Chapter 13
Gali
The room was small, the air thick with tension and the lingering scent of antiseptic. Norri sat on the edge of the bed, his face pale, dark circles etched beneath his eyes. Our son lay sleeping in the bassinet beside him, his tiny chest rising and falling with each breath. The sight of them, so fragile, so vulnerable, tore at my heart.
But so did the thought of leaving them. Of abandoning them when they needed me most.
I stood by the window, my hands clenched into fists at my sides, staring out at the rain-soaked streets below. I just wished we didn't have to do this. I thought he'd understand me better.
Behind me, Norri shifted, drawing my attention. His eyes were coated with a mix of fear, desperation, and something else. Something that made my chest ache. I didn't even like thinking about it.
"You can't go, Gali," he said, his voice low. "Not now. Not when we finally have something worth fighting for."
I knew why he was saying that, but it wasn't so easy. We wouldn't be safe until I did what I had to do.
I turned to face him, my expression hard. "This isn't about what I want, Norri. This is about survival. About ensuring that you and our son are safe, no matter what happens. You have to understand that."
Norri shook his head, his fingers twisting in the blankets. "And who will keep us safe if you're gone? Who will protect us if something goes wrong? Who, then?"
I crossed the room, crouching down in front of him. I took his hands in mine, squeezing them tightly. He was going to understand me this time. I was going to make sure of it.
"Nothing will go wrong. I promise you that. But I have to do this, Norri. I have to finish this once and for all. You can't seriously think we can just run away from El Lobo and live happily ever after."
Tears welled up in his eyes, spilling over onto his cheeks. "Please, Gali. Please don't leave us. We need you here. I need you here."
His plea gutted me, slicing through me like a knife. I wanted nothing more than to stay, to be there for him, for our son. Did he really think I wanted to go? That was ridiculous. Of course I wanted to stay right here with him.
This job was our best chance at a future. A future free from fear, from running, from looking over our shoulders. That was what mattered most.
"I can't stay, Norri," I said, my voice rough and showing how difficult this was for me too. "You know that. I have to end this. For us. For our family."
Norri pulled his hands away, his expression turning angry. "Our family needs you here! You can't just leave us, Gali. Not after everything we've been through."
I stood with my body tense and jaw clenched. Did he really think that was what this was about?
"I'm not leaving you, Norri. As I said, I'm doing this for you. For us."
He laughed, a harsh, bitter sound that cut through me. "For us? Or for you? You can't let this go, can you? You can't walk away from your past. Well, I won't let you walk away from us!"
I ran a hand through my hair, frustration boiling over. I thought he was going to understand me, but he wasn't. "Damn it, Norri! This isn't about me. It's about keeping you safe. Keeping our son safe. Don't you understand something as simple as that?"
He stood, his body shaking with anger and fear. "Safe? How can we be safe when you're not here? When you're off risking your life for some misguided sense of honor or duty or whatever the hell this is!"
I stepped back, taken aback by the venom in his voice. I knew that he hated this situation, but it was beginning to feel as though he despised me. "Misguided? Is that what you think this is? After everything I've done to keep you safe, to give us a chance at a normal life?"
Norri's eyes flashed with hurt and betrayal. "Normal? There's nothing normal about this, Gali! We're hiding, we're running, we're constantly looking over our shoulders. And now you want to leave us, to put yourself in danger, to... to..." He broke off, choking back a sob.
I reached for him, but he stepped back, out of reach. He didn't even want me to touch him.
"Don't touch me," he whispered. "Just... just go. If you're going to leave, then just go. Don't keep wasting your time here."
I hesitated, torn between staying and going. Between my duty and my heart. But in the end, duty won out. I had to finish this. For them. Otherwise, I wouldn't forgive myself.
"Fine," I growled, grabbing my bag from the floor. "I'm going. But know this, Norri — I'm doing this for us. For our future. And I will come back. I always come back to you."
With that, I walked out, leaving Norri standing alone in the room, his face streaked with tears, his body wracked with sobs. The sound of his grief echoed in my ears as I strode down the hallway, my heart heavy with guilt and regret.
I was also thinking about our son. Even though he was only a baby, it was likely that he could feel what was happening between his parents.
Despite knowing that, I couldn't turn back. I couldn't stay. Not when there was still a threat hanging over our heads. Not when I could still make things right.
As I pushed through the door and stepped out into the cold, I told myself that I was doing the right thing. That this was the only way to ensure our safety, our happiness, and our future.
But deep down, I knew the truth. I was walking away from the person I loved most in this world. I was choosing duty over love. And I didn't know if I would ever forgive myself for that. I had to because I would be back.
The rain soaked through my clothes almost immediately, but I barely noticed. My mind was already shifting gears, focusing on the mission ahead. I had a job to do, a dangerous and vital task that could mean the difference between life and death for countless people.
Including my family.
As I walked, I made a promise to myself, to Norri, to our son. I would finish this job. I would end the threat that hung over our heads once and for all. And then I would come back to them, and spend the rest of my life making up for this moment of abandonment.
It was a promise I intended to keep, no matter the cost.
The choice had been made. The die had been cast. And now, all any of us could do was hope that it had been the right one. It had to be.
Later, the rain hammered against the pavement as I trudged through the grimy alleyways of the city's underbelly. My old contact, Marcus, was the one who had called me for a job that could set things right for Norri and me. I couldn't afford to mess this up.
I pulled my coat tighter around me against the biting cold as I approached the rundown bar Marcus had specified. It was a seedy joint, the kind of place where trouble went to die. The kind of place where the kind of work Marcus had lined up was commonplace. It was perfect for our purpose.
As I entered, my eyes adjusted to the smoky gloom. The place reeked of stale beer and desperation. I spotted Marcus in a back booth, hunched over a mug of something amber and strong-looking. He glanced up as I slid in across from him, his grizzled face splitting into a grin.
"Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in," he rasped, his gravelly voice roughened by years of chain-smoking and cheap liquor. Given the life he lived, I couldn't blame him for his vices. "Sit down, man. I got a job for ya."
I slid into the booth, feeling the cracked vinyl against my back. "So, what do you have for me exactly?" I asked bluntly, getting straight to the point.
Marcus chuckled, a rasping sound that turned into a chesty cough. "Right to business, eh? I like that in a man." He leaned forward, his weathered face serious. "I need you to hit an arms deal. Some hotheaded young buck thinks he can muscle in on my territory. You gotta stop him."
I arched an eyebrow. "What's in it for me?"
Marcus grinned wolfishly. "Fifty grand. Half now, half on delivery. And a promise from me that El Lobo and his goons won't bother you and your family again."
I did the math in my head. That kind of money would give Norri and our son a fresh start somewhere safe. It would be enough to run and never look back. And the most important thing was that Marcus could indeed keep El Lobo away from me, even though, to be 100% safe, he would have to die.
My jaw clenched as I thought, again, about leaving Norri and our son alone, but I still needed to finish this. There was no way around it.
I met Marcus' gaze steadily. "I want it in writing. Contract. The full amount upfront."
Marcus threw back his head and laughed, a raucous sound that drew stares from the other patrons. "Always the cautious one, aren't you, Gali? That's why I like you." He reached into his jacket, pulling out an envelope and a crumpled piece of paper. "Contract and terms, just like you want. And half the cash. I'll deliver the rest when the job's done."
I took the envelope, riffling through the papers to confirm everything was in order. When I looked back up, Marcus was eyeing me shrewdly.
"I know you got a kid now. A mate. That's what this is about, Gali?"
I met his eyes, my jaw hardening. "None of your damn business, Marcus."
He held up his hands, placating. "Hey, I get it. You want to make things right. I respect that. That's partially why I'm doing this for you."
I nodded curtly. I didn't want to discuss my personal life with him, especially not my family. "When do I start?"
Marcus stood, reaching for his coat. "As soon as you're ready. I'll get the details to you."
I stood as well, sighing. I needed to get back to Norri. Even though he hated me for leaving, I knew he needed to know that this was the only way to secure his future.
As I stepped out into the rainy night, I pulled out my phone. I had to text Norri, even though it hadn't been more than two hours since I left.
Me: Little omega, it's me. Don't give up on us. I'll be home soon.
I waited for his reply, hoping against hope that he'd understand, that he'd forgive me for putting duty over his needs and our baby's.
But he didn't answer. I shoved the phone in my pocket with a sigh. I didn't have time to dwell on it now. I had a job to do. For him, for our son, for our future.
As I walked through the rain-soaked streets, my mind kept drifting to El Lobo Negro. I couldn't help but think of how satisfying it would be to see that bastard suffer, to see him brought to his knees after all the pain and suffering he's caused.
I imagined him, stripped of his power and his men, left alone and helpless. Maybe I'd shove him in the same cell he threw Norri in and let him rot in there. Maybe I'd take everything from him like he's done to me and Norri.
The thought of him suffering, of seeing the fear and desperation in his eyes as he realized he had no one to help him... It brought a fierce kind of satisfaction. He deserved to know how it felt to be powerless, to have everything stripped away until all that was left was despair.
Maybe I'd make him watch as I took everything he held dear, the way he did to Norri and me. I'd make sure he knew that the omega he took everything from was now stronger than him, able to protect what was his.
A cruel smile tugged at the corner of my mouth as I pictured El Lobo's humiliation and anguish. He'd get what was coming to him. He had to suffer for all the agony he caused me and Norri. I would make him pay for everything he did. It was only a matter of time before I would have my revenge.