Chapter 36
CHAPTER 36
Enzo
T he paramedics had given my pack a green light to head home, but we were instructed to keep an eye on each other. Just in case.
I didn’t like the warning hanging in the air like that.
We’d been able to keep Issa safely away, but Amir had run headfirst into danger without knowing what the fuck was going on. And all because he’d been worried about his alphas.
“It’s our fucking job to protect you two , not the other way around,” I barked out as I paced the living room.
We’d all showered and changed, but I’d demanded the pack meet in the living room when everyone was done and had to use my bark on Ax to keep him from stripping our omega and beta naked and knotting either or both of them as his hindbrain began to take over. His alpha instincts were on high. His pupils were still blown, his scent still all wrong, and his thread in the bond completely unsteady .
“I’m not some fragile fucking flower, alpha. My pack was in trouble. You think I could sit by and do nothing? Would you?”
“You were supposed to watch over Issa to keep her away from–” I cut myself off, earning a glare from Amir so sharp it could cut.
“Who the fuck was in there?”
Had I not known better, I might have thought Amir was an alpha with the way he was more than ready to protect his pack and the rusty growl that wrapped around his words.
“My former alpha,” Issa said.
She’d situated herself against the side of the couch, her arms around her shins, her chin propped on top of her knees.
She looked so fucking small, so fragile like that. Memories of the day she’d crashed her car into my brother’s gate in her rush to warn her sister and their pack of her family’s plans sent a red haze across my vision.
She’d looked worse than the four of us combined. Her eyes had been nearly swollen closed, her bruising as well as the cuts from Antonio’s fists had taken weeks to heal. Her heart and mind were still in the process of healing.
Amir turned his head and stared at her, that rusty growl turning to a whine. But it wasn’t a sound of need or lust.
It was a sound of pain for Issa.
“Tell me someone beat him to a pulp,” he muttered while still staring at our beta.
I personally hadn’t even seen him. I’d been too busy trying to break up the fight and get my omega to safety. Then I’d caught the scent and sight of Issa’s thin body trying to push through the crowd watching like high school punks enjoying a house party fight.
The growl that had yet to cease from rumbling from my chest grew louder as the memory of seeing Amir being kicked as he tried to get back on his feet turned my fucking stomach.
I could have lost my omega. I could have lost my beta. I could have lost my fucking pack because–
“You need to get your fucking anger under control,” I growled, turning and jabbing a finger in Ax’s direction .
I was the only one on my feet, pacing the living room as I berated three of my packmates like a father upbraiding his kids. Cyrus had attempted to keep the peace but ended up in the foray when he tried to catch Ax before he could do something stupid.
Like punching Antonio and knocking him off his barstool. From what I’d seen, it had only taken moments for those who thrived on chaos to use their one-on-one fight as a reason to become anarchists.
Our club was not known for fights or violence. We offered safety for betas and even omegas to enjoy themselves without alphaholes ruining everyone’s night. We offered a top-notch show with a male dance review and were a highly popular spot.
After tonight, I couldn’t help but worry about our reputation.
Oh, and the fact I was more than likely only moments away from pissing off my beta.
“You’re done at the club until further notice. Neither of you will be there until we track down Antonio and end the threat.”
“What?!” Issa blurted, lunging to her feet and out of Amir’s hold. “You said I could work.”
“And I hold to that. But that was before that fucker decided to stalk you like a fucking….”
“Stalker?” Cyrus offered.
I turned a glare on him, but he simply shrugged.
“How long will that take? We didn’t even know he was still around. I worked all that time with no issue.”
“Until last night. You didn’t even bother telling any of us he was there,” I said, gesturing to Ax, Cyrus, and myself. I understood why she hadn’t told Amir, but she should have at least either told our security or one of us.
“Because I didn’t want that to happen,” she said, throwing her arms wide as though to indicate what had happened tonight. “I was going to tell you if he caused me any problems or after he left. Not when our omega was there. Not when the place was packed.”
“I can take care of my-fucking-self,” Amir grumbled.
He reached forward and tugged Issa down onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzling his cheek against hers, his chin along her shoulder, scent marking her for his own comfort.
“Both of you are out of the club until further notice. My brother is going to send someone over to watch over the house while we’re at work.” My muscles were taut, and my alpha wanted…something. Retribution. Confirmation that my pack was whole.
Blood.
Revenge.
Issa’s mouth opened as her brows slammed together, but I held up my hand.
“Not open for negotiation. And it’s only temporary. The second this Antonio bullshit is settled you can work as many fucking hours at the club as you want. And you,” I said, turning my attention to Amir, “can go back to watching her every move while she’s there.”
“Or you could both stay here permanently so we know you’re safe when we’re working,” Ax grumbled. His voice was deep, growly, and his scent was all wrong, the usually sweet, spiced rum signature smelling more like stale or cheap liquor with his rage.
“Do we really need a babysitter? The two of us could hang out at my family’s house. Or I could have my dad send someone over,” Amir offered, somewhat confirming my suspicions of how far his fathers’ influence reached.
I glanced at Cyrus. His brows were raised, and he looked calm, but his scent was a little off, too.
As alphas, it was our job to protect our omega, to protect our beta. The former dove straight into the fight and gotten hurt and the latter had tried her best to get to the brawl. She could have been so easily hurt. We’d lost sight of Antonio, meaning he could have easily absconded with our girl before we had a clue she was gone.
“I don’t see why not. It’d be another set of eyes. Whether they go to his parents’ house or they send backup to Enzo’s men, we could get through our shifts without the distraction of constantly checking through the bonds or watching the cameras.”
It wasn’t a secret the entire place was wired with cameras and alarms. Not like we had anything to hide from each other. But all our security measures had been upped when Issa had agreed to stay with us.
“If you’re going to your parents, let us know before you leave. I want someone with you when you go.”
“So we will have a babysitter,” Amir grumbled.
Crossing my arms over my chest, I looked down at our omega. “Would you rather risk the two of you being taken where we can’t find you? I have no doubt Antonio will do far worse to Issa than he had in the past. Could you live with that?”
Growls erupted and bitter scents exploded into the air at my statement. I didn’t care how much it pissed off or scared the pack, as long as it got through Amir’s and Issa’s thick as fuck skulls.
Amir’s arms tightened around Issa as an omega whine lifted on the air. Which, of course, set off all three alphas. The growls grew louder as though a threat was in the house, right there in the living room.
“I’ll contact my brother’s pack in the morning. Amir, talk to your fathers, see if they’re okay with the two of you either hanging out there while we’re at work, or if they have anyone they want to send as backup. For now, the two of you aren’t to leave this house without one of us or another guard. I will not risk your safety because you’re both stubborn.”
My lips twisted when their brows slammed together in unison and they both looked as though they were pouting.
We’d hoped bringing in an omega would help Issa heal. We’d hoped she would get along with a male omega instead of making her place feel threatened by adding a female omega.
Instead, we’d bonded a missing piece of her heart, a piece that only Amir could fill.
“Pack bed?” Amir asked hopefully, though his brows were still pinched together.
“Pack bed. To sleep ,” I said, turning a pointed look at Ax.
It wasn’t that I wasn’t amenable to feeling Issa or Amir – or both – under my hands or mouth or wrapped around my cock, but my packmate looked as though he could lose control over his rational side. And I refused to risk him hurting either our omega or beta. Ax could lose himself to rut and attempt to knot our beta, and I would never allow anyone to cause her any pain if I had any control over the situation.
Ax’s pupils were blown, and his growl continued to rattle forth, though it was quiet even as his top lip pulled up in a snarl.
I had a feeling we would need to put him on the outside of the puppy pile to keep him from rutting into either Issa or Amir the first second we were all in bed.