9. Riley
9
Riley
Leaving Mathew Page’s pack —and especially their Omega, Vera— behind in the restaurant feels strange, it feels wrong , but I ignore it for now. I’ll figure that out once I’m back at the hotel. That’s not something to deal with in public.
“Do you have any other meetings this week?” Jorge leans against the car, glancing my way, his gaze controlled.
“A few. I’m meeting some people for a client. But I’m mostly free to go wherever I like. Why? Do you have plans for me?” I try to smile, but the seriousness in his gaze stops me.
“I feel like Vera might have.” He looks at the restaurant, clear that he wishes he was in there with her. But he’s also never been very good at letting me go after meeting up.
He’s such a protective Alpha, unable to let the people he cares about out of his sight.
“What’s the story between you two?”
“Not much to tell. They were already staying over at Mathew’s place when I met them and then she went into heat. And the rest is —you know— history, I guess.” He almost smiles, though looks sad too. “I’d only known her for a few hours before I bonded with her.”
I blink, surprised. “That’s very fast.”
“She was already close to it, so meeting me kicked it off.” He lets out a long breath. “She is… something else. I’ve never met an Omega like her before. She’s amazing.” His pheromones are flooded with how much he adores her.
Not just because she’s his Omega but also because of something else, something that makes him glow with pride.
Something I’ve only ever seen him do when talking about one other person…
I reach out, just managing to smack him in his side. “You’re clearly in love with her. But I still want to know what happened with?—”
He cuts me off before I can finish my sentence. “I’ll explain all of it tomorrow evening. Just know that I’m okay. It’s complicated, but I’m really happy where I am right now. You don’t have to worry about me.”
I don’t know if he understands how I always worry about him, since he’s so good at getting in trouble. I’m also the eldest child from a pack —I’ve got twelve siblings— worrying about those younger than me is pretty much what I’ve been doing all my life.
“How’s that Caleb guy?”
“Very easy to get along with. Though, he’s perceptive and knows way too much about our world for someone who isn’t directly connected to it.” There it is again, the way he chooses his words.
Jorge is keeping something from me and it’s getting annoying. But I guess it’s another one of those ‘I’ll tell you tomorrow’ things.
“He makes you look small.” I smile and Jorge grins back, now finally showing a real smile.
“I know, right? That guy is tall , and he’s got the strength to match.” He tisks as he shakes his head. “Makes even you look like a Beta, and you’re already taller than me even if you don’t wear those skyscraper heels.”
I’m about to reply when I notice movement in front of the restaurant.
Vera!
For a moment, I get excited to see her again, until I notice the distressed way she’s moving, like she’s searching for someone.
Jorge’s pheromones turn dangerous and mine match them.
Something’s wrong.
“Jorge!” Vera rushes over and he takes her in his arms immediately. Then she notices me in the car and her eyes are full of relief. “Riley.” My name is little more than a squeak.
“What’s going on?” Jorge’s voice is strong, but his pheromones fill with more worry than before.
“I went to the bathroom and when I came back, the door to the room was locked but I still heard sounds inside. I tried to find Derrick and the others, but they’re not in the restaurant.”
“Fuck.” Jorge checks his phone as I get out of the car, walking around it to join the other two.
“Are you okay?” I look the short Omega up and down and while she seems worried, she’s keeping a pretty clear head for a bonded Omega with two Alpha mates in danger. Unlike Jorge, whose distressed pheromones are getting stronger by the second.
“I’m not hurt. I just need to get them out of there.” She shakes her head, looking up at Jorge. Part of her worry is for him, how he’s handling things.
He glances at her and then at me. “I can’t reach any of them.” He sighs, he’s now looking much more distressed than Vera.
Which is strange, since his bonded Omega is out here, safe, and two of his Alpha pack mates are inside. He should be calming down with her here, but he’s getting worse.
Then I notice it too, something strange tugging on me, growing inside, worry, the need to go back in there. I push the sensation aside, I’ll deal with that later, I’ve got other things to do right now.
Next to me, Vera pulls her hair back into a quick braid, her face a mask of determination.
“Fuck. I guess we’re on our own for now.” Jorge puts his phone into his pocket. “We’ll go in through the staff entrance on the side. They probably locked the door to the restaurant, but maybe they didn’t lock the one to the kitchens.”
He’s now got a gun in his hands as he looks at us, before he blinks and looks me over. “You should go to the hotel. You don’t need to get involved in this.”
“Like hell I don’t. I’m not letting you go in there on your own.” Who does he take me for?
“He won’t be on his own.” Vera’s calm voice shocks me, but not as much as the easy way she’s holding a knife in one hand and I notice the gun at her side, hidden by the small bag she’s been carrying around all evening.
Okay, what the fuck?
Who is this girl?
How can that cute as a button Omega I’ve been talking to —and staring at— all evening suddenly turn into this , someone who’s so comfortable with weapons?
It kind of creeps me out that I hadn’t noticed it before and it’s my fucking job to notice who around me might be dangerous.
“I’m still coming with you.” I push at Jorge’s shoulder. “Where’s that entrance?”
“Are you sure?” He eyes me, though he’s anxious to go back inside.
“Yeah, I’m sure. I can’t leave my scent matches behind when they’re in danger.” Fuck. I said it. But what the heck. I’m pretty sure our lives are on the line and I’d rather say something now than never getting the chance later.
Jorge looks at me, exasperated, but then motions to the side of the building. “Let’s go. I’ve had to use it as an exit a few times, I’ve never used it as an entrance before.”
We start walking and Vera easily keeps up with our long strides.
“You’ve got a plan?” Her voice is calm, her steps measured, like she’s done this plenty of times before. Which scares and confuses me. I’ve suddenly got a lot more questions, for her and the rest of that pack.
At first, I thought that a happy-go-lucky girl like Vera might not be such a good match for a pack in our line of business, but now I’m wondering what other secrets she’s got.
“Go inside. Figure out what happened to Derrick’s men that he put in the hallway at the back. Then check if the doors to the kitchen are still open. And we’ll go from there.” Now Jorge’s got part of a plan, his pheromones are more stable, but they’re still heavily in distress and I notice that mine are starting to join in.
What the fuck is going on? Is this another one of those ‘we’ll explain it tomorrow’ kind of things? Because I would like some fucking answers now !
“Are you sure you should be doing this, since you’re possibly pregnant and all?” I catch Vera’s attention.
“I can get pregnant again; I can’t get new mates.” She pulls up a shoulder. “And if we all die, it doesn’t matter anyway. I’ve been living on borrowed time for years. If this is the end, I’ve had a good run.”
My heart falters a beat at her words, at the thought of her dying tonight and how she’s so calm about it. But before I can think of a reply, we stop in front of the side door.
Jorge tries it and it’s locked. Not for long, as someone opens it from the inside, nearly slamming it into his face.
From his clothes, it’s someone from the kitchen staff.
“Are they in the hallways?” Jorge grabs him by his shoulder, pulling him aside, as he makes sure the door can’t fall shut.
The shaking boy nods as he stumbles outside. He’s shivering and in shock, but I don’t notice any blood on him. He’s unharmed.
“Go.” Jorge pushes him away from the door and looks inside before slipping in.
I know that Jorge has some experience with this, but he’s usually more on the financial side of things, not the sneaking around and killing side of things.
That’s my area of expertise.
“Let me.” I push past him and glance down the hallway. I hear struggling deeper inside the building, but this area is quiet. “Stay behind me.”
I slowly make my way down the hall. There are a few doors on the other side, but from their locks, I guess they’re storage rooms. As we go forward, the sounds of struggle become louder and my heart jumps as I hear gunshots.
Fuck.
I grab for my gun in reflex. But I don’t hear any screaming, the shots either killed someone instantly or they didn’t hit their target.
One is bad, the other is dangerous. Because you can do a lot of accidental damage when your aim sucks, and not just to the people you want to hit…
Two people in white clothes round the corner and I aim at them before I realise they’re more kitchen staff.
I put my finger to my lips and motion for them to keep going.
Please, don’t scream.
Please, don’t scream.
Please, don’t scream.
The two pass us by, with only the sounds of their shoes on the floor marking where they are.
Then, we reach the corner towards the kitchen and the back of the larger dining rooms and I press my back against the wall. I look back at Vera and Jorge, they’re both focused and serious, their weapons ready, their bodies tense.
A strong feeling comes over me. I can’t let them get hurt. I have to protect them at any cost.
Any cost.
I take a few deep breaths, before glancing around the corner, and my breath gets stuck in my throat.
Oh, fuck.