweep past her, leaving behind a plume of sex pheromones in our wake. Yeah. There’s no way she’s going to be able to air out the room before she opens the building back up for other tours.

Yet I can’t keep the smile off of my face when we exit the gallery. Naughty alpha and his even naughtier hands.

26

Scarlett

I’m in the process of trying not to have an emotional breakdown when a loud knock sounds on the front door. “I’ll get it.” Kate pats me sympathetically on the shoulder when she brushes past me on her way to answer it. We both already know who waits on the other side. I’m also still in the process of trying to figure out how to get out of another scheduled interview with the police regarding my unfortunate run in with those asshole alphas.

It doesn’t matter how many times Caito assures me via text that I have nothing to stress over. I still can’t help but to do exactly that. I’d been on the receiving end of police brutality one too many times not to worry. I know exactly how corrupt the system can be.

Especially when Caito had let in on the fact that these detectives demanding an interview with me may know something about my past, as well as the demons that reside there.

Definitely not rent fucking free, that’s for sure.

“Welcome to our humble abode, sir.” Kate throws open the door, and I glance up from my spot at the kitchen table to watch Caito cock a brow at my obnoxious roommate.

“Sir?” He queries, and she shrugs, taking a step to the side so Caito can slip past her. He spots me practically hyperventilating at the table, but blessedly doesn’t say anything. He knows that sometimes I just need to work through my own shit without his input.

“You remind me of an Irish mob boss. Maybe some sort of leprechaun branch of the mob. Seems like you enjoy being called sir.” Kate practically prances into our open plan kitchen to fetch her cup of coffee that she’d abandoned earlier. Inwardly, I groan at her analysis of the alpha that definitely should not be fucked with.

Instead of getting offended, though, Caito just snorts and shakes his head, eyes still trained on me as he comes to a stop close to where I sit. “I think your roommate needs alphas so you don’t feel obligated to stay here and keep her company. I’d love to wake up to you in my bed every day, mo chroí.” He leans down, brushing his lips against my cheek, making me shudder in response.

It should not feel that good to get a damn kiss on the cheek. Some days you’d swear I’ve resorted back to my school girl days whenever I’m around these alphas due to how I react to them.

“Oh my God, yes fucking please. Are you offering? In the market for two omegas?” Kate practically purrs, plopping down into the rickety chair across the table from me, and giving my alpha a coy look over the rim of her mug while she takes a sip from it. At this moment, I kind of hope the legs give out beneath her.

“Kate, seriously, I’ll shave your eyebrows off in your sleep if you suggest something like that again.” It feels good to bicker with her. That’s why I know she isn’t that serious about her thinly veiled offer. She knows how stressed out I currently am.

Caito stuffs his hands into his pockets in a move I innately know stops him from reaching out to touch me. “Nah. I’ve got some alpha buddies overseas that have been looking for an omega for quite some time. I can send their details or yours to them if you’d like?” He offers, because he’s just that nice of a guy.

Kate seems to ponder that, but I can see the hesitant interest sparking in her eyes. “I’ll think about it. Now that I’ve seen how stressed out Scar is with four overbearing alphas breathing down her neck, I’m not sure I’m ready to settle down. It’s easy enough to find a knot when I need one.” She shrugs like she isn’t bothered by the statement, and I arch a brow at her.

The look she gives me tells me to keep my mouth shut, so I choose not to bring up the fact that she spent her last heat two months ago holed up in her nest, sans the knots she claims are so easy to find.

“Alphas are overrated, anyway.” I shrug, finding it easy to tease Caito, the little growl he lets loose sending a delightful shudder down my spine.

“Says the omega who literally masturbates to the thoughts of her own four alphas going to town on her during her upcoming heat.” Kate blurts out before I can stop her, and I bolt to my feet, a cry of outrage slipping free from me to the sound of her unhinged cackle.

Before I can launch myself at her to strangle her to death, Caito’s soothing voice cuts in and stops me. “Your heat is nearing?” The way he makes those words sound should be entirely illegal.

When I chance a glance over at him, I swallow hard, heat suddenly pooling low in my belly at the way he’s staring at me. “I, uh, think I’m about two weeks out from one.” I admit, feeling my cheeks flame. My body has been showing all the signs the last few days. “I’d give it another two or three days before I start having the usual spikes.”

His eyes darken and swirl, and my thighs clench in response. My signature omega pheromones spike into the air around us, and my pussy flutters like a desperate butterfly at the answering rumbled purr he emits in response. When his own scent swirls with mine, I feel the beginnings of insatiable desire start to kindle deep in my core.

“Forgive me,” he murmurs, reaching out a hand to brush his knuckles over my cheek. The gentle touch is nearly enough to send me spiraling down into a state I’m not sure I’ll ever emerge from again. “I suppose I am surprised you don’t just take a suppressant, considering how we originally met.”

Before I can respond, Kate rises back to her feet, her coffee cup now empty. Tossing a look between the two of us, she says, “I need to get in the shower before my shift at the diner. Good luck today, Scar. Text me if you need anything.” She ducks in to give me a kiss on the cheek, before scurrying off into the bathroom, shutting the door softly behind her.

I meet Caito’s eyes again, and a spike of bitter anger surges through me. “I can’t take a suppressant during my heat.” I don’t know why I feel compelled to speak the truth. Perhaps it’s just an echo of the reckless omega I’m steadily morphing into.

The one that truly doesn’t give a single fuck how dangerous letting these alphas in will be.

It’s hard to care when each of them makes me feel like I can conquer the world, as long as they’re by my side.

“Why not?” I have a feeling he already knows the answer, but it’s obvious he wants to hear it from me.

I can’t stand to look at him when I say the words. One more truth I really can’t afford to let go, but I do it anyway. “It’s one of the terms of my freedom. I must endure every heat without a knot and suppressants. And there’s no getting around it. He’ll know if I disobey. Fuck, I’m certain he already knows everything by now.” The thought should scare the absolute shit out of me, but it’s a stark relief when I discover that it doesn’t.

Especially not when Caito steps into me so he can wrap his arm around my waist, lending me his comfort without a single word. My entire body trembles as I lay my head against his shoulder, marveling at the way the tension just drains from me with the contact. I still don’t miss the way his scent shifts with his anger.

He waits a moment before he uses his other hand to lift my chin up to meet his eyes. They’re like twin pools full of glistening, raw uncut emeralds. I don’t think I’ll ever get over the way he takes my breath away with just a single look. A touch. It’s fucking everything. How can I possibly deny this man anything when I want nothing more than to give him every piece of me.

He already does. They all do. I just don’t think they know it yet.

I’m so damn tired of denying myself the things I want. For once in my life, I want something just for me.

“You can do whatever the fuck you want now, mo chroí. I’ll rip off the balls of any man that tries to tell you differently again.” I shudder—a typical response to these alphas lately—in response to his words, and my inner omega fucking preens at the not so idle threat spoken to me like a train passing in the night. Inconsequential.

“What does that mean? Mo chroí?” I test out the foreign word he uses often on me, but it sounds all wrong spoken from my lips.

A smile tugs at the corners of his lips. “It means my heart. My pulse. The very reason for my existence. It means that I won’t let anyone try to break your wings ever again. I’ll end them if they try.”

Be still my fucking heart. What is this alpha doing to me?

27

Caito

I’d rather be anywhere else than where I am now, escorting my omega up to our lawyer’s private offices so those prick head detectives can interrogate her. Carson had assured me yesterday when I’d spoken with him that this was just something they needed to make a report on, and then the case can be moved forward to be dismissed. A simple act of self defense. An alpha defending their omega from an attack. I went into a blood lust rage when she’d been hurt.

It’s enough to stand.

I absolutely fucking hate that my omega has to stress about this to begin with.

She starts to fidget the moment we step foot in the elevator. I smooth a hand down her back, stepping into her so she can lean her body against me and soak in all the comfort she needs from me. I don’t bother to remind her again that she has no reason to fret. I will show her my undying devotion through my actions, not my words.

If those assholes so much as look at her wrong…

Scarlett makes a small sound in the back of her throat once we reach the top floor, and the doors slide open. Carson is already waiting for us, and he wisely keeps his eyes off my omega, instead looking directly at me. “Peterson is here.” He doesn’t need to warn me, but the heads up is appreciated. I don’t fucking care if Peterson is here, as long as he sticks to our deal.

Masters will be performing the interview.

Bending forward, my lips brush my omega’s cheek, the contact making a shiver race down her spine where I still have a hand firmly pressed. Fuck, I love the way she reacts to me. “Remember, mo chroí. You are fearless. Let’s go show them who’s boss.”

I catch the barest hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her luscious lips, but she doesn’t let it slip to Carson. It makes me feel some sort of way that she never shows those sorts of emotions around anyone else. Almost like she saves them just for us.

She doesn’t respond to me, but I dip my chin to Carson anyway. He stuffs his hands into his pockets before he turns to lead us through the maze of hallways, until we stop outside of an unassuming conference room. Good. He chose one without windows.

He pushes into the room first, and I stay plastered to Scarlett’s side so we step in together. I’m suddenly thankful that she took a scent suppressant before we left when Peterson’s beady eyes narrowed in on her. I really don’t fucking like the way he’s currently looking at her, but I keep my thoughts to myself while I pull out a chair for my omega across the table from the two detectives.

Masters, at least, has enough common sense to keep his gaze trained on me. For now.

Once I am settled in the seat to her right, and Carson on my other side, the more timid detective finally offers Scarlett a polite smile. One innocuous enough that I don’t feel it necessary to rip his lips off for. “We appreciate you taking the time to meet with us, Miss Reighn. I understand it’s been a trying week for you, so I will try to keep this brief.”

Masters darts a quick glance towards his partner, but Peterson keeps his lips shut. Scarlett just dips her chin in acknowledgment. He clears his throat before he starts in with his first question. “Can you please state your first impression of the two alphas in question before the attack occurred?”

A muscle in her jaw flexes. “You want the honest truth? I knew they were trouble the moment I spotted them.” She shrugs, and that makes Peterson shift in his chair. I level a stare on him powerful enough that he blessedly keeps his opinions to himself. It doesn’t fucking matter that the two pricks that attacked my omega were apart of his pack. He’ll do well to keep his fucking mouth shut during this interview if he knows what’s good for him.

Masters scribbles something on the legal pad he has placed on the table in front of him. “Do you think you can help me understand what could have triggered them to attack? It is from my understanding that these individuals were not usually prone to violent outbursts like the crime in question.”

I grit my teeth, the hand I have splayed across my thigh beneath the table curling into a fist. Scarlett snorts. “Does it look like I am privy to the inner workings of every alpha I’ve ever come across? I just assume it’s because I’m an omega. Perhaps my scent might’ve played a part. Am I supposed to be some sort of alpha mind reader?” My fingers brush up her spine in a soothing gesture. Just a subtle hint to let her know I’m still here.

Masters nods, scribbling away at his pad of paper. “Pardon the possibly intrusive question, Miss Reighn, but I can’t help but notice your lack of scent now. Are you on a suppressant? Is that something you use often when out in public?”

“Explain relevance to the case in question, detective.” Carson cuts in before I can quite possibly launch myself across the table to choke the little fucker out for being so damn bold as to try to scent my omega. I have to bite down on my tongue to keep myself from snarling.

The fucker Peterson notices and curls his lip at me in a smirk.

“I want to know why a bonded omega is bothering with a scent suppressant now, but she hadn’t the day of her attack. If her story is to be believed, the victims attacked her based on some sort of scent frenzy.” Of course the asshole just can’t help himself.

Masters glowers over at his partner, but I sit back and allow Carson to handle this first infraction. “One more word out of you, detective, and I will have you removed from this interview. You are to be seen, not heard. That was what was agreed upon.”

Peterson’s jaw clenches so hard, I’m sure his teeth are going to ache later from the pressure. Now, it’s my turn to smirk at him when our gazes meet again.

“I don’t mind answering your questions, detective. However, let me just set one thing straight before we continue with this interview.” Scarlett begins, leaning forward so she can peg Peterson—not Masters—with a stare hard enough to make the weakest of men shudder in response. “I may have a mark on my skin, but I am not bonded. I’ve taken a suppressant now because I am in the presence of alphas I do not call my own. That day, I’d been on my way to meet with my scent matched alphas, therefore I hadn’t thought it wise to take one when it would’ve just worn off around them, anyway.” The way she emphasizes the words scent matched make my cock stir to life in my jeans.

It also doesn’t help that she’d referred to us as her alphas…

“Apologies, Miss Reighn. My partner will not speak out of turn again. This interview isn’t about that.” His attention dips to the mottled mark on her shoulder where it’s visible with the simple purple sundress she wears, her arm secured with the sling she’ll still need for another week or two. “This little chat is just a formality so that we may move forward with the case.”

Scarlett finally peels her eyes away from Peterson to focus her attention back on Masters. “I stand by my alphas telling of events. When I happened upon them, they attacked me. If Caito hadn’t shown up, I firmly believe they would’ve taken me somewhere to finish what they’d started there on the street. I might not know the inner workings of every alpha I come across, but I knew their type. Make sure you add that into your little report.” She taps a long fingernail against the table before she leans back in the chair again.

I can’t help myself. A purr kicks up in my chest when I lean in to brush my lips against her temple. That makes Peterson snarl, pushing up to his feet and making the legs of the chair scrape against the wood floors beneath. I don’t bother to look at him as he storms out of the conference room, leaving us alone with Masters and Carson.

Masters makes a few more notes on his legal pad before he, too, pushes up to his feet with a tentative smile at Scarlett. “Again, I appreciate your time coming up here to speak with me, Miss Reighn. I believe we have everything we need for an open and shut case.”

He turns his attention to Carson then before aiming his next words. “I will send over a copy of my interview notes for you. Expect to hear back by mid-week from the DA if it’s decided we’re going forward with a trial. I don’t expect it to get that far, though.” He adds, meeting Carson around the table to shake hands before he slips out of the conference room without a backward glance at us.

“You may leave, Carson. I’ll call if we need anything else.” I don’t bother to look at the beta while I nuzzle my nose against Scarlett’s exposed throat. Today she has her hair twisted up into dutch braid style space buns which gives me perfect access to all that utterly delectable skin.

“Just do me a favor and lock the door. I’ll keep the hall clear.” Carson grumbles, already knowing full well what I plan on doing the moment he walks out of the room.

“Caito… what is he talking about?” My pretty little omega is already panting when I rise to my feet and head for the door. She turns in her swivel chair to watch me flick the lock, before I prowl back towards her with a predatory grace. She’s just playing coy with me. She already knows full well my intentions, and I haven’t even gotten my hands on her. Yet.

Grabbing her hips, I lifted her up, before kicking the chair she’d been sitting in aside. She gasps out when her ass lands on the hard surface of the table, tiny fists knotting in my shirt to keep herself steady. “Tell me to stop, mo chroí. Tell me I can’t reward you for being such a good fucking girl.”

I lean in, my lips brushing against the shell of her ear while I breathe out the words. Her entire body quakes, the tiny puff of air that escapes her on a sigh washes over my throat, making my dick jump to attention. “We shouldn’t do this here, Caito.” She breathes, trying to be the reasonable one. Her hips jerk when my teeth scrape softly against her earlobe, and I know she doesn’t really believe that.

“You let Apollo have a taste of you on your date. Why can’t I?” She grunts when I reach a hand down between our bodies so I can stroke my fingers up her bare thigh. I fucking love the fact that she’s so prone to wear dresses. Makes for easier access in situations like this.

The less fabric between my omegas perfect pussy and my fingers, the better.

“I shouldn’t have done that, either.” She tightens her thighs around my hips, using the heels of her booted feet to drag me closer to her, despite her protests.

I growl, the sound feral and unhinged, when she grabs a handful of my hair to yank my head back. A purr rattles my chest the moment her lips make contact with my throat, and it’s my turn to shudder at the first touch of her tongue against my skin. “You alphas are so bad for me, but I can’t seem to stop. I can’t help but to want everything I shouldn’t have.” She murmurs softly.

“That’s where you’re wrong, mo chroí. You should have it. You will have it. Anything you fucking want. How many times do we have to say it before we convince you that you are ours?” I use a palm splayed against her chest then to push her back until she’s flat against the table. She looks up at me with huge, doe-like eyes full of need and the underlying current of fear that I absolutely hate. When she’s with me, I don’t want her feeling anything other than complete euphoria.

She allows me to push up the skirt of her dress, and I groan when I find her bare, already dripping with mouth watering slick. Here, I can finally scent her properly. When it’s just the two of us, and we are like this, there’s no way her suppressant can hold up against me. Her perfume plumes around us until I’m happily choking on the scent of jasmine and spicy citrus.

Goddamn, she’s so fucking perfect.

“I don’t think you understand the depths of the scars that run deep within me, Caito.” The words she speaks are so low, that I barely hear her over the thump of my own heartbeat. That’s when I notice them. The various scars and marks that crisscross and mar the perfect flesh of her thighs and hips. Some of them are old—perhaps by ten or more years. Others are newer, within the last five years.

Straightening, I move my fingers to begin unbuttoning my shirt. She watches me, her body tense, but as soon as I slip the bit of fabric from my shoulders, understanding sparks to life in her attentive gaze. “I think that you’ve never allowed yourself to accept your scars as they are. They do not define you, mo chroí. They cannot break you. One day, you will own them. Even now, they’ve already begun to pave the path towards who you are meant to be. I vow to spend the rest of my life helping you learn to love every single one of them, just as I have my own.”

She reaches for me then, and I shudder again when the tips of her fingers brush softly against a particularly nasty scar that bisects vertically through my belly button, approximately eight inches long. My abdominal muscles flex under her touch, which makes her perfume kick up a notch. “Will you tell me about them someday?” She asks softly, and I offer her a brilliant smile when she finally looks back up at me, her hand falling back down to her side.

I lean forward again, my tongue darting out to run over the length of one of her own scars on her inner left thigh. She gasps in response, her legs quivering where they’re wrapped around my waist, and her back arches off the surface of the table slightly. So damn responsive. “I’ll tell you anything you want. As long as you tell me I can pay back every single scar on this perfect body to whoever gave them to you.”

“Caito…” She groans out my name the closer I get to her dripping center. She’s already leaking slick all over Carson’s table, and I’m definitely going to have to have him burn it when I’m done with my omega here.

“Give me permission, mo chroí, and I’ll give you what you need.” I blow a cool puff of air against her glistening cunt, and her hips buck up off the table in response, a desperate keening sound slipping past her lips.

“Fuck, yes, alpha. Do whatever you want to them. I’ll even give you a detailed list. Just please, make me come.” She’s practically whining now, and I fucking love that.

“With pleasure.” I grin against her overheated flesh, and then I’m diving in without so much as a warning.

28

Scarlett

Ican’t think. I can’t breathe. I can’t feel anything other than the burning ache steadily building within me with each stroke of Caito’s tongue over my greedy pussy.

I don’t know how I can be so surprised with the way this alpha lays waste to my cunt. Fuck, the noises he makes between my spread thighs are nearly enough to send me soaring right over the edge into reckless oblivion. He doesn’t give a single inch of coherent thought to overthink anything. At this moment, nothing else matters.

My fingers delve into the locks of his wild, flaming curls. He growls in approval against my overheated core, the sound rumbling through me and making me choke on a startled sob. His tongue and teeth work me over in tandem, lapping up every single drop of slick that gushes free from me.

“Such a good omega, mo chroí. Now that I’ve tasted this perfect pussy, I’m never going to get enough. I will feast on your delicious slick every chance I get, understand?” He says those words even while he continues to assault my throbbing clit with his tongue.

“Alpha.” I whine, loud and drawn out when he slips a finger inside my pulsing channel. He drags that single digit out of me, the tip lingering at my entrance long enough to make another choked sob escape me.

His tongue flicks once, twice, against my clit, and my fingernails scrape against his scalp so hard I won’t be surprised if I draw blood. I try to yank his head forward to close the distance between his face and my pussy, but he holds firm. “Tell me I can have this pussy whenever I want. Tell me, mo chroí, and I’ll let you come all over my face.”

“Yes. Fuck, alpha. You can have me. Whenever you want.” I pant out the words, each breath sawing in and out of my lungs. I’m in desperate need of proper oxygen, but if this is how I go—with Caito lodged firmly between the slick folds of my pussy—then I will die a happy fucking omega.

“That’s it, omega. That’s what I like to hear. Hold tight.” Confusion swirls through me momentarily, and a keening cry bursts free from me when he pulls back. It’s so sudden that my fingers knock loose from his hair as he stands up straight.

For a moment, I think he’s going to drop his pants and knot me like I’m desperate for, but he shocks the hell out of me. His huge hands grab me around the waist and yank me to my feet, twisting us until he’s able to lay himself back on the table. He uses those same hands still gripping my waist to pull me up and over his body, as if I weigh nothing at all.

Naturally, my knees land on either side of his head, the only thing stopping me from tipping forward into the hard surface of the table being those expertly wicked hands of his. They slide down from my waist until they can curl steel-like fingers around my hips.

“Now, ride my face, mo chroí. Make it so I’ll smell like you for days. Make it so your other alphas become ravenous with jealousy when I return home later.” Jesus fucking wept this man… An obnoxious moan is wrenched free of me the second he tugs me down over his face fully. It only takes me a split second to throw the rest of my inhibitions out the window and do exactly as he’d instructed.

I thought I knew what it felt like to have my soul leave my body. That is, until Caito spears my cunt with his devil tongue. My eyes literally roll back far enough I swear I can see my brain stem. I lose control, my hips jerking frantically while I grind myself into his mouth. The rumbling purr that kicks to life in his chest while he feasts on me like a starving, wild beast rockets through me, straight to the most intimate parts of my very being.

That borderline evil tongue of his moves back and forth between my entrance to my clit. He licks me in long, strong swipes, teeth coming out occasionally to nip at the sensitive flesh of my swollen pussy lips.

The moment he plunges two fingers inside of me and latches his lips around my clit, I come apart. My orgasm slams into me with enough force that I nearly topple off the table. If it wasn’t for the steel grip Caito had on my hips, I definitely would have. He lets me scream and grind my contracting pussy down on his fingers and mouth. The release seems to go on forever, and he licks and strokes me through the entire thing.

He doesn’t let up on me until I really do slump forward, my palms slamming down into the solid surface of the table. I’m a panting, quivering mess. I fucking whimper while he cleans up every last drop of slick I’d no doubt released all over his face.

My entire body feels like jello when he finally curls upwards, bringing me down his body until I settle in his lap, my knees splayed on either side of his hips while his legs dangle off the edge of the table. I wince when my sore center rubs against the massive bulge still concealed beneath the zipper of his jeans.

I’m almost tempted to ask him to take it out so he can stretch me around his knot, but then he’s kissing me. I groan at the taste of my cum on his lips and tongue. He kisses me like I’m the center of his universe, and it makes my heart twinge in my chest. He’s tender in a way that he only seems to be when around me, and I really don’t want to look into the deeper meaning behind that.

It fucking kills me that I can’t give him those parts of me.

Someday. I will be free. If not for me, for them.

He pulls back after an excruciatingly long minute exploring my mouth. Our foreheads touch, and a small smile tugs at the corners of my lips. He got his wish. He smells like me in a way that will definitely be permanent for at least a couple of days.

He catches my smile, and something warms up inside my chest when he nuzzles my nose with his own. “You are the most precious thing in the world to me, Scarlett. I won’t rest until I’ve proven that to you. Come. Let’s get you back to your apartment before your roommate sends an army.” Caito helps me to stand, and I would feel embarrassed by the stickiness coating my thighs if it wasn’t for the contented glimmer in his mesmerizing emerald eyes.

Fuck. How do I tell him that I don’t want to go back to my lonely existence at my apartment with Kate? I mean, she’s great and all, but if I’m going all in with these alphas, I definitely don’t want to keep spending my nights alone anymore.

He notices when I bite down hard on my bottom lip, and he arches a brow in question. I know he won’t ask me. He needs me to voice my wants myself. He’s that type of alpha. Sometimes it has its perks.

Now is not one of those times.

“Can I… I’d like to… fuck, can I stay over tonight?” I blurt it out before I can second guess myself, and Caito’s eyes fucking sparkle with glee.

Lifting a hand to stroke over the back of my head, he confesses, “Wren has a surprise planned for you that he’s planning on revealing to you tomorrow night. Can you wait one more night, mo chroí? I promise, it’ll be worth it.”

I feel my face begin to fall as disappointment lances through me like a white, hot blade, but he catches my chin before I can get very far. “How about I stay with you in your nest tonight at your apartment. I’ll take you out for breakfast in the morning after I let you ride my face again, and then I’ll take you to the pack house. Is that acceptable?”

Biting down hard on my lip again, I hesitate before I nod. “What do I have to do to you to get you to tell me what his big surprise is?” Feeling bold, I reach up on my tip toes so I can brush my tongue against the underside of his jaw.

I don’t allow myself to think about how my inner omega responds to that. Like it’s the exact spot she’s already chosen to mark our alpha the very second we can. Fucking hell.

“I’ll let you try your damnedest, omega, but you won’t hear a peep out of me.” The smirk he gives me is positively wicked, but a giddy sense of satisfaction settles over me as he pulls me out of the conference room I’d been dreading just this morning.

I don’t think I’ve ever been this relaxed in my entire life.

29

Wren

“Caito will be here in an hour with Scarlett. Are you positive you don’t want me to call that designer I found online yesterday?” Apollo’s leaning against the door frame a few feet behind me. I can feel his eyes boring into the back of my neck, but my inner alpha is entirely too focused right now to give him any attention.

In retrospect, I thought it would be a brilliant idea to stalk my omega’s online life, thus finding her dream board for her nest on Pinterest. Now, here I am, forty eight hours later and nowhere near ready for her to see the mess I’ve made of the room our pack picked out for her nest.

I feel like I’m just setting myself up for failure. It’s that thought that makes my inner alpha growl in frustration. He’s just being led by basic instincts. He just wants to throw the shit together, thinking our omega will approve of it, even if it looks nothing like she’d envisioned.

“I can do this.” I breathe out, loud enough for Apollo to hear, but I really don’t care if he responds or not. “I can build a nest worthy of my omega.” It’s a struggle to give myself that sort of mental pep talk. It’s times like this that I wish my bastard of a sire had actually given me the skills I’d need as a future alpha to excel in this part of my life.

That’s when Lark pokes his head around the other side of the door frame, drawing my attention with his next words at last. “I could be wrong, but I think I read somewhere that omegas like to build their own nests. Pick out their own materials and colors. Things have to be very specific for them, otherwise they can go into some sort of feral omega nesting rage.” He shrugs when I eye him, suddenly looking uncomfortable.

I frown, reaching up to scratch at the nape of my neck. Fuck. I think he’s right. I twist back around, now glaring at all the half opened boxes littered all over the room. “Goddammit. What do we do now?” I turn back to my pack brothers, my desperation clear.

“That designer?” Apollo suggests, but then Lark makes a weird face that draws both of our attention. “What? What’s that look?”

“For one, you don’t have time to get a designer here to fix this mess before she’s due to arrive. I also remember reading somewhere that omegas are very particular about who’s allowed inside their nests. I don’t think she’d take well to the scent of some foreign beta inside the space her alphas chose for her nest.”

Apollo lifts a brow at him, impressed. “Where did you learn all this fancy omega shit?” A normal person would have taken his question as sarcastic, but not Lark.

My pack brother’s chest puffs up in pride as he says, “I did some research after we first met Scarlett. I may not be an expert, but I wanted to learn everything I could about omegas so I could be prepared to help her adjust to life with us.”

Apollo dips his chin, reaching over to slap a hand over Lark’s shoulder, giving him a confident smile. “Well thank fuck for that. Wren nearly fucked up Scarlett’s first ever pack nest.” This earns him a glower from me.

“And if I’d let you invite that designer you were so insistent on in here, it would be your fault, too.” I quip, frustration coursing through me. How could I have seriously messed up this bad?

“Well, plus side I suppose, our omega doesn’t seem like the type to get all ragey about setting up her nest wrong.” Lark tries to lighten the mood a little, but it doesn’t help much.

I turn back to face the incomplete nest. The only things set up are the fairy lights embedded into the floors along the baseboards, and the massive mattress that takes up a good quarter of the room. There are packages strewn everywhere, some of them half open with blankets and pillows of various shades and textures spilling out.

I groan, scrubbing a hand down my face. “One of you needs to text Caito and tell him to hold off on bringing her over for at least another day. I can’t have the surprise spoiled because I’m a complete idiot.”

“Nope. No way. We are this close to convincing Scarlett to move in with us permanently. She can rotate between our beds until she has her nest set up the way she wants. The room itself is the surprise, Wren. Everything is going to be just fine.” When I look over to catch Lark’s eye, he holds up two fingers barely a quarter of an inch apart for emphasis. “Besides, I have a fantastic dinner planned for tonight, and Apollo’s picked out a movie we can watch as a pack for our first night spent together.”

I open my mouth to protest, but then Apollo lifts a hand to stop me. “Stop over thinking it, Wren. She’s going to love the room, and when she has it decorated the way she wants, it’s going to be her nest. Here. At our pack house. It’s the first step for us in becoming a complete pack.” Fuck. I know he’s right. I just hate that I failed in this. Our omega deserves the world, and if I can’t give it to her, then what good am I?

Before I can respond, a loud crashing sound echoes to us from the direction of the front door, followed by a familiar, obnoxious screeching that instantly makes me feel murderous. “Shit, I’m out. I’ll be in the kitchen prepping dinner. Do not bring that witch near me.” Lark practically sprints away like his ass is on fire.

When I look at Apollo, I narrow my eyes when I catch him taking a tentative step back. “Don’t you fucking dare.” I growl, but Apollo shakes his head.

“That’s your problem, bro. I like my dick exactly where it is. Your sister is the vengeful type, and when she finds out about this new development,” he gestures to the room around me, “She’s going to flip her fucking lid. Good luck.” Then he’s gone, and I’m left alone.

It only takes another forty-five seconds for Raven to find me still frozen in the room I’ve picked out for Scarlett’s nest. A snarl is already twisting her lips the moment our eyes meet, and she’s barely even taken a chance to glance around.

“Don’t fucking start with me, Raven. If I hear you say anything else hateful about my omega, I will rip your head off your fucking shoulders.” I bare my teeth at her, squaring my shoulders and lifting my chin to assert my own dominance.

Her nostrils flare, the fury simmering in her dark gaze aimed straight at me. “She’s not moving into the penthouse.” Her words are clipped, as if they are law. I really have let my sister get away with far too much when it came to my personal life these last few years.

But my guilt over her past only extends so far. At one point in my life, Raven and my pack had been the only things that meant anything to me. Now, they’re both wedged firmly beneath my omega.

Scarlett. Pack. Raven.

And if my sister doesn’t get with the fucking program, she will find herself firmly on the outs. That’s a fucking promise.

“You will accept Scarlett into our lives as my pack’s omega, Raven, or you can get the fuck out of it. Despite what you and the rest of the world might think, I don’t owe you a damn thing. I’ve given everything I can to make up for crimes I never committed against you. I won’t do it anymore. My priorities have changed.”

I stalk forward then, pushing past her to exit the nest. I have about half an hour to get her out of the penthouse before Caito arrives with Scarlett. I won’t subject her to my sister again. Not after what happened during their last encounter with each other. It absolutely pains me that my sister won’t accept the omega that was born for me, but that’s the least of my concerns at the moment.

“Wren, don’t do this. It’s a mistake. I’m only trying to save you from heartache in the future.” I whirl back on her then when she grabs my shoulder to stop me, but she doesn’t flinch when I snarl in her face.

“I told you not to start-”

“I know who she belongs to, Wren. You may have the power of our sperm donor’s empire behind you, but you aren’t invincible. She’s more trouble than she’s worth. When those alphas find out you’re tangling with their property, they will come for her. They will use whatever they have in their arsenal to take her from you.” She stands firm in her beliefs, and I realize then that there’s nothing I can say to convince her otherwise.

Yet, I can’t help but to try. “I honestly don’t give a fuck, Raven. And if you even cared a little about me or my pack, you’d back the hell off. I’ve done fucking everything for you. The least you can do is support me while I court my goddamn scent matched omega.”

Raven blinks, but I turn away from her and stalk down the hall in the direction of my office before she can utter another word. “Wren-”

She starts to call after me, but I flip her off over my shoulder without looking back. “See yourself out, Raven. You are not going to ruin the day I have planned.” I slam the door of my office shut with that, flicking the lock for good measure.

Hopefully, by the time I cool off and come back out, she’ll be gone and Caito will be here with our beautiful omega. It’s the only thing that will ever matter to me. It’s about damn time that I accept that.

No matter how much it hurts.

30

Scarlett

Slowly, my eyelids flutter with the soft brush of warm, calloused fingers against my brow. At first, I didn’t want to wake up. I’m warm, cocooned by the scent of an irresistible alpha. Winter Evergreen and rich, dark chocolate. It’s tantalizing enough that it makes my stomach grumble.

“Open those beautiful eyes, mo chroí. I miss you.” The sexy rumble of his sleep drenched voice is everything I didn’t know I’d been missing. I’ve been waking up alone for longer than I can remember. Even back then… he never let himself or the others stay with me longer than necessary.

Not that I’d wanted them to.

I squeeze my eyes closed tighter against the assault of memories, sucking in sharp breaths of air to help steady my racing pulse. Caito is patient with me. So damn patient. He continues to stroke my brow, my cheeks, my jaw, until the grip my anxiety holds on my heart ebbed. It will never truly vanish. I’ll never really be free. If, somehow, these alphas do manage to break the bond that’s held me prisoner for longer than I care to admit, I’m not sure that will be the end.

Sometimes, the scars we carry are just far too deep to heal.

I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to be the omega they all deserve.

“I’m OK.” I assure him, but I say the words for me, too. Finally, I open my eyes. Dark, raw uncut emeralds glint back at me under the soft light coming in through the window above my nest. We’re wrapped up in each other. He’s sprawled back comfortably against my mass of Pack Madden gifted stuffed animals, and I am tucked up against his chest on my belly.

“You are perfect.” The manner in which he says those words makes me ache in all the best ways.

“And you are still here.” I can’t help myself. I press a kiss to his scarred, chiseled chest. A fine dusting of hair a tad bit darker than the strands on his head and beard, tickle my cheeks when I nuzzle against him. He’s like a work of art, scars and all. My finger tip traces the scar he showed me the day before, but he doesn’t flinch like I’d half expected him to.

So, I move on. I explore, my fingers dancing over every blemish and mark that decorates his body. Some are cleverly hidden by swirls of colorful ink, while others are older and far too faded to make out, unless you’re paying attention.

With every new scar I discover, I feel that all too familiar emotion clogging my throat. He’s absolutely beautiful. Stunning in every way. If a man like Caito Archer can withstand the brutality clearly etched across his skin, I feel like I owe it to myself to do the same. I want to overcome every dark moment that has defined my life up until this point.

“I want to be happy.” I murmur softly, looking back up to find him watching me. He’s so damn relaxed. There isn’t an ounce of shame or hurry in his expression as his gaze holds mine. “I want to be free.”

He doesn’t say anything. Instead, he tangles his fingers in my wild, bed rumpled hair, and pulls me up until our lips collide. The kiss is everything. He uses his lips and tongue to tell me all the things my heart yearns to hear. You are free. You are mine. I am yours. Together, we are invincible. It’s like his soul is chanting those words back to me. We are dancing together over an open pit of molten lava. One wrong move, and it could mean the end of us.

This is what freedom feels like. This is what it feels like to be loved. I know it now more than I’ve ever known anything.

We pull apart, and it’s much too soon. The rough pad of his thumb brushes against the corner of my kiss swollen mouth. I can taste him on my tongue. Like the best damn scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream I’ve ever had. I wonder if he’ll let me suck his dick dry until I’m full on the flavor of his hot cum.

I start to do just that, reaching for the front of his boxers where he’s already straining for me, but he stops me by wrapping his free hand around my wrist. “As much as I want to keep you in this nest all day, making you scream my name until the entire neighborhood knows who you belong to, we have other plans. The surprise.” I know he’s exercising all of his will power right now to keep me from touching him. It’s just as much a shock to me as it is to him, I think.

For the first time in my life, I pout. In a decidedly very omega move, I puff out my bottom lip and give him my best puppy dog eyes. Seriously, I probably look deranged, but I damn near died when he tips his head back and laughs.

Fuck, he looks like an angel wreathed in a fiery halo. The sunlight from the window catches in the strands of his hair and highlights the fine dusting of it along his jaw. Ethereal.

I want to spend the rest of my life listening to that laugh.

“Do it again.” I breathe, lifting my hand and brushing it against the hard lines of his face when he looks back down at me. I prop myself up so I can get a better look at him, and those emerald irises darken further when my breasts bounce free from the sheet I have wrapped around me.

Yeah. I’m completely naked. Whoops.

“You are going to be the death of me, omega.” He growls, and then he’s tugging his boxers down, freeing his massive cock from the confines of the tight fabric. His scent swirls stronger in the nest around us, my perfume exploding out to join in the mix when I get an eyeful of the glorious knot he’s sporting for me already.

I can already feel the burn of the stretch when I slide down his length, and I haven’t even gotten there yet. Before he can grab me to haul me up to his mouth like I know he wants to, I dive for his dick like an omega possessed. “Fuuuuck.” He hisses out the word right as I latch onto him.

I groan in ecstasy while lapping up the bit of pre-cum that coats the tip of his cock. My tongue swirls and slips between the slit, making sure I get every last drop. There is a frenzy in me now. One that is quickly becoming hard to handle the more I get of him on my tongue.

He doesn’t have time to say or do anything else before I swallow him down, all the way to his knot. I groan again when my lips touch his pulsing knot, my teeth scraping against the edges of it dangerously. He curses again, his hips jerking up in shock. I love the feel of him stretching my throat. I fucking love the way his hips buck erratically with each glide of tongue and teeth against all the sensitive parts of him.

“Shit, omega, that’s it. So good for me. So greedy for my cock, aren’t you? You fucking have it, mo chroí. You will have it any time you want.” I moan around his cock at all those dirty words he’s spewing. I forget that Kate is in this apartment with us until I hear her fist bang rapidly on the thin wall that separates our rooms.

“This is not fair, you horny bitch!” She calls out, but I am too far gone to care. Caito chuckles, the sound vibrations carrying through all the way to the back of my throat, and I groan again.

“I think we better make this quick, mo chroí. Before your roommate decides to join us. Plus, I really should be getting ready to take you to the pack house.” He doesn’t give me time to protest before he curls forward, grabbing me and yanking me up his body.

Kate’s fist slams against the wall again as I scream when Caito slams me down on his cock. The stretch is just as exquisite as I’d imagined it would be. It burns in the best fucking way, but the new gush of slick that follows the intrusion quickly lubes up the way for him to pick up the pace quickly.

My nails are gouging into his chest so hard I know I’m going to leave at least bruises behind, but he doesn’t seem to care as he thrusts up into me with wild abandon. With each downward spiral, I feel his knot bumping my entrance, and I want it so damn bad I’m nearly sobbing.

“Knot, knot, knot!” I start to chant, drowning out the sound of Kate’s yelling from the other side of the wall. His grip is punishing on my hips, and I bite my lip at the thought of him leaving fingerprint bruises on my skin. The idea of him marking me in any way is so damn appealing, I nearly lose my damn mind. “Fuck, I want to bite you.” I snarl, grinding down into him with each upward thrust.

I’m already so damn close. “Bite me all you want, mo chroí. I will wear your mark with pride.” Fuck. He really shouldn’t have said that. I am bouncing up and down on my alpha’s cock, knot throbbing and dangerously close to slipping past my entrance to lock us together. I cannot think about sinking my teeth into the underside of his jaw like I want to.

But I can’t fucking help myself. It’s almost like a haze passes over me. Without a second thought, I take his words to heart. I reach out, gripping his hair to yank him upwards until his chest is flush with mine. He snarls, but then the sound tapers off to a roar of pure alpha pleasure the moment my teeth sink into the underside of his jaw. Right where my inner omega has chosen.

Euphoria bursts through me like a firecracker, blocking out everything for a long few seconds. His hips stutter, and then I am screaming when that glorious knot of his slips past my natural omega barriers. Then, we are locked into place. He’s roaring again, spilling himself deep inside of me, and the stretch of the knot is enough to send me over the edge with him.

I shatter apart to the feeling of our partial bond snapping into place. He doesn’t bite me back like I know he wants to. I want to feel sad about that, but I know it’s for the best. There are so many things we need to overcome before we can fully solidify our bonds.

It takes several long minutes for the both of us to come down from our high. He holds me against his chest, hands stroking all over my body with reverence. I feel tears pricking at my eyes when I get the echoes of his emotions down the partial bond between us.

“You shouldn’t have told me to bite you.” I say it, but I don’t really mean it. He chuckles, pulling back from me so he can look into my eyes. A solitary tear escapes, and he catches it before it can get very far. There’s just something about the action that makes the walls around my heart crack even further.

“You are my omega. My pack’s omega. You can bite me whenever, and wherever, the fuck you want.” Then he shocks the hell out of me when he leans forward and runs his tongue over the unwanted bond mark on my bare shoulder. “And when the time comes, I’ll end the bastard that put this mark here, then I will replace it with my own.”

And god fucking damn, I believe him.

“You are so much trouble.”

31

Scarlett

I’m totally knot drunk while riding up in the elevator that will take us to the top floor penthouse suite of the pack’s building. I also can’t stop casting glances over at Caito to admire my handiwork on the underside of his jaw. Kate flipped the hell out when we rocked up out of my nest and she spotted the mark, but I think she’s mostly happy for me. Maybe a little sad, because she knows I’m that much closer to permanently moving out.

Some of my nervous energy returns as the death trap comes to a halt, dinging to indicate we’ve reached our destination before the doors slide open. Kate’s reaction to the bond mark is the least of my concerns. I’m more worried about how the other three alphas are going to take it.

Especially Wren.

As pack lead, would he be pissed I’d marked Caito before him? I’ve never truly been a part of a pack, so I don’t really know how these things are supposed to work.

Hand in hand, Caito guides me out of the elevator and over to their front door. It swings open before Caito can open it with the code he’d made me memorize earlier, and my heart plummets at the sight of Wren’s very pissed off sister. I haven’t seen her since that day at the club when she’d confronted me in front of Apollo, but she’s just as deadly gorgeous as ever.

Eyes obsidian dark with anger pierce through me the moment she spots me underneath Caito’s protective arm. He shifts in front of me slightly, cutting off Raven’s view, and the alpha female snarls. My back snaps ramrod straight, just barely managing to swallow down a pathetic omega whine when she starts drowning me in seriously pissed off alpha rage pheromones.

Feeling brave, I peer around Caito to spy her glaring at the mark I’d left on his skin. “I thought you were smarter than this, Archer.” She gestures to it, but all he does is cross his arms over his chest, leveling her with an unimpressed look.

“I will never be Wren, Raven. I don’t give a flying fuck what you think. I only tolerate you around me because I respect my pack brother. I’ve already told him numerous times that you’re just a snake in the grass that needs to be taken care of. Be thankful he loves you so damn much, otherwise I would be happy to gouge out your eyeballs for every time you’ve glared at my omega with disdain.”

Raven snarls, her alpha energy and dominance whipping out, nearly knocking me to my knees. Caito isn’t phased by it at all, though. “This will come back and bite you in the ass, Archer. Mark my words. I hope she’s worth it when shit finally hits the fan. It’s obvious that none of you have a lick of common sense.”

She shoves past him after that, baring her teeth at me when I catch her eye as she storms away towards the elevator. Caito doesn’t so much as look back at her before he pulls me through the door she left open. It isn’t until we are inside the penthouse foyer, the door closed firmly behind us, that I’m able to take my first full breath since we came face to face with her.

“Fuck, she’s crazy scary.” I mutter, rubbing a hand down my face in an attempt to shake off the effects of her alpha energy.

Caito’s teeth grind, showing the first sign of his irritation now that she’s gone. “She’s a nuisance. One that I wish Wren would cut loose before she does something to force my hand. I really don’t want to have his sister’s death on my conscience.” He takes my hand again, and I watch in awe as the tension practically melts out of him with the contact.

I want to ask what her deal is, but I’m not sure I care to know. It’s obvious that Wren loves his sister, but it’s hard to understand from an outsider’s perspective why he puts up with her if she’s like this constantly.

Caito doesn’t let me dwell on it long. “Come. Let’s go see what your other alphas are up to.” My small overnight bag slips off my shoulder when he grabs it, and I follow him down the hall to the first room that opens up to the den I’d woken up in after my attack. That’s where we find Apollo, lounging back into the cushions on the couch with a sketch pad on his lap and a piece of charcoal held between his stained fingers.

He glances up when we step into the room, and his eyes immediately zero in on me. Burning amber irises sear me where I stand, and I shift, rubbing my thighs together at the heat I find simmering there. It’s reserved just for me.

Leaning forward, he places his sketchpad and the piece of charcoal down on the coffee table before he climbs to his feet. “You’re ten minutes late.” His attention shifts to Caito, and then he stops dead, one foot raised to take a step forward to head towards us. “Fuck.” He breathes out on a sigh, disbelief sparking to life in his eyes when he looks from the mark to me, and back again. “I am so jealous.”

I snort at that, crossing my good arm around my middle. Caito told me when I slipped the sling on this morning that I should be able to take it off after this weekend, as long as I don’t overuse it. “Well, make sure you tell me to bite you when you’re about to knot me and you’ll get the same results.” I roll my eyes, but the hungry growl he emits does weird things to my insides.

“Oh, really? I’ll keep that in mind…” He trails off, lifting charcoal-stained fingers to his lip to brush his thumb over it. I shift again just to have some damn friction between my already slick-dampened thighs. How the hell did that happen? I swear, these alphas are going to drain me dry of slick. I’ll never be able to have sex again when they’re through with me.

This right here is why I’ve been opting not to wear panties lately. No point really when they just end up soaked whenever I’m in the presence of one of them.

And the dresses make for easier access…

The scent of my slick hits the air, and both alphas groan. Apollo makes grabby hands towards me, but then Lark’s voice cuts through the room, drawing my attention to where he has poked his head around the corner. “Nuh uh, bro. Wren will be upset if you work up our omega and ruin his surprise.”

Apollo groans again, but this time it sounds like he’s being murdered. “No fair. Where is he anyway? Oh, fuck. Did Raven murder him before she left?” He twists around as if he’s about to head off in search of the pack lead, but then the alpha in question steps into the den from another doorway which I’m just now noticing that I’ve never been down. Not that I’ve spent a lot of time here or anything.

“Oh good. He lives.” Caito arches a brow at Wren, but I’m too focused on the way he shifts his body nervously into the room. My omega instincts are immediately on alert the moment he lifts a tattooed hand to rub over the back of his neck.

Today, he has his long, ice white braids twisted into a top knot on the crown of his head, leaving his neck exposed. I have the sudden urge to lick him, and I have to force myself to stay still so I don’t go to him to do just that. Dammit. I want to bite him just like I did Caito. I want to see my mark on all these alphas.

This is turning into a fucking problem.

I spy Caito smirking at me when he catches me lick my lips while watching Wren shuffle on his feet. Something has the pack lead worked up, and I bet it has everything to do with this supposed surprise that keeps getting mentioned.

“Scarlett, I…” Wren trails off, finally looking up to meet my gaze, and I damn near melt when he bites his lip. It’s so damn unfair that they are all this sexy. My shoddy omega hormones can’t handle it. That’s why I keep giving in to them. He opens his mouth as if he’s going to continue, but then his eyes dart to Caito, and then freeze.

Just like with Apollo, he blinks rapidly for a long few seconds. He opens his mouth, then closes it, before opening it again and gapes. He’s like a fish out of water, gasping for breath. He looks back to me, and I offer an unapologetic shrug. I really don’t have an explanation for the actions of my inner omega.

Caito really shouldn’t have challenged me to bite him. This is all his fault, really.

“I wanted to show you something…” He trails off, looking slightly put off now. “Uh, it was supposed to be a surprise, and then Lark made me realize how foolish I was being. I really thought it would be a great way to make you happy, but now I’m not so sure I haven’t gone and fucked it all up.” He’s rambling now, and I arch a brow at him which promptly makes him snap his mouth shut. “How about we just show you?”

Tentatively, he holds a hand out towards me. He still looks nervous as hell, and part of me finds that super adorable. I’ve never had an alpha be nervous around me before. I only hesitate for a moment before I move to him, slipping my fingers into his open palm.

I love the way he wraps his big, warm hand around mine. The other three alphas fall into step behind us as he leads me back through in the direction he’d originally come from. He brings me to a halt outside of a partially closed door, before he lets loose a sigh and pushes it open.

Letting go of my hand, he steps to the side and gestures into the room. I’m confused for a moment when I step inside. There are boxes and bags everywhere, some of them half open. It’s a huge room with at least two other doors that I think might lead into a closet and a bathroom maybe. The only piece of furniture I see is the massive mattress that’s spread out on the floor taking up a good portion of the room.

Something starts to prickle at my omega instincts while I scan over the room. I step up to one of the closest stacks of boxes, peering into the top most one that’s already been cut open. Familiarity tickles my brain when I pick up the piece of fabric sitting inside. I take it out and it unravels, hanging down for me to hold it out for inspection.

It’s a shag rug. One in the exact color I once picked out for my dream nest on my Pinterest board. On autopilot, I move to another open box and pull out a pillow that also looks very familiar, and a frown tugs at the corners of my lips.

It takes longer than it probably should to come to the conclusion that my instincts have already been screaming at me for the past several minutes. Something I’d already known the moment I’d first stepped into the room.

“Did you… is this…” I trail off on a whisper, clutching the pillow to my chest as I whirl on the alphas now crowding in the doorway. They haven’t stepped over the threshold, as if the room itself is something sacred to just me.

Caito is smirking. Lark is smiling that soft smile he reserves just for me. Apollo looks like the cat that got the cream. Wren still looks incredibly nervous.

“We wanted you to have a safe space for when you stay over. I mean, if you ever stay over. This isn’t meant to be a bribe or anything. We’ve had this room vacant for our future omega. I may have done a little online sleuthing and found your dream nest board on Pinterest…” Wren scratches a hand over the back of his neck again in that nervous gesture while he rambles.

Holy fuck. Holy fucking shit. “You… tried to build me a nest…?”

Wren blows out a breath, exchanging looks with the other three alphas. He nods. “Tried. Then Lark kind of reminded us that you might want to decorate it yourself. I thought about doing it myself, but then I didn’t want to mess it up and possibly upset you. Then I was going to hire a designer, and Lark also pointed out you might not like the foreign scents in your nest. We just want to give you a safe place here. No strings attached.” He shifts on his feet, and I’m still just staring at him, stunned.

I can’t find words. He’s done gone and broke my omega brain by gifting me a damn nest in his pack house. No alpha has ever gone out of their way to do something like this for me. In fact, the first time I’d ever been allowed to build a nest had been when I first moved here.

I’m quiet for so long that Wren begins to babble again. “If you don’t like it, we can toss all the items and start over. I just went overboard and got everything off your dream board without asking. I should have asked. We can get you whatever you need for your nest, Sweetheart. We just want you to be comfortable-” I can’t help it. I throw myself at him, cutting him off mid-ramble. He catches me easily, and I don’t even care about the twinge of pain in my shoulder from the stupid sling when I crush myself to his body.

His strong arms encircle me, holding me firm, but then he stiffens as soon as my chest erupts with a sound that surprises even me. He exhales a shaky breath as he buries his face against the crook of my neck, allowing my tiny omega purr to vibrate through him. He’s trembling as he holds me, and it’s the best damn feeling being folded up in my alpha’s arms.

“You’re giving me a nest…” I still can’t believe the words, so I need to say them again. Wren pulls back, still holding me so he can peer into my eyes. There’s a promise in the deep, icy depths of his gaze. One that sends a shiver coursing down my spine in response.

It’s a promise of forever.

One that is getting harder and harder to ignore with each passing day.

“Everything, Sweetheart. We will give you the world if you ask it of us. There is nothing we won’t do for you. This is just a small drop in the ocean of things we wish to give you.” He presses his nose against mine, making my pulse hiccup and the breath to catch in my lungs momentarily.

I don’t know why I’m so surprised. They’ve been saying this since the beginning. They’ve been proving time and time again that they meant what they said to me that first day during dinner. Every promise they’ve made. My past might be partially to blame for my lack of trust, but it felt like more than that.

Finally, I managed to say, “There aren’t enough words to express just how much this means to me.” It’s true. I wish there was a way I could offer my gratitude and for it to hold meaning. Offering myself to them just doesn’t seem like enough. They deserve an omega that doesn’t have all the baggage that I have.

A chorus of growls echo around the room, and my purr ceases in my chest. Shit, did I say that out loud? “You are exactly what we deserve, Dream girl. Don’t ever doubt that.” Lark is suddenly there, taking me from Wren’s arms. I haven’t gotten to see much of him lately, and I melt into him the moment he folds me into his arms. I breathe in his scent, tasting coconuts and sandalwood. Like a tropical vacation party in my nose.

The other alphas in the room rumble their agreement, and then they’re crowding around us, pressing me between all of them. I feel sheltered and loved in that moment. It’s something I haven’t felt since before my mother passed when I was eight.

Emotions clog my throat, making it hard to swallow. We stay like that for a long few minutes, just soaking each other up. Then, Caito and Apollo step back, allowing me to turn in Lark’s arms.

That’s when the itch begins. It starts as this annoying tingle at the base of my spine that I can’t shake. My body begins to hum as I look out around the room, a vision beginning to come to life before my eyes.

Allowing my instincts to guide me for once, I step away from the alphas and get to work immediately.

32

Lark

Watching my omega build a nest in our pack house is a fantasy come true I didn’t realize I had until it started happening right in front of me. “This is so much better than doing it ourselves.” Apollo murmurs from right beside me, and Wren grunts in agreement.

All four of us are standing where she left us like a bunch of creeps, but we can’t help it. We’re all transfixed on the omega marching around the room we designated for our future omega’s pack nest, awestruck.

She’s absolutely stunning. Every time she bends over to adjust a pillow on the mattress, or spread out a blanket, she flashes bare cheeks beneath her little sundress, and it takes all of my will power to stay right where I am.

“Fucking hell. If she bends over again, I’m going to bust a load in my pants like some prepubescent tween.” Apollo voices the same dilemma I’m currently experiencing, and Caito lets loose a soft growl in response. I can’t help but to reach down and adjust my painfully hard dick.

Caito—the fucker—has no room to talk. He came home drenched in our omega’s sex pheromones and sporting her fresh bond mark that made me jealous in ways I’ve never been. The things I’d do to get her to sink her teeth into me…

“We’ve been standing here for an hour. I think we should leave her to finish up. Don’t you have dinner to start?” Caito directs his last statement towards me, and I scrub a hand down my face to help ward off some of the lingering arousal clinging to me from my dirty inner thoughts. I’m the only one that hasn’t had a sample of our omega yet, dammit. I can’t help my reaction to her.

All in good time. Patience is key.

When I finally have her, I’m going to make it so she’ll crave me every second of every day afterwards.

“Yeah.” I sigh heavily, looking back at my Dream girl with longing. “Come on. Let’s give her some time. She’s in complete omega nesting mode right now. All the books say it’s best to let her work uninterrupted.”

Reluctantly, I leave the room, the other three trailing behind me down the hall to the kitchen where I’d already begun some dinner prep earlier. Wren plops down by the mini bar while Caito rounds the counter to pull out two glasses. “Better make that three, mate.” Apollo says when his huge body thumps down heavily onto the stool beside our pack lead.

Caito grabs another glass, and holds it up to me in question. I shake my head before moving to the stove to turn on the oven. The ribs I’d been marinating for the last few hours are just about ready to pop in. I set to work making up a side salad and slicing up the loaf of bread I made this morning so it can go in the oven with the ribs later for garlic bread. I’m most excited about the baked potato skins I have planned. It’s a new recipe that one of my clients gave me to try.

My pack mates start up a low conversation at the mini bar, but I tune it out as I work, falling into a familiar rhythm. Cooking is something I’ve always enjoyed that has a way of bringing me an inner peace I’m rarely able to find anywhere else. And cooking for my omega is an entirely different experience that I am enjoying all too much.

I’ve just popped the ribs inside the oven when my pack mate’s conversation filters back to me. “Joey texted late last night to tell me Erossi left the city, but he doesn’t seem to be heading in this direction.” Wren is tapping a finger against the top of the bar, his irritation evident.

Brows furrowed, I moved over to the bar to join them. This is a topic that concerns me. “Where is he going?” I ask, but Wren shrugs, picking up his glass of whiskey and taking a large sip.

“No idea. I asked Joey to stay put to keep an eye on the other two. If Harlan comes here by himself, he’ll be making a mistake. I’ve got guys watching all over the Valley. We’ll be given plenty of warning if he does show his face here.”

I don’t like that. We still haven’t decided what we’re going to do about the assholes that marked our omega against her will just yet. Wren claims he’s been working on something through all his father’s old channels of connections, but he hasn’t been very forthcoming about what exactly that is. Unless Erossi comes for Scarlett, there’s nothing we can do at the moment.

“He’s definitely out there plotting. He must know who he’s dealing with now. I bet he’s pooling together all of his resources so he can rip Scarlett away from us without repercussions. He can’t have the world finding out he purchased an omega illegally and forced a bond on her.” Apollo chimes in, and Wren sighs before he nods in agreement.

“Harlan Erossi is nothing. Let him fucking come. He won’t get anywhere near our omega.” Caito says this with such confidence, it’s hard not to believe him.

Just as I open my mouth to respond, a sudden crashing sound startles me, and I whirl around to find Scarlett frozen in the mouth of the kitchen. There’s a set broken of fairy lights on the floor at her feet, but it’s the expression etched onto her beautiful face that has horror sinking deep into my bones.

Caito is already moving around the bar, Wren and Apollo behind him, but then she flinches. Fucking flinches. All four of us freeze. She swallows hard, then shakes her head and glares down at the glass lights shattered at her feet. “I should be surprised, but I’m not. You four have this way of shoving yourselves into things that don’t concern you quite often. I foolishly thought you’d leave well enough alone. It’s obvious that I was wrong in that assumption.” She growls this under her breath, and Caito’s chest rumbles with his disapproval.

She reaches up and rubs at her chest, and I realize then that she must be feeling some echo of my pack mate’s emotions through their partial bond. “You were wrong to believe that we wouldn’t make it our business to end any threat against you, mo chroí. Nothing wrong with that, though. We told you we would prove our devotion to you. Whatever it takes.”

She slashes a hand down in front of her, her anger palpable in the air and swirling with her scent. The hints of citrus have gone nearly rotten with it. “I don’t fucking care. You had no right digging into my life like this. There is a goddamned reason I never brought that sick bastard up to any of you. You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into.” Her snarl makes my balls clench, which is entirely inappropriate. Stupid foolish alpha hormones. I’m just as much a slave to them as an omega.

I should not find her glare sexy as hell. It’s wrong on so many levels.

“Sweetheart, we know you’re angry-”

“Are you fucking kidding me? Of course I’m angry! You had no fucking right!” She repeats on a screech, reaching up to dig her fingers into her hair. She starts to pace, but then she curses and cries out, falling back against the wall and lifting her foot just as blood begins to drip from her heel. “Son of a bitch.” She growls.

Caito is suddenly there while she’s busy cursing out the universe, and he scoops her up into his arms before she can protest. She immediately starts to flail, but then he shifts until he’s tossing her over his shoulder while he marches out of the kitchen. We hurry after him to the sound of her snarls. “Let me go, asshole! You’ve lost your touching privileges!” She pounds at his back, but he slaps her bare ass under her sundress, unaffected by her little temper tantrum.

Her shocked gasp of outrage is cut off when he deposits her onto the couch. She tries to scramble away, but then Apollo is there, grabbing her ankle and yanking her back towards the both of them. I should put a stop to this, but I know exactly what they are doing.

I move over to the fireplace where we keep a first aid kit attached to the wall, and I grab it down before taking it over to Caito. He gives me a nod of approval as he sets the case down on the coffee table and opens it up to grab out the supplies he needs.

“Stop struggling, love. You’ve got glass in your foot.” Apollo tries to go for gentleness, but then she lashes out at him with the foot he doesn’t have secure. She strikes him in the shoulder, making him fall back against Caito’s legs.

“Give me the goddamn supplies. I can get it out myself.” She snarls, holding out her hand for the items Caito has clenched in his hands.

Because my pack brother is an asshole, he just smirks at her and holds the items firmly. “If you want us to explain ourselves, mo chroí, you’ll let me patch you up myself.”

She bares her teeth at him. “First off, stop calling me that. Second, I don’t need you to explain shit. You went against my wishes and dug into my past without my permission. There’s nothing else to explain.” The smile Caito gives her is not a nice smile.

My body tenses when he opens his mouth to respond to her, but Wren finally cuts in, completely on damage control. “Give her the supplies, Caito.” He’s the sensible one. He knows that it’s not the best idea right now to push her any more than we already have. We are at risk of losing her, and we haven’t even fully had her yet. All because of one foolish little lie.

I knew it was going to be a mistake to keep things from her. I fucking knew it, and I’d went through with it anyway. I am just as much to blame for this fall out as the others.

I just hope and fucking pray there’s a way we can come back from this.

33

Scarlett

This always happens to me. Things start to look up and go the way I want, and then something always blows up in my face, reminding me that the universe never has anything good in store for me. Life has been, and will always be, one giant continuous bitch slap.

I’m glaring up at Caito, trying not to let my eyes stray to the fresh bond mark I’d left on his jawline mere hours ago. I refuse to acknowledge what a colossal mistake that’d been. Don’t want to think about how I’m partially bonded to yet another manipulative asshole that wants nothing else from me but my complete submission.

His eyes darken like he can sense my exact thoughts. Maybe he can? I know he can at least feel the echoes of my emotions. It’s literally the same thing as reading my thoughts. This pack of alphas has just brought down hell on my doorstep again by investigating my past, and now I am probably going to have to leave yet another home again in order to escape it.

I am so goddamn tired of running from demon alphas.

“Does he know?” I can’t help but to ask. Tension is thick in the air, but I grit my teeth through it. I already know the answer when they exchange looks with each other, like they’re trying to decide just how much information to give me.

“We believe he’s aware, yes.” Wren hedges, and even though I’d been ready for the response, I feel my heart plummet to the darkest depths of my body.

Holding out my hand, I demand, “Give me the damn supplies.” I glower at Caito, but he holds firm to the items still clutched in his hands.

“What are you planning, mo chroí?” He asks instead of giving me what I want. I can feel his frustration echoing with my own. I tell myself I don’t fucking care. He has no one to be frustrated with but himself. Or his damn pack mates. Whose ever bright idea it was to dig into my past and alert my goddamn skeletons of my recent dalliances.

Nosy fucking alphas.

“You know, I blame myself. I really shouldn’t have expected any of you to stay out of my business. All of you alphas are the same.” I spit out the words, regretting them as soon as they are out. I shouldn’t fucking care.

“Dream girl-” Lark begins, but I cut him off with a vicious snarl. I know I’ve hurt his feelings. I’ve probably hurt all of them, but I shove my conscience down where it belongs. They are the ones that fucked up. Not me.

“Please. Just give me the kit so I can fix my foot. Then I’d like to go back to my apartment.” This time, I look at Wren and not Caito. He’s the pack lead. He will make the other alphas listen. I can’t look at him without looking at the mark I left. If I do, my resolve will crack.

He looks at me, a war waging in his eyes, but I can see him cracking. He’ll give in because he knows he has to. If he doesn’t, he’ll risk losing me forever. He doesn’t need to know that they’re already on the fast track to that already.

I just need to get the fuck out of here. I just need to think.

“Give her the kit, Caito.” His alpha bark is unexpected, and I flinch when it cracks out like a whip. Wren now refuses to look at me, so he misses it. Lark, Apollo, and Caito do not. The latter growls, anger palpable in the shift in his scent, but I grit my teeth against that, too.

Finally—fucking finally—he hands the items in his hand over to me. I ignore the way my body reacts when his fingers brush against the skin of my palm as I close my hand around the supplies. I ignore all of them while I get to work on removing the nasty shard of glass from my heel.

Silence descends while I move like a robot. Once I am satisfied the glass is removed, I clean the wound with the antiseptic, and then wrap it with the gauze and tape. It takes probably about fifteen minutes. The entire time, all four alphas stand rigid, watching me. It’s a damn testament to my strength that I manage to keep myself from looking at any of them.

I rise to my feet when I’m done, ignoring the twinge in my heel as I do so. I take a step, but then Caito’s growl stops me in my tracks. I look at him then, even though I know it’s a bad idea. It kills me to see the tortured look in his eyes, but I lift my chin regardless. He hurt me. I didn’t do this. I didn’t break us.

“You’re running. Instead of facing your problems like a big girl, you’re blowing them off. That’s nice to know.” I narrow my eyes on him, and Lark groans at his pack brother while Apollo curses.

“Caito-” Wren begins, but the alpha in question snarls, slashing his hand in the air when he turns to leave. I don’t know why that makes panic surge with in me, and I take a step towards him before I can stop myself. I seriously hate my goddamn omega instincts sometimes.

“Tell me you did it because you want to control me.” I snap, letting some of my anger loose. Caito freezes. They all freeze.

Slowly, he turns back to me, an emotion glinting in his eye that I can’t quite place. I can’t feel it down the partial bond, either. That makes me nervous. “Is that what you think we want to do? Truly?” The question is so cold. So devoid of life. It makes a ripple of unease course down my spine. What the hell am I doing?

I lift my chin, but my bravado is gone. “I’ve spent my entire life catering to alphas that want nothing but to control me. First my father, and then them. Him. What else am I supposed to think when you all fucking promised me you’d do anything to make me happy and keep me safe. I warned you to leave this alone. Harlan Erossi is not someone you can fuck with and get away with it.” My chest is heaving, anger making my scent burn into something rotten. It clogs the air, but so do their scents. I breathe in and I can taste their own anger. Their anxiety and helplessness.

Their fear.

It’s suffocating.

I expect Caito to explode, to argue with me and lay down the law. I expect him to do a lot of things. I don’t expect him to shake his head and turn his back on me again. He stalks away without another word, and I feel that thin cord inside of my chest pull taut. The bond flickers frantically with each step he takes. It feels wrong. I don’t know how to explain it.

I know I should stop him. I don’t. I watch him walk away, and a tremor works its way from the crown of my head to the tip of my toes. Another deathly still silence falls over the room, and I can’t tear my eyes away from the archway where Caito had just disappeared. My soul is crying out for him, our bonded alpha, but my anger and my pride promise to be my downfall.

“Do you want time, Scarlett?” Wren’s sudden question breaks through the silence like a bullet through a glass window, shattering my resolve just a little bit more. I feel my chin wobble, but I can’t look at him. I stare down at my feet now, one still throbbing from the glass I’d pulled out. My heart is fracturing apart in my chest.

Time… Is that what I want? Will that make this better? I don’t know. I don’t fucking know, and I feel like I am dying inside. I let these alphas in. I trusted them. I was going to let myself fall. My reality has been shattered, and I don’t know how to fix this.

“I think… that might be best.” I pull out my phone from the pocket on my sundress. “I already ordered an Uber. It’s here.” I can’t find any other words to say. I can’t look at them.

I can’t stop thinking about the way Caito turned his back on me.

“I’ll walk you down.” Wren says after a tense moment of silence. I want to argue, but the fight has left me. I want to break down, but I won’t do that here. If they see me lose it, they’ll want to comfort me, and then I’ll cave in. I can’t. I did nothing wrong. I have to keep telling myself that.

I follow Wren to the door. Lark and Apollo stay back in the den, but I can feel their eyes on me as I go. I force myself to keep my eyes on the floor. I know if I look at them, I’ll break. It won’t even take much. Just seeing the pain in their eyes will be enough to make me beg.

As soon as I am at the door, I slip my feet into my flip-flops. I stand there for a moment, still staring at the ground. Then Wren reaches out and grasps my chin in his palm, turning my face up to look at him. I suck in a sharp breath at what I see written across his face. There’s so much there for me to unpack, but the one emotion above all else that sticks out to me is a shock to my system.

Understanding.

“This isn’t us giving up on you, Sweetheart. This is us proving to you that what you want matters. Take the time you need. We will be here waiting when you’re ready.” The words are simple, yet they flay me right down to the marrow of my bones.

I open my mouth like I’m going to say something, but he shakes his head. He doesn’t need an explanation. I shouldn’t want to give him one, but I do. Can I really leave like this? I just watched one of my alphas turn his back on me, and it nearly destroyed me.

How can I turn my back on all four of them?

Because this isn’t forever. I tell myself that as I get on the elevator. I tell myself that as I watch Wren until the doors slide closed, cutting him off from view.

This isn’t forever.

So then why does it feel like it is?

34

Caito

“You know she doesn’t want you out here, right?” Apollo’s voice is like a needle to the brain. I grit my teeth, but I don’t take my eyes off my omega’s window. She has the curtains drawn closed, even though it’s a beautiful sunny day. Probably one of the last few before fall is in full effect, and the rain starts up. There’s already some in the forecast for next week.

“Unless you’ve heard something I need to know about, leave me the fuck alone.” I’m seriously not in the mood. I let myself walk away from her thinking this little temper tantrum of hers was going to be temporary.

Three goddamned weeks.

That’s how long she’s been holed up in her apartment. When I’m not watching the front entrance, one of my pack brothers is. She hasn’t left. I know she’s in there. I know it because her roommate glowers at me every time she’s gone to and from work or the grocery store.

The only upside is that she hasn’t ditched town. I’m not sure if that had been in her plan book at all, but I made sure that she wouldn’t be going anywhere without my knowledge before we’d left that apartment that fateful day three weeks ago. She doesn’t know it, but there isn’t a single damn place on this planet my omega can go where I won’t find her.

“Joey called.” Apollo finally speaks. He sighs and drops onto the bench seat beside me. A little old beta lady walks by with her dog and gives me the oddest look, before she follows my impenetrable gaze up to Scarlett’s locked up window. I ignore the way she peels her lips back at me in disgust. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with an alpha guarding his traumatized omega. The whole world doesn’t need to know my damn business.

Though I’m pretty sure the mail man of Scarlett’s building is one day closer to reporting me to the police for stalking.

Semantics.

“Do you have a report or not? Stop wasting my time.” He huffs at me for that, but then he too turns his gaze up to our girl’s window. He has it just as bad as I do. Well, I certainly have it worse. I have her damn mark on my jawline, and it’s taking all of my alpha willpower not to march my ass up to her front door and kick it in so I can demand she speak with me. Maybe get her underneath me so I can make her come a few times so she can forget all about our little slip up.

I’m such a fucking fool. We all are. We should have been honest with her from the beginning. Now we’ve been tossed to the curb like yesterday’s forgotten trash, and I fucking hate it. If it wasn’t for Wren and his threats, I would’ve made a move already.

“Harlan has gone AWOL.” My pack mate finally spits out, and I feel my shoulders stiffen. I glance over at him sharply, tearing my eyes away from the window for the first time since I got here this morning.

It’s nearly two in the afternoon now.

Yeah. I’m that devoted.

“For how fucking long?” I grind out through gritted teeth.

Apollo sighs and scrubs a hand down his face. “Last night. Joey says he was tracking him when he decided to make an impromptu trip of out town, but he says he lost him when he started heading East.”

I relax slightly at that. Not much, but a little. “No intel on why?” He shakes his head at my question.

“None. It also seems that the other two have stayed back again with the omega.” A frown tugs at my lips at that while I go back to staring at Scarlett’s closed window.

“Does Joey ever see those two leave?” I can’t shake this niggling feeling that’s taking root inside of me. It’s like an itch that I can’t quite scratch.

“No. Lark wants to make a trip out there again, but Wren was a firm no. I’m not sure what the bastards are playing at. They know about us and Scarlett. They’re just biding their time now. But fuck, man. I hate that we don’t know when they’ll strike. You know they will.” Apollo’s irritation is evident in the way his scent shifts.

Taking my phone out of my pocket, I check for any messages from Wren. There aren’t any. “He’s had no word from his contacts, has he?” I ask while I slip my phone back away.

“As far as I know, no. You haven’t been home when he has much, but he’s been an even moodier bastard than you. You know he tried to go to the diner to talk to Kate?” I lifted my brows at that, looking over at him quickly to find him glowering at a man stopped in front of a storefront across the street from our bench. I think it’s a tea shop or something. It’s the building right next to Scarlett’s.

“I’m guessing that didn’t go well?” Apollo scoffs at that, and it makes a smirk curl my lips. I don’t think I’ve shown any kind of emotion like that since I foolishly turned my back on my omega. Seriously, I’m such a goddamned idiot.

“No. She had him removed for loitering, even though he bought a coffee. Told him right to his face that she wasn’t getting in the middle of his bullshit with Scar.” I blow out a breath at that, and now I’m eyeing the asshole standing in front of the shop. He’s standing there, but his body is turned towards the front entrance of our omega’s building.

“Walk with me.” I rise to my feet and start heading in the direction of the cross walk about ten feet away. Apollo says nothing, but I can feel him follow me. It only takes thirty seconds for the light to signal, and I walk across the street to the side Scarlett’s building is on.

My pack brother seems to catch on to what I’m doing, and the irritation lacing his scent quickly morphs into something deadlier. We’re nearly four feet away from the loitering asshole when he senses us behind him. I move quicker than he can, though.

Before he can make a move like he intended to run, my favorite knife is firmly pressed against his spine, and Apollo flanks him on his other side. “Lets go have a little chat, eh mate?” Violence sings in my blood at the feel of the beta stiffening against the sharp point of my blade.

He moves forward instantly, but he’s quick to stutter out a response. “You h-have the wr-wrong idea.”

I laugh at that while we make quick work of getting him far away from the entrance of our omega’s apartment building. This dick head smells like rotten apples and bad decisions. There’s no way he’d been standing there by accident. I’d seen it in the way his shoulders had gone rigid the moment he sensed us behind him.

“You won’t be fooling us, mate. I know a rat when I see one. You certainly smell like one, too.” The scent of urine quickly coils with his signature rotten apples when we duck around the corner into the nearest alley way, and I peel my lips back in disgust before twisting him to slam him against the brick wall.

I make sure I keep my body away from the damp spot now darkening his khaki slacks.

“L-look, I w-was just asked to check out the b-building. Nothing m-more.” He’s stuttering so bad, it’s hard to make sense of his words. I exchanged a look with Apollo. He gives a slight shake of his head, and that’s all I need.

He doesn’t believe this bullshit, either.

“Does the name Harlan Erossi ring any bells to you?” Judging by the way the beta’s face pales, I don’t need him to answer. I dip my chin to Apollo, who steps back and slips his phone out of his pocket. “Hang tight, mate. We’re just going to call a ride for us so we can go somewhere a little more private to chat. Doesn’t that sound lovely?”

The beta sobs, and I fucking revel in it. The impending violence that I can practically taste on the air. Finally, Erossi is making moves. I can start by exacting some of my revenge and pent up anger out on this poor sap for taking a job from the wrong fucking alpha.

What can I say? We can’t all be winners in this game.

35

Scarlett

Light floods the bathroom, and I groan, rolling over to try to stop the glare from penetrating down to my skull behind my closed eyelids. “Fuck, Kate! Turn it off!” I snap, waving a hand in the general direction of the doorway where I can just sense her standing there. I know she probably has her hands on her hips and a scowl etched onto her pretty face.

“Are you hung over?” She sighs, sounding incredibly disappointed in me.

“Fuck, no. I have the damn flu or something. Can you please turn the light off now?” I growl, then I barely manage to sit up and throw my face over the opening of the toilet bowl before I am dry heaving into it all over again. My stomach revolts against me, but there is literally nothing else for me to vomit up. I haven’t been able to keep even water down.

I feel Kate’s soft, warm hand glide over my forehead, but she doesn’t say anything until I am done gagging and I’ve slumped back against the edge of the tub beside the toilet. Thankfully, she turns the light off, but the soft glow coming in from the open door is enough to highlight her features for me.

I squint up at the frown on her face. “I thought you were hung over. You’ve been throwing up like this for the past two days. Are you sure you haven’t been drinking?”

“No. I told you. It’s the flu or something.” The look she’s giving me says she’s heavily doubting that.

She stares at me for a long moment while I try to breathe through the nausea churning in my stomach. “Don’t you find it odd that you only seem to have these symptoms in the mornings?”

Confusion swirls within me at that. “What are you getting at, Kate? If you don’t have anything useful to add, can you please leave me be? I’d like to die in peace now.”

“Weren’t you supposed to have a heat? Like two weeks ago?” She’s got her hands on her hips, and I seriously don’t like the way she’s staring at me. Like she has a secret that she wants me to puzzle out for myself. I also don’t like what she’s implying.

“It’s probably just delayed because of my recent stress and this flu.” I shrug, sighing out in relief when the churning of my stomach settles slightly.

“Come on. Get up. I’m taking you to the clinic. They can give you a test for the flu there.” She doesn’t at all look convinced that the flu is what I have.

“I don’t need a test to tell me what I have, Kate. I’m just going to crawl back to my nest and sleep this off.” It takes me longer than normal to haul myself off the bathroom floor. Once I am standing, I curse when I start to list sideways, and Kate catches me before I can crash into the toilet and counter.

“You can either let me take you, or I will call one of those stalker alphas of yours inside from their permanent posts across the street.”

I tip my head back and groan. “Fine. Let’s go.” I spit out. I really don’t want her to alert any of them that there’s something going on with me. I’m still not ready to face them after everything that happened three weeks ago. I’ve already fucked shit up enough.

* * *

Kate takes me to the small clinic the guys took me to after my attack several weeks ago. My stomach is back to roiling again the moment we step through the door, and I clutch my arm around my middle as if that will help keep the bile down. I follow Kate over to the receptionist’s desk, and the young and pretty beta sitting there looks up at her with a broad smile stretching her ruby painted lips.

“How may I help you today?”

“I booked an appointment online this morning for my roommate. Scarlett Reighn.” The beta nods before she starts to tap away at her computer.

“Ah, yes. If you will please have a seat in the waiting room, one of our nurses will be with you to take you back to a room.” She keeps that smile up as Kate takes me by the arm and practically drags me over to the waiting room off to the side.

Once I’ve plopped myself down into one of the uncomfortable chairs, I catch her eye and arch a brow at her. “You made an appointment before I even agreed to come.” Normally, I’d be irritated with her for trying to take control of my life like that, but I didn’t care much at the moment. I’m just looking forward to possibly getting some meds out of this visit to help combat the constant nausea I’ve been feeling.

“I’ve been stuck listening to you dry heave your guts up for the past two days. Of course I made you an appointment. I told you that you were going to come, even if I had to get one of those alphas of yours to do it.” She shrugs, and my jaw clenches at that.

I don’t look at her when I say, “They aren’t mine.” The lie tastes like ash on my tongue. Kate snorts, but she blessedly keeps her opinion to herself. I only told her a little about what happened. Enough to get her to lay off of me and keep them the hell away from the apartment for the time being.

Though that doesn’t stop them from hanging around on the bench across the street. Today is actually the first day I’ve been out since I came home that day from their penthouse three weeks ago. I’ve been spending the majority of my time moping around and sketching.

We lapse into silence for about ten minutes before a short, dark haired beta nurse steps out of the back hall with a clipboard in her hands, calling my name. I rise, palm clenching against my stomach when the nausea makes my stomach gurgle uncomfortably.

Kate rises to her feet, too, and I give her a look. “You don’t need to come back with me.”

“Try to stop me from finding out if my bestie is preg-”

“Kate!” I hiss, cutting her off before she can say it. “Just stop it. That’s not even possible.” She rolls her eyes, but I am being fucking serious. She doesn’t know my reasons behind my resolve on the situation, but it doesn’t matter, either.

I ignore her while I stalk after the nurse. She leads us to a small room, different from the one I’d been in before when I was here last. Once inside, she shuts the door behind us, and gestures for me to get up on the exam table. “Can you tell me a little about what’s brought you in today, Miss Reighn?” The nurse is polite enough, so I quickly state my symptoms, and she scribbles some notes down on the clipboard she’s holding.

“Can you tell me the dates of your last heat cycle?” She doesn’t look up from the board as she asks this, and I can feel Kate’s gaze boring into the side of my head.

I chew on my lip as I think. “I’m usually pretty regular. June fifteenth through the nineteenth.” The nurse looks up at me and studies me for a moment.

“Any unprotected intercourse during that time?” I shake my head before she’s even finished asking. My stomach is twisting itself up in knots, and I can feel sweat beginning to bead along my brow the more my brain starts to overthink all of this.

She frowns, glancing briefly over at Kate, before returning her attention to me. “Any unprotected intercourse at all since the last day of your last heat cycle?”

I grit my teeth, hesitating for a moment before I nod. “Listen, I don’t know what this has to do with anything. I think I have the flu. Can you just give me a nose swab for that?” The nurse’s attention is wholly on me now, and I don’t like the way she’s looking at me.

It’s the same look Kate’s been giving me since she dragged me out of our bathroom earlier to bring me here.

“If you’re pretty regular for your heats, you would have had one two weeks ago?” She words it like a question, and my neck is stiff as I nod again. Her lips purse in thought. “I’d like to run a pregnancy test just to rule it out. I can still perform the Influenza nose swab as well.”

“I don’t need a pregnancy test. I can’t be pregnant. I didn’t have sex during my last heat. I’m not stupid. I know how omega biology works. Pregnancy outside of a heat is impossible. Especially for me.” I say through clenched teeth with strict vehemence.

“My bestie here is forgetting to mention that she’s been getting it on with her scent matched alphas over the last few weeks.” Kate chimes in, and my head snaps towards her to glare at her. She just shrugs like she’s not bothered by me at all.

“Ah, yes. That’ll do it.” The nurse smiles at me when I drag my gaze back to her. My heart is slamming against my rib cage now, disbelief and anger warring within me.

“It’s not possible.” I shake my head, and I hate the knowing look she gives me. She doesn’t understand. Neither does Kate. “We’re wasting time, just as you’ll be wasting a test.” I growl.

“Is there a reason you are so adamant against the possibility? Because it is possible, my dear. Especially if your recent intercourse has been with your scent-”

“I’m infertile, OK! I can’t be pregnant!” I can’t help myself. I explode. I lose control for a split second, and my shout echos around the room. A stunned silence falls over the exam room, and I realize then that I am panting after expelling some of my pent up emotions. “I’m sorry…” I add, trailing off. “I just can’t be pregnant. I was diagnosed as infertile last year.”

I look down to my hands clenched into fists in my lap. I can’t look at the nurse or Kate. I suddenly feel so goddamn raw. If I look at either of them, I think I might lose it. I can’t allow myself to fall into those memories and emotions. I’d already accepted this fate a long time ago.

It’s literally the only thing that has granted me my freedom in the first place.

I’m fucking defective. A worthless omega that can’t even do the one thing I’d been fucking sold for.

“Scar…” Kate is suddenly there, laying a hand on my bare forearm. She draws my attention until I’m looking up in her face. She’s giving me such a tender look. It breaks something inside of me to see her looking at me like that. “Please take the test. What can it hurt if it’s not even possible? It’ll help them rule it out in case they need to perform other tests.” I hate how encouraging she sounds.

Finally, I look back over at the nurse, and the beta woman offers me a reassuring smile. “I’ll do it, but I’m telling you it will be a waste.” I deflate like a balloon, giving in far too easily. Maybe there’s a part of me that hopes I’ll be wrong? It’s fucking crazy to think about, but I can’t help it.

I’ve never been more crushed in my entire life than I was the day I found out I’ll never become a mom.

The nurse thankfully says nothing. Instead, she turns to the wall of cabinets behind her and opens one up to pull out some supplies. She performs the nose swab first before setting that aside on the counter. Then, she hands me a plastic cup and gestures towards the small bathroom attached to the room. “The Influenza test will take at least ten minutes. Go ahead and get a urine sample for me, and then I’ll run the pregnancy test. Just leave the cup on the counter there when you’re done.”

I don’t look at either of the women before I duck into the bathroom. I don’t think about what I’m doing as I pee in the damn cup and set it on the counter. I wash my hands as quickly as I can, and then I step back out into the room.

I hop back up on the exam table, and the nurse disappears into the bathroom with a white stick in her gloved hand. Before I can protest, Kate drags her chair closer to the table and grabs my hand, giving it a gentle reassuring squeeze that I try to pretend doesn’t make me choke up with emotions I haven’t allowed myself to feel in a very long time.

The nurse is in the bathroom for a few minutes before she comes back out. Her expression is unreadable, and that makes me shift nervously on the exam table, the paper crinkling beneath me. “Do you want to see?” She holds up the plastic stick she’d taken in the bathroom with her, and I suck in a breath.

Do I? I’m absolutely terrified of what it might show me. I look over to Kate, and she holds my gaze steadily. “Can you look?” I ask her, and she gives my hand another squeeze before she nods. She stands and moves towards the beta nurse. The woman flashes her the stick, and Kate stares at it for a very tense few seconds. “What does it say?” I can’t stop myself from asking.

I hold my breath when Kate turns to face me. “Will you believe me if I tell you it’s positive?” She asks, and I feel my heart stutter in my chest.

“P-positive?”

She smiles at me. “You’re pregnant, Scar. I don’t know who told you that you were infertile, but they were wrong. You’re going to be a mom.”

And just like that, I pass the fuck out.

36

Wren

The sound of my phone ringing shatters the fitful sleep I’d fallen into at my desk for the third time in as many days. I haven’t been sleeping well since Scarlett walked out on us, so I often find myself falling asleep while trying to get some work done in my office.

Groaning, I reach for my cell on the corner of the desk, swiping my thumb to answer the call before I can even check to see who it is. “What?” I grumble, scrubbing a hand down my face in an attempt to brush off the lingering exhaustion weighing me down. It doesn’t help.

“There’s a possibility I will lose my license for this, but I can’t in my good conscious not inform you about the situation I’m currently dealing with at my clinic.” It takes me a few seconds to process the words and voice on the other end of the line.

“Kars? What the hell has happened?” I pull the phone back from my face to see that it is indeed Parker Kars, my pack’s on-call doctor for emergencies, on the other end. “Which one of them is hurt?” I’m already rising to my feet, gritting my teeth against the throbbing in my right temple from the way I’d passed out at my desk. I glance at the clock on the wall above the door as I march out of my office to see that it’s only one in the afternoon.

There’s a pause from him before he speaks. “It’s your omega.” I nearly stumble into the wall when I step through the door, just barely stopping myself from slamming my face into plaster and wood.

“Excuse me? What the fuck is going on with my omega?” I bark, unable to help myself. My pace picks up and I practically jog into the kitchen where I find Lark sitting at the island, nursing a cup of coffee and a Sudoku puzzle from yesterday’s paper.

My pack brother’s head jerks up at my words, his eyes flaring wide as he too gets to his feet. Panic is already making me sweat, and I veer off from the kitchen, heading towards the front door. I snatch up the keys to something when I pass the key rack on the wall. I can feel Lark hot on my heels, but I am too focused on getting down to the clinic as fast as possible.

“Meet me at Black Tide Memorial. I’m having her transferred. I don’t want to speak about this over the phone. Just get here.” He says, and then the fucking dickhead hangs up on me.

“Motherfucker!” I snarl, jabbing my fist into the button on the elevator that will take me down to our underground parking garage. “That shit stain just hung up on me!” Fury starts pumping through my veins like poison, but it’s not enough to override the overwhelming dread his words have dredged up in me.

“Tell me what’s happened.” Lark demands when he steps in with me the moment the elevator doors slide open. I punch my finger into the close door button, and when it doesn’t work fast enough, I snarl again. Tension bands tight in my shoulders, and I’m two seconds away from taking the stairs down when the door finally slides shut.

I pull up Caito’s contact information as we plummet down to the parking garage. “Kars just called me to say Scarlett was at the clinic and she’s being transferred to Black Tide Memorial. He wouldn’t give me any information over the phone before the bastard hung up on me. I’m going to call Caito and see why the hell he didn’t call me when she left her apartment.”

I bring the phone up to my ear before it even starts to ring out. He picks up on the second ring. “We have a situation.”

“No fucking shit, jackass. Why didn’t you fucking call me when you brought her to the clinic?” I snap down the line, and a deadly silence follows for all of three seconds, which is a record for Caito.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” His tone is low, bordering on a vicious snarl.

My brow furrows. “What do you mean, asshole? I just got the call from Kars that he’s transferring Scarlett to Black Tide Memorial. You’re not with her? The fuck is going on, Caito?” Now I’m getting pissed the hell off.

“Apollo’s with me. I’ll fill you in on our situation when we get there.” Caito hangs up on me before I can protest, and I snarl in fury, whipping my phone at the closed elevator doors.

Lark winces. “I hope you didn’t just break that. How are you supposed to get updates on Scarlett now?”

“They’re not with her.” I seethe as the elevator finally comes to a stop, and I’m out the doors as soon as they start sliding open. I press the key fob in my hand, and thankfully our pack SUV chirps from across the lot. Good thing I hadn’t picked out one of the bikes, otherwise Lark would’ve had to ride bitch to the hospital. There would be no way I’d go back up to get another set of keys.

Time is of the essence.

Lark doesn’t respond to my statement until we are seated in the SUV and peeling out of the garage in the direction of the hospital. I know I’m speeding and I’m likely to get pulled over, but I could honestly care less right now. The faster I can get to our omega, the better.

“We’ll figure out what’s going on. If something was seriously wrong, Kars would’ve said that on the phone.” He says it like he’s trying to convince himself more than me.

I don’t say anything. I keep my mouth shut all the way to the hospital, too keyed up to voice my feelings. I’m going to strangle Kars as soon as I see him, and then I am going to bloody Caito’s pretty face for leaving his watch post and not knowing what the hell is going on.

Tires screech when I come to a halt in front of the front doors of the emergency department, and I’m hopping out of the car before Lark can say anything. There’s no valet at this hospital entrance, so he calls out that he’ll park the car and meet me inside, but I’m moving too fast to respond.

I head straight to the receptionist’s desk the moment I’m inside. Some of my anger slips when I slam my fist down on the top counter, snapping the elderly omega’s attention up to me. “Parker Kars. Where did he take my omega?” I demand, and my eyes narrow when her nostrils flare in indignation.

“Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to refrain from speaking-”

“Here, Madden. Follow me, and I’ll take you back to her.” Kars’ voice cuts her off when he appears from the direction of the lobby. The receptionist huffs in annoyance, but she doesn’t say anything as I stalk towards the beta doctor, Lark appearing at my side. Damn, he moves fast.

“If you don’t tell me what the fuck-”

“Stop. I’ll explain as soon as we are all back in her room. Let’s keep the peace out here, yeah?” He holds up a hand to silence me, and I swear that steam must be blowing out of my ears from how hot my rage is boiling now.

Lark slaps a hand down on my shoulder when I open my mouth to argue, and when I glance over at him, the look he gives me makes me clam up. Baring my teeth at the beta, I jerk my head. “Take us to our omega.”

He eyes me for a moment before he nods, turning to lead us through the lobby to a set of doors marked emergency exit. He uses a badge to scan us through, and then we’re following him down a set of halls. We come to a stop outside of a closed door, but he doesn’t immediately twist the handle and push it open for us.

“Her roommate brought her in for some testing when she said she was experiencing some flu-like symptoms. She passed out during the appointment, and I thought it best to bring her here. She awoke about three minutes after I got off the phone with you, so I’ll let her explain what exactly happened as it was one of my nurses that was with her when she fainted.” He steps aside then, making it clear that he isn’t heading inside with us just yet. “Am I correct to assume the other two are on their way?” When I nod, his lips tighten before he dips his chin. “I’ll wait for them out in the lobby and bring them back when they get here.”

He disappears back down the hallway, leaving me and Lark to stare after him for a moment. I exchange a look with my pack brother before I suck in a breath through my clenched teeth. I knock, and then push into the room before I receive an answer, feeling far too anxious and impatient to lay eyes on my omega.

As soon as we step into the dimly lit room, Kate—the roommate—is up on her feet from the chair she’d been sitting in by the bed and planting her hands on her hips. “How the hell did you know we were here?” She demands, but I only have eyes for the omega sitting with her legs crossed on the bed, a stark white blanket pulled up to cover her lap.

I have to bite back my growl at the sight of her. Dark circles stain the undersides of her eyes. Her hair is pulled back in a low ponytail, making her gaunt cheekbones stick out more than usual. Her usually vibrant, dark hazel eyes are dull with exhaustion and something else I can’t quite place as soon as she meets my gaze.

She doesn’t even look angry to see us. Resignation settles over her features. “It’s fine, Kate.” I hate how dull her voice sounds. She wraps her arms around her waist, and I take note of the lack of sling. Her shoulder must be feeling well enough not to need it anymore. It has been three weeks since we last saw her.

“They’re a bunch of stalkers, Scar. That’s not healthy behavior, and you shouldn’t encourage them.” Kate turns her ire on Scarlett, but my omega just sighs and shakes her head.

“They need to be here. You know why.” I exchange a look with Lark at that, and I find the look Kate gives Scarlett rather curious.

“What’s going on, Sweetheart?” I can’t help but to fall back on the old nickname I used for her before she walked out on us. I can see some of the tension leak out of her at my use of it, and that warms something inside of me that has felt cold and dead since I watched her disappear behind our elevator doors three weeks ago.

“I’ll fill you all in as soon as the others are here.” She doesn’t even ask if Caito and Apollo are coming. She leans back into the mound of pillows behind her, and Kate moves to grab a plastic container sitting on a nearby wheeled cart and hold it up to her.

“Do you feel nauseous?”

Scarlett shakes her head. “No. I’m just dizzy and tired.”

Kate nods, placing the container closer in case she needs it. “Kars said something about flu symptoms?” Lark hedges after a moment of silence, but Scarlett just keeps her eyes closed, resting back against the pillows. She’s paler than normal, and I don’t like that at all.

My jaw grinds, but I’m saved from having to demand answers of both omegas when the door swings inward again, and Caito and Apollo stalk inside. “Mo chroí.” Caito growls, stalking towards the bed with single-minded intent, but Scarlett holds her hand up to stop him.

He freezes, hurt flashing across his features, but it’s gone the next time he blinks before she’s even opened her eyes. “Kate, can you give us a minute?” She turns to her roommate. The other omega hesitates, casting a glower over all four of us, before she sighs.

“I’m going to get a coffee from the machine down the hall. Then I’ll wait outside the door. Call if you need anything.” She hands Scarlett the emergency call button remote, then, with one last glare around the room, she stalks out and shuts the door quietly behind her.

Once she’s gone, all four of our gazes fall on our omega, holding our breaths in preparation for what’s to come.

37

Scarlett

Thank fuck I don’t feel like hurling my guts up anymore. The tiny dissolvable pill Kars gave me when I woke up twenty minutes ago is finally going into effect, but the four sets of anxious eyes I find on me when I finally open my own again do little to help the roiling in my stomach.

Especially when I remember what I have to tell them.

I’m pregnant. With a baby. One of them is the father.

Fucking shit.

I meet Caito’s eyes first, and I hate the turmoil and devastation I find swirling there. Here he is, waiting anxiously for me to tell him what’s wrong so he can fix it. I’d been a damn fool to believe that he’d turned his back on me forever. I suppose that revealing this truth to him will really be the test to just how much of my crazy life he can handle before he’s truly ready to walk away.

“I want to start off by saying that I never should have walked away that day. I should have stayed so we could work things out.” I begin, tearing my gaze away because I need a fucking minute to take a breath so I don’t feel like I’m suffocating anymore under the intensity of their stares. “I’m not good at this kind of thing. I don’t know the first damn thing about a healthy relationship, much less what it’s like being a part of a pack. Not one that’s not dysfunctional, anyway.”

Silence descends over the room for a few heartbeats before Lark speaks, shattering it. “No one is perfect, Dream girl. We’ve all made mistakes that led up to that day. I think I speak for the whole pack when I say that we are willing to work through all of that, as long as you are, too.”

I nod in agreement, still not able to drag my gaze up to look at any of them. I pluck at a thread that’s loose on the blanket covering my lap, trying to come up with a way to just say it. “I need to tell you all something, but you have to promise me not to freak out. If you can’t do that, then I don’t want to tell you.”

Finally, I look up to meet Caito’s eyes again. Then I drag my gaze around the room until I’ve met the other three’s eyes as well. “Nothing you say now will change how I feel about you, love.” Apollo says first without much hesitation, and I bite my lip, wishing I could just take his word for it. I’m too damn damaged for that, though.

Wren nods next. “He’s right, Sweetheart. You are pack. We should have done more to convince you of that sooner. That is our oversight that we will gladly and quickly set right.” My heart skips a beat when our gazes connect, and I see the sincerity there. He’d looked so damn broken when he’d shoved his way in this room less than ten minutes ago. Now, there is a hope swirling in the dark depths of his eyes that does a ton to lift my spirits.

“I made a mistake turning my back on you, mo chroí. That will never happen again. You are mine. Nothing will ever change that. Next time you want to walk away, I’ll make sure to bend you over my knee and show you exactly why I’ll never accept that.” Caito’s vow is like a sucker punch to the gut. It steals the breath right out of my lungs until it feels like I can’t breathe for a minute or two.

“I will gladly spend the rest of my days proving to you just how much you being ours means to me, Dream girl. You are everything. Your problems are our problems. I apologize for the entire pack if you felt like you couldn’t believe that.” It’s Lark’s words, combined with all of the others, that makes the first tear slide down my cheek.

“I… went into the clinic because I haven’t been feeling good for a few days. The nurse ran some tests, even though I didn’t think they were necessary. I’m… I’m pregnant. I thought I might’ve had the flu, but apparently that was not the case. I’m pregnant, and one of you is the father.” I don’t want to beat around the bush anymore, so I just blurt it out, then I go back to holding my breath as I watch them process.

Apollo is the first to break. “Pregnant? Like… like with a baby? A human one?” I can’t help the snort that slips free with his stuttered response.

“I’m sorry,” Wren holds up a hand before I can say anything to Apollo. He then scratches at his brow, but thankfully he just looks confused instead of repulsed or something else equally as potentially devastating. “You’re pregnant? But you didn’t have a heat with us.” He only voices the first logical thought I’d had when I’d been given the news the first time.

Right before I passed out.

“I think I need to sit down.” Lark mutters, and my attention snaps to him as he plops into a chair across the room, looking a tad bit green around the edges. “Holy fuck. We’re going to be dads.” He then gets this far off look in his eyes, and I can’t help the nervous chuckle that slips free from me.

“Um, Kars might be able to explain better since he’s the doctor, but the nurse tried to explain it to me a little bit…” I trail off, reaching up to run a hand over my hair that’s slicked back into a low ponytail. I bet I look like shit, but the alphas either don’t seem to notice, or are choosing not to say anything about it. “Apparently, pregnancy can happen for an omega outside of a heat cycle if the, uh, intercourse is between scent matches. It’s rare, but it can happen…”

My gaze bounces between all four of them, each looking like they’re just trying to work through the news. After another minute, Apollo also goes to sit in the chair next to Lark, looking a bit frazzled himself as he goes. Caito is just staring at me, having gone statue-still. I can see the gears whirling in his brain, but he hasn’t said anything just yet.

At least he doesn’t look like he’s ready to bolt.

“Listen, I have something else you should know. Part of the reason Harlan dropped me so quickly when they found their omega is because I was never able to… let’s just say that I was told that this wasn’t even a possibility for me, so I’m just as shocked as all of you.” I shake my head, hating to have to talk about this, but they deserve to know. “If I had known I could get pregnant, I would have used protection. I thought I was infertile. I promise that I’m not trying to trap any of you. If you guys don’t want this, I’ll figure something-”

“Stop.” Caito finally speaks, and his voice is so sudden in the midst of my rambling that I jerk slightly in shock. “I don’t care what those fucks say, I want this baby. There will never be a time where I won’t want you pregnant with our babies, mo chroí. Do you understand? This is the best news I’ve ever received in my entire life.”

I suck in a sharp breath, and my chin begins to wobble when I try to fight back the sudden need to burst into tears. The second tear falls, and that’s when all four alphas are crowding around my bed, arms and hands reaching out to stroke me and chests rumbling with purrs to soothe me.

“Ah, shit. Don’t cry, Dream girl. We’ve been waiting an awfully long time for an omega just like you. We are honored that you want to have our baby.” Lark practically shoves Apollo out of the way so he can sit on the edge of my bed and pull me into his arms. I freaking melt as soon as I’m surrounded by his scent, along with the others. The tension and anxiety literally bleeds out of me, all of my worries suddenly flying out the window.

Well, most of them, anyway.

There’s still the bit about Harlan knowing I have scent matched alphas.

One thing at a time, Scarlett.

“I don’t even know how far along I am or which one of you is the father.” I sniffle, snuggling into Lark’s chest for the added comfort. His purr vibrates through me, and I feel like I’m about to turn into a pile of omega goo right in his arms.

“He belongs to all of us, Sweetheart. It doesn’t matter to us. Besides, there will be plenty of time in the future for more babies.” Wren’s voice draws my attention, and I can’t help but hiccup out a laugh at that.

Thinking about the future used to terrify me. At this moment, it doesn’t seem all that bad, anymore.

A knock interrupts me before I can open my mouth to respond, and then Kars is stepping back into the room. He pauses when he sees the wall of alpha with me in the center of it all, and he arches a brow. “I take it she’s told you the good news? Congratulations.”

Caito’s attention zeroes in on the beta. “We’d like an ultrasound. Now. We want to make sure the baby is healthy.” He straightens to his full height, and I almost tell him to calm down, but then Wren joins him, both of them crossing their arms over their chests as if Kars will dare deny them this.

The beta sighs, but nods. Just then, another knock sounds on the door, and a nurse steps in, pushing a medium sized machine with a screen along with her. Kate also follows her inside, and Kars grumbles something under his breath about lack of space, but doesn’t voice the words out loud.

Caito narrows his eyes on Kate, but she glares right back in challenge. “If Scar’s getting an ultrasound, I’m not missing it. That’s my god baby in there.” The way she says that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, so I push aside my usually prickly nature and let it slide. The idea of the one omega that welcomed me with open arms after I first moved here to start my new life being my baby’s god mom is suddenly very appealing to me.

I unfold myself from Lark, albeit a bit reluctantly, as the nurse comes over with the machine. He steps away, pushing Apollo back so she has room to get it set up. Nerves amp up again as soon as she turns to offer me a smile. “If you’ll lay back for me and pull up your shirt and roll down your leggings.”

All four alphas crowd on the opposite side of the bed, and the nurse adjusts the screen so it’s angled towards all of us. Kate reluctantly opts to stand beside Apollo at the end of the bed. I do as the nurse requested and lean back into the mound of pillows.

“Alright, this gel is going to be a little cold. I apologize in advance for that.” Anticipation roils through me, but thankfully I don’t feel like I need to puke as she squirts some clear gel on my bare stomach. I jerk because she wasn’t kidding about it being cold, but then she’s pressing a wand attached to a cord on the machine against my gel slicked skin, and the screen lights up.

The entire room goes silent, everyone’s attention stuck on that little screen. The nurse moves the wand around a bit, working to get where she needs to be. “Ah. There.” She smiles without looking at me and points up at the screen, the wand in her hand pausing. “This here is your little bean.”

I squint, and then she taps her finger against the darker splotch on the screen. I gasp when I see it jerk, and someone—I think Apollo—curses under his breath. I reach out blindly for a hand, and I feel Caito slide his into mine and give it a squeeze. I can feel some of his phantom emotions down the partial bond between us, but I’m too enraptured by the tiny bean jumping on the screen to look into them.

“You see that tiny flicker at the center? That’s the heartbeat.” She points to the little blip on the screen, then she starts to tap some buttons with her free hand. Suddenly, a sound echoes out into the stillness of the room. A rapid thrumming thump that makes me think of what a humming bird’s wings must sound like. “Measuring about six weeks three days with a bpm of 174.”

“Bpm?” Wren asks the question for me, and the nurse smiles as she moves the wand around again and presses some buttons.

“The heart. Beats per minute. If you believe in old wives tales, the closer to 170-180 bpm, the more likely it is to be a girl.”

“Holy fuck.” Apollo breathes, staring at the screen in utter awe. Lark makes a noise beside him like he’s in agreement.

“A baby… we’re having a baby…” I still can’t believe it, even though I can see the little bean jerking around on the screen. I can’t feel anything yet, but I am already getting excited for when I can feel it.

The possibilities are endless. With my alphas at my side, there isn’t anything we can’t overcome. Together. As a family.

Pack.

38

Apollo

“It’s been a long day, but we should really tell Wren about our little buddy we left back in the bay.” I lean over from my spot on the couch to murmur to Caito. He’s scrolling on his phone a cushion down from me, Lark is in the kitchen prepping a late dinner that we can feed Scarlett after she takes her nap, and Wren is in his office dealing with an issue that arose at Raven when we’d been at the hospital earlier.

“I think we should renovate the nest so we can attach the nursery to it.” He flips his phone around to show me a blueprint example of a room design, and I give him an incredulous look.

“We can’t just forget about the guy we left half beaten to death, strapped to a chair in one of Wren’s new boat houses.”

Caito gives me a droll look before he pockets his phone. “He’ll be fine for a bit. Wren is busy putting out a fire at Raven, and we have a baby to plan for.”

I shake my head and scrub a hand down my face. “She’s only six weeks. We have plenty of time to make plans for the baby. I’m more concerned with the information we pulled from the beta.”

“What information? What beta?” Lark’s sudden voice cutting through the den makes me startle like I’ve just been caught with my hand in a cookie jar, and Caito rolls his eyes.

“Let’s take this to our pack lead’s office.” He rises to his feet, and Lark tips his head to the side, studying me, but I just shake my head and follow after him. I can feel Lark behind us, but I don’t look back.

My shoulders are tense now that the adrenaline of the discovery that we’re going to be dads has faded. I’m reminded of what Caito and I had been up to when Wren had called us about Scarlett, and the things we’d learned while having a chat with the little friend we have down in Wren’s boat house on the bay at the East end of the Valley.

I hate having secrets.

Caito doesn’t even bother to knock on Wren’s closed office door before he practically kicks it open, sweeping into the room without waiting for an invitation. I grimace when I step through to see Wren glowering at Caito, and then he turns the full force of it on me and Lark.

“I’m a little busy, Caito. I’d like to get this sorted while Scarlett is napping so I can devote all my attention to her.” Our pack lead snaps, but he doesn’t rise from his chair. He has his lap top open, but he closes it as soon as Caito gives him a look.

“Well, remember how Apollo and I were in the middle of something when you called about Scarlett? I think now is the best time to inform you that we caught someone hired by Erossi to watch Scarlett and report back to him. We have him detained down in the fancy new boat house you bought last month.” A muscle in Wren’s jaw clenches, and I hear Lark sigh heavily before he moves to plop himself down in one of the chairs off to the side of our pack lead’s desk.

“Explain.” Wren growls, scrubbing a hand down his face and leaning back in his chair to cross his arms over his chest.

“It’s like Caito said. We found him outside of Scarlett’s apartment before you called, acting suspicious. We took him to have a chat, and it didn’t take long for him to break. He… told us some things.”

Wren narrows his eyes, but it’s Lark that cuts in with a demand. “What things? Why is Erossi having her watched instead of coming for her?”

I exchanged a look with Caito. “Because he wasn’t just watching her to report. It turns out that there are two bounties out for Scarlett. One is apparently to grab her and bring her to a specified location once she’s obtained. The other is to outright end her.” Both Lark and Wren stiffen at that, and they are just as affected by the news as we’d been when the beta had spilled it.

“I called an old friend on the way to the hospital to confirm the bounties, and he says they’re real. He also thinks that they were posted from two different seekers. One of them is Erossi. The other, he’s not sure.” Caito chimes in, and I feel the first stirrings of panic start up in my stomach.

“Which one did Erossi post?” Wren asks through clenched teeth.

“He’s the one that wants her brought in.” Caito confirms.

“Fuck.” Lark growls, reaching up to shove his fingers through his sandy blonde hair, the silver and gold streaks catching in the light streaming in from the window at his back and shimmering. Those steel blue eyes of his are hard, but troubled.

“We can’t let her out of our sight. We need to move her into the penthouse fully. Maybe even have someone watch that roommate of hers.” I speak up since the rest of my pack mates seem stunned into silence.

Caito nods in agreement, then he pulls his phone out of his pocket, messing around on it for a minute before he passes it over to Wren. “That’s the price on our omega’s head. It’s going to bring all the worst kinds of people out of the woodwork looking for her.” Wren takes the device, eyes scanning it, before he hands it back.

He looks absolutely fucking livid.

I can’t even bring myself to look at it.

“No one is getting their hands on her.” He says it like he believes it, and fuck—I wish I did.

“As soon as she wakes from her nap, we need to tell her about this.” Caito opens his mouth to argue, but I hold my hand up, stopping him. “I don’t give a flying fuck if you think it’ll spook her. She deserves to know. Deserves to make a choice. We also need to be careful about how we deal with this. We can’t just go after Erossi when he’s been careful not to connect himself to anything regarding Scarlett.”

Caito slashes a hand through the air. “Wren is richer than God. If we need to, we can buy out silence if we kill the fuckers. That’s my vote.”

Wren makes an exasperated noise. “We can’t fucking do that, Caito. We have no idea who Erossi has in his pockets. I may be rich, but I am not invincible. If we don’t handle this mess the right way, we will be at risk of losing more than just our livelihoods. If we’re all arrested for murdering the Chief of Police in some far off port city that isn’t even connected to us in any way, then we might as well be condemning Scarlett and our unborn child to a life of danger. How can we keep them safe if we are behind bars?”

“I might be able to help if you’d just loop me in on your plans instead of having discussions that affect all of us behind my back.” I jerk at the sound of Scarlett’s hard, cutting words slicing through the air after Wren’s speech, and we all glance over to spot her leaning against the door frame, arms crossed over her chest.

“We… are just trying to come up with a game plan to deal with the threats hovering over you, Sweetheart. We were going to talk to you as soon as you woke up.” Wren winces, rising to his feet from his chair so he can round the desk and move towards her. Caito also starts moving for her, but she holds up her hand, stalling them both in their tracks.

“I spent seven years with that pack. None of you thought it might be helpful to ask me what I might know about their inner workings?” She arches a brow, keeping her emotions carefully concealed behind her seemingly blase attitude.

Caito is watching her carefully, like a bull fighter would watch a bull about to lunge for him. Except he’s forgotten his scrap of red cloth and the arena he’s in has no chance of escape. “You don’t need to stress and involve yourself with this, mo chroí. We can handle those assholes. All you need to do is focus on resting and thrive.” He says, holding his hands up in a placating gesture, but it’s the wrong fucking thing to say.

She narrows her eyes, plush lips thinning in a tight line. “Giving you information that can help unravel the tangle of lies and crime that Harlan is twisted in wouldn’t be stressful. It would be a fucking relief to finally be rid of him so I can move on with my life.” The way she says Erossi’s name makes a knot form in the pit of my stomach. It doesn’t take eyes to see just how terrified she is of him.

I can smell it in the way her scent shifts, the citrus undertones no longer tangy, but tinged with rot.

Lark rises to his feet, stepping forward and holding out a hand to her before any of us can say anything. “Let’s get you fed first. Kars says you’ve lost a bit of weight from the vomiting. I’ve prepared a dish that I think you’ll enjoy and it’ll be great nutrients for you and the baby.”

She hesitates, looking around at the rest of us, before she takes it. Once he’s disappeared with her, Wren waits another minute or two, and then he sighs. “After dinner, the two of you can go clean up your mess down at the boat house. Make sure before you decide to kill him that it’ll be worth the risk,” he jabs a finger at Caito. “Remember. Nothing can connect him to Black Tide Valley.”

He snatches his cell up after that and slips out of his office to follow Lark and Scarlett without another word to either of us. I groan and scrub a hand down my face. “I was hoping he was going to be our pack lead and clean this shit up himself.”

Caito shrugs, pulling his phone out of his pocket and staring at the screen for a minute. I move to him, curious what he’s looking at. I peer over his shoulder to find him watching some footage. It takes me another few heartbeats to figure out what I’m looking at.

My eyebrows shoot to my hairline. “I didn’t know Wren put a system up at that boat house. It’s unoccupied.”

Caito gives me a look before slipping his phone back where it was. “He didn’t. I did. As soon as we learned about Scarlett’s past, I made sure I set up a system down there in case something like this happened, and we needed somewhere to take our guests for chats.” The way he says guests and chats makes my stomach flip flop.

“Man, you really are one scary motherfucker. Where the hell did Wren find you, anyway? An assassins guild?”

The way he smiles at me is even worse.

“Come on. I don’t like Wrenly and Lark hogging all our omega’s attention.” He stuffs his hands in his pockets and casually walks out of the office, whistling an unknown tune under his breath as he goes.

I just stare after him for another few seconds in stunned silence, and then I follow, pushing all thoughts of boat house torture and the threats against our omega out of my head.

For now, I just want to have a normal meal with Scarlett without the possibility of bloodshed.

39

Scarlett

My fork scrapes against my plate, the rough sound making me wince slightly. It’s almost worse than nails on a chalkboard. I’ve eaten about a quarter of the portion of casserole that Lark dished up for me. I just can’t bring myself to eat now. It’s not that I feel nauseous or anything. The meds are helping with that.

My stomach is in knots because I know what I have to do.

Digging into the worst seven years of my life so I can help these alphas understand what’s at risk is far easier said than done.

Someone clears their throat, and I look up to spot Lark across the table from me, a frown marring his face when he looks from my barely touched plate to me. “Are you nauseous? I can make you something else. Anything you want, Dream girl.” I feel my heart swell in my chest at how attentive he’s been since finding out about the little bean growing inside of me.

They’ve all been this way. Some more than the others.

I don’t look over at Caito when I think this.

Shaking my head, I sigh and put down my fork. “I think it might be beneficial for me to go back and tell you a little about my childhood before I get into the clusterfuck that is Harlan Erossi…” I trail off, reaching out to pick up the glass of water in front of me. I swallow three large gulps before I feel like I can continue.

I keep my focus on the condensation slipping down the outside of the water glass because I can’t bring myself to look at any of them when I tell this story. “My mom died when I was only five. My father was in the running for state senator when it happened. He couldn’t even be bothered to attend her funeral, and if it wasn’t for my nanny, I think he would’ve made me miss it, too.”

“After she passed, life became bleak. My father was an alpha that used to be all about traditions. My mom was his scent match, but I don’t think he ever truly loved her. He only loved her for what she could give him. He hated her after she gave birth to me—a daughter and not a son—but it was so much worse when she had complications during birth. She ended up having to have an emergency hysterectomy. She couldn’t give him any more children. That broke all his carefully laid plans, and he made her pay for it. One of my earliest memories is of him holding her head under the water in the bathtub when she’d been giving me a bath one night before bed.”

I choke off after this, my hand clenching around the glass of water to stop the alphas from seeing the tremble to it. I hate that the memory still consumes me in the most horrible way. I barely have a single memory left that doesn’t make me angry or petrified anymore whenever I dredge them up. There’s so goddamn many bad ones that I can barely recall the good ones.

“I think the best part of my father taking the state senator’s position was the fact that he wasn’t around much. It wasn’t until I was on the cusp of coming into my designation that he started to show his face again. My sixteenth birthday was supposed to be a milestone for me. All I ever wanted was to be a beta so he could just toss me to the side and be done with me.” My jaw clenches, but still, I do not look at any of the alphas.

“I’ll never forget the look on my father’s face when I started perfuming at the dinner table during my birthday dinner. An occasion that was supposed to be joyous and celebrated with my friends. I thought he’d be angry, because being an omega might’ve reminded him of mom, and I didn’t want to be punished for that.”

I cut off and swallowed hard. I can feel the heat of their gazes on me, but I just squeeze my eyes shut. “I wish he’d been angry. I wish he would’ve just tossed me to the side. Fuck, being an alpha would’ve been preferable to an omega. Because my father wasn’t angry in the least about my designation. Fucking dollar signs literally flashed in his eyes at the first hint of my perfume. That’s when he announced, in front of all of my friends from school, that he had a pack already lined up for me.”

I squeeze my hand into a fist and tuck it underneath the table on my lap, but the tremble has worked its way from my hand through the rest of my body. “I didn’t even get the chance to say goodbye to any of my friends. He yanked me out of that dining room and locked me in my room. The next morning, he came with his brothers. They handed over a briefcase full of cash like they were simply just doing a business deal on some property, and I never got to see my home again. For seven years, I lost my voice. My reasons. I wasn’t allowed to be Scarlett Reighn anymore. I was simply just a pet.” I bite out the word like it’s poison, but that’s only because it is. I hate even bringing it up, but these alphas deserve to know everything.

If we have any chance of getting out of this mess alive and intact, as a pack. I need to come clean about everything.

I splay my fingers against my still flat abdomen. This isn’t just about me or us anymore. I’ve chosen to bring a life into this world, and I’ll be fucking damned if I don’t do everything in my power to make my unborn child’s life as safe as possible. Trusting these alphas with the secrets of my past is just the first step.

“Sweetheart, you don’t need to keep going. We don’t need to hash all of this out right now.” Finally, I look up at the sound of Wren’s soothing tone. I feel my heart skip a beat at the look of utter devastation streaked across his face. I hate that I put that look there.

I shake my head, because I know what needs to be done. I can’t afford to keep hiding in the shadows of my past. I’m not the same omega that I’d been that day Harlan Erossi chained me to a fucking bed in his basement and did everything he could to strip me of my humanity and self-worth.

“You need to know. Harlan doesn’t just have his title as Chief of Police in Fairvale Arbor. He also has the backing of a state senator, too. Not to mention his own father, who was Chief before Harlan, and is also best buds with my own father. The corruption in that ring of alphas runs deep. You can’t just go after Harlan and his pack. You’ll need to find a way to cut off the head of the biggest snakes of them all. You need to find some sort of proof that they are involved in the illegal selling of omegas if you wish to bring them down.”

Silence descends over the room, and my gaze bounces around the entire table to take in all of their varying expressions. Caito is, predictably, fuming. His jaw is clenching and unclenching, and he’s clutching a glass of amber liquor so hard that I’m afraid it might crack in his grip. Wren looks stricken, right alongside Lark. Apollo looks like he’s just gotten done listening to a battle brief in a war room and found out that his best friend was slaughtered.

Apollo swallows, hard. “They’re running an omega trafficking ring?” I nod. “How do you know?”

“I was the first one of those omegas. Daria, Harlan’s fancy new scent matched omega, is also one. My father, Harlan and his pack, and his father run it. There are others, but I don’t know specific names. I know because I had to sit in on some of their meetings as a trophy before they found Daria. The main base operation runs out of the capital, Ardan. Virginia is one of the most corrupt states when it comes to the ring and the networks that run through it.”

It’s like I’ve dropped a bomb in the room. Apollo pushes up from his chair, but he doesn’t storm out of the room. Instead, he starts to pace, running his large hands over his short cropped dark hair. He reminds me of a caged animal while I watch him. I know what can happen to an animal that’s been caged for too long.

Caito snarls and slams his glass down on the table, and that’s when it cracks apart. Thankfully, he doesn’t cut himself. When I give him a glower, he just ignores me while he glares across the table at Wren. “Still fucking think we can let them all live?” He demands, and Wren scrubs a hand down his face like he’s already exhausted.

“I stand by Wren and his decision. If this thing is as big as Dream girl is saying, then we can’t afford to make any moves that will implicate us. I say we work on finding that proof to bring them all down. If we can bring them to justice, we can force Erossi to reject the bond with Scarlett, and she can finally be free.”

Caito is on his feet next, and he starts to stalk out of the room. “Where do you think you’re going?” Wren’s bark snaps out like the crack of a whip, and it takes all of my will power not to flinch.

“I’m going to make some calls. See if I can call in any favors.” It’s all he says. I reach up and rub at my chest, feeling faint echoes of his distress and fury even after he disappears. I hate that it’s just a partial bond between us, but right now I can’t afford to let any of them complete a bond with me. That would be a one way ticket back to Harlan, and I’ll fucking slit my own throat before that happens.

“He’ll be alright, love. Caito has a lot of sketchy friends in even sketchier places. He’ll help us come up with a solution.” Apollo’s soothing voice draws me out of my internal civil war, and I nod. That’s all I can really do. He’s stopped pacing, at least.

He comes over to me, and when he bends down to brush his lips against my temple, I lean into it. “I’ll keep an eye on our resident psychopath and make sure he keeps his hands clean of Erossi blood. Wren has something else he needs to discuss with you, anyway.”

My eyes snap to the alpha in question, and he scowls at Apollo, who ducks out of the dining room before he can be reamed a new asshole. Anxiety churns in my gut when Lark sighs. “What? What is it?” I don’t like the way Lark exchanges a look with Wren. Like they’re trying to decide exactly how much they’re willing to share.

I growl, and that seems to get their attention. “Apollo is right. We do have something to discuss. I just don’t know how to say it without upsetting you. It’s really not something you need to be stressing about.” Wren lays it on thick, but I can practically smell that he’s holding back still.

“If it involves me, I have a right to know.” I gnash my teeth, and both alphas quickly dip their heads in agreement.

“Caito and Apollo were late getting to the hospital because they were tied up with someone that was sent to track you and possibly grab you. They were able to glean that there are two bounties on your head, each from different sources with different amounts and criteria. I’m telling you this because it might be possible that you need to stay inside the penthouse until we can neutralize the threats.”

Wren’s words stun me to my core. For several heartbeats, I can’t take a single breath while I process. “Two… two fucking bounties? What? How? Who?”

Lark rubs at the light stubble on his chin, eyes flashing behind his stylish, purple-rimmed glasses. “We figured it’s safe to assume that one of the bounties is sourced from the Erossi pack. We had someone look into who posted it, and it traced back to them. That’s the one that wants you brought in alive.”

I can practically feel my heart stutter in my chest. I swallow. Hard. “And the other?”

Wren looks absolutely murderous when he says, “It’s a hit. Set at a much higher price than the bounty put out by Erossi.” His jaw ticks while I feel my world fall out from underneath me.

Someone else wants me dead.

Silence descends over the dining room for several long moments. A tremor works its way through me—one that doesn’t go unnoticed by my two remaining alphas. “We will keep you safe, Dream girl. You don’t need to worry. If you can agree to stay in the penthouse, nothing and no one can get to you here. We have this place locked down tighter than the White House. The only people that know the code to get through the doors belong to our pack.”

Lark leans forward in his chair, offering me a brilliant, reassuring smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. That’s why I can’t let go of the steady stream of anxiety pumping poison through my veins at a rapid pace with the thrum of my hammering heart.

“It has to be my father.” I whisper, so low that I’m not sure the alphas hear me. I squeeze my eyes shut when his last words flash through my mind, like a broken record on repeat. A goddamned horror movie tagline. “Don’t disappoint me, girl. If you do, I’ll make sure you don’t live long enough to regret it.”

“We will find out if it is, Sweetheart. Lark is right, though. No one will get to you here. We want to keep you safe, but the choice is yours.”

My attention finally shifts back to Wren at the head of the table, and my brows furrow. “A… choice? About what?”

His smile is heartbreaking and vindicating at the same time. “If you’ll do us the honor of moving in with us.”

40

Caito

I’m sitting at my desk deep in the underbelly beneath Raven when my open laptop blares a call request on Zoom. I jab my finger down on the accept button, but I school my features so I didn’t let the asshole on the other line know just how irritated I really am.

Fucker has kept me waiting for three goddamned days.

“War.” My tone is whiskey smooth, all of the tension from the last several days hidden deep beneath the bottoms of my booted feet.

The older alpha arches a dark brow at me, piercing onyx eyes practically glittering from the other side of the screen. “Archer. Calling to beg if I have a fight free for you tomorrow night?”

I roll my eyes, playing the cool act I’ve fucking perfected since I could toddle around on two legs for the first time. “I’m calling in that favor you owe me.”

Something flares in Warrick Arson’s gaze, but he plays it off quickly enough. He knows how to shield, just as I do. We didn’t make it through the circles we grew up in just to let a little bit of insult ruffle our feathers. “Now, Caito. Is that how you greet an old friend? We haven’t spoken in ten years. Where did you end up? Hopefully not some back alley fight ring. You know you’re more talented than that.”

I grit my teeth, and the corner of War’s lips twitch. Perceptive fucker. “We aren’t friends, Warrick. This is just another transaction. Help me out with this one thing, and I’ll consider your debt paid.”

I half expect him to snarl and snap orders at me like he used to, but he surprises me when he sits back in his chair and steeples his fingers in front of him, elbows on the armrests. “You wound me, Caito. I thought we were tighter than that.” He hesitates, reaching up to scratch at a spot on his chin. “What is it you need?”

Fuckin’ finally, we are getting somewhere. I’ve thought about how I want to propose this for the last few days, so I dive right in. “Harlan Erossi. Do you know him?”

“Aye. I’ve heard of him. Can’t say he’s my friend.”

“Do you know that he’s running a joint illegal omega trafficking ring with Sterling Reighn?” I arch a brow, and that’s when I know I have Warrick in the bag.

He snarls, the sound not at all nice. “Tell me you’re fucking joking.”

“I wish I was.”

“Is that the favor? Take them both out?” War grins like a kid in a candy shop, but then his face falls like he’s actually upset when I shake my head.

“I really fucking wish. If I could, I’d do it myself. I… found my omega. She was one of the omegas trafficked by Reighn. Sold off to Erossi.” I pause, careful with how much I share. It’s not my story to tell, and War doesn’t need to know the dirty details to give me what I need. “I just need enough proof to bring the bastards down. There’s two bounties out on my omega that I need taken care of as well.”

I reach for my phone and tap away at it until I send off the details regarding the bounty and the hit. I hear War’s phone chime, and he scrolls through it for a silent few minutes, a muscle in his jaw ticking. If there is one thing Warrick Arson and his pack hate, it’s omega dealers and abusers.

He doesn’t hesitate again. “You don’t need to call in the debt for this, Caito. However, I’ll be sending Fraser for back up. I know where Harlan does a lot of his operations. I’ll head to Fairvale Arbor with Cash and Salem to dig up that information you need.”

“I don’t need you to send that asshole here for anything. My pack can protect our omega without him.”

War shrugs. “Even so. Utilize him. You know how he gets when it comes to matters like this.” I can feel a muscle in my jaw tick at the reminder. If anyone had reason to hate underground omega trafficking rings, it’s Fraser Arson.

“Fine.” I say through clenched teeth. “I’ll put him to work.” War smiles, and it makes my fucking skin crawl. He’s one scary motherfucker that I never like to admit gets under my skin. I’m Caito fucking Archer. No one affects me the way Warrick Arson does.

It’s why I’ve been so hesitant to call in this damn favor in the first place.

I hate it, but I need Warrick’s connections. He knows people even scarier than him, some of which work for him. He’ll be able to get me the information we need to put Harlan away. We can force him to reject the bond with Scarlett, and then we can finally be a complete pack.

I’d still like nothing more than to kill the fucking asshole, but this is how it needs to be. I can’t ignore my pack’s logic. If I make a move against him and things go sideways, it will make stuff worse for Scarlett and my pack. I can be level-headed about this.

“We’ll be in touch. Expect Fraser by Sunday morning.” The call disconnects before I can change my mind and argue. Wren’s going to be fucking pissed that we’ll have to find a place for Fraser to set up and do his thing. He won’t like having a strange alpha knowing so much about our situation, but this is the best I can offer. Our pack lead’s connections through his dead old man aren’t doing us any favors.

Sometimes it’s worth it to dig up the corpses of your past.

Especially if it means you can keep those who matter most safe.

A knock sounds on the closed vault door, and Lark pokes his head in. I arch a brow at him, but then I note the lines bracketing his face. Rising to my feet, I growl, “Scarlett?”

His lips thin. “Apollo took her back to her apartment to pack up some things. The roommate convinced her to have a girls night. Here. They’re dancing upstairs, and Wren is on a fucking war path. Just wanted to warn you in case he calls-”

Just then, my phone lets out a shrill ring, and I curse underneath my breath. Fucking Apollo. He doesn’t know how to tell our omega no. Apparently doesn’t fucking matter if her life is in danger or anything. I pull the device out and grimace when I see it is, in fact, Wren.

“Lark’s already told me. I’m on my way upstairs.” I march around my desk to join my pack brother as we trudge towards the elevators like we’re being marched towards the gallows. That’s what it feels like, anyway.

I also hate telling my omega no.

But she can’t fucking be here in a crowded club with a goddamned hit out on her. The hell was Apollo thinking?

“Tell that fucking asshole to answer his damn phone. I’m going to bloody his fucking face for this.” Wren is a snarling beast snapping orders down the line. He’s currently an hour away upstate having an urgent meeting with one of his stand-in CEO’s for his father’s company, or what’s left of it, anyway. Still cleaning up messes his father made before the bastard croaked two years ago.

“I’ll relay the message, but I’ll make sure Lark gives him a good wallop in the meantime.” I hang up then, not wanting to listen to him rant any more. I’m going to have to hold back from pummeling Apollo the moment I see him myself.

“Thanks for that.” Lark grumbles, but I ignore him. Lark always likes playing peacekeeper and never wants to step on anyone’s toes, but I know what he sometimes gets up to in his free time.

The guy is a closet psycho.

Especially when it comes to the pack or our omega.

“How the fuck does this happen? Is he fucking dense?” I growl, irritation making my skin itch something fierce.

Lark chuckles. “I think he had a doe-eyed omega batting her lashes at him and begging him to let her go out with her friend one last time before she goes on lock down. Raven is the safest place she can be as far as girls night venues go, honestly.”

My teeth are still grinding together the moment the elevator doors slide open to reveal Raven in all its glory. I pause when I take in the crowd, and then I groan. “It’s fucking masquerade night? How did I forget about this? How the fuck are we supposed to find our omega when Apollo isn’t answering his phone?” Anxiety is picking at my careful control.

“Gus was manning the main floor when I got here and said that they were close to the bar. Apollo wanted to be near the exit, just in case.” Lark begins to lead us in the direction of the main floor bar, and my irritation only spikes higher the more I have to push off drunk fucks when they stumble or accidentally grind into me. I have to snarl at one particularly handsy beta who thinks it’s a good idea to cup my balls to get my attention. I shove her so hard that she damn near flies across the dance floor.

No one is allowed to touch me except my omega.

We finally reach the bar after what feels like an eternity, and I’m already scanning the crowd around it. When I find Apollo leaning against the wall next to the swinging door that leads behind the bar, my teeth grind. I don’t even alert Lark. I stalk towards him, and the moment he sees me, he winces and straightens his posture.

He still doesn’t anticipate the punch I aim at his face. My knuckles slam against his cheek, and he stumbles back against the wall. Lark clamps a hand down on my forearm to stop me from swinging again, but he doesn’t need to. I only wanted one good punch.

“What the fuck, Caito!” Apollo snaps, glaring over at me, but he doesn’t move to retaliate. Smart man.

“Where the fuck is she? Are you truly that big of a fool, Apollo? Why the fuck would you bring her here?”

“Calm the hell down, asshole. Kate begged her to go out one last time before she’s holed up in the penthouse. Raven is one of the only places in this entire city where it’s safe for her. And I’m fucking watching her. I can keep my omega safe without your input.”

I grit my teeth, clenching and unclenching my fist to relieve some of the ache in my knuckles from delivering a solid punch to my pack mate’s face. “You better come up with a different excuse when Wren gets his hands on you. If you think I’m pissed, that’s fucking nothing. Now, where is she?”

Apollo glares at me, but there’s at least a little apprehension in his eyes now at the mention of Wren. “I offered to get the girls into a VIP lounge upstairs, but they wanted to dance down here on the main floor. They’re right-” He moves his attention across the crowd, and then he freezes, and I know something is wrong immediately. “What the fuck?”

I follow his line of sight where I spot the roommate right away, but Scarlett is nowhere to be seen. I’m already moving towards her before Apollo can say another word, and the moment I get close, I have an iron grip on her arm. I’m prepared when she lashes out, whirling around with her fist already swinging. I catch it easily in my palm, flexing my fingers over hers so she knows not to so much as flinch a muscle again.

The moment her eyes connect with mine, she relaxes, but only marginally. I can tell she doesn’t trust me, but right now I don’t really give a flying fuck. “Where is my omega?” I demand, and she scrunches up her nose. She’s got her long, dark hair twisted back from her face with pins, but I can still see her ice blue eyes sparking malice behind her black velvet mask.

Her red painted lips peel back in a sneer, and then she yanks herself away from me, but she doesn’t go far. Smart omega. “She went off with some alpha named Ant. He asked her if she’d be willing to sing a set with them. She seemed excited about it.” Kate shrugs, and I see fucking red.

I whirl around and spear Apollo with a sinister glare. “He has no right approaching her like that, let alone asking that of her.” I don’t give him a chance to respond. I’m already stalking through the crowd again, heading towards the side of the stage. I’ll fucking teach that sorry excuse of an alpha to never approach my omega again.

Just before I can make it halfway to my destination, the lights above dim and the curtain on the stage begins to pull back. My feet freeze to the floor, and I feel my entire world tip on its axis. Lark and Apollo come to a stop beside me as we watch the curtain reveal our omega, center stage, dressed to fucking kill in a floor length crimson cocktail dress that sparkles like a supernova under the lights that flare to life above her. She has a matching satin mask tied around her head that conceals half of her face from view, but I’d know it was her even in the damn dark.

I’m just about to step forward again to snatch her off that stage when the band begins to thrum behind her. Then she opens her mouth and begins to sing, and I forget all about my need to have her safe in my arms.

She sings my damn siren song and I know I’m done for.

41

Scarlett

“Ireally shouldn’t have let you drag me out tonight!” I have to practically yell over the thrum of the bass shaking the floor beneath our feet. Someone steps on my foot, and I snarl, whipping around to flay them alive, but the drunk alpha is already stumbling away.

“We’re not drinking! We’re just dancing! The alphas will be fine!” I glance over my shoulder at her words, but my gaze is drawn to Apollo keeping watch over us by the side of the bar. We aren’t that far away from each other, but I shiver at the feel of his gaze laser focused on me. She follows my gaze and sighs. “You deserve to have a little fun before they lock you away in a tower, Scar!”

“It’s not like that! I told you everything! It’s for my own safety, as well as the baby!” Thankfully, the anti-nausea meds Kars prescribed have been helping me keep my insides in place, but I still haven’t wanted to eat much. Plus, I have been a bit upset at the prospect of being locked up in the pack’s penthouse for the foreseeable future.

So when Kate practically begged me to come out tonight for one last hoorah, I hadn’t wanted to say no. Armed with puppy dog eyes and a lot of begging, Apollo never stood a chance.

“One more hour, Kate!” I yell over the music, and she waves me off, getting back to swinging her hips and losing herself in the beat pulsing through our bodies. I start to follow, trying to let loose, but a hand lands on my shoulder, and my adrenaline spikes to dangerous levels.

I whirl around again, ready to pummel whoever has touched me now, but the face I see beneath the flashing overhead lights makes me pause. Ant—the alpha electric guitarist I’d met during my working interview—is giving me a massive smile that makes it hard to hold back a cringe. I still don’t like how happy he seems to be all the time. I also don’t like the way his eyes are sparkling behind his gray mask.

Thank fuck I’d decided to take a suppressant before leaving.

It’s the only way Apollo agreed to let me come tonight.

“Fancy seeing you here! I spotted you before I headed backstage! Thought I’d see if you wanted to play a set with us tonight?! It’s a special night tonight!” He gestures around to all the people dressed to the nines and sporting masks like I didn’t know the theme of the club tonight.

“Who’s this?!” Kate notices my company quickly and joins me, calling the question loud enough for me to hear.

“This is Ant! He’s with the band! He wants to know if I’ll sing a set tonight!” Ant turns his attention to the beautiful, dark-haired omega beside me, and I watch his nostrils flare. She didn’t take my advice and hide her scent. Now I really don’t like the way his smile stretches even wider.

I want to get him the hell away from her. My skeeve meter is going off the rails right now.

“Oh, fuck yes! You should definitely sing! I’ve only ever heard you in the shower, but you sound amazing!” Kate beams at me, and I feel my resolve starting to crumble. I did kind of miss singing. This might be the only opportunity I have for a while to show off my skills.

“One set!” I hold up a single finger to Ant, and when I look over my shoulder to see Apollo talking with Caito and Lark, I know my time to slip away is dwindling. “Let the alphas know I’m heading to help the band!” I relay this to Kate, and she nods eagerly.

I turn back to Ant, but he’s still got his attention focused on my roommate. I grit my teeth, then wave a hand in front of him to draw his focus back to me. “Lead the way!” The sooner I get him away from Kate, the better.

Ant quickly leads me through the crowd to the tiny hallway behind the stage. Vivianna, Rocky, and Raven are fiddling with their instruments when we approach. I get greetings from Vi and Rocky, but as soon as my eyes connect with Wren’s bitchy alpha sister, her glacial glare freezes me in place.

“What the fuck are you doing here? Polluting my stage with your presence. Does my brother know you’re here?” She practically snarls the demanding questions, but I don’t flinch away. She can act any way she wants. She doesn’t scare me. I’ve dealt with far worse alphas than her in my lifetime.

“We may be scent matches, but your brother doesn’t get to tell me how I live my life.” I lift my chin, making sure my words are loud enough to be heard. Her icy eyes narrow on me, but before she can spew more venom, Ant steps between us.

“She’s just going to sing a set with us, Raven. Get your thong out of its knot in your ass.” He pulls out a piece of paper and hands it over to me. “This is the list of songs.”

I take the paper and scan it over quickly. I nod before handing it back. “I know them.”

“Great. Curtain’s about to open. Mic is all set for you.” He gestures to the mic front and center stage, and I ignore Raven’s lingering glower of hatred before heading towards it. I only have a minute to get my shit together, and then the curtain is indeed opening. The lights dim above the crowded dance floor, and I close my eyes so I don’t have to look out over the mass of bodies.

The band strums its first chords behind me, and words flow free from me like it’s the most natural thing in the world. My heartbeat thumps in time with the beat of the drums, and I lose myself to the music. I sing, and the crowd vibrates with awe and excitement. I don’t open my eyes to see it, but I can feel it deep in the marrow of my bones. I know how talented I am. Singing was one thing that my father and Erossi used me for when I became useless in everything else.

One song bleeds into the other, and I sing like this might very well be the last time. Half-way through the fourth song, I finally open my eyes to look out over the mass of writhing bodies. There are no protests or jeers. Everyone is swaying and grinding in time with the music that pours free from me, boosted by the band at my back.

By the fifth song, my eyes finally find my alphas standing in the crowd. They aren’t dancing, but I can feel their gazes piercing through me like the sharp tip of an arrow. My heart skips a beat, and I barely stop my breath from hitching in my throat. Just having their attention focused on me makes my mouth go dry and makes it hard to focus.

Something flashes in front of me, almost too quick for me to notice, and I’m momentarily distracted. I glance down where I thought I saw the flash go, and then my eyes widen. My name is a roar of panic from Caito’s lips, shattering the moment of peace I’d been in while I’d been singing.

Pure survival instincts kick my body into motion, and I throw myself to the side just as the deafening crack of a gunshot shatters the vibe of the club, throwing everything into chaos. I know I hadn’t been fast enough when pain slices through my left arm, making fire erupt at the spot where I’d been hit.

Lark is already at the front of the stage, vaulting up the incredible height of it until he lands on his knees beside where I’m now sprawled out. Screaming and pandemonium ensues, but Lark ignores it all. I’m in shock when he scoops me up into his arms and darts towards the back of the stage and the little hallway there.

He tries to keep my head tucked against his chest, but it’s not enough to stop me from catching a glimpse of Raven hovering over Ant lying on the ground. “Lark!” I’m screaming, but he doesn’t stop. It’s already too late. The image of blood pooling rapidly beneath the alpha with a bullet in his chest is already searing itself into my vault of horror memories, never to be erased again.

Someone just tried to kill me. Someone did kill Ant.

42

Scarlett

“Fuck, where’s Kate?!” I hiss out, choking back the sob of pain when Lark crouches with me in the back hallway next to the stage. It’s the safest place for us right now, so he’s hesitant to move.

“Apollo grabbed her to get her off the dance floor the moment we saw the sight trained on you. Caito took off in the direction it originated from and I got to you on the stage. Fuck, Dream girl. You’re hit.” He snarls, pulling me away from his chest long enough to glance at the blood soaking his Henley and leaking down my arm.

“I’m fine. It’s just a graze.” He growls to that, but I push away from him so I can get to my feet. He reluctantly helps me stand, and I’m proud of myself when I barely sway. “Tell me Caito will catch the fucker?” I demand, squeezing my eyes shut for a moment to help settle the dizziness trying to overtake me.

I just dodged a fucking bullet. Literally.

“He will. We have protocols for this type of thing. As soon as an alert is sent out from one of us or our bouncers. No one gets out until they are checked. That’s why we have so many bouncers posted throughout the club.” He confirms, reaching up to rip the sleeve of his Henley off so he can wrap it around the wound on my left arm. I swallow down a hiss of pain at the pressure, knowing it will only make him want to pull away to spare me.

He doesn’t miss my wince.

“This was a mistake.” I whisper through clenched teeth. “My foolishness got Ant…” I trail off, not able to finish that line of thought.

Lark steps close to me and trails his fingers gently over my cheek. I reach up and yank the mask off my face, not wanting it to cover my eyes anymore when I look into his gaze. There is sympathy there, and for once it doesn’t set me off into a rage like it usually does.

“I’d rather it be him than you, love.” Apollo’s sudden voice startles me, and I press myself against Lark momentarily when we turn to see him emerging from the dark beyond with Kate. My roommate is sobbing, and as soon as she sees me standing and alive, she hurls herself at me for a bone-crushing hug.

I catch her, and then I really do let a hiss of pain slip. Lark growls, and Kate yelps, jerking back just as quickly as she’d come at me. “Oh my God, Scar! You got shot!” Apollo hears this and then practically yanks my roommate out of the way to get to me.

“Where?” He snarls, and I hold my arm out so he can examine it. The bleeding has already stopped, thanks to Lark’s shirt wrapped around it. Apollo’s eyes flick to my other alpha at my back, and when he gets a good look at the front of his shirt, he pales a little. “Love…”

“I promise, I’m fine. It just grazed me. I’ll probably just need some stitches. We need to get someone here to look at Ant-”

“You fucking cunt! He’s dead because of you! That bullet was meant for you!” An alpha roar of fury cuts me off, coming from the stage at my back, but before Raven can reach us, Lark and Apollo are blocking her.

I twist, wrapping my good arm around Kate just in time to see her slam into the wall of alpha, stopping her from tearing my throat out. There is a feral sort of animalistic rage sparking in the whites of her eyes when she looks at me over their shoulders, battering her fists against their chests, but they hold firm. In the few times I’ve interacted with her, I’ve never seen her this furious.

“Back the fuck off, Raven!” Apollo’s alpha bark rings out with so much dominance that my knees quake, and surprise ripples through me when he shoves her back hard enough to make her stumble a bit.

“How can you protect her?! Ant is fucking dead because someone wants her dead! Instead of being tucked away like she’s supposed to, she came out tonight and put everyone at risk! This is all her fault!” Raven continues to rage, and that familiar sense of crippling guilt washes over me at her words. I’m so consumed by it, I don’t even feel the moment Caito arrives in the hallway, but I sure feel it when he wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me into his hard, warm body. Then, I am surrounded by the scents of three out of my four alphas, and my inner omega calms a little more.

“You two handle the situation on stage. I’m going to take our omega and Kate up to Wren’s office, where it’s safe until we can get the building cleared.” His voice is a soothing rumble of alpha dominance, and I am so exhausted that I just sink into him. His arm tightens around me as the adrenaline quickly fades, leaving me trembling.

Raven snarls and roars more insults my way, but my head buzzes while another wave of dizziness washes over me. Caito turns us with Kate clinging to my other side, and I barely register anything when we take our first steps away.

My world tilts, and blackness surges in to blot out my vision before I can make it too far. My consciousness slips out of my grasp, and then I am free falling into oblivion, hoping this will all have been a terrible nightmare when I awake again.

43

Scarlett

I’m dimly aware of the louder than normal conversation going on around me while my body slowly comes back online. The voices are attempting to stay hushed, but the topic must be dire enough to warrant the angry growls and snarls that accompany the clipped words jumbled together.

With my eyelids still closed tight, I take stock of my body. Other than the slight ache radiating from my left arm, the only other pressure I can sense comes from my hand. My fingers twitch at the feeling of smooth skin against my own, and a gasped sound from nearby makes the argument abruptly cut off. “Her fingers moved. Scar, can you hear me?” The familiar lilt of a female’s voice penetrates through the fog lingering around my subconscious mind, and with it comes the scent of warm, fresh out of the oven peach pie. Relief mixed with joy.

Cool fingers brush against my cheek, and even though it feels like the back of my eyelids are sandpaper, I peel them open. It takes several blinks to bring several faces into focus, the first of which I immediately recognize. “Kate?” Her name is a croak, and I wince when my parched throat twinges in pain.

My omega roommate gives me a watery smile. Her icy blue eyes, normally sharp and full of humor, are misted with unshed tears. Dark tendrils of her hair have escaped the high ponytail she has it pinned back in, framing wet, paler than normal cheeks. “You’re alright, Scar. We think you just had an adrenaline crash.”

My brow furrows at her use of the word ‘we’, but then my attention shifts to the other faces looming above me, hovering just as close as Kate is. Before I can swallow it down, a desperate whine wrenches free from me, my pure omega instincts pushing aside literally everything else. “Alpha.”

Caito is there, and at my whine and guttural word, he falls to his knees beside me. Kate immediately backs away to give us space, and when my shaky arms reach for him, he doesn’t hesitate to pluck me up into his arms. My left arm smarts in pain, but I push it aside for the feel of my alpha’s powerful arms wrapped around me.

Lark and Apollo crowd in around us when Caito settles down where I’d been laying with me curled up against his chest. I’m immediately surrounded by a combination of their heady scents, and when their chests rumble to life with their soothing purrs, the tension floods out of me like a ruptured water balloon.

“The shooter…”

“Got him, Dream girl. Don’t stress. Just relax. Wren is taking care of everything.” Lark brushes cool fingers against my temple, smoothing back some of my hair that’s escaped the low style I’d had it in before shit hit the fan. I really need to update the sky blue ends sometime soon.

My eyes find Kate sitting with her arms wrapped around her knees, curled up against the opposite side of the couch from where I am. She’s got on a huge coat that swallows her slender frame, but it doesn’t smell like her or my alphas. It smells like limes and salt. It’s hard not to wrinkle my nose. “Are you alright?” I ask her, and she swallows hard before she nods.

“I will be. I’d just like to get back to my nest and wash off the horror of tonight. Scar… if I had known that this was going to happen-”

“Stop. This isn’t your fault. I never should have come out. I should have gone straight to the penthouse. Ant’s death is my fault.” I cut her off before she can go on a tangent, and Caito’s purr quickly morphs to a rumbling growl of disapproval.

Before he can reprimand me, Wren’s office door swings inward, and the man himself sweeps into the room. Alpha dominance pheromones fill the space in a matter of seconds, and I have to bite down on my lip hard to stop another desperate whine from escaping me. I’m choking on extra zesty oranges and the sour tang of bad brandy, and if it wasn’t for the fury pulsing from my alpha, I would have been turned all the way on.

Kate makes a choked noise herself, and she folds her arm over her nose to block out the overwhelming alpha rage pheromones. Wren doesn’t even stop to take in the scene of us all clustered on or around the couch. He marches right up and scoops me up into his arms, much to Caito’s annoyance. The big, viking alpha is gentle when he crushes me against his chest, and I melt against him like ice cream on a hot summer’s day. Want him to lick me up like a puddle of ice cream, too.

“Sweetheart.” His endearment for me comes out in a ragged whisper, arms wrapping me up like bands of steel. Just when I think I can’t melt any more than I already have, he rubs his cheek against my jawline, scent marking me. I can’t help it when my tongue darts out to run along the smooth expanse of his neck, needing to taste him.

He tastes like everything I’ve ever wanted. Like he’s mine.

“I’m alright, alpha.” I murmur softly, then my lips meet his. He kisses me like I’m the oxygen he’s been starving an eternity for. We take our time tasting each other until Caito makes a disgruntled noise behind us, breaking our connection.

Wren doesn’t set me down. Instead, he deposits me back on Caito with another brush of his lips against my forehead. He studies me for a few moments before he sighs, reaching up to scrub his hand down his face. He looks utterly exhausted.

“Raven has been cleared. The shooter, unfortunately, is in custody since someone called in a report of a live shooter, so the police showed up before I could smuggle him out for a proper interrogation.”

The other three alpha’s growl at that. “That’s no problem. I have a friend at the station that’ll get me in to speak to him.” Lark stuffs his hands in his pockets in a casual gesture, but he looks beyond pissed. There’s a darkness swirling in the depths of his steel gray irises behind those quirky purple glasses that I’ve never seen before.

“Dibs on plus one.” Apollo chimed in, and Caito huffs like he’s annoyed he didn’t chime in sooner.

“I’ll get what’s left of him. He won’t be making it to trial.” Caito says this as he nuzzles against my neck, and I brush my lips against my mark on the underside of his jawline. His arms tighten around me in response, and I try really hard not to rub my ass against the obvious bulge beneath his jeans clearly begging for attention.

Seriously? Why the hell am I so turned on right now? We have much more important things to worry about.

“What about Ant? His family deserves justice…” I trail off, squeezing my eyes shut against the onslaught of memories. Raven kneeling over Ant with a puddle of blood spreading beneath him. His eyes closed and chest unmoving as the stain of crimson grew across his shirt. The words Wren’s alpha sister screamed at me before I had an adrenaline crash and passed out.

“Ant’s mom and sister will be compensated. We will have justice on their behalf, love.” Apollo assures me before any of the others can.

Silence descends for a few heartbeats before Kate finally speaks up. “Is it safe for me to go home? If you don’t need me, Scar?”

I shake my head when I look over at her. She’s already risen to her feet, but I can see her frame shuddering beneath the large coat she wears over her dress. “Go home and get cleaned up and rest. I’ll call you tomorrow.” I assure her, guilt struggling to consume me as I watch her nod and look at me with vacant, emotionless eyes.

“Lark can take you home.” Wren lifts his eyes to his pack brother. “We are going to bring Scarlett back to the penthouse. Come home after you get Kate home, and post someone to watch the apartment.”

Kate bristles slightly. “I don’t need anyone to stalk me. I have managed fine on my own for a long time.” A little bit of emotion creeps back into her hard tone, and I can’t say I’m not relieved by it. It’s better than watching her shut down after the events of the night.

“It’s just a precaution, Kate. Just someone to watch out for you. They won’t stop you from coming and going as you please. It’s because you are associated with me. Anyone can go after you just to get to me.” I try to reassure her again, but she still looks like she wants to argue.

After a moment, she sighs heavily. “Fine, but if they try to keep me inside, I’ll stab first and then ask questions later. I am not going to be caged like some animal.” She grumbles, getting a little of her fire back. It makes me smile, though I still don’t like the way a tremor works its way through her hand before she crosses her arms over her chest.

Man, I really have come a long way since I first met her.

I never used to toss out smiles and reassurances.

These alphas are changing my life, and I’m starting to believe it’s for the better.

Lark bends down to brush a kiss over my lips, and Kate steps up next to give me a gentle hug, careful not to jostle my wrapped arm. “Call me tomorrow, alright? Even if it’s just to tell me you’re alive. We’ll do something soon even if it’s at your new prison.” I snort at that, and Caito’s chest vibrates with a cute little growl. He’s so temperamental.

“Keep her safe.” I pin Lark with a look, and the alpha quirks a brow at me that arches elegantly over the rim of his glasses. God, he’s too stupid hot when he looks at me like that. Looking like a sexy professor. It’s totally unfair.

Lark is the only one of my alphas I haven’t gotten to taste yet.

I’m going to be rectifying that as soon as humanly possible.

Preferably in my new pack nest.

“I got her, Dream girl. I’ll see you back at home.” The wicked grin he gives me suggests that he knows exactly where my thoughts have wandered to just now, and I feel an unexpected blush creep across my cheeks. The glint in his eyes makes it worth it, though.

As soon as Lark leaves with Kate, Caito leans in to brush his lips against my neck and murmur in my ear. “Let’s get you home. We’ve already called Kars to meet us there with equipment to check your arm and the baby.”

“I really am alright, Caito. I don’t think there’s anything to worry about except possibly needing stitches. It could have been a lot worse.” I swallow hard, trying desperately not to think about Ant. Especially not Raven’s reaction to the alpha dying in her arms…

I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone so furious before. She’d looked like she wanted to drag me back to the shooter herself so he could finish the job. I choose not to voice any of my concerns to my alphas at the moment. Raven probably just needs some time to cool down. It isn’t like she’s bothered to get to know me or anything.

Caito and Apollo help me to my feet as the former says, “I’d rather be safe than sorry, mo chroí. Just humor me. He can patch up your arm and use his fancy machine to check the baby’s heartbeat.” His reasonable and heart clenching explanation makes me fold like a deck of cards. When he speaks that way and gives me the look he’s giving me, I can’t help but to follow along.

“Yes, alpha.” I murmur, pressing up on my tip-toes to brush my lips against my mark on the underside of his jawline. His arm goes around me immediately at the contact, pressing me against his chest as he rumbles out a growl of approval. Fuck, I love all the noises he makes. “Take me home so I can take a nice long bath and roll around in my nest.”

He doesn’t have to be told twice.

44

Lark

Tension is still coiled tight in every single one of my muscles when I open my bathroom door hours later, clad in just a towel and still dripping wet. I left my glasses on my bedside table, but I’m not blind enough to miss the pretty little omega perched on the edge of my bed.

Almost immediately, I feel that built up tension I’ve been carrying around all night rush out of me in a flood when she smiles at me. She’s so goddamn beautiful that it almost hurts to look at her.

Her eyes move from my face, and it’s utterly erotic watching the way her pupils dilate and her cheeks flush a pretty pink when she gets her first look at my mostly nude body. The only thing in her way is the towel around my waist.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of this surprise visit to my domain, Dream girl?” At the sound of my voice, her eyes snap up where they’d been lingering on the bulge steadily growing behind the fabric covering all my fun bits. If it’s at all possible, I swear her blush deepens even further.

“Caito, uh, offered to stay with me tonight, but I was wondering if… well, I was wondering if you’d want to…” She trails off, stumbling a little, and I feel my heart literally skip a beat in my chest. I must be dreaming. Never in a million years did I ever expect to be in this situation, faced with my very own scent matched omega while she shyly asks me for attention.

My entire demeanor shifts from teasing to a total melted puddle of goo right before her eyes. I shed weeks of pent up dark anger and aggression, and trade it in for soft, omega pleasing alpha. It’s an odd thing for me. I’m definitely not used to any of this.

“I would be honored to spend your first night here with you, Scarlett. Let me just go get dressed-” I turn to head towards my closet, but she jumps to her feet before I can take a single step in that direction.

“No! I… I need skin to skin. Please?” She bites down hard on her bottom lip while she fiddles with the tie on the front of the plush robe she’s wearing. Before I can respond, she tugs it free, and then the fabric is parting to show off way more of my omega than I had been prepared for.

“Oh, fuck…” Between her naked body, the motion of her biting her lip, and her sexy as hell omega perfume steadily expanding out into my room, I am done for. My towel drops to the floor and pools at my feet before I’ve even blinked my eyes. Shit, I never want to blink again when I’m in the presence of this beautiful creature. If I blink, I will surely miss something important.

She reaches a hand up and slips it beneath the fabric over her shoulders, and then she slowly pushes it off until the whole robe falls at her feet. I can’t help it. The sight of her now completely bare in front of me brings me to my knees.

A soft gasp escapes her damp lips when I begin to crawl towards her on my hands and knees. Her body tenses up when I come to a stop about half a foot away, sitting back on my calves so I can look up at her.

“Lark…” the way she says my name should honestly be illegal. It’s far too breathy and sexy to be heard by anyone other than me. “You look so different without your glasses.” Her words surprise me for a moment, but then I smile.

“Is it a good thing, or a bad thing? I’d love to fuck you without them on, but I’d gladly put them on if that’s what you want, Dream girl.”

She reaches a hand out to brace against my shoulder when I wiggle myself just a little closer. I inhale while my nose is level with her naked cunt, and my mouth immediately waters when her essence registers with me.

My omega is aroused.

“Leave them off. For now. Can you help me forget, Lark? At least for tonight? I don’t want to remember right now.” I’m not sure if her last statement is referring to the events of tonight, or if it’s something else entirely.

It doesn’t really matter, anyway.

My omega will never have to ask twice.

My hands move to grasp her hips and I tug her closer until my nose is touching her smooth pussy. Her thighs quiver while I take another long inhale, and I can’t stop the pure alpha growl of pleasure that slips free from me. She smells good enough to eat, and that’s exactly what I want to do.

“Lift this leg over my shoulder so I can have a taste of my omega, Dream girl. If I don’t get a face and mouth full of your slick in the next five seconds, I’m going to turn feral.”

She gasps, but quickly does as she’s told, and it makes a wild surge of alpha pride rush through me. The moment she swings her leg up and over my shoulder, my face is buried between her thighs where I begin to feast like a man starved.

She lets out a startled cry when my lips wrap around her clit and suck it hard between my teeth, flicking it with my tongue. Keeping one hand on her hip to help her stay steady, I bring the other up between us until I can plunge one finger into her already dripping cunt.

I growl when her fingers tangle in my hair and she begins to jerk herself against my face for more friction. “Oh, fuck, Lark.” She moans, the sound of my name escaping on a gasp from her lips like a shot of lust straight to my dick. The appendage jerks between my legs, but my hands are too busy to reach down and wrap a fist around my knot to relieve some of the pressure.

That’s fine. I can wait until I am knot deep inside of my omega. I’ve been patient thus far. A few more minutes to bring my Dream girl to orgasm at least twice won’t kill me.

If anything, it’ll make my reward that much sweeter in the end.

Her breathy moans and the way she’s grinding into my face drives me on. Slick is steadily dripping down my arm, but I’m not deterred from adding a second finger. The walls of her pussy flutter around my digits so I thrust them faster inside of her, twisting and curling them just right against that magical spot I don’t even need to see to know I’ve already found.

In seconds, she’s screaming my name as her orgasm slams into her, and I move my tongue away from her clit so I can lap up her release gushing out of her before a single drop can hit the floor of my room. I won’t allow this sweet delicacy to be wasted.

She slumps against me when I pull away, her leg falling back down off my shoulder. A gasp of surprise escapes her when I quickly rise to my feet and scoop her up into my arms. She doesn’t protest as I carry her to my bed and lay her down on top of it, her legs dangling over the edge.

I bend over her, our eyes locked, and brush my nose against hers. “What would you like to do now, Dream girl? Just say the word, and it’s done.” Her expression softens at the implication in my words. I don’t need to voice anything to her. I’m not going to be the type of alpha that takes anything from her without her permission.

“I want you to show me just how not in control you can be, alpha. I promise that I won’t break.” She reaches down and cups my cheek in her warm palm. Her scent spikes all around us, and my own essence quickly joins hers. We mix well together. The perfect blend of coconut and citrus with a twist of spiced jasmine and sandalwood.

Bracing my hands on her knees, I push her thighs apart until her pretty pink pussy is bare to me once again. I stare down at it in utter reverence, my mouth already watering again just thinking about the way she tastes on my tongue. I can still taste her.

But then, a part of me hesitates, and she notices that immediately. “What? What is it?” She sounds nervous, and I hate that.

Biting down on my bottom lip, I lift my gaze to her. She looks just as nervous as she’d sounded. “I should warn you… this, uh, will be a first for me. Please, be patient. I promise I’ll do my best to give you what you need.” I stutter over my explanation a little, and I feel heat flood my cheeks in embarrassment.

She’s quiet for several heartbeats before she asks, “You’ve never had sex?” She doesn’t sound condescending in the least. I dip my chin in a solemn nod, and then hold my breath as I wait for her reaction.

Of course, though, she doesn’t at all react the way I’d expected her to. She curls her body upward then until we are eye level, and then she grasps my face in her hands and kisses me. The way she kisses is nearly enough to bring me to my knees. She kisses me like my lips are the oxygen she needs to survive in the world.

It’s the best goddamn feeling in the world, and I never want it to end.

For several minutes, she kisses me, and I am content to continue. Eventually, she pulls back, and stares right into the darkest depths of my soul. “This doesn’t change anything for me, Lark. I am honored that I get to be your first for everything for the rest of our lives.”

And just like that, I sign myself over to this woman. My entire heart, body, and soul. Everything I am belongs to her. There isn’t a single thing in this world I wouldn’t do for her just to hear her say those words to me again for the first time.

With that, she settles back down against the mattress, but not before she wraps her hand around my cock. Gently, she brings me to her entrance, and with the help of her heels pressing into the base of my spine, I slide home inside of her. That’s exactly what it feels like to be fully sheathed inside of my scent matched omega.

Like coming home.

I spend several minutes thrusting in and out of her in a lazy rhythm, marveling at the way she feels wrapped around me. She lets me explore the way I want to, and for that, I couldn’t be more thankful. She’s patient with me, but after a while, she starts to lift her hips up off the bed to drive us together faster and faster.

With each stroke, the fire burning within us reaches new heights. I grip her hips and do exactly as she asked of me before my confession. I completely lose control. My hips snap forward with brutal precision until I am stilling inside of her with a loud, obscene groan of pleasure.

She cries out my name softly, digging her heels into my ass hard enough to make my knot pop past her natural barriers. As soon as we are locked together and my knot swells to fill every internal inch of her, I come again so hard that I nearly black out.

And that’s exactly how I spend the rest of the night, buried knot deep inside of the girl of my dreams.

An alpha really could get used to this.

45

Lark

“I’ve booked a contractor to come out and take a look at the nest to see if we can manage to build the nursery onto it. If so, I’d like to have the project done before Scarlett gets too far along so she’ll still have energy to decorate.” Caito’s flippant words make me pause on the sidewalk just outside the police station before I even have a chance to reach for the door handle.

He beats me to it, offering me a brilliant—slightly unhinged—smile in the process. “You are so incredibly random. You were just talking about all the ways you want to disembowel the shooter on the way over here like three minutes ago. Hang his entrails over street lamps lining the Parkway to serve as a warning? Ring any bells?” The look my pack brother gives me makes a slight shudder race down my spine.

I trust this man with my life, but he gives me the serious heebie-jeebies most days.

“I will do that, but I don’t have to let that take up all of my head space. I thought you’d be happy to know I am being proactive in getting things ready for our new arrival.” He makes it sound like fucking sunshine and roses.

Caito is a certified psychopath.

I shake my head as the door swings shut behind us. Rhett, one of my contacts here, looks up from his spot behind the desk, and quirks a brow at me when we approach. He refuses to look at Caito. I can’t say I blame him. He’s like a big, terrifying fire demon. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had flames dancing in his eyes if I even dared to look at him again. “You’re early. Your guy is already back with the prisoner.”

I stop in my tracks and exchange a look with Caito. “What guy?” Caito leans his elbows on the counter, all but pressing his nose against the bullet proof glass wall that separates Rhett from the rest of the world.

Rhett looks between the both of us, confusion furrowing his brow. “He said he was with you.” Growling, I ignore him and stride around the closed off desk and head down the hall. This wasn’t my first time doing business here. I knew exactly where I needed to go.

Rhett calls something to my back, but I don’t hear him over the pounding of my heart. What if the owner of the bounty sent someone to take out the shooter before we could get answers out of him? Caito must be on the same wavelength as me, because he’s hot on my heels.

I practically kick the door to the interrogation room off its hinges and charge inside without a second thought. I stop dead, and Caito shoves me aside so he can enter the room, too. The moment he gets stock of the situation, he curses something rather colorful I’d rather not repeat, slamming the door shut behind us.

“You were told to fucking call me when you got in.” My pack brother snarls at the alpha leaning back in the chair across from our prisoner. He’s dressed like a damn mercenary, bullet proof vest and everything on full display, with-

“Are those fucking grenades?” I bark out in disbelief, and the legs of the chair he’s leaning in slam down to the floor so he can twist in his seat to look from Caito, then to me. I’m pinned in place by hard, dark green eyes that are honestly even more terrifying to look into than Caito’s. He has a cigarette between his lips, and as soon as he spots me, his lips tilt into a freakish smile that sets my teeth on edge.

“Lark Asoro. Brother Archie has told us a lot about you.” The stranger rises to his feet, towering over me by a good five inches. I have to crane my damn neck just to look up at him. Both arms are covered in swirls of tattoos that crisscross a shit ton of scars that the ink doesn’t do well to hide.

And that’s just his forearms.

He’s got a deep scar that bisects his left eye, slashing right through it, and ending at the corner of his nose. His neck—what I can see of it anyway over the vest he’s wearing over the short-sleeved black shirt—is also covered in thick lined tattoos.

“Caito,” I turn to my pack brother. “What the actual fuck?” I make sure I keep my tone calm and collected. No way am I going to let this guy know that I find him even scarier than my psychopath pack mate.

“I called in a favor to help us hunt down information to bring down Erossi’s organization. This is a term of the agreement I made with Warrick Arson. Lark, this is Fraser Arson. Certified sociopath. If you think I’m unhinged, you haven’t seen anything yet.”

I am so damn confused.

“What-how… I’m sorry. Did you say Warrick Arson? As in the Warrick Arson of Infinity Ring?” I’d only ever heard of Warrick Arson and his crew from Caito once before. When he told us about his past—or as much of it as he could manage without going into a rage fit—he’d mentioned the work he used to do for Infinity Ring. They didn’t just run underground fights. They were a goddamned spy organization. One of the largest kept secrets in Dublin history.

Now, Warrick Arson’s brother is standing before me, smiling like the unhinged lunatic Caito claimed him to be. “Don’t worry. Any brother of Brother Archie, is a brother to me and mine. I was just chatting with our little friend before you arrived. I’ve got a very particular set of skills that can come in handy, should you need them.” Fraser lifts up a gloved hand with the fingers cut out, and wiggles his digits like he’s trying to make jazz hands or something. He also takes the cig out of his mouth before stuffing it behind his heavily pierced right ear.

“I told you to call me.” Caito repeats this to Fraser through gritted teeth, but the crazed alpha just shrugs. He turns his body to the side then, and that’s when I finally get a better look at the prisoner chained to the table by handcuffs.

“Holy shit.” I mutter as I take in the massive X’s now carved into the asshole’s cheeks, dripping blood down his neck and soaking into the jail uniform he’s wearing. Thank fuck it’s black, cause Jesus Christ that’s a lot of blood.

Caito sighs like he’s an exhausted dad about to lecture his feral toddler. “Was that really necessary?” He gestures to the mess Fraser made, and the alpha shrugs again.

“I’m not sure why it wouldn’t be. This makes it so anyone will recognize him anywhere he goes as a traitor to the Infinity Ring.” He says it like it makes complete sense to mark up a prisoner with what is essentially a brand.

I pinch the bridge of my nose beneath my glasses. “How are we supposed to explain this to the police when they come back to bring him to his cell again?” I decide to point my glare on Caito since this is technically his fault since he knows this psycho. I also don’t want to end up with x marks gouged into my cheeks. I’m not sure if glaring at Fraser would land me on the Infinity Ring’s hit list. I have to believe that being Caito’s pack mate will only give me as much grace as Fraser will allow.

Fraser’s grin gets impossibly wider, which freaks me out even more. “You don’t have to worry about that. The rats here have an understanding with me. Don’t stress so much. You have the full backing of the Infinity Ring now.”

Caito puffs out a breath, closing his eyes for a moment like that’s the last thing he wants to have. When he opens them again after a few silent seconds, he pins Fraser with a look I can’t decipher. “Did you get anything out of him yet?”

As one, we all face the prisoner sitting in his chair, his wide eyes trained on us, mouth pinched in a tight line despite the blood still seeping from his wounds. My nostrils flare, scenting stale liquor and something distinctly starchy. Beta.

“Not much. He doesn’t know who initially put out the hit on your omega. He did say the amount has doubled within the last twenty four hours, though. He just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to cash it in, despite the pack she has backing her. Isn’t that right, Dale?” When Fraser says his name, the scent of urine suddenly permeates the air, and I wrinkle my nose in disgust.

Both Caito and his psycho friend seem to find the scent pleasing. Along with his fear. It makes his signature scent more yeasty, like beer instead of the liquor I’d originally smelled.

Caito’s lips peel back from his teeth, sharper than normal canines glinting beneath the harsh lights above. His palms slam down onto the table, and he gets up close and personal with the beta, who flinches back like that’ll somehow save him from Caito. “You knew who she belonged to, and you tried to cash in the hit anyway?”

Dale trembles like a leaf and he swallows hard. “I a-already told y-your f-friend-”

Caito’s hand snaps out, his fingers wrapping around the man’s throat before he can finish his sentence. “If you have no further useful information for me, then I don’t see the point in continuing to let you waste any more precious oxygen. I should cut out your eyes and gift them to my omega in a jar.”

“Caito, you can’t kill him. It would be too much of a hassle for us to cover it up now that they have him booked in their systems.” I warn my pack brother, trying desperately to keep the damage to a minimum. I already have to find a way to explain the brand marking his face now. We definitely don’t have a strong enough foothold in this city to be going around killing prisoners under investigation for murder and attempted murder.

If he doesn’t go down for shooting at our omega, he’ll go down for killing Ant.

It’s fucked up, but the world paid more attention when an alpha is murdered above an omega or even a beta.

Caito hesitates like he really wants to test his ability to get away with another homicide, but then he reluctantly releases the beta after another flex of his fingers around his throat. The prisoner slumps down into his chair, sucking in that precious oxygen Caito spoke of.

Fraser slaps a hand on my pack brother’s shoulder, that manic grin of his still plastered in place. Still freaking me the hell out, too. “Don’t worry, Brother Archie. Where our buddy Dale is going, he’ll more than pay for the blood he’s spilled.”

Caito stiffens under the other alpha’s touch, jerking away from him after Fraser flexes his fingers against his shoulder. “I’m going to text you an address. Meet me there in twenty minutes.” He turns his back on the beta and his psycho friend, giving me a look that clearly is a signal to follow him.

I don’t hesitate. I leave Fraser behind with Dale, trusting he’ll do as Caito asked. If he didn’t then that would be my pack mate’s mess to clean up.

“What is your plan?” I ask towards his back when we step out of the police station thirty seconds later, completely ignoring Rhett on the way out the door.

He doesn’t get to answer, however, because two alphas approach the door we’d just exited, and as soon as they get an eyeful of Caito, they both freeze. The taller of the two’s nostrils flare the moment his eyes connect with Caito’s. “What are you doing here?” He sneers at my pack mate, and I feel my body stiffen.

Hatred is wafting off this alpha in waves, and I’m not sure I care for that. At all. “What I do or don’t do is none of your concern, Peterson.” The alpha peels his lips back in the beginnings of a snarl at Caito for his indifferent remark, but he’s already turning away from them before he can respond.

I make sure to quickly follow Caito. I can feel Peterson’s glare on my back when I slide into the passenger seat since Caito’s already behind the wheel. My pack brother doesn’t say a single word until we are half way back to the pack penthouse. “I’m going to go deal with Fraser. Tell Wren I’ll be busy for dinner, but I’ll report if there’s anything important before I get home later.”

I want to argue with him, but I can tell by the expression on his face that he’s not in the talking mood at the moment. So, I keep my mouth shut all the way back to the penthouse, even as dread slowly pools low in my gut after the afternoon’s events.

Something big is coming, and I’m not so sure if having Caito’s connections won’t do more harm than good.

46

Wren

“Boss, your sister’s wanting a word.” Gus pokes his head through the crack in my office door, and I look up from the pile of paperwork I’m pouring over. Tension brackets the corners of his eyes, but that’s his only tell that he’s bothered by something.

Scrubbing a hand down my face to try to expel some of my lingering exhaustion, I wave a hand to the bouncer. “Let her in.” The last fucking thing I want to do is deal with my enraged sister, but the sooner I get it over with, the better.

Gus looks like he wants to object, but he disappears without protest. Hardly a second passes before Raven is kicking the door open hard enough to send it crashing into the opposite wall. I keep my expression passive as she stalks in, her dark, icy eyes like sharp shards of glass. She has her long, white blond hair pulled back from her face in a tight French braid, dressed head to toe in skin tight leather.

Her cheeks are rosy from the wind, which can only mean she rode over here on her bike. That, and she smells like sea salt and rain. It’s been raining since the day before, but that’s never been enough to stop my sister from getting on her bike.

“Raven.” I greet her with a slight incline of my head. Her nostrils flare when she comes to a stop about two feet away from the front of my desk. Her eyes narrow on me.

“You smell like her.” She pulls her lips back in a sneer, and I sigh, reaching up to scrub a hand down my face. I toss the pen I’d been holding while marking up the paperwork I’d been working on back on the desk, and then lean back in my chair.

“She’s my omega. Of course I smell like her. Is that the reason you are here?” I don’t really have the patience to get into this again with my sister, but if I have to put her in her place, I will. I won’t have her speaking ill of Scarlett, regardless of her issues.

Raven is clearly upset. “I’m not here to talk about her.” She says that with so much venom, that it immediately gets my hackles up. “I was just pointing out how you smell like someone else’s whore.”

“Enough!” I bark, slamming my fist down on the top of my desk. “You are precariously close to pushing my buttons too far this time, Raven. I won’t warn you again. If you can’t respect my omega, then get the fuck out of my office and my life.”

She looks like she’s seriously considering pushing her luck further, but then she must think better of it. She shakes her head. “I want to know what you plan on doing about Ant. I could give two shits about the leftovers you keep around.”

Anger sparks like a cut live wire inside of me. If she were anyone else, I would have ripped out her tongue with my bare hands by now for daring to speak about my omega this way. It’s my foolish heart that still holds a special love for my older sister that I can’t quite shake. My sense of duty when it comes to her. To make up for all the shit my very existence put her through.

That fragile understanding of her that I used to have, though, is quickly coming to an end with each insult spewed from her lips directed at Scarlett.

“The shooter is going down for his murder, and his family is being compensated generously.” I’ve known of my sister’s fondness of the deceased alpha for a while now. I also know just how messed up she’s been since his death. I have no doubts that the reason she’s spewing so much hatred right now for Scarlett has everything to do with losing Ant.

A muscle in her jaw flexes when she clenches her teeth. “That’s all?” She demands, and I arch a brow at her.

“Considering I paid for the best funeral and all other expenses his family needed, on top of a monthly stipend for the rest of their lives? I’d say that’s plenty. I barely knew him. What more do you expect from me? If you’d like to make a donation from your own monthly stipend, be my guest.”

She bares her teeth at me. “I have plenty of fucking suggestions, but you’re too foolish to even hear them.” She sneers, and my eyes narrow at her then. I know what she’s getting at, but I want to hear her say it, anyway. Even though I know exactly where it will lead.

“Well don’t be shy.” I gesture to her. “You’re not one to back down when you really want something, Raven.”

“More people are going to get hurt or die the longer you delay giving your new pet back to her rightful owners. What’s going to happen when it’s Caito, Apollo, or Lark? Me? Are you seriously willing to sacrifice everything for one little omega? If so, you’re an even bigger disappointment than I originally thought you were.”

At her harsh words, I feel my heart freeze over in my chest. I suck in a sharp breath, no longer feeling like I can breathe properly. I stare at her for a long moment as my brain struggles to process what she’s just said. “She is my scent match. How could someone like you possibly understand the depth of a connection like that? If it hadn’t been for Ant, I would have started to believe that you were incapable of loving anyone other than yourself.” I seethe, knowing my words are going to have the desired effect that I want them to have.

Raven flinches.

For the first time in over fifteen years, my sister flinches.

Then she gets pissed. “I fucking hate you.” She snarls, taking a step towards me, but her venom doesn’t cut me nearly as deep as I think she intended it to. “You ruined my life the day you were born. I will never forgive you for that.”

“I know.” I say, because what the fuck else am I supposed to say? “You can hate me all you want, Raven, but you don’t get to decide who I keep in my life. Leave.” I flick my wrist towards the door, and then Gus appears like magic. It’s like he knew what I needed without me having to summon him. He’d probably heard the entire argument.

She tilts her chin up, and I can tell she wants to say more, but thankfully she doesn’t. She snarls one more time at me, her teeth snapping in fury, but then she twists around and stalks back out of the door. Gus turns to watch her storm down the hall, but he doesn’t move from the doorway.

After a moment, he turns back to me with concern clouding his eyes. “Anything I can do for you, boss?”

I shake my head. “Close the door, please. I have work I need to finish up, and then I’m heading home for the night.” Gus only hesitates for another heartbeat, and then he does as I’d asked.

Once the door is firmly shut, I lean forward and cup my face in the palms of my hands, elbows resting on the top of my desk. I take a few deep breaths in and out, working to calm myself so I don’t go do anything stupid.

The confrontation with Raven wasn’t anything I hadn’t been expecting. If I’m being honest, I’m surprised it’s taken this long for it to happen. I’ve always known, deep down, that there would be nothing I could do to change the way my sister felt about me. Part of me has always hoped that showing my love in devotion would be enough, but it never has been.

At this stage in my life, I can’t afford to keep blinding myself to the truth. I can’t keep allowing my guilt and desire to make things right with Raven to cloud my judgment. I am starting a family with my pack. That is what matters now.

Just then, my phone rings, cutting through the calmness I’d been working so hard to achieve. Sighing, I grab it from where I’d placed it beside the stack of paperwork in front of me. “Hey.” I pick it up on the second ring.

“The shooter doesn’t know anything useful, but an… acquaintance of mine gave me an update on the inner workings of the omega ring.” Caito says by way of greeting, and I feel my blood pressure instantly skyrocket at the mention of the omega trafficking ring we’re in the process of digging up information on. I hate it with every fiber of my being, but this is the most logical way to go in order to get Scarlett away from Erossi and his fucked up plans for her. Straight up killing the bastard isn’t an option unless I’m willing to deal with the legal fall out of it all.

“The shooter was just trying to cash in the hit.” I surmise, and Caito grunts. “What’s the update?”

“I’d rather give it back at the penthouse for security reasons. No one can know who I’m working with on this.” He says a bit cryptically, and I feel a muscle in my jaw tick. Caito has always been secretive about most things in his past. I just hope that he hasn’t brought more trouble to our door by enlisting help from this so-called acquaintance.

“Fine, I’m done here anyway. I’ll head home now. I have an update of my own on Raven.” He knows I mean my sister and not the club.

He’s silent for a moment before he responds. “Pick up a strawberry milkshake from Pippa’s on your way home. Scarlett is craving one.” Then he hangs up without acknowledging my warning.

Sighing, I rise to my feet. The paperwork will have to wait. I can’t open the club back up until it’s cleared by law enforcement since it’s still an active crime scene. Until then, everything else can wait.

My omega wants a milkshake, and nothing short of death will stop me from getting her one.

47

Scarlett

My first week living with the pack is spent situating my nest and going over design plans for the nursery Caito wants to build. Thanks to Kars, the anti-nausea medication has been helping me immensely, and I’m back to stuffing my face full of anything I can get my hands on. My appetite really amuses both Lark and Caito, who have absolutely no problem getting me every little thing I mention that I’m craving.

Currently, I’m sipping on a blue raspberry slushie in the back seat of the pack’s SUV, on our way to our first real doctor’s appointment for the baby. “You know, I could have gone by myself or with just one of you. I don’t think this new doctor is going to appreciate so much testosterone in her exam room.”

Wren gives me a look in the rearview mirror where I’m wedged between Lark and Apollo right in the middle of the bench seat. “There is no way any of us would miss an appointment for our pregnant omega who’s carrying our child. The doctor can deal. She’s being paid well enough to keep her opinions to herself.”

I roll my eyes. Overbearing alphas. It only takes another minute or two before Wren is pulling into the side parking lot at a much bigger clinic than the one Kars runs. Curious, I ask, “If Kars is endorsed by you, then how come his clinic is tiny compared to this one, which is also endorsed by you.”

“This is an obstetrician’s clinic, mo chroí. Kars has a smaller client base than lady doctors do.” Caito responds, and I can’t help but smile at his description.

“Lady doctor.” Apollo snorts before slipping out of the car, reaching his hand back in to help me slide across the bench and outside. Caito immediately muscles the other alpha out of the way so he can wrap his arm around my waist as we walk to the front doors. The little bell above the door gives a soft chime when we enter, and I blink around at the mostly full waiting room.

There are pregnant people everywhere.

Some are so swollen with a baby that it looks immensely uncomfortable, and now I’m starting to get concerned for my well being. Wren checks us in at the receptionist’s desk while my other three alphas lead me over to a section with fewer people. Most of the women have one or more guys with them, but there are a few spotted throughout that don’t appear pregnant and are alone.

The moment I’m pulled down into Caito’s lap, I feel eyes on us, but I do my best to ignore them, sipping at the remnants of my slushie. Caito nuzzles my cheek affectionately, and I feel a blush creep across my face. I’m still not used to the way they’re all so openly affectionate with me.

“They’re a little behind with appointments, but I was assured it shouldn’t be too long.” Wren joins us in our little corner of the waiting room, looking like some avenging viking god warrior. The way his muscles shift beneath his tight black dress shirt as he crosses his arms over his chest makes my mouth water. Calm the hell down omega hormones.

“It’s not the end of the world to wait for something.” I tease him, but he just huffs like an overgrown, rabid bear.

“We own this clinic,” Apollo says as he leans back in his chair, propping his feet up on a nearby coffee table with various magazines spread out over it. “We shouldn’t have to wait even a second.”

My brow arches. “You endorse this clinic. I don’t think those two things are mutually exclusive.” I turn to Lark then. “You agree with me, don’t you? Your pack mates are just being dramatic.”

The alpha literally flushes when all eyes turn towards him for his answer. He swallows hard. “We can definitely be patient and wait.” He confirms, obviously not wanting to get on my bad side. I smirk, smug as hell. until Caito’s tongue darts out to flick over the shell of my ear.

I jerk so violently that I damn near toss my precious slushie at Wren.

“Stop that.” I hiss, batting him back, but he just smiles like he’s the cat that got the cream. I can feel the gazes of other omegas on our little group huddle, but I keep my focus on my alphas and my slushie so my anxiety doesn’t get the better of me.

“It’s alright, Dream girl.” Lark leans in to kiss my cheek from his seat to the left of Caito. “You don’t need to be ashamed to be here with us.”

I shake my head, because he’s interpreted my reaction all wrong. “I’m not ashamed. I just don’t like being stared at. I’m… excited about this baby.” I admit. I don’t think I’ve mentioned that to them yet, but it’s true. Already I can’t wait to feel the little one jostling around inside of me. “I’m not excited about pushing him out, but I am about the other things.”

“Him? You think it’s a boy?” Apollo leans forward in his chair to give me a radiant smile.

I shrug. “Just a hunch.”

“Well, I have a hunch the babe’s mine.” Caito sounds smug as hell when he says that, and I elbow him in the shoulder. Of course, he doesn’t budge. If anything, his smile only grows wider.

“You’ll all be daddy.”

“No. I’ll be pops.” Apollo winks, and I roll my eyes, but I can’t stop the smile from spreading across my face.

“I like the sound of daddy.” Lark comments, going all dreamy-eyed. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside to hear them talk about their favored dad titles.

“Wren, of course, will be big daddy alpha.” Caito remarks, and the pack lead scowls at him, arms still crossed over his chest. Fucking shit, he looks so damn hot like that.

“That would be quite the mouthful for a baby.” I point out, and Wren gives me an approving look. I preen, because my inner omega is a greedy bitch for her alpha’s approval.

“It doesn’t matter,” the pack lead rumbles while still staring at me like his entire universe starts and ends with me. “There will be plenty of time to figure out the dad hierarchy as I plan on keeping our omega pregnant many times after this one.” I don’t know why, but a bolt of excitement shoots up my spine at his declaration

Because I feel like it wouldn’t be normal for me to voice just how much I liked hearing him say that, I grumble, “Until any of you are able to push out a watermelon sized human being from your nether regions, we’ll just stick with one.”

Apollo laughs, the sound rich and loud. It echoes around the waiting room, drawing every other eye that hadn’t already been on us right to us. My nostrils flare. “What do you find so funny, alpha?” My tone is so dangerously low that it snaps all four alpha’s spines straight.

The alpha in question at least has the decency to look slightly mortified. “I was just…” he trails off, studying me for a moment. “Nothing was funny, love. I’m just in utter awe of you. Our perfect omega carrying our perfect child.”

Dammit, his words have the desired effect, because I deflate like a balloon, easing my body back against Caito to get comfortable while we wait. “As you should be.” I declare, patting my flat abdomen while I finish off the last sip of my slushie. Lark takes the empty cup from me and tosses it into a nearby trash can like the angel he is.

I’m totally going to reward him for it later.

Maybe I can convince him and Caito to smash me between them like their favorite style of deli meat…

I’m so lost in my sudden daydream, that I must miss my name being called by a nurse that just stepped out into the waiting room, a clipboard in her hand, because Caito lifts us suddenly. “Let me walk.” I murmur to him, brushing my nose against the mark I’d left on him along the underside of his jaw.

He hesitates, but only for a moment, before he sets me gently on my feet, though he keeps an arm looped around my waist—much to Wren’s annoyance. The pack lead is clearly having withdrawal issues from omega touch, because he snags my hand to twine our fingers together as we approach the waiting nurse.

I decide she gets to keep her eyes when she keeps them focused solely on me. She smiles, flashing pearly white teeth, and makes the skin crinkle at the corners of her eyes. Warm honey buttered biscuits surround us as we get close, and I barely manage to hide my shock.

She’s an omega.

“You must be Scarlett Reighn. I’m Delphine, and I’m a nurse for Dr. Reagan.” She doesn’t offer a hand or anything, so I give her an awkward as hell wave. Her scent had already told me everything I needed to know.

She’s not only an omega. She’s an unbonded one.

I have so many questions, starting with how the hell she’s managed to work in a field like this at all considering she’s an omega. Also, how she isn’t bonded yet.

But then I remember where we are. Black Tide Valley is full of abnormalities. My roommate, Kate, is literally just like Delphine. An unbonded omega that could be harboring a hoard of secrets.

I have no right to pry into her life, just as I wouldn’t want her to do to me.

I keep my mouth pressed into a firm line as I nod my head at her. I’m not sure if she thinks I’m coming off as abrasive or anything. Her smile doesn’t falter while we stare at one another.

Eventually, she shifts until her body is sideways and she gestures to a wide hallway beyond that had been at her back. “If you’ll follow me. We are going to stop at the scale first so I can get your weight.”

I feel grounded by the two hulking alphas on either side of me and the two at my back as we follow after her. She passes two open door rooms before she turns into the third on the right, where she stops us at a large, medical grade scale set against the wall just inside the doorway.

“Please, step up on the platform and hold still for me while I take the measurement.” She says in an even, professional tone.

I do as I am told, my mind wandering off as I think of just how easy this has been so far.

If only I hadn’t been so lax.

48

Scarlett

Five minutes into my first meeting with the doctor that Wren has deemed worthy of delivering our first baby, and I feel like I’m going to do some serious harm to Caito.

Dr. Aria Reagan surprises the hell out of me when she cuts the bossy alpha off mid-sentence while hurling a slew of questions at her. If it wasn’t for her distinct beta scent of ripe watermelon, I would have thought her to be an alpha. She has quite the backbone. “Why don’t you let your omega speak, Mr. Archer? She looks like she might have some of her own questions.”

Caito clams up faster than an oyster desperate to escape a predator. It’s actually quite comical.

I think Apollo mutters, “Finally,” under his breath, and that makes Lark chuckle softly from where the both of them are standing in the corner of the exam room. Caito and Wren are on either side of the exam table I’m currently sitting on, neither of them daring to stray too far from me.

I’m trying not to let their overbearing asses get to me.

I may be an independent omega, but I can still appreciate my alphas wanting to do everything in their power to ensure I am safe and happy.

Dr. Reagan offers me an encouraging smile, and I chew on my lip for a moment while I think of the first question I’d been wanting to ask her since we came in here earlier. “Can you… I mean, do you have any recommendations for books or classes I can take to prepare me for, uh, labor?” I feel so embarrassed to be asking this. I have a feeling that most omegas already know the ins and outs of all things pregnancy and babies, but I am not a normal omega.

I was not raised the way most were.

I’d just been given up to a pack of soulless assholes the moment my perfume hit. No omega training school for me.

She smiles. “I do. At the end of your appointment today, I’ll be sending you home with some reading material along with a list of texts you can look into. I also hold birthing prep classes on Sundays here at the clinic when we are closed, so we can get you on the schedule for them before you leave.”

Relief floods through me at that. “That’s awesome. In case you can’t tell, I’m a little nervous about this whole thing.” I offer her a weak smile, and that causes Caito’s and Wren’s chests to start rumbling with purrs of comfort.

“You have a lot of support here, Scarlett. Not only from your alphas, but from all of my staff and I. If you ever have any questions or concerns, any time of the day, you are welcome to call the clinic advice hotline.”

“I also have the doctor’s personal cell phone number, pager number, and her address. Just in case.” Wren announces, and Dr. Reagan shoots him an annoyed look.

“Wren-” I start to chastise him, but the doctor cuts me off.

“It’s quite alright, Scarlett. Mr. Madden has been generous enough for my clinic that I have no problem being on speed dial for your pregnancy. I know how to handle overbearing alphas. This pack isn’t the first I’ve dealt with.” Caito makes a sound of displeasure beside me, but I ignore him.

“Overbearing? You have no idea.” I elbow the grumbling alpha to my left, but he just kisses my temple like he’s not bothered in the slightest. I think I’ll have to reconsider which alpha I want to invite into the nest with Lark and me when we get back to the pack penthouse.

“I’d like to schedule you for another scan to keep track of growth in two weeks, but for now, how about I try to wrangle a heartbeat out of that sweet babe?” Dr. Reagan reaches over to a drawer beside the stool she’s sitting in, and she pulls out a small device with a wand attached to it. “If you’ll please lay back for me and lift your shirt.”

I do as she asks, fingers digging into Wren’s large hand. Caito moves closer to my head so the doctor can squeeze in next to the exam table. “This may be a little cold.” She warns me before she squirts that weird jelly over my belly that had been used by the nurse in the emergency room the other day.

I hold my breath when she presses the wand against my skin, and the device in her hand instantly starts making static noises while she moves around. It takes another minute of her shifting the wand around, and then the most miraculous sound echoes through the room, just like the thrum of a humming bird’s wings.

I feel Apollo and Lark shifting closer to the exam table as if drawn by the sound. Dr. Reagan smiles at me when our eyes connect. She turns the device so it faces me. “Strong and steady at 169.” I stare at the little screen with awe and wonder.

“I’ll never get over hearing that sound.” Wren murmurs, just as affected as I am. He uses his free hand to brush his fingers against my cheek in a tender gesture that makes my heart sing. These alphas are steadily breaking down all of my walls and defenses.

I’m not sure I want to fight it anymore, either.

49

Scarlett

Aweek passes with relative calm. I haven’t left the penthouse since my appointment, but the alphas have assured me that all has been quiet on the streets.

I’ve spent the last several days exploring the penthouse and using the rooftop pool to my advantage. It’s surrounded by a dome of bullet proof glass, otherwise I wouldn’t have been allowed up there with the possibility of more snipers lying in wait to catch me unguarded.

I hate that this is what my life has become. Last night, Caito told me that he has some people working on digging up viable evidence that can be used to bring down Harlan, and that they are close. He also assured me that he has a guy watching out for Kate, though my old roomie has already texted me multiple times to let me know that she is less than thrilled about her little shadow.

My phone rings, making my eyes pop open where I’m settled back against a poolside lounger, and I reach over to snag it from the little table next to me. I smile when I see Kate’s name flashing across the screen. I answer on the third ring. “Please, for the love of God, tell me that you aren’t busy. I’m going to lose my mind if I don’t get out of this apartment.”

I laugh as I sit up and swing my legs over the side of the seat. It feels good to be so lighthearted with a friend. It’s not something I’m used to. “There’s not much to do here aside from the pool. Caito and Wren are down at the club getting it ready to open back up tomorrow night, Lark is at his office seeing to his PT clients, and Apollo is dealing with the contractors for the nursery. I wouldn’t mind if you can convince your super scary mercenary bodyguard to bring you over for a swim.”

Kate groans. “I’d rather stay far away from that creep. I have so much to tell you, Scar, but I can’t do so over the phone. He’s not going to want to let me out of his sight, and I doubt Apollo will be thrilled having him around while his omega is in a teeny tiny polka dot bikini.”

My brow furrows and I rise to my feet. “Apollo wouldn’t even let him through the front door the other day when he had a meeting with Caito. Why won’t he let you out of his sight? He does realize this is literally the safest place on the planet, right?” I make my way towards the elevator that will take me down to our penthouse.

“It’s a long story. If it wasn’t for the work his pack is doing for you, the rest of them would already be here. I’ll explain it once I’m there, but please tell Apollo not to let him follow us up to the pool.” She begs, and my frown only deepens. Whatever is bothering Kate is much deeper than I think she’s letting on.

“I’m heading down to inform him. I’ll also text Caito to send him a message to back the hell off.”

Kate breathes out a sigh of relief down the line. “I’ll be over in ten.” She hangs up then just as the elevator comes to a stop and the doors slide open. I wince immediately as I lower the phone.

The sounds of construction are loud and obnoxious. It’s the main reason I’d been on the roof in the first place. My inner omega can’t handle the chaos my nest has turned into. I’ve been rotating between the alpha’s beds while the nursery is being built off of the nest.

While my instincts don’t mind being with each of my alphas, I hate that I don’t have my nest. I’d gotten used to it after I moved in officially, and now that I don’t have access to it, it’s been grating on my nerves.

Finally being happy with the pack I’m meant to be with has really helped my omega crazy shine.

I find Apollo in the hallway outside of the nest, talking to a burly looking beta in a hard hat. He’s showing my alpha a sheet of blue paper with things sketched on it when I approach. Apollo’s nostrils flare , and then his head snaps towards me, a grin stretching across his handsome face when he spots me standing close by.

He doesn’t even acknowledge the beta before he’s striding towards me, snatching me up in his arms to march us away from the prying eyes of construction workers marching in and out of the nest. As soon as he has us in the kitchen, he plops me down on the counter and pushes his way between my legs, nipping at my chin with his teeth. “I should punish you for giving those guys a show, love.” He murmurs against my overheated cheek.

Placing a palm against his hard chest, I push him back a little so I can breathe. “This bikini covers all the important bits. Besides, why should I be punished for their wandering eyes? It’s not my fault they can’t keep them to themselves.”

He bites down on his bottom lip as his eyes rake over me with a smoldering heat that makes me squirm against the counter top. “You’re right, love. I’ll just go rid them all of their eyeballs. Caito can afford to hire another crew to finish the nursery.” He starts to turn, but I twist my fingers in his shirt to stop him.

“I’ll be heading back up to the pool. I was just coming down to tell you that Kate’s coming over for a swim. If you could be a doll and keep Caito’s scary friend out of the penthouse, I’d appreciate it.” I inform him, and he grimaces, but nods.

“I’ll keep the scary psycho out of the penthouse. You might want to text Caito and let him know that he’ll be down in the lobby while you’re with Kate. In case he gives me trouble.”

I hold up my phone before pulling up my message thread with Caito.

Me: Kate is coming over for a swim and to hang out. Let your freaky friend know he is to listen to Apollo’s orders.

It only takes a handful of seconds before I get a response that makes me smile.

Caito: Not my friend. He’ll do as he’s told. Enjoy your time with your friend, mo chroí.

“He’s got him under control. Send Kate up when she gets here?” I push him back enough so I can hop off the counter, much to his disappointment.

Apollo dips his head to me before I can slip by and head for the fridge for a bottle of water. “As long as I get a kiss, love.” He murmurs, dragging his teeth over the shell of my ear, and I shudder at the contact. I twist until we are chest to chest, leaning up on my toes to give him a quick peck on the lips.

Of course, that’s not enough for him. His fingers spear into the hair at the nape of my neck while his other arm snakes around my waist, tugging me flush against his body as he devours my mouth. My moan at the taste of him on my tongue makes his hips jerk forward, and I nip at his bottom lip in retaliation.

He growls, jerking his head back to give me a look filled with so much heated dominance that my knees begin to quake. “Don’t bite me, omega, unless you want me to bite you the fuck back. I’m not like Caito. I’ll mark you up, consequences be damned.”

My cheeks heat at the gush of slick that accompanies his words, but I make myself pull back, even though I want nothing more than to feel his teeth sink into my skin and seal our bond together for life. But I can’t do that. Not until we’ve dealt with Harlan. Not until I can get rid of this partial bond shackling me to him.

“Do as I ask, alpha, and maybe I’ll reward you later for it.” I murmur, allowing my lips to brush against his jawline one more time before I step back fully. The way he watches me reminds me of a predator tracking its prey as I open the fridge and pull out a bottle of water.

“I’ll take that as a promise, omega.” He rumbles, but I’m already scurrying back to the elevator that’ll take me back up to the rooftop pool before he can get his hands on me again.

Or crack my resolve to keep my teeth to myself.

50

Caito

“Something bugging you?” Wren’s question draws my attention from my phone screen.

“No. Just making sure my orders are followed.” I slip the device back in my pocket. Fraser hadn’t bothered to respond to my calls or my text message, but a quick glance at our lobby security cameras confirmed that he’d at least gotten the message.

“What’s going on with that alpha and Scarlett’s friend?” Wren’s leaning back in his office chair, spinning a pen around in his fingers while watching me.

“I can take a guess, but unless either of them confirms, then I’d rather keep my opinion to myself.”

He arches a brow at that. “He’s acting just like you do around our omega. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out.”

I shrug. “If the situation was as we both might suspect, there is no way Warrick and the rest of his crew wouldn’t be down here whisking her away.”

“Perhaps. You do know them well enough.” Wren murmurs, tapping the tip of the pen against his palm. I don’t get a chance to respond before his phone is chiming on the desk in front of him. He picks it up, reads whatever message he’s just received, then he’s rising to his feet. “New security rep is here. Let’s get this taken care of so we can get home to our omega.”

I rise to my feet and stretch out my muscles. Following after Wren as we exit the office, I say, “I told Apollo to have the construction team sent out early since Kate is over keeping Scarlett company.”

Wren snorts. “Why? You know you’re going to send her packing as soon as we get home, anyway.”

I grit my teeth, even though a part of me knows he’s just jerking my chain. “I haven’t seen my omega since this morning. I don’t have the patience to share her with someone who isn’t pack.”

We pass Gus in the hallway on the way to the elevator. Wren gives the burly beta a dip of his chin as we pass, but I don’t spare him a glance. I’m still not pleased with the way things were handled the night Scarlett was shot at. Gus, in my eyes, played a role in that. The moment he knew she was here, he should have told Apollo to bring her back home.

I still haven’t spoken much to Apollo, either. I sure as hell haven’t forgiven him.

The new security rep is waiting for us by the main bar when we reach ground level. His back is to us, but when he turns to face us, my brows arch in surprise at the familiar face I’ve never forgotten. As soon as he spots me beside Wren, his own brows shoot up to his hairline. “Caito Archer. I’ll be damned. Long time no see.”

Wren stops a few feet away from the man, and I do the same. I cross my arms over my chest and snort. “Pretty sure the last time I saw you, I told you I’d bury you in the bottom of the ocean the next time we came face to face.”

The alpha tips his head back and laughs. I exchange a look with Wren. “I should have known you’d contract Malakei for security.”

“You two are familiar with each other.” Not much surprises Wren. He knows me better than anyone else in my entire life. Yet, there is surprise etched on the pack lead’s face as his eyes bounce between me and his new security rep.

“Sutton Malakei. Owner of Malakei Security. We ran a lot of missions together back when I was tangled with the Infinity Ring. Warrick is a big donor of Sutton’s.” My eyes don’t stray from Wren’s face, but I can feel Sutton’s eyes boring into me.

I’m not to speak of dealings with the Infinity Ring now that I am no longer an official member. I know that. He knows that. I also know that he won’t say shit to Warrick about anything said during this interaction, because then he’d be forced to come clean about a multitude of other secrets he’s been keeping from the organization’s fearless leader.

The last thing he wants to do is cross the Infinity Ring.

Wren shakes his head, clearing away his surprise in the process. “I should have known. Your reach is quite wide.” I hint the double meaning behind his statement, but I keep any response I might’ve made to myself. Now will not be the time we discuss this. Wren trusts me with his life, but that doesn’t mean he trusts the background I came from.

Or the secrets I still keep to this day.

Sutton steps forward then, extending his hand out to his new boss. “Pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Madden. I have one of my most trusted teams already outside setting up the perimeter system you ordered. Once they are through with that, they will start inside. I also have a file full of guys for you to go through for the private guard you asked for.” The two alphas clasp hands and shake before Sutton pulls out a flash drive and hands it over.

“Private guard?” I ask, stuffing my hands into my pockets when I catch Wren’s eye.

“Scar-our omega will have a private guard for if she wants to leave the penthouse. I will also be hiring some hands around here as well.” I don’t miss the way he stops saying Scarlett’s name. Pretty sure if Sutton wanted to know about our omega, he would. I don’t think Wren realizes who exactly he’s inviting into our lives.

But, alas, I keep that to myself.

Sutton Malakei knows not to cross me, too.

I might not be Warrick Arson’s puppet anymore, but that doesn’t mean I’m harmless.

Thirty minutes later, Sutton has walked us both through the new security system inside and outside of the club, as well as gone over the terms of the contract in full. I’m just drumming my fingers against the top of the bar while Sutton and Wren open up a bottle of whiskey when my phone chimes.

I dig it out of my pocket to look over the security notification flashing across the screen. My brows pull down as I pull up the camera feeds in the lobby, and rewind two minutes to watch Fraser straighten up from where he’d been leaning against the vacant security desk, and look towards the front doors with interest.

My frown only deepens when, just a minute later, he stalks out of the lobby, pulling a gun from his holster. I switch to the outside cameras that surround the front entrance, but when I do, I lose sight of Fraser. “Caito, what is it?” Wren sets his glass of untouched whiskey down on the bar top, but I don’t look up at him. I’m too busy shifting through the various cameras that surround the building, trying to find Fraser.

When I don’t find him, I growl, “I’ve lost sight of Fraser. Camera picked him up leaving our lobby and pulling his gun.”

Sutton straightens from where he’d been leaning against the back of a stool two down from me. “Problem I can help with?” He says this to me, and I know all too well what he means. He also knows Fraser just as well as I do.

“No, we-” I go to stand, but I’m abruptly cut off and sent stumbling when a shudder rumbles through the very ground beneath my feet. “What the fuck?”

Glass bottles rattle on the wall behind the bar, and a few sitting on racks beneath the top of the bar tumble off the shelves and shatter against the ground. Wren curses, and makes his way around the bar. That’s when Sutton’s guys rush inside and approach their leader.

“Boss, there’s been an explosion five minutes across town. First responder calls are saying it was at a boutique on Black River Avenue.” I feel my heart plummet to the bottom of my stomach at the mention of the location.

“Fuck!” Wren snarls, already rushing towards the exit. Sutton is on my heels as I follow after my pack lead.

“What is it?” Malakei demands, and I grit my teeth while I struggle to hold onto my sanity. I’m already pulling up Apollo’s contact in my phone.

It rings. Once. Twice. Then it clicks like he’s answering it, but then the line goes dead. The sound that slips free from me is anything but human.

“Apollo isn’t answering.” I say this to Wren with a deadly calm I don’t feel, but he isn’t listening. The moment we step out onto the Parkway sidewalk, sirens are blaring and people are screaming. My gaze lifts to the Northern horizon, towards our pack penthouse, and that’s when I see it. The smoke billowing up into the once bright, blue skies.

My phone rings then, and I pray to a fucking God I’ve never prayed to that it’s Apollo to assure me everything is fine. Of course, the almighty being doesn’t acknowledge my desperation.

Instead, Fraser’s name flashes across the screen. I have half a mind not to answer, but he is the closest to the chaos to give us answers.

I accept the call while following Wren to the SUV we have parked by the curb.

“Fraser, you better have a good fucking reason for whatever the fuck is happening.”

“It was a goddamned distraction. You need to get down here, now. Our omegas are gone and your guy is down.” As soon as the words are out of his mouth I feel my entire soul shudder.

No. This cannot be happening.

51

Scarlett

Fifteen Minutes Earlier

“God, this is amazing. To feel the sun on my skin again.” Kate groans where she’s laying back against the pool lounger, clad only in a teeny tiny yellow bikini. She’s got on the largest pair of pink rhinestone studded sunglasses I’ve ever seen.

I snort while rubbing another layer of sunscreen on my shoulders and arms. “You’ve been out in the sun, Kate.”

“No, I haven’t babe. That psycho your alpha has watching my apartment hasn’t let me step a single foot outside. Anything I need or want, he has delivered. Shit, if I’d let him, he’d be guarding me from inside the apartment like a true prison warden.”

I frown. “You haven’t been going to work?”

She uses a finger to lower her glasses and give me a look. “He got me fired. The goddamn idiot punched a guy for hinting that he’d given me a bigger tip because of how nice my ass was. Punched him so good he knocked a few teeth loose. That’s not even the worst part. The insane asshole fucking licked his knuckles clean when he was done.” She shudders, but I can’t even tell if it’s from revulsion or something else entirely.

I gape at her. “Jerry fired you?” My tone raises an octave, and Kate sighs.

“Jerry told me that Fraser could either leave, or I had to. And since that alpha doesn’t fucking listen, I had to be the one to leave.”

“Fuck.” I mutter, and she grunts in agreement, turning her head away to tip it towards the sun again. “What about the apartment and bills?”

“I have a little in savings, and Cosette told me her pack wouldn’t charge me rent again until I’m back on my feet. She doesn’t agree with what Jerry did, considering the situation.”

“Situation?”

“Oh, did I not tell you? That psycho is my scent matched alpha.” She says without looking at me, and I feel my jaw practically hit the floor. It takes me several seconds to process what she’s just dropped like a loaded grenade into our afternoon conversation.

“How… how long have you known?” I can feel my heartbeat thudding away in my chest as I hold my breath, waiting for her answer.

“You’ve had a lot going on, Scar-”

“Just tell me, Kate.” I cut her off before she can finish that sentence. I don’t need her to explain herself to me. I especially didn’t want her using my crazy ass life as an excuse not to talk to me.

Friends are supposed to confide in each other, right?

She’d been there when I found out I was pregnant. Why wouldn’t she have trusted me with this?

I know she’s looking at me, but I can’t see her eyes behind the big sunglasses. “Since that first day he was in town and Caito sent him to keep an eye on me.”

Over two weeks. She’s known she has a scent matched alpha for over two weeks.

“I wasn’t trying to keep this from you, Scarlett. I swear to you.” She sits up straighter. She reaches for my hands, and I surprise myself when I let her take them. “The only reason Cosette knows is because of the incident at the diner. She was there that day. I had to confess to her why he was acting that way so she could convince Jerry not to call the damn cops on the psycho dressed like a goddamned mercenary, with literal grenades strapped to his chest mind you, pummeling people’s faces in.”

I swallow my emotions down and chalk it up to pregnancy hormones. Mine have been all out of whack lately. “I’m not mad, Kate. I just wish you would’ve told me sooner. I could’ve had Caito remove him and had someone else watch out for you.”

Kate shakes her head, giving my hands a squeeze. “You know as well as I do that Caito wouldn’t have been able to pull Fraser away unless he put a tranq dart between his eyes or something equally as forceful. If you think Caito is a lunatic when it comes to you, you haven’t met Fraser Arson. He is grade A stalker material. I’ve never met a crazier alpha.” She shudders and I frown.

“If he’s bugging you that much, I will have Caito deal with him. And if my alpha can’t manage it, I will.” I growl, feeling suddenly protective of my first ever omega bestie.

She takes her glasses off and offers me a watery smile. “It’s fine, really. I’m just taking it day by day, you know? Kind of like you did. Despite what I said to Caito, I don’t think I’m ready for alphas. I’m just hoping and praying he hasn’t said anything to his pack mates about me.”

“If he had, I don’t think they’d have stayed away. Unless they all have different mindsets about omegas than Fraser does. Don’t worry. When Caito returns home, I’ll have him speak to Fraser about backing off and giving you space. He can still watch over you without being an overbearing prick.” I assure her, and she nods, sighing heavily.

“No more talk of unhinged alphas. I just want to bask in the sun and enjoy this before I’m stuck in my apartment for another two weeks.” She releases my hands so she can lay back against the pool lounger.

I am just about to finish up applying my sunscreen when a literal explosion rocks the building, sending me pinwheeling back off the lounge seat I’m sitting on. My back hits cement, head cracking painfully against the hard surface, and a vaguely hear Kate scream something. I think it’s my name, but my brain is a bit fuzzy for a few precious seconds.

I blink my eyes open where I’m on my back with my legs up on the upturned lounge seat, and Kate is peering over me, her palms on my cheeks. It takes me several blinks to clear the haziness from my swimming head to hear the words coming out of her mouth. “Get up, Scar! I think a bomb has just gone off! We need to get off the roof!”

She wrenches me up off the ground, and I groan in pain. Despite the chaos, Kate is surprisingly calm as she wraps an arm around my waist to help haul my ass across the roof towards the elevator. Just as we reach it and she jabs her finger into it, nothing happens. The display above the box doesn’t even light up.

Power is out. I think I might say this to Kate, but my head feels like it’s a million pounds at the moment. She mutters a rather colorful curse that somehow filters in through the haze, and then twists us. “There’s a staircase.” I manage to get out, raising a shaking finger towards the left hand side of the rooftop where an emergency staircase is.

Together, we stagger towards it, Kate mostly keeping me upright. Fuck, I hope my fall backwards didn’t hurt the baby. My hands shake when we reach the door, and I fumble to press in the code to release the locking mechanism. It takes me two tries before the door springs open, allowing us passage down the staircase that Apollo told me empties out into Wren’s office.

In the dark, Kate guides us down the stairs. When we reach the bottom, the door is already open, which immediately raises my hackles. From what Apollo told me before coming up here, a code is needed to get through both sets of doors on both sides.

It’s only when we spill out into Wren’s office do I come to the realization of what exactly is happening.

I come face to face with my worst goddamned nightmare.

“Hello, pet. Someone has broken the rules, I see. I think it’s about time you return home for a few refresher courses.”

52

Apollo

Ishould have fucking known something was wrong the moment the damn microwave stopped working.

That was about thirty seconds before the entire building seemed to rock sideways and send me flying across the kitchen.

Our penthouse is flooded with masked assholes before I’ve even picked my ass up off the beautiful tile work that Lark loves so dearly. “Son of a bitch.” I snarl when I get the butt of a rifle against my cheek, making stars burst across my vision. If it wasn’t for the fact that some sort of earthquake just handed me my ass, I would have been more prepared for this shit.

All my damn panic buttons to alert my pack brothers are out of arm’s reach at the moment.

A fist slams into my jaw then, sending my head sailing back to collide with the unforgiving tile again. This time, I think the poor tile cracks. I groan. Fuck. Whoever just punched me has one hell of a right hook. The coppery tang of blood floods my mouth. Pretty sure I just had a few teeth knocked loose.

Now that I’m dazed, arms hook underneath me and yank me to my feet. My vision swims for a moment before I can clear it. But then I think I must be seeing shit, because the woman that steps into my line of sight cannot be who I’m really seeing.

“Raven?” I think I whisper her name, but she hears me. She also grimaces. Wren’s alpha sister moves towards me, dressed head to toe in black with a fucking gun hanging loosely from her hand. She has her white hair braided back from her face, making her truly look like some warrior viking goddess of old.

One with a tad too much leather and not enough armor.

“Where is she, Apollo? Just tell me where she is and we’ll make this quick. I don’t want to hurt you.” At first, her words confuse me, but then I take a quick look around and realize exactly what the hell this is.

“You.” I snarl, making to lunge for her, but the two assholes that have me held upright tighten their grips on me. Then, I feel cold, hard metal press against the back of my skull. Raven flicks a glance at whoever it is over my shoulder, and her lips tighten. She doesn’t look happy.

“He is not part of the deal. You are here for your omega. If she’s not on the main level, she has to be up on the rooftop. There’s a pool.” My entire body freezes at her words, my brain making quick work of the entire scope of the situation.

I know then who must be at my back.

I try to jerk around, but the muzzle of the gun only presses harder into my skin. “Show me where my pet is.”

“Fuck you,” the sound that rips free from me is anything but human. Over my dead fucking body will I lead this sadistic asshole to my omega. He’ll have to put a goddamned bullet through the back of my skull. “She doesn’t belong to you. Never has, never will.”

A dark chuckle whispers over my ears a moment before I feel his hot breath tickle my skin. “That’s where you’re wrong. For it’s my mark she bears on her skin. Not yours.”

Before I can rage out, a fist catches me in the gut and makes me double over. Then I am being dragged forward behind Raven as she leads the way to my omega. Fuck, fuck, fuck! I try to jerk again, but the crack of a gunshot rings out milliseconds before white hot pain lances through my right calf, and I slump with an ungodly roar of fury.

The two assholes are prepared, though. They take my weight as if it’s nothing to them, and they continue to drag my ass towards Wren’s office. “The elevator is down since we cut the main power lines, but we’ll be able to slip up the staircase.” That walking dead bitch calls over her shoulder as she pushes inside the office. She better hope Wren gets to her before I do, because I’m going to make her fucking beg for death when I’m through with her.

I can feel blood pouring free from the wound in my calf. My lungs burn, and my head and face feel like I went ten rounds in the ring with the world’s heavyweight champion. “Put him on his knees.” I hear the snake that had shot me say at my back. “Open the door to the staircase. We will wait for my pet to come to me.” He orders Raven, who practically fucking skips to the door.

I curse out as I watch her punch in the code we never should’ve given her, and then she steps out of my line of sight while we wait for Scarlett to come down. It only takes another minute before the door is swinging open, revealing Kate supporting my omega around her waist.

All color leaches from Scarlett’s face when her eyes collide with the monster at my back, and he finally comes into my line of sight. He keeps the gun he’d already used to shoot my calf trained on me, but his eyes and creepy ass smile are all for her. I’m going to rip those goddamned lips off after I pluck out his eyes for looking at her like that.

“Hello, pet. Someone has broken the rules, I see. It’s time you return home for a few refresher courses.”

Undiluted rage courses through me as he speaks to her, but I can’t fucking do anything when I am down a leg, I have a gun trained on me, and others have their weapons trained on the two omegas. God fucking dammit! “I will fucking kill you, Erossi. Do you hear me? If you touch her-”

Harlan Erossi finally looks at me, and he peels his lips back in a sneer as he looks me up and down like I’m nothing more than garbage that needs to be taken care of. “You’ll what, Reaves? If you move one muscle to stop me from taking what belongs to me, she’ll get a bullet between those pretty eyes.” He turns back to Scarlett, and his lips twist into a smirk. “And she knows if she fights, the same goes for you, don’t you, pet?”

My omega fucking trembles. The seconds tick by, and she locks eyes with me for several heartbeats. I see it then. Her resolve hardens her gaze as she looks at me. “Scar, no-”

I start to protest, but she tears her eyes off of me and returns them to that asshole. “I’ll go willingly. Just leave him be. He’s… he’s nothing to me.” Her words normally would have cut right through me if I didn’t know her better than I did.

My omega loves me. She hasn’t said the words to me yet, but I know she does. Just as she loves that tiny babe growing in her womb. I know she’ll say or do anything to protect that secret. There are only three of us in this room that know, and she’ll do anything to keep it that way.

“That’s right, pet. You know who owns you. Come,” He twists away, signaling towards some of his men. “Bring them both. I can catch a pretty penny for the other slut.”

Just at the thought of him leaving with the omegas, adrenaline surges through me. The guys holding my arms are caught off guard when I jerk upright on my good leg and stumble towards Erossi, ready to rip him to shreds. Another gunshot rings out, followed by a scream, and then I feel a bolt of lightning pierce my chest.

I see the look on my omega’s face when I crash to my knees. I hear her screaming as she’s pulled out of Wren’s office kicking and screaming, along with a weeping Kate. I don’t feel it when I slam face first into the rough hardwood floor.

I don’t feel a damn thing when the darkness steals away my vision and my life.

53

Wren

If it wasn’t for Caito’s contact clearing a path for us to the penthouse, we never would have gotten through the police barricade that had already been erected around the scene by the time we got there. I don’t know what kind of sway the alpha has, and I really don’t care.

Lark meets us in the lobby, his panic stricken face like a fucking punch to the gut. It adds another thousand or so pounds of weight on my shoulders that I already bear. A hideous reminder that I’ve failed.

Because without even stepping foot inside the penthouse, I already know I’ve done just that.

The crushing weight just keeps piling on my shoulders as we make quick work of the fourteen flights of steps that will take us up to our floor. I know Caito and Lark are behind me. So are Fraser and Sutton. I know a small team of first responders are also present with us. I’d bet that had to be Sutton’s or Lark’s doing.

I’m numb when I punch in the code and let myself into our penthouse. I don’t register that the place looks like a hurricane has been through it. I follow my senses to my office. The coppery tang of blood is thick in the air, even before pushing the door all the way in where it had been partially cracked.

I expect to find carnage. I’d already hardened myself to come face to face with my omega’s lifeless body before I’d even walked through the front door. Fraser had already been through here before we arrived, but he hadn’t uttered a word to Caito about what he’d possibly seen.

What I find is an empty office.

The door to the stairwell that leads up to our roof top pool hangs ajar. There is a massive amount of blood in two spaces smeared across the light, hardwood floors. Enough blood to hint at something fatal.

However, there are no bodies. The space is empty aside from boot tracks of various sizes planted all over the floors. Like whoever had walked through the pools of blood couldn’t have been bothered to care about leaving evidence behind.

In the largest pool of blood, Fraser finds a single shell casing.

There are so many scents swirling around the space. Each one is hammering against the already tenuous hold I have on my sanity. I’m frozen when Caito approaches me, and one of his warm hands lands on my shoulder. “The blood smells like Apollo.” I squeeze my eyes shut against the torrent of emotions his words wage through me.

Apollo. Not Scarlett.

Fuck, if this doesn’t make me a bastard because I feel relieved.

When my eyes open again, Lark suddenly appears from the stairwell that leads up to the rooftop. He doesn’t even have to voice the words for me to know everything. Sutton walks into the office, a grim look on his face. “My team has cleared the entire floor and all thirteen others. No one else is in the building.”

I feel my breath snag in my lungs. “The floor right below us was empty?” I turn my attention to the alpha, and he nods. I take a deep breath in, allowing myself to concentrate for just a moment.

So many damn scents clog the air, but it’s easy enough for me to pick out the ones that matter the most to me. Especially when my inner alpha is on the hunt for anything that can help me find my pack brother, my omega, and her friend.

Apollo’s scent is the thickest, thanks to the mass amounts of blood. I don’t allow myself to dwell on what that could mean, though. By the doorway, I find Kate’s, the roommate. Then the familiar, mouth-watering aroma of my omega.

But there is another scent here that should not be here.

One that makes my eyes snap open and focus on the alphas waiting for me to come back with a verdict.

“Raven.” I snarl her name, not at all sounding like myself as I do so. Caito’s eyes flash and he inhales deeply through his nostrils, attempting to pick up on the faint trace of my sister like I had. I know he won’t, but he doesn’t need to. He’d never trusted Raven around Scarlett. He’d even mentioned as much to me and warned me she’d eventually become a problem.

He’d been right.

“Find her. Find my fucking sister.”

* * *

It takes three hours for Fraser to locate Raven’s last whereabouts, which shocks the hell out of me. Not his skill, but the place he eventually tracked her to.

I’m deadly fucking calm when I find her, slumped into a chair in the corner of the Black Tide Valley Memorial Hospital’s emergency department’s waiting room. As I approach her, a part of me fucking prays that she’s here because she went in to rescue my omega and pack brother, but I know, deep down, that’s not the case.

It’s not me or Caito that plucks her out of her chair by her hair, though. Fraser Arson does the honors, and he fucking smiles like a goddamned psychopath when she screeches and flails, attempting to lash out at him with her fists and claws. She doesn’t get very far.

Two security guards are already approaching, but Fraser snarls, “Official Infinity Ring business. Mind your fucking own,” and the both of them stop in their tracks. They don’t even spare us another glance before they melt away. It makes me wonder for half a second how powerful Caito’s former chum buddies could be, but that thought is quickly replaced when Raven’s eyes find mine.

She pales as soon as she sees me, and I feel the last vestiges of my hopes and dreams flake away that she’d one day change.

When I look back at her, I am not her baby brother.

I’m her future fucking executioner.

Fraser shoves her down on her knees before me, Lark, and Caito, but he keeps his fist tangled in her hair. When he leans down, he murmurs in her ear, “Better start singing. You won’t like it if I have to make you.” His words send a sudden jolt of unease down my spine, but it isn’t for her sake.

The guy is clearly unhinged. More so than my pack brothers and I at the moment.

“I’m sorry, Wren! It was only supposed to be her! I got Apollo here as soon as I could. He’s in surgery.” I feel my blood freeze in my veins at her words. She heaves out a sob, looking absolutely wrecked, but not because she handed over my omega to some unknown entity, but because of Apollo.

“Apollo is here?” Lark breathes out, and when she nods, my pack brother mutters a curse.

“You better explain before I let Fraser handle you.” Caito snarls, physically vibrating beside me with his need to inflict damage on her.

“I-it was only supposed to be the omega. She belongs to Harlan. He wanted her, and I wanted the name of the man who put out a hit on her. She got Ant killed, and I thought it was only right to get her out of the way before something happened to any of you.” This time, Lark snarls, taking a step towards her, but I hold up my hand. “This wasn’t supposed to happen!” She wailed. “Apollo just had to let her go. He shouldn’t have tried to intervene!”

“Did you get what you wanted?” I finally asked when her mouth clamped shut. Confusion warped her features for a moment.

“Wh-what?”

“The name. Did you get the name you wanted in exchange for my omega’s life, as well as the life of my pack’s unborn child and another innocent omega?” Shock shudders her features as my words slap her in the face like a physical blow. She jerks back, but Fraser has a good grip on her hair so she doesn’t get far..

“Child? Oh, fuck.” She croaks, but I don’t give her a flicker of emotion as I stare her down. “I didn’t know!”

“It doesn’t matter!” Caito snarls like a wild animal, snapping forward to wrap his hand around her throat and lift her up off the ground. I feel absolutely nothing as I watch my sister’s feet dangle up off the floor. The only thing I feel is the undercurrents of fury steadily pumping through my veins, fueling me for what is yet to come.

Righteous fucking vengeance.

Fraser allows Caito to take over holding her, but he doesn’t move far. He watches her in a way that I’m sure is making every nurse huddled behind the receptionist’s desk nervous as hell. They are probably shitting their pants, but no one will intervene. Not unless they want to tangle with the Infinity Ring.

“Lark, go check in with the nurses station and see if you can’t get an update on Apollo. Caito and Fraser are going to take Raven somewhere private for a more in-depth chat.” I start to bark out orders while turning away.

“Wren, please-” Raven’s plea is cut off by a choked gasp. No doubt Caito has smothered anything else she might’ve said with his crushing grip around her throat. I don’t really give a fuck anymore. The only thing I can focus on is getting my omega back and making sure my pack brother makes it through this alive.

“Where are you going?” Lark keeps up with me for a moment so that I can give him an answer.

“I’m going to take Sutton Malakei up on his offer for aid.”

I don’t care what it takes. Harlan Fucking Erossi is going to regret ever crossing me and mine.

54

Scarlett

Iwake with a foul taste in my mouth. It almost reminds me of the time I ate a spoonful of rotten honey by accident when I was a child, but not quite. It takes several long heartbeats before I will my eyelids to flutter open, though it feels like someone has super glued them shut after sprinkling sand on them.

Soft light seeps through gauzy curtains that are only half closed, making me squint where I am curled up on my side on a too stiff mattress covered in swaths of gold and silver. I try to lift my head slightly to take stock of my situation, but it’s difficult. My head feels like it’s weighed down by two ton bricks.

The sound of metal rattling against metal echoes around the room when I shift my body, alerting me to a heavy weight wrapped around my right ankle. I bring my leg up, and grimace when I spot the metal cuff attached to the long chain I know will be bolted to the floor at the foot of the bed.

Memories start filtering through me, and I’m reminded just how fucked I really am. I squeeze my eyes shut when the vision of Apollo falling to his knees tries to flash across my mind. The echo of the gunshot that pierced his chest ricochets in my skull, and it takes me biting down on my tongue hard enough to draw blood to get the sound to dissipate.

Somehow, the coppery taste of my blood in my mouth helps center me.

I sit up slowly, already knowing what I’ll find. Though the room isn’t familiar, everything else about this situation is. I’m still dressed in the crimson red bikini I’d had on while sitting by the pool with Kate. There is a tender ache in the back of my skull from where I’d fallen back and hit my head when an explosion had shook the building.

An explosion that had no doubt been a distraction. Another elaborate ploy of Harlan’s.

Dragging my legs up to my chest, I ignore the metal cuff around my ankle as I wrap my arms around my knees. I must’ve been dosed with something to transport me to this place, wherever it is, because I can feel the twinge in my neck where the needle had sunk into flesh and muscles.

I sit there for what feels like hours, thinking about all the decisions and moments that have led me here. Part of me wants to berate myself for allowing this to happen by getting close to my alphas, but I quickly squash that thought. I won’t allow myself to regret the things I shared with them and the life we’d started to create together.

I fold a hand across my flat abdomen. Whatever happens here, I can’t allow Harlan to find out I carry my alpha’s child. It’s the one thing I’d failed at when he’d held me all those years. If he somehow finds out I’ve been able to get pregnant with other alphas, he’ll lose his shit.

I don’t want to think about what he might do.

Another few minutes pass by in silence as I think about what my alphas must be enduring. They definitely know I’m gone by now. I wonder how they are faring with me and Apollo-

I cut off that thought, slamming it down into the depths of my brain where most of my nightmares reside. Just as I drag in a shaky breath, I hear the lock click on the door a second before it swings open. I already know who it is without lifting my head from my knees. I’d sensed him through the partial bond before he’d even approached the door.

It’s hard to tune out your own monsters when you share some convoluted bond.

“Get up and greet your alpha, pet.” He sneers, but I curl my lip and ignore him. I don’t want to look at him. He chuckles when I don’t respond. Then, he says, “Bring her in.”

Metal rattles, and then something thuds hard against the floor, finally dragging my attention. My entire body goes rigid at the sight of Kate on her knees beside him, chains trapping her hands behind her back.

Horror washes through me when I take in her appearance. She’s dressed in a pure white teddy made of lace and silk, but the outfit isn’t what steals the breath from my lungs.

It’s the mottled bruises all over every available inch of her skin. It’s the swollen cheek where I know she’s been struck by the back of his hand. It’s the weeping slices in her thighs and breasts made by his favorite blade.

I’m scrambling off the bed without another thought. Kate whimpers when I fall to my knees and crawl across the floor towards him. Her right eye is slightly puffy from where she must’ve been hit, but our eyes connect while she watches me approach. I don’t look at him as I come to a stop. The chain that has my ankle bound is long enough to reach him where he stands.

If only it were long enough for me to use to choke the life right out of him.

“That’s right, pet. I think it’s about time that you apologize for the mess you’ve caused me and for breaking the rules.” Harlan snaps his fingers, but my eyes don’t waver from Kate’s as I lower my face to his shiny loafered feet. I know exactly what he wants without him even having to voice the words.

However, before my lips can brush against the expensive Italian shoe, he brings it up and kicks me right in the underside of my jaw. My teeth crack together and blood bursts across my tongue where I accidentally bite the inside of my cheek. My body careens backwards, and I hit my head again against a too hard surface. Stars dance across my vision, and I can’t help the groan that slips free from me.

Kate’s muffled screams can be heard behind the gag in her mouth.

“Get her back on her knees, Jacob.” Revulsion is a hot tidal wave washing through me when my second worst nightmare wraps his clammy hands around my biceps and pulls me back up to deposit me back on my knees before the pack lead.

Harlan crouches down before me, something he never does, and grips my chin between his fingers in a bruising grip. My jaw flares with pain from where he’d struck me with his foot, and a little blood trickles out of the corner of my mouth. His lips peel back in a sneer as he looks over me.

“You just had to go and break the rules, pet. I was content to let you live out the rest of your days as long as you followed the fucking rules. Tell me. Were their knots worth it?”

I can’t help myself. I spit out a mouthful of blood right in his face. It sprays across his skin, in his eyes, and all over the front of his pristine white dress shirt. “Fuck you.” I manage to grit out right before the back of his knuckles slam against my cheek, cracking my head to the side so hard it makes my ears ring.

Kate screams again when Jacob’s fist twists in my hair to yank me to my feet. “Bring both of them to my class room. It’s about time I remind my pet just who I really am.” Harlan snarls at the asshole holding me up by my scalp while he pulls out a cloth to wipe away the blood I’d spit in his face. That brings a savage smile to my lips. Part of me knows I shouldn’t be pushing him this way, but my rebellious nature can’t help it.

The little scrap of freedom he’d once offered me gave me a new outlook on life.

These alphas can go fuck themselves.

Levi steps into the room then to grab a hold of Kate under her arms and drag her to her feet. Together, the both of them do as Harlan ordered and cart us to Harlan’s infamous “classroom”. They deposit us inside, and I keep my eyes trained on Kate and not on the various macabre instruments adorning all four walls.

Her eyes are wild as she looks around at what awaits me. All the color has drained from her face, and when our eyes connect again, I see the understanding there. I hate that she has to be here for this. I hate that she’s going to have to witness all the horrors I’ve kept buried since meeting her.

Jacob offers me a twisted smile. “Harlan will be just a moment while he prepares, princess. You two sit tight.” He practically purrs before he and Levi leave, shutting the door behind them.

I wait a minute or two before I speak. It takes several swallows to get rid of the blood still pooling in my mouth from both strikes I’d taken from Harlan before I could do so. “Listen to me, Kate.” My words drew her attention from where she’d been staring extra hard at the metal table bolted to the floor just a few feet away.

Tears are streaming down her face. She looks so damn terrified. “Whatever you see, whatever he does to me, you cannot react anymore. He feeds off of it. He’s going to make you watch while he reminds me of my place, but you have to promise me you won’t make a sound. Can you do that for me?” I feel a lot calmer than I probably should, considering the situation.

Kate stares at me, that familiar horror flickering in the dark blue depths of her eyes. It takes her several heartbeats before she manages to nod, though she doesn’t look happy about it. I try to smile, but when she grimaces, it drops from my face. My teeth are no doubt coated in blood. I can still taste it when I run my tongue along them.

I want to tell Kate that everything is going to be fine, but I won’t lie to her. I have no clue what Harlan plans to do with her. I have a hunch he’s going to try to catch a price for her, though I hope it doesn’t come to that. I also don’t want her to have to stay here, though.

“I’m going to do everything I can to get you out of this, Kate. I promise. Just keep being strong, okay?” Her lips tremble around the gag in her mouth, but she nods her understanding.

I sigh and relax back against the floor, my legs shifting until I can curl up into a ball with my knees to my chest. The chains rattle where Jacob has secured me to the bolt in the floor, but I barely even feel the cuff around my ankle. It’s as familiar to me as the scents in this room. It’s not the same exact room I’m used to, but the purpose is clear.

I just have to bide my time until I can figure out a way out of this.

This time, Harlan will not win.

55

Lark

Ibolt awake at the sound of a latch clicking on a door nearby, and I blink bleary eyes at Wren and Caito approaching Apollo’s bed. “How’s he doing?” Wren murmurs the question softly, though there isn’t anything that would wake our pack brother right now. He’s currently heavily sedated to allow his body to heal from the various surgeries he’s undergone the last two days.

“Doctor said he thinks he got the remaining fragments from the bullet on this last surgery. He says he wants to keep him under for a few more days to give him time to heal before waking him.” I know exactly why he’d suggested it. If Apollo awoke right now to discover Scarlett still missing, he’ll just injure himself more with his stress.

Caito settles in a seat on the other side of the bed from me and rests his face in the palms of his hands. I take a moment to look over my pack brothers. Wren is still wearing the clothes he’s been wearing since the day our omega was taken from us. Caito has at least showered and changed at least once since then.

Dark circles smudge the undersides of all of our eyes. None of us have gotten much rest. Wren has pulled every last string he has to bring Scarlett home to us. Caito’s connections with the Infinity Ring are also working diligently to track down the monster that stole her away and damn near got Apollo killed. Fraser and his pack have a vested interest in getting the location on both omegas, though no one has bothered to share that information with me.

I sit forward in my chair, my muscles barking in protest as I do so. I really needed to get up and do something, but I haven’t wanted to leave Apollo’s side. He deserves to have one of us here with him at all times. He was the only one that fought for our omega that day. He’d tried to save her. “Give me some news, please.” I lift my gaze to Wren, hopeful they’ve come because they’ve had a breakthrough, but the muscle clenching in my pack lead’s jaw tells me otherwise.

“We have it narrowed down to Greece. Or a smaller island on the outskirts. We aren’t sure how he’s managed to do it, but he’s scrambled his trail pretty good. Salem is close to unraveling it, and then we will move out.” Caito finally lifts his face from his hands, but he looks at Apollo and not me. There is a different type of darkness that shadows the corners of my pack brother’s eyes as he looks at him. One I am familiar with.

Bone crushing regret.

Somehow, I’m sitting here again in a hospital room, holding my breath as I wait to see if I’ll lose yet another brother in the name of some asshole’s egotistical vengeance.

“And we still trust your… companions in the Infinity Ring to make Scarlett their priority?” My gaze bounces back and forth between Wren and Caito. The latter nods.

“Warrick never breaks his oaths, and he owes me more than one favor. Kate is their scent match, but she’s also our omega’s best friend. They won’t stop until they’re both brought home.” Surprise ripples through me at that, and I blink at him.

“Are you serious? Fuck. That makes sense. Fraser has been an absolute menace. Even more so than you.” I don’t know how I hadn’t realized it before. The way the alpha had handled Wren’s sister had been brutal beyond even Caito’s capabilities.

“He’s the only one that has really scented her, but that doesn’t mean War, Salem, and Cashel aren’t affected. They’ll do anything to bring the both of them home. I trust them in this.” Caito sounds so sure that it’s hard not to believe him.

I sigh and scrub a hand down my face. “I’m fucking worried.” I mutter, and my pack knows exactly what I mean.

“Everything is going to be fine. Our omega is fine, and so is our baby.” Wren’s words are hard and sure. I wish I could share his sentiments, but the dread is too heavy. It’s weighing me down and dampening my spirits. I wish I didn’t feel so goddamned useless right now.

“What if he finds out she’s pregnant?”

“He won’t. Scar will guard that secret.” Caito assures me.

“But what if Kate spills that she is just trying to keep her safe?” I press further, unable to help myself.

“That won’t happen. We are going to get to them both before anything happens to them.”

I open my mouth to argue, but before I can do so, a knock sounds on the door. Wren strides forward to answer it, and Sutton and Fraser slink into the room. “Who’s ready to get our omegas back and rain hell down on Harlan fucking Erossi?” Fraser announces, and I feel my heart skip a beat.

Caito is on his feet then, and I am quick to follow. The announcement seems almost too good to be true. “Salem found them?”

“No.” Fraser slapped a hand down on Sutton’s shoulder. “This old coon did. Warrick has the jet fueled and waiting. It’s about an hour drive to the airport.” Wren and Caito are already moving, but I hesitate by Apollo’s bedside.

Wren stops at the door that Caito and the others have already slipped out of and looks back at me. Understanding lights his eyes, and he dips his chin to me. “Keep our brother company. We will bring her home safe.” Relief swells in me, and I nod at him, resolve hardening my spine.

As much as I want to be there when we get our omega back, I know I’m needed here. I will not abandon my pack brother in his time of need. I sit back down and pull my chair forward to be closer to him.

Reaching out my hand, I clasp his in mine and give it a squeeze. “Hang tight, brother. We are bringing our omega home.” I know exactly where I belong. I won’t allow another brother of mine to slip between my fingers.

56

Scarlett

“Scar, please open your eyes?” I think fingers brush against my cheek, but I can’t really feel them. My body has gone numb, which is probably a good thing since I’m pretty sure my leg is broken. Happened sometime yesterday when I’d tried to scramble away from Harlan during one of his lessons, and he’d stomped down on my calf to stop me.

I distinctly remember the crack of bone echoing around the room, but I don’t recall anything else. I blacked out after that. I think I’m just now waking up after that incident. He hasn’t been back since then.

I should probably be thankful for that, but the period between his lessons is the worst. It’s the point when he has time to think of even more sadistic ways to make me come to heel.

“Please, Scar. I need to make sure you’re OK.” My eyelids finally flutter, but only because I want to erase the tremor in Kate’s voice. I try to open my mouth to tell her I’m okay, but my face is so swollen that I can’t. My vision swims for a moment before her face comes into focus.

Kate is perfectly whole, thank fuck. All of Harlan’s rage and attention has been focused on me, and I’ve made sure to do everything I can to keep it that way. She doesn’t need to be punished by my own demons. He makes her watch, but that’s about it, and for that, I am thankful.

“Water,” I croak, wincing when my voice cracks. The amount of screaming I’ve been doing since I’ve been dragged back here has made my throat and vocal cords raw. Kate shifts over to grab the tin cup of water that had been left for her by Levi earlier.

She helps me lift my head, and her hand only trembles slightly when she tips the cup to my cracked and bleeding lips. I whimper when the cool liquid washes over my tongue and down my ruined throat. I let my head fall back before I can drain the entire cup, and Kate frowns.

“You need some, too.” My voice is much steadier when I speak.

Kate’s jaw flexes. “I had a few sips earlier. You need the fluids more than me.” The strap on the lingerie piece she still wears slips from her shoulder, and I reach up to adjust it before it can go too far.

I hate to ask, but need to know. “How many days has it been?”

Kate smooths hair back from my face, lifting the tin cup back up so I can finish the water. I don’t fight her. “At least two days. Maybe closer to three. They had me under too when we were transported.”

I nod, and she lowers my head back to the floor. I’m just thankful I’m not still strapped to Harlan’s favorite metal table. “He’ll return soon. He’ll sense I am conscious.” I warn just before the doors swing open. It would appear that my senses aren’t as well off as they should be.

Harlan’s shiny black loafers click against the hardwood floor at his approach, but Kate remains where she is on her knees beside me. When his hideous face comes into view, he smiles down at me like a snake. If he had a forked tongue, I’m sure it would be flickering away in the air to taste the scent of my broken hope.

Levi is with him, but Jacob is suspiciously missing.

“Perfect timing, pet. I’m in the mood for a song.” He snaps his fingers, and then that jackass appears, pushing a smaller piano through the large doorway, making me wish I hadn’t wondered where he was.

Kate bares her teeth at Harlan when Levi moves to haul me up off the floor. I block everything out at the feel of his hands grasping onto my naked breasts. I’ve long since been stripped of all barriers so that Harlan could have every inch of my skin at his disposal.

Blocking it out is the only way I can survive.

Thankfully, she doesn’t say a word as I am deposited onto the bench Jacob pushes in front of the piano. My leg starts to throb, breaking through the numb barrier in my mind, but I grit my teeth through it. I know the drill. Hopefully, I can pull off this next performance, and then the three of them will leave us in peace for a while so I can rest.

It’s hard, but I manage to dance my bloody, nail-less fingers over the keys, striking the first chords of Harlan’s favorite song. However, I only get through the first verse before the asshole is slamming his fist down on the top of my right hand.

I scream, body folding inward and I barely stop myself from lashing out with the hand he doesn’t have pinned to the keys. If I hit him right now, it’ll be game over. “You sound atrocious, pet.” He snarls. “Start over. This time, it better be smoother.”

I do as I am told, fighting through the pain when he lifts his fist to allow me to start over. My fingers take a moment to start moving again, but just as I am about to open my mouth to sing again, a loud, urgent knock sounds at the door, tripping me up.

Thankfully, Harlan is distracted by the interruption. He growls, taking a step forward before he flicks his wrist to Levi. I try not to look over to where Jacob is standing way too close to Kate, but I fail. I miss Levi opening the door when my eyes zero in on the hand stroking over my best friend’s dark curls.

I grit my teeth, about to open my mouth to say something, but the look Kate shoots me gives me pause. Then, Harlan’s barked curse cuts through our stare down, drawing my focus to what I’d missed before.

“Impossible! They never should have been able to uncover the tracks.” He snaps to the man standing in the doorway. To Levi and Jacob, he barks, “Grab the omegas and head up to the chopper. I’ll deal with the clean up.”

Jacob’s hand knots in Kate’s hair, dragging her up to her feet. She curses a blue streak while Levi grabs me underneath my arms. He tosses me over his shoulder like I am a sack of potatoes, and I can do nothing when his palm slaps against my bare ass cheek in the process. My ribs ache in this new position, but my body is so broken that I can’t do much about it.

My heart starts to pound as reality sets in. Levi follows Jacob out of the room, leaving behind the torture chamber that has been our entire existence for the last two days. Fragile hope begins to bloom in my chest at the thought that maybe, our alphas have found us. Harlan had certainly made it sound like something was going on. Otherwise, why would he have us moved to a chopper for easy take off.

I lift my head slightly, trying to get a good look at my surroundings, but there isn’t much to go off of. The hallway we walk down is bare of everything except the occasional painting of generic photos framed along the walls on either side. The three doors we pass by are all closed.

A minute later, we are ascending a set of steps that are dimly lit with beautifully intricate wall sconces in the shapes of partially folded angel’s wings. We are only in the stairwell for about twenty seconds or so before we emerge outside beneath a brilliant sky painted in the soft pinks, oranges, and golds of a setting sun.

It’s obvious we are on a rooftop. Off in the distance, I spot an endless, glittering ocean when I lift my head. In this moment, it doesn’t even matter that I am gloriously naked and slung over the shoulder of a sadistic alpha intent on keeping me chained to his pack lead. I see the ocean, and I immediately begin to weep.

“Crying isn’t going to work on me, omega.” Levi hums under his breath when he senses my current state, but I’m not crying for the reasons he probably thinks.

I’m crying because I never thought I’d see the sun and sea ever again.

And I soak it in, just in case this is the last time I do.

Before I know it, I am being deposited against a cushioned seat beside Kate. My friend curls her lip at the two alphas. “Can we get a fucking blanket? Her skin won’t survive the wind when we take off.”

Jacob just smirks at her. “The pet knows how this goes. No coverage. Pack lead’s orders.” He says, then he slips off the chopper, most likely to check in with said pack lead. Levi stays, staring at me in a way I really don’t care for.

“You know, the harder they look, the angrier it’s going to make Harlan. He’s not going to hold back eliminating just one of them. One by one, they are going to die because you couldn’t follow the rules.” My chest pangs with unbearable loss at the reminder of Apollo’s demise, but I quickly push it out of my mind.

I cannot afford to be distracted right now. Not if an escape opportunity is about to present itself with this hiccup they hadn’t expected.

“I think you know as well as I do that one cannot ignore a scent match bond.” I retort, knowing I’m going to regret it.

Levi narrows his eyes. “Scent match, eh? Regardless of what you think fate has in store for you, that doesn’t negate the fact that you are bound to our pack lead. We own you, omega. They tried to take what did not belong to them.”

“The fact that you think purchasing a human being, omega or not, automatically entitles you to ownership is absolutely disgusting.” For the first time since we’d arrived here, Kate cuts in over me before I can respond, spitting venom back at Levi.

I want to be proud of her, but the look that twists his features makes my heart plummet to the bottom of my feet. He snarls, his hand snapping out to reach for her, but a gunshot cracks through the air before he can so much as get five inches away from her.

Levi’s body jerks, and I hear Jacob bellow something in the distance, but the only thing I can focus on is the perfect hole smoking between the alpha’s eyes as he falls to his knees, before slumping face first in the space in front of us.

Kate cries out when another gunshot cracks the air, and then Jacob’s bellowing is cut off. I gingerly lean forward to peer around my frantic best friend to watch the other alpha drop like a sack of bricks to the rooftop a few feet away from the chopper.

Holy fuck. Levi is dead. Jacob is probably dead.

“What the fuck-” Kate starts to screech, but then a body pops through the opening of the chopper, a man I don’t recognize, and dread fills my gut. I’m jerking forward as he reaches for her before I can think it through. I propel myself with enough force that my body slams into his before his fingers can touch Kate, and then the both of us are sailing out of the chopper.

I cry out when his strong arms wrap around me as his back slams into the pebbled rooftop, jarring my body in a way that tells me it isn’t a good thing. My vision swims as every broken piece of me sings like a fucked up canary. The scent of extra fragrant vanilla and sweet cream suffocates me, but the alpha is quickly releasing me when a ferocious snarl rips through the air.

“Fuck! I didn’t mean to touch her, man!” My body hits the ground as the man is yanked up and away from me. Then, a sob burst free from me as his scent washes over me next. Winter evergreen and rich, decadent dark chocolate.

When I look up through my curtain of tangled, blonde hair to see Caito holding the strange alpha up off the ground by his throat, my heart cracks and my lungs cease to work. Kate is yelling, and I look over my shoulder briefly on instinct to see another man pulling her out of the chopper, but he isn’t being rough with her.

“For fucks sake, Archer! Drop Cash and help your omega!” The dark haired man now clutching a wildly thrashing Kate to his chest barks at my alpha, who drops the golden haired alpha so he can fall on his knees beside me.

I whimper when he gently pulls me up into his arms. Someone hands him a jacket that he tucks around me as best as he can while he pulls up to his feet with me cradled against his broad chest. I only have eyes for my alpha.

And with one whispered phrase, my body finally succumbs to the darkness. “Mo chroí.”

57

Caito

Ahand lands on my shoulders, but I don’t take my heavy lidded eyes off of my omega’s sleeping form. “How is she doing?” I shrug off War’s hand. He knows I don’t like to be touched. Still, my eyes don’t waver.

“Kate wants to visit.”

“Does it look like I give a fuck?” I rumble, pressing my cheek into my palm, the rough stubble I really should have shaved days ago prickling the skin there.

Warrick crosses into my line of sight, but he doesn’t get too close to the hospital bed where my omega is laying. He crosses his big arms over his chest, pulling the fabric of his expensively tailored suit jacket taut across his broad shoulders. He looks like he’s just gotten out of an executive board meeting. He’s the clean cut, Italian knock-off of Wren.

“You know I don’t like denying my omega, just like you wouldn’t.”

Finally, I flick my gaze to him. My unimpressed gaze. “We don’t owe each other anything anymore, Warrick. In fact, I’m surprised you aren’t hoarding your omega back in your lair away from prying eyes.”

The leader of the infamous Infinity Ring sighs before scrubbing a hand over his face, that golden ring with the organization’s symbol glinting in the low lights of Scarlett’s private room. I’m going to have to have a discussion with Sutton about allowing him through when he knows I don’t want to be bothered.

It’s been five days since we got our omega back and she’d blacked out.

Five days of never taking a full breath of air. Five days of sitting my ass in this chair. Five days of wondering if I’d ever see her beautiful eyes open again.

The only upside being that Apollo woke up three days ago.

Today is the day he’s supposed to be wheeled down to sit with her. Maybe then I’ll allow myself a few hours of rest. Wren has been busy cleaning up the mess we’d left behind in our wake rescuing the omegas. Everything had been done relatively legally, but to the public, Harlan Erossi escaped.

The world will never know that the asshole won’t live to see another day once our omega wakes up and deals out her own justice. To the world, he’ll just be another criminal on the run.

“Kate isn’t a threat to her. She just wants to sit and talk with her. It might help her wake up.” War suggests gently, more so than I’m used to coming from him, and I growl.

“She’ll wake up when she is ready. Her body needs rest.” I snap, losing my grip for a split second on my carefully bottled away emotions. Internally, I curse myself out for my lapse in control. I know better than to show that kind of weakness around a man like Warrick Arson.

“Consider it a favor. One you can cash in at any time for any task. Just let my omega sit here for twenty minutes. You don’t even have to leave.” He bargains, sounding far too desperate, and I scoff.

“I wouldn’t leave anyway, but fine. She can visit until Lark brings Apollo down. Our pack gets priority with visitation.” Relief swamps War’s features, and he nods.

He disappears for a minute or two before he returns with the little dark haired omega by his side, though I note she does keep her distance from him by a good three or four feet. She sits in a seat on the other side of the bed from where I am, but her eyes are only for my little omega in her bed.

Kate is quiet for several minutes before she asks, “Have there been any changes?” She knows the answer, yet she feels the need to voice the question, anyway. I get it in a way. That need to feel like you’re doing something.

“The doctor just says she needs rest. We aren’t rushing anything.” A single tear escapes the corner of her eye, but that’s the only sign she’s even affected by the picture of her best friend’s broken body hooked up to half a dozen different machines.

A muscle in Warrick’s jaw ticks at the sight of the bead of moisture slipping down her cheek, and a fist clenches at his side like he’s physically holding himself back from reaching out to swipe it away. I almost smirk at him when our eyes meet for a brief second, but I think better of it.

I know exactly what it feels like to be around my scent matched omega when she wants nothing to do with me.

Another several minutes pass in silence. “She protected me, you know? Did everything she could to keep that monster’s attention off of me. She made me promise to keep my mouth shut while he made me watch.” My teeth clench at her words, but I keep my own mouth sealed. I didn’t want to be an asshole to Scarlett’s friend. Not after everything we’ve all been through.

But I absolutely fucking hate listening to the things my omega had to endure while we’d been struggling to find her.

“Our pack owes her a life debt.” War’s words are gentle as he speaks to his omega, but Kate’s shoulders tense at the sound of his voice. I watch her face tighten, an emotion I can’t quite place flashing across her features, and gone too soon for me to read.

“She deserves the world.” The fiery little omega says this as she lifts her eyes to me for the first time since she stepped into the room. I admire her bravery.

“She will receive nothing less than that, and so much more.”

We lapse into silence again after that. Kate eventually reaches over to grasp Scarlett’s limp hand, and she gives it a gentle squeeze. She stands and leans over my omega, brushing her lips against the top of her head, murmuring something too soft to her for me to hear.

Kate doesn’t say another word to me before she marches stiffly back out of the room. War hesitates, studying me for a silent moment, before he dips his chin to me and follows after her, shutting the door softly behind him.

Then, I am alone again with my omega and all of my pent up fury.

The minutes tick by where I just watch the rise and fall of her chest and listen to the steady beat of her pulse on the machine. Before I know it, Lark is wheeling Apollo into the room, and I finally perk up. I haven’t been by to see him since we’d gotten back with Scarlett, but I know he understands my reasoning.

He looks a hell of a lot better than he did the day we left on our rescue mission. He has a hospital gown on with the front open, exposing the white bandages wound tight around his chest and over his shoulders to secure it in place. Lark pushes the wheelchair right up to the side of Scarlett’s bed, and as soon as our pack brother reaches out to grasp our omega’s hand, something miraculous happens.

Those beautiful hazel eyes pop wide open, and I take my first real breath of air in five excruciating days.

58

Scarlett

Iwake for the scent of him. My alpha. The one I thought I’d lost. My brain is foggy, but as soon as my eyes connect with his, a soul wrenching sob bursts free from me. It’s dry and it hurts like hell, but I can’t help it.

Pain flickers across his features, and he grips my hand tight in his, leaning forward as much as the wheelchair will allow. “My love.” He breathes, moisture glistening in his eyes when he presses a tender kiss to my bruised knuckles, even with my fingers wrapped in a huge bandage binding them together.

I can’t speak yet, but my tears only pick up at the sound of his voice. I’m vaguely aware of the other familiar scents swirling in the air around me, just as comforting as his, but I don’t take my eyes off of him.

I open my mouth to say something, anything, but my throat cracks when I try, which only makes me cry harder. I have so much I need to say to him—things I never thought I’d get the chance to voice aloud.

“It’s alright, my love. You might not be able to speak for a little bit. They just took out your breathing tube yesterday.” I blink at Apollo before finally tearing my eyes away from him to get a good look around. I’m in a hospital room, as expected. The last events before I’d succumbed to unconsciousness are slowly starting to trickle back in through the fog.

My gaze collides with Lark’s, and when he smiles at me, my soul sings. He has his phone pressed to his ear, and then he says, “She’s awake, get down here as soon as you can.” He hangs up after that and then moves to stand beside Apollo. I close my eyes when he leans over to brush his lips against my temple, his fingers tender as they push back some of the tangled mess of hair out of my eyes.

“I am so happy to see those beautiful eyes again, Dream girl.” He murmurs against my skin, kissing away a few tears that continue to escape down my cheeks.

Eventually, he pulls back, and my eyes find Caito hovering nearby, a Styrofoam cup with a straw clutched in his hand. “Maybe some water will help, mo chroí?” He steps forward, bringing the straw to my lips. As soon as the cool liquid touches my parched tongue and throat, I instantly feel better. I drink until the cup is empty and Caito pulls back.

It takes several attempts to get my vocal chords to work enough to rasp, “How long have I been here?”

“Five days.” Caito responds, and I take note of the hollowness to his words. Dark shadows paint the undersides of all three alpha’s eyes, and I can’t help but to feel guilty about that. I shouldn’t. I know it’s irrational, but I can’t help it.

“What happened?”

Lark exchanges a look with Caito before he opens his mouth to speak. “It took us nearly three days to uncover Erossi’s scrambled tracks. When we got a location on you, we moved in fast. Found the asshole in the basement of the building he’d been holding you and Kate in trying to slow us down. Unfortunately for him, he’d been too late. Fraser already had eyes on the other two trying to smuggle you two out on the roof. Wren gave the order to take them out before Harlan could alert them somehow that we’d caught him. We couldn’t risk them taking you anywhere else.”

“Not that Fraser would’ve let them so much as fire up that chopper. I’m sorry you had to see them gunned down, mo chroí.” Caito adds once Lark is finished, but he has no need to apologize.

“You caught Harlan? Is… is he…” I can’t finish my damn sentence, but not because of my vocal chords. I’m praying like hell that he didn’t get off Scot-free for what he’d put Kate and me through.

Some of my fears abate when Caito’s lips curl up into a sinister grin that weirdly lights my heart on fire. “We caught him, mo chroí. He’ll be all yours when you’re feeling better and are up and moving.”

I squeeze my eyes shut at the news, feeling a little of the weight that had been pressing down on my chest lift. Then, something else comes rushing back to the surface, and my eyes fly back open again with a gasp. “Raven! Sh-she was th-there that day!”

All three alpha’s faces turn grim after that. Before any of them can respond, though, the door swings open, and Wren stalks in, making the tears pick up again all over again.

As soon as our eyes connect, I’m sobbing again. My alphas crowd in around my bed, their hands reaching out and touching me, assuring me in the only way they can, without jostling my body, that I am safe and it’s going to be OK.

“Raven has been dealt with. You don’t need to worry about her anymore.” The way Wren says that makes my heart sink into my gut instead of feeling better. I open my mouth to say something—what, I’m not sure—but he quickly shakes his head. “She got what she wanted. Not only is the threat of Harlan’s bounty off your head, but so is your father’s.”

Shock ripples through me, making me speechless for several minutes. “My… father?”

“The hit came courtesy of your father. Raven made a deal with Erossi to hand you over to him if he told her who put the hit out on you. She wanted revenge for Ant.” Apollo explains. I hate that it makes sense. I remember the way Raven had reacted to Ant’s death. She’d blamed me for it, but there had been something else driving her.

“And what of my father?” I really didn’t want to ask, but I needed to know.

“In the eyes of the public, Harlan Erossi is on the run after the feds swept in to arrest your father for his involvement in his little illegal omega trafficking organization. The news stations are gobbling up the fact that Bishop Reighn sold his own omega daughter to the monster in order to gain stakes in any profit Harlan’s businesses made, as well as funding his campaign to gain his seat for police chief.”

I am rendered speechless yet again. After another minute or two, I ask, “But you caught Harlan?”

“Yes, but in order to give our omega the retribution she deserves, we had to keep news of your kidnapping and rescue out of the press. The world doesn’t know that we have the asshole stashed in Wren’s boat house on the other side of the city, and it’s going to say that way. When you dole out your punishment however you see fit, we will dispose of him. Permanently.” Caito explains, and I blink up at him.

“You… you have Harlan… in a boat house? For me?”

Wren shoulders Caito out of the way so he can reach over and brush his knuckles against my cheek. When he smiles at me, it makes my heart skip a beat. “Yes, Sweetheart. The honor of doling out his punishment is yours and yours alone.”

Fuck, now I feel like crying all over again.

I don’t get to, however, because then a knock sounds at the still open door, and we all look over to see an older woman in a fancy white doctor’s coat standing there. She has a clipboard in her hands, and when the alphas part to give her a glimpse of me, she smiles when she spots me awake.

“It’s a relief to see you awake, Scarlett. My name is Dr. Memphis and I’ve been overseeing your care since your admittance. I had a feeling it wouldn’t be much longer before you opened your eyes again. How are you feeling?” She moves into the room, but she stays several feet away from the four massive alphas guarding me like dragons with their treasure.

Smart woman.

At her question, I frown, looking down at myself. It takes me several minutes to assess the condition of my body to give her an accurate response. “I feel tired. A little sore.” I couldn’t see much of my body aside from my arms with the blankets covering me from mid-waist down. “Do I have a cast on my leg?”

She nods. “You had a pretty severe fracture in your right fibula. It’s going to take several weeks before we can remove the hard cast, and you might end up needing some physical therapy to help with walking afterwards, though I hear you have all the help you’ll need in that department.” Her eyes twinkle when they land on Lark, and my alpha puffs up his chest with pride.

“What about… about the baby…” It’s hard for me to ask. I don’t know exactly how much the damage to my body would have affected my pregnancy. I hadn’t bled or anything after each of Harlan’s lessons, but that didn’t mean anything. I’ve been unconscious for five days. My hand folds over my stomach as I meet the doctor’s eyes.

Her features soften with her smile. “The blood work we performed yesterday indicate that your HCG levels are still rising, but we can get an ultrasound tech in here to give you a scan just to check things out. Dr. Reagan has been in contact with us since you were admitted, so she is aware of the tests we’ve been doing on your blood draws daily. She doesn’t believe you are at risk of miscarriage as long as you can stay on bed rest for the next eight weeks minimum.”

Relief floods through me at the news, and the tears start leaking from my eyes again. I can’t help it. All four alphas start purring, stroking me with their hands and fingers again just to let me know they are there. “Yes, please, to the ultrasound. As soon as possible.” I manage to get out between sobs, and she nods, reaching into her pocket to pull out her phone.

“I’ll get the order sent down to the lab to send up the technician. In the meantime, is there anything I can do for you? I anticipate being able to release you into the care of your alphas at home within the next two to three days. Other than the fracture to your leg and some bruising and abrasions, you are doing well.” I am thankful that she doesn’t mention the cause of said bruising and abrasions.

“Thank you, doctor. I’m doing fine. I think I just need some more rest.” I can feel my eyelids already starting to grow heavy with the thought.

She doesn’t approach, but she keeps that smile pasted on her face and dips her chin. “You get some rest, my dear. It’ll probably be another hour or so before we can get an ultrasound technician up here to do the scan. In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to use that call button or send your alphas in search of me.”

With those parting words, she slips back out of the room, shutting the door softly behind her. Apollo’s lips brush the knuckles of the hand he’s still holding. “Rest, my love. We aren’t going anywhere.”

He doesn’t need to tell me twice. I drift back off, surrounded by the scents of my alphas and the comfort of their combined purrs.

This must be what freedom truly feels like.

59

Scarlett

Eight Weeks Later

“I’m not facing that asshole in a fucking wheelchair. I can walk just fine. Lark agrees.” I’m already close to punching Caito in the face, and it’s only nine o’clock in the morning. It’s been eight damn weeks of the constant hovering and grumbling any time I want to set my feet anywhere other than the mattress of my nest.

“Lark doesn’t know what he’s talking about.” Caito crosses his arms over his chest where he’s standing outside the SUV. The rear passenger door is open, but he’s refusing to let me slip out unless I agree to be wheeled into the boat house in the wheelchair.

“I can carry you, love.” Apollo pipes up, and I glower at him where he’s hovering just behind Caito. Lark and Wren are also close by, but I’d warned them to let me deal with this on my own.

“Lark is my physical therapist. My licensed one. Pretty sure he knows what I am capable of more than you. If you don’t let me get out on my own two feet in the next five seconds, Caito, I’m going to reacquaint you with my fist.”

“Scarlett is right, Caito. Not only is she capable, but it’ll be best if she walks in on her own. Do you want that sick fuck to get satisfaction out of seeing her in a wheelchair, knowing he’s the reason she’s forced to be in one?” Wren finally cuts in, losing his patience. I can’t say I blame him, but I am a little annoyed.

“Dr. Reagan suggested eight weeks-”

“It’s been past that now. And I promised not to do anything to Erossi that will cause strain. If I want any torturing done, I already told you that you could do the honors. I just want to see the look on his face when it happens under my watchful eye.” I hold Caito’s glare with one of my own.

It only takes him another minute or two before he’s caving. His chest makes an unhappy rumble, but he steps back to allow me to slip out of the backseat on my own, though he doesn’t go far. My newly uncased leg only twinges a little when I put weight on it. The alphas had tried to get me to hold off on coming down here for another week or two, but I want nothing more than to close this chapter in my life so I can move forward.

I want to stop feeling him in my chest. I want my alphas to replace his mark with their own. I can’t do that if he’s still breathing.

Apollo steps around Caito to slip his arm around my waist before I can take my first step forward, and I am thankful for it. With his help, I managed to make it into the boat house without limping.

Wren flicks the lights on when we all step inside. It’s one of his smaller boat houses, so as soon as the light floods the space, I spot the bane of my existence right away, right there in the center. He’s strapped to a very familiar metal table, and when I pause, my body shuddering with the realization of what my alphas have done, Apollo keeps his hold on me.

His eyes are already turned towards us, and as soon as our gazes collide, he somehow manages to peel blood caked lips back from his teeth. Or, what’s left of them, anyway. Even from this distance, I can see he has a few missing, and that brings forth a surge of satisfaction at the sight.

“I was starting to wonder when you’d bring me back my pet.” He’s speaking to the alphas surrounding me, but his dull eyes never leave me. All four of them vibrate with barely restrained rage, but they say nothing. We’d talked about this before coming here.

This is my show to run. They are not to interrupt unless I ask them to.

Apollo walks with me as I slowly approach the table. I reach over and run my fingers over the edge of the metal tray we stop next to that holds all of Harlan’s favorite toys. I thought I knew how I wanted this to go before I’d come in here, but now that I am faced with him again after weeks in recovery from what he’d done to me yet again, I’m not sure how to proceed.

Eventually, I found my voice again. “I’ve spent the last few weeks thinking about all the ways I wanted to pay you back for hurting me the way you’ve done repeatedly for years. I had a plan. I was going to come in here and have my alphas slice you up the way you enjoy so much. I was going to be the one to drive a blade deep into your heart so I could finally be free of you once and for all.” I pause as my fingers curl around a sleek, silver scalpel. I lift it up and bring it close to my face as if I wanted to inspect it closer.

“Don’t tell me you can’t bring yourself to see your plans through now, pet. I know you want nothing more than to do exactly what you speak of.” He sneers at me, but his vitriol doesn’t affect me the way it used to.

I’m a different omega.

“You’re right, Harlan. But before I sit back and allow Caito to have his fun with you, I wanted to inform you of something.” I lean forward, bringing the scalpel down to press into the underside of his jaw. “The Infinity Ring is going to make sure that Daria gets the treatment she deserves.”

Apollo helps me step back before the blade can even nick his skin, but I still get the satisfaction of watching the remainder of his color drain from his features at my announcement. He obviously knows exactly what type of organization the Infinity Ring is. He might be a monster, but Daria is his scent matched omega.

He’s going to go to his grave believing that she’ll never know a life of peace again.

And it’s all his fault.

Lark brings over a comfortable chair for me to sit in so I can watch Caito work. It’s not my name, or even my alpha’s name, that Harlan Erossi screams as he’s given the punishment he deserves for the years of torture and abuse he’d subjected me to just because he could.

It’s Daria’s.

He takes his last breath knowing he’s the reason she’s doomed to whatever fate the Infinity Ring doles out for her in the future.

Now that’s fucking justice.

60

Wren

Six Weeks Later

Aknock sounds on my office door and I lift my head, spotting Lark leaning against the frame with his arms crossed over his chest. “Scarlett texted in the group chat that she wants to see us all in her nest. I take it you haven’t looked at your phone in a while,” he says by way of greeting, and I curse, reaching into my pocket to pull my phone out to check it.

Sure enough, I have an unread message from my omega flashing across the screen.

“Dammit.” I grumble, rising to my feet and scrubbing a hand down my face. “I’ve been trying to find someone to help run Madden Corp after Scar has the baby and it’s been a shitshow.” I admit to Lark as I join him at the door.

“Understandable. I’ve only just hired the guy that’ll fill in for me while we’re off adjusting to pack life as a family of six, and that took me a while. No one is sticking out to you yet?” He unfolds himself from the door frame and together, we head down the hall towards Scarlett’s nest. Thankfully, the contractors finished with the remodel last week, so Caito’s been busy ordering every baby item and decoration under the sun for our omega to decorate the nursery before our baby’s arrival.

I sigh heavily. “There are two, but I’m just not sure. You know how I am at relinquishing control to anyone who isn’t pack.” Lark chuckles, which tapers off as we near the open door to our omega’s nest.

“I know exactly how you can be.” He murmurs absently before we step over the threshold and come to a screeching halt. Whatever else he’d been about to say is cut off by Scarlett’s breathy moan. My jaw practically comes unhinged at the scene we’ve just walked in on, my dick already swelling and pressing painfully beneath my slacks when we’re slapped in the face with the scent of her arousal.

“Shit.” Apollo groans from his spot at the head of the floor length mattress that takes up most of the room. His hand is fisted in Scarlett’s hair while she’s bobbing up and down on his cock, pale cheeks hollow as she sucks the life right out of him.

She moans again, and my attention shifts to Caito positioned behind her right as his palm cracks against her ass cheek while he pounds into her from behind. “Oh, fuck.” Lark rasps from right beside me, and I dry swallow in response.

“You snooze, you lose.” The smirk Caito tosses over his shoulder at us makes me clench my hands into fists at my side.

“It’s only been, like, three minutes since she sent that text.” Lark barks out a startled laugh, and the fucker just shrugs.

“I was already in here snuggling,” Apollo pants, grinning like the damn Cheshire cat that got the cream. He’s got that dopey look on his face that I hate, which makes my temporary jealousy roar even hotter through my veins.

Yet, I can’t help but stand there and watch as my pack mates pleasure our omega. Apollo starts thrusting erratically up into Scarlett’s mouth, and I know he’s got to be close based off the glint in his eyes. Sure enough, after about a dozen more thrusts, he stills himself deep into her mouth, spilling his seed down her throat with a primal shout of ecstasy.

“Such a good fucking girl.” Caito purrs while picking up his pace, and I’m transfixed by the slap of his balls against her clit, which I can totally see from this angle. Apollo lets her pull up off his glistening dick after stroking a hand over her cheek in reverence. Then, she’s tipping her head back and moaning long and loud while Caito fucks into her from behind.

He wraps one large palm around her waist, sliding it up until it presses against her sternum. With little effort, he pulls her body up until she’s straddling his hips reverse cowgirl style, exposing that beautiful baby bump that makes my cock hard and my heart skip a beat every time I see it.

Her perfect tits bounce with each powerful thrust of Caito’s hips, rosy pink nipples drawing my attention and making my once dry mouth water. My pack brother finally makes eye contact with me, and he arches a brow. “Are you going to come join us, or will I be the first to mark our pretty little mate?”

I don’t have to be told twice. I move so fast that I’m already stark naked by the time my knees hit the mattress. Alpha instincts take over, and my face dives between Scarlett’s spread open thighs. My lips wrap around her clit, and the first flick of my tongue against the sensitive bundle of nerves there makes our omega cry out.

I stop caring about anything and everything other than bringing her pleasure as soon as she fists her hands around my long, white braids, holding on for dear life as I nip and suck at her sex while Caito continues to thrust up into her. It doesn’t even matter that his dick is right fucking there while he pounds her pussy from beneath her. All I care about is making her scream, and then marking her as our forever.

It’s finally happening. We’re going to be a fully bonded pack.

Anticipation surges through me, and I renew my vigorous work between her milky thighs. I rumble around her clit when her nails rake against my scalp, pulling my braids hard enough to make my back bow. The vibrations of my rumble must be enough to send her over the edge, because she’s coming in seconds, screaming and thrashing against the both of us.

Caito’s control snaps, and he snarls, his hips slamming inside of her one final time before he paints her inner walls with his release. We sink our teeth into her seconds apart. I pull off of her clit long enough to pierce the creamy flesh of her right inner thigh, and my pack brother marks her exactly where he’d promised her all those months ago when we’d first met.

Right over the dead bond mark left behind by that super dead asshole.

My entire body starts to tremble the moment I feel our bond flare to life in my chest. I pull myself up until I am on my knees before my omega, who’s still impaled on Caito’s cock. He hasn’t knotted her, so I take her from him gently, cradling her against my chest. I touch her in a way I’ve never touched another. I hold my entire fucking world in my arms.

“Sweetheart-” I hissed, cut off from the speech I’d been preparing to spew at her the moment her teeth sank into my right pectoral muscle. Apparently, my sweet little omega couldn’t wait until I was knot deep inside of her to make me hers completely. “Fuck.” I groan when the bond snaps fully into place, and then shudder as her tongue flicks over the brand new mark she’s left behind.

I’m vaguely aware of Lark and Apollo shifting closer to us, but I only have eyes for the beautiful woman in my arms. She wiggles in my arms until I’m flopping onto my back, and her thighs are settling on either side of my hips. Her fingers trace the muscles and tattoos adorning my arms and chest as she rises up onto her knees, sinking down onto my throbbing cock in the next beat of our hearts.

For the first time since walking in here, she finally speaks. “Sorry for springing this on you so suddenly. I… didn’t want to wait any longer. I need this.” Her palm comes to rest over the brand new bond mark on my skin, and then she groans when my cock jerks inside of her at the contact.

“Never apologize for taking what you want, Sweetheart. There is no part of me that doesn’t belong wholly to you.” I murmur, and then I am gripping her hips as she starts to bounce up and down on me. I inhale sharply through my nose, the scent of our combined scents awakening something within me that I quickly lose control of.

Before I know it, I’m thrusting up into her with brutal efficiency. My vision wavers with each ripple of her pussy around my hardened length until I feel like I’m close to passing out. I never want this to end. I can feel every single emotion she’s experiencing while we come together over and over again.

Just as I feel myself start to tip over the edge, she leans down over me, looks me dead in the eye, and says with confidence, “I love you, Wren. More than you’ll ever know.” Her confession tips me over the edge. I come roaring my love for her to the rooftop, my knot swelling and slipping inside of her to lock us together for the foreseeable future.

It’s a feeling I don’t think I’ll ever get used to, but fuck if I’m not going to enjoy it.

61

Apollo

“You know what I dreamt about when I was unconscious in that hospital bed for days on end, love?” Leaning back against a mound of pillows, I stroke my fingers through Scarlett’s hair where she’s snuggled against my side.

She lifts her head, adorable brows puckering in confusion. “That’s totally random, but what did you dream about?”

I smile, enjoying the way her dark hazel eyes sparkle watching my lips curl. “I think it was more of a vision of the future. I saw us teaching our kids how to paint. How to draw with charcoal and sketch with anything under the sun. I saw our home filled with all the beautiful art we’re going to create as a family.”

I watch her expression morph into something wholly breath-taking as she envisions the things I’m speaking of. My heart feels near to bursting at the sight of wonderment and anticipation etched across her beautiful features. From her rosy cheeks, to her glistening eyes, to the way her lips have parted with an awe-filled sigh.

“I’d like us to make that dream come true very much.” My grin only widens at her confession. She leans forward, and then I’m kissing her. I savor the taste of her on my tongue as I suck on her lips like she’s the last sip of water I’m ever going to have.

She lets out a breathy moan into my mouth before pulling away, already panting. “I want you to mark me, Apollo. I need it.”

My chest rumbles with approval, and then I am rolling us until she’s beneath me and I’m hovering above her. She looks up at me like I’m her entire damn solar system. My eyes rake over every inch of her skin before I pause on the swell of her baby bump.

I can’t help but to slip down her body until I can press my lips against it. “Truly a miracle. I’ll never stop being grateful that you’re making me a father, love.” My hot breath fans over her skin, and a shudder passes through her. Her thighs fall open, making it so it’s more comfortable for me to settle between them.

I trail kisses over her bump, down to that delicious heat between her long, creamy legs. Inhaling the scent of her arousal deep into my lungs, I release a groan with my exhale. “Fuck, love. I don’t think I’ll ever get over how delicious you smell. Is all of this for me?” My fingers swipe through the slick already coating the skin of her inner thighs. I’m careful to avoid the fresh bond mark left behind by our pack lead.

She’s panting hard now when she lifts her head to look down at me where I’m positioned. Heat flares to life in her eyes the moment I suck my soaked fingers into my mouth. My eyes practically roll back in my head at the first taste of her arousal along my tongue. “So goddamned good. Like jasmine infused orange juice. Spicy and sweet. I think I’ll drink you dry now, omega.”

Before she can even respond to my wicked words, I’m burying my tongue so deep inside of her, that her back bows off the mattress. I smother myself in her pussy, each thrust of my tongue making my nose grind against that sensitive bundle at the apex of her thighs. I do exactly as I said I would. I suck down every last drop of slick she releases like I need her essence to survive.

“Oh, fuck, Apollo. Please, I n-need… shit.” She hisses when my fingers replace my tongue so I can wrap my lips around her clit. I bring her to climax so fast that I should definitely get a fucking medal of valor or something.

She sags back into the mattress in a boneless heap, heavy-lidded eyes peering at me when I rise back up on my knees between her parted thighs. She watches me bring my soaked fingers to my lips and suck them clean again, right before I position myself over her.

“Ready to be mine for good, love?” The smile she gives me makes my heart stutter in my chest.

“Make me yours forever, alpha.” She reaches down between us, wrapping her fingers around my throbbing cock to guide it to her entrance. I slide into her with ease because this perfect omega was made for me. We both moan together just as my knot bumps her entrance, unable to go further until we’re both ready.

“I’m going to make love to you now, my love.” I inform her before I start to move. I pull nearly all the way back out until just the tip of me is left inside. Then, I thrust back in, teeth grinding together hard as her inner muscles clamp down around me in a vice grip.

Her fingers wrap around my forearms as I slam my fists into the mattress on either side of her head. I power into her sweet cunt like my life depends on it, never wanting this to end while desperate to sink my teeth into her beautiful exposed throat. She’s tipped her chin back in a way that has my alpha instincts roaring. It’s such a perfectly submissive omega move.

I can’t take my eyes off the spot I’ve chosen, even as I feel my balls start to tighten with each stroke deep inside of my omega. She’s chanting my name, nails cutting into the taut skin of my forearms, but I don’t care. I’m lost in the act of making her mine.

She cries out, her pussy starting to flutter and ripple around me, and that’s when I strike. My teeth pierce her skin at the base of her neck where it meets her shoulder at the same time my knot pops past the last barrier holding me back.

I’m drowning in complete euphoria, which only intensifies when Scarlett’s teeth sink into my left shoulder. Our bond flares to life and snaps into place, making me feel utterly whole for the first time in my life. Her emotions flood into me in a tidal wave, making me feel all the things I already knew she felt for me.

Her tongue laps over her mark, the feeling of pride from her warming my chest, making it easier to breathe. “I’ll never stop thanking the universe for giving us a second chance. I love you, Apollo.” Her whispered confession makes me close my eyes for a moment, my nose nuzzling my own mark I’d left behind.

“I never would have left you behind, love. We are going to have our own little army of artists and live the lives of our dreams.” My lips brush hers as she smiles. “I love you with my entire being, Ruby Rain. My obsession has only just begun to surface, so be prepared.” She giggles when I pull away and wink down at her.

At the sound of her elated laughter, I make it my personal mission to do everything I can to make her do it over and over again for the rest of our long, beautiful lives.

62

Scarlett

My eyes slip shut as Lark cups some warm water from the tub before letting it run over my shoulders and down my back. I’m so deliciously sore all over, so my alpha had insisted I have a nice, long soak in the bath. He continues to palm the water and run it all over my exposed upper body, content to do so in silence.

However, my inner omega is still restless, despite the bond marks I now sport. I know there’s one I am still missing, but when I’d insisted on completing the bond with my last alpha, he’d insisted on a bath first. My eyes flutter open again to watch him work, and my heart clenches at the look of contentment on his face.

It’s odd looking at him without his glasses, but I don’t hate it. Somehow, he appears even younger than he really is without them perched on the bridge of his nose. As if he can feel my eyes on him, he lifts steel blue irises to me, a smile curling his lips when he catches me watching him. A lock of sandy hair streaked with silver and gold falls across his forehead as he tips his chin down, cheeks darkening in a blush.

“Join me, please?” I murmur softly, and then smile when he doesn’t hesitate to rise to his feet. He steals the breath right out of my lungs when he strips down to stand before me in all his naked glory. He’s the only one of my alphas that doesn’t have some sort of ink on his body. He has inches upon inches of deliciously golden bronzed skin.

His signature sandalwood and coconut scent plums out into the air, mixing well with my own citrus and jasmine. I watch him as he slips beneath the surface of the water on the other side of the tub from me. Our legs tangle together, but the contact isn’t enough for me.

I don’t wait for him to make the first move. I shift in the water until I position my body over his, my knees landing on either side of his thighs. His rigid cock becomes trapped between us, and I boldly curl my fingers around it to give it a gentle but firm squeeze.

“I must confess that I feel quite guilty that I haven’t taken this perfect cock enough.” I murmur softly, leaning forward so I can brush my lips against his. He’s starting to tremble beneath me, and when I glance quickly to either side of the tub, I see that he has both hands wrapped around the porcelain edges. I smile at the sight of the white-knuckled grip he has going on.

“I’ve never been in a rush, Dream girl. You can have all the time in the world if that is what you desire. I will never make you do something you don’t want to do.” He stops speaking, a groan slipping free from him when I give him a firm stroke. His hips jerk, telling me just how much he’s really affected by my touch.

“You’re always so patient with me, alpha.” I praise him, and he groans again when the palm of my hand runs up and over the head of his dick. “Shall I reward you?” I tilt my head back when he leans forward to brush his hungry mouth along the underside of my jaw. He nips and sucks at the skin there until I am the one panting and desperate.

His hips jerk up into my grip in response, but he doesn’t take his mouth off of me. The water in the tub slaps the sides violently when I shift up eagerly, quickly positioning him at my opening before sinking down. The stretch of him has my mouth parting on a gasp, and we both moan in unison the very second he’s fully sheathed inside of me, knot already pressing hard against my entrance.

“Sweet merciful-” He cuts off with a snarl that rips down my spine when I grind my clit down into his pelvic bone. It doesn’t take much to make us move together as one. Using my knees as leverage, I start to bounce up and down on his cock with the help of his powerful hands on my hips. I can’t even bring myself to care when water starts to splash over the sides and onto the floor, definitely soaking the luxurious rug spread out in front of it to prevent slipping on wet tiles.

“Lark,” I moan his name, and he reaches down between our thrusting and grinding bodies until his fingers find my clit. He works me over until I am a desperate, whining mess. Fire licks up my spine as my pussy starts to ripple and flutter in that tell tale sign of my impending climax. My teeth start to ache when my eyes lock on the smooth expanse of his throat.

“Mark me, Dream girl. Make all my dreams come true and make me yours.” I don’t have time for shock when his alpha bark whips me with his command, and my head snaps forward without second thought. My teeth sink into his throat and coconut infused blood bursts across my tongue, followed by a tangle of his beautiful emotions.

He knots me with a shout of pleasure, coating my inner walls with his release and locking us in place just as his teeth pierce the flesh of my right breast. The final bond that seals our pack together snaps into place, bringing with it a flood of tears and love so strong, my entire body quakes with the force of it.

A purr rattles his chest as he laps his tongue against his fresh mark. It takes me a few minutes to get myself back under control. When I do, and I pull back, he lifts both of his hands from the water to cup my face in his palms. He brings my lips to his and kisses me with tender affection that I know is going to take me a while to get used to.

Never in my life did I believe I’d ever have this.

“I might be your Dream girl, Lark, but you are my dream alpha. You’ve helped me learn to love myself again. For that, I will forever be grateful. I love you.” I murmur softly against his lips, reveling in the feeling of his joy and contentment warming the dark, once cold hollows of my soul.

“I love you, my Dream girl.”

Whoever would have guessed the universe would grant an omega like me a second chance. I’ll never stop being in awe of this new start I’ve been granted.

Alphas of my own. Love. Family.

Epilogue

Kate

“You look good holding a baby.” Scarlett’s voice interrupts the intense stare down match I’m currently having with her ten week old son. “I’ve also never seen him so focused on anything before. He must like you.” She leans over from her spot on the sectional beside me, peering at the infant with that new mother’s glow about her.

“It’s just because I’m something new to look at.” I shrug, feeling suddenly uncomfortable. I shift and extend the baby in my arms back to my best friend. She takes him with expert ease. The way she cuddles him to her chest makes it hard to believe she’s new at all of this. She handles him like she’s been handling babies her whole life. “You’re a natural at this mom thing. Pack life looks good on you.”

There are dark circles under her eyes from typical newborn life adjustment, but her dark hazel irises sparkle with her joy. “It helps having alphas willing to do anything to keep me and my boy happy and healthy.” She pauses, looking down at the now sleeping infant curled against her chest. Then, she asks what I know she really wants to ask. “How about you? What’s it like having a pack at your beck and call?”

I can’t help it when my smile drops, and my gaze wrenches away from her. My eyes burn, fists clenching and unclenching in my lap as I stare at them. Of course Scarlett would want to know about the alphas that have swept into my life, claiming I’m their scent matched mate.

She’s my best friend. I should want to spill every juicy detail to her. I should want to brag about finally finding my forever mates.

Except, I want none of those things. And it doesn’t matter what I want or don’t want, anyway. I made a promise to myself when I scrubbed my past clean ten years ago and escaped here to Black Tide Valley.

Scarlett reaches over then, resting a hand on my forearm. Just then, Lark appears through a doorway that leads towards the kitchen. When she looks over at him as my eyes meet his, her entire demeanor shifts. The widest smile I’ve ever seen stretches her face. There’s so much love and devotion shimmering in her dark eyes that it steals my breath away.

I’d give anything to feel like that about anyone again.

“How about I go give our boy his bath and you finish up your evening with Kate.” Lark bends forward, scooping their son up in his arms. The baby immediately snuggles against his dad’s chest, another sight that chips away at the solid iron encasing every messy emotion I no longer allow myself to feel.

It’s easier to hide behind the mask I’ve forged for myself. Sarcasm and humor are a hell of a lot better than longing and despair.

Leaning to the side, I elbow Scar gently and tease, “I’ll need you to teach me how to tame an alpha like that. Pretty sure if he wasn’t holding a baby, he’d be on his knees for you worshipping the ground you walk on.”

Lark flashes an easy grin at me before kissing his son’s head full of white, blonde hair. Scarlett starts to study me in a way that makes me feel uncomfortable and kind of like she can see right through my carefully crafted facade.

Shit. Maybe she can?

“Come get me when he gets hungry.” She says to him, but doesn’t take her all too knowing eyes off of me. I watch her alpha reach out and stroke his omega’s cheek in a reverent gesture, and then he leaves with the sleeping babe.

“Where are your other alphas?” I ask, trying my best to steer the conversation away from me and all of my drama.

I think she only answers the question to humor me. “Apollo is busy with the super secret project he doesn’t want me to know about, even though I already know it’s a studio where we can work as a family on our art. Wren is down at Raven handling some issues he had last week with a shipment or something. Caito is currently having a meeting with Warrick.”

That last bit has my head finally snapping in her direction, my heart skipping several beats at the mention of the alpha I’ve been avoiding like the plague. Well, one of them, anyway.

“Why is he having a meeting with Warrick? I thought he cut ties with the Infinity Ring?” It’s foolish to bring it up, but I want Scarlett to help ease my rising panic. Fucking Fraser’s been leaving screwed up notes in my apartments mailbox hinting at some big surprise the pack has up their sleeve, and I hope like hell it’s not what I think it is.

Scarlett’s lips twitch as she takes in my features, no doubt noting the panic that must be smeared all over it. Not to mention my scent’s full on anxiety inducing level. Stress pheromones so potent that I’m surprised she isn’t gagging and running for the hills.

She watches me very carefully as she says, “Caito told me Warrick wants to set up his American base of ops here. In Black Tide Valley. Possibly because a certain omega was born here and might refuse to leave her home city.”

I curse, shaking my head and tearing my gaze away from hers. “Black Tide Valley isn’t my city. In fact, I’m seriously considering a move in my near future.”

Silence descends. It actually lasts so long that I’m the one that glances back over at my omega bestie to see if she’s even still breathing. Her expression is neutral, and her next words are even more careful. “You weren’t born here.” She makes it sound like a statement instead of a question. She knows as well as I do why most people lay down roots in Black Tide Valley if they aren’t born here.

“You don’t need to tell me anything, Kate. I just want you to know that I care about you. My pack and I are at your disposal. You know that if there’s anything you need, you only have to ask.”

A lone tear slips free before I can stop it. The dam holding back my emotions cracks, tiny fissures appearing where they shouldn’t be. I squeeze my eyes shut. Before I can think better of it, I whisper, “I don’t think I can stay here if they move here permanently. I’m barely hanging on by a thread as it is. I can’t be what they need.”

I can’t look at Scarlett, but she takes one of my clenched fists. She gently pries it open until she can thread our fingers together and give my hand a firm squeeze. It’s a large step for her, considering her touch aversion. When I first met her, she didn’t even want me within five feet of her. Her space is special to her.

But now, she wraps an arm around my shoulders, tugging my head forward until I can lay my head against her warm body. Another traitorous tear escapes down my cheek to splash against our clasped hands between us.

“Tell me, Kate.” She murmurs softly. “I want to help you.”

I want to scream at her, but I bite back the pain and anger. Scarlett doesn’t deserve it. “You can’t help me. The only thing I can think of that’ll help is if I disappear. I can’t let them in. I’m not what they deserve.”

She’s quiet for a long moment. “What are you running from?”

I pull back from her comforting embrace, but I can’t look at her. I can’t let her see me break as I say, “It’s not a what. It’s a who. Ten years ago, I slit the throat of my step brother’s omega and fled. If he finds me, he’ll destroy not only me, but everyone I love. You aren’t safe with me, Scar, and neither are those alphas. That’s why I have to leave.”

The End