44. Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Four
Emma
I walk out to the living room where I know my alphas are waiting. As I round the corner, their heads snap up. Their silence hangs heavy and charged. The air thickens with their scent, seeping through my skin and making my insides twist. Their arousal isn’t subtle and they don’t bother hiding it.
“Tough Girl, I’m gonna have to come up with another name for you.
Beauty, perhaps, but no. That’s not enough.
” Phoenix’s hungry gaze lingers at the base of my throat before sweeping down the curve of my waist and the length of my legs.
He doesn’t even try to hide the way he looks at me, like he would peel away every silky thing I wear with his teeth if we had the time. Later.
“Goddess is the word you’re looking for, brother.
” Soren’s gaze is slower, more intense. He watches every move I make, tracking my hands, the slight tremor of my fingertips, the lift of my chest as I breathe.
His gaze lingers longest on my mouth, his own lips parting.
His jaw tenses and a flush climbs his neck.
I know he’s struggling to keep his hands at his sides and not on my body.
Asher watches me as though he needs to memorize every inch of me for the rest of his life.
His liquid-black gaze drags over the hollow of my throat to his silvery-scarred mating bite.
Unlike Phoenix and Soren, our prime closes the distance between us.
Close enough for his body heat to lap across my skin.
Whiskey edges with dark leather and masculine power make my omega mouth water.
“Our everything,” Asher breathes before he bends to kiss me delicately to avoid smudging the lipstick I curse I’m wearing. Even at the graze, heat sears a path through me. My nipples tighten like arousal is an Olympic sport and a heavy ball of need settles in my abdomen.
I know I’m breathing only because my breath hitches when Asher’s hand finds my cheek and his talented tongue delves into my mouth. I press against his hard planes and stifle the omega whine that wants to spill out of me.
Asher ends our devastating kiss, the echo of his lips burning against mine.
Before I can gather myself, Phoenix drops to one knee in front of me, blue eyes gleaming.
He holds the supple leather of a thigh holster, black and sleek, straps buttery soft and lined with pale blue silk in his large hands.
“Extra insurance. Any asshole comes at you, you pull this out and end them without thinking twice about it.” The mood grows serious as Phoenix lifts my skirt, fingers brushing warm and steady against my thigh as he draws the holster up my leg.
He leans in close—so close his nose skims the inside of my knee and his breath huffs over goosebumps as he pulls a sleek gun from somewhere unknown on his body and slots it into the holster.
His eyes flutter closed for a moment as he inhales deeply, savoring my scent as though he could live off it alone. “You smell good enough to lick. If I had my way, I’d drag this dress off and eat you right here.”
Asher’s frown is immediate, concern overtaking desire. “That’s going to be a problem. Pack Carmichael will know you on scent alone—even with a wig they’ll pick you out in a crowd a mile away.”
He pulls a small, unmarked spray bottle from his pocket. “Sorry, Moonbeam.” He meets my gaze, apologetic. “This will be the last time I’ll cover up your delectable scent.” Then he begins misting my skin and dress, making sure not a patch is left untouched.
“That’s okay. Anything so this comes as a complete surprise to them.
” I’m unsurprised to find my alphas found illegal de-scenter here.
This is Pack Blackwood’s house after all—Adrian’s, Cole’s, and Zane’s territory.
If I haven’t checked every cupboard yet, it’s only because I know I’d find every survival tool ever conceived.
Dishwasher tablets? Check. Omega scent suppressant?
Of course. Probably three brands made by their own company, just in case.
When Phoenix has finished spritzing me, he hands me the bottle and tells me to put it in my clutch to use in case I need it at the gala.
“Here. This is for you too, Butterfly.” Soren clasps a bracelet around my wrist. The chain is delicate and lays cool and smooth against my skin.
Small, intricate pendants dangle from the chain: a tiny sapphire-studded shield, a miniature brass book with real turning pages, and a crescent moon carved from luminous mother-of-pearl.
He turns my wrist, drawing my attention to the shield.
“This one holds a tracker. I embedded the chip in the base. Nobody will see it; nobody could remove it without ruining the charm. It’s coded into our phone, so we’ll know where you are at any time. ”
I stare at the bracelet, awed by the thoughtfulness and skill that went into it, by the depth of Soren’s care. Between the disguise, the holstered weapon at my thigh, the blessing of de-scenter, and the sparkling bracelet encircling my wrist, a sense of safety settles into my bones.
I run my gaze over my alphas and wonder how many weapons they’ve packed under the tailored lines of their tuxedos.
But I get stuck on the way their biceps pull at their sleeves and the way their thick thighs threaten to tear through the luxury wool.
There’s not enough crotch room to hide the way they’re affected by me.
My mates are absolutely gorgeous.
Gods, strip me naked and fuck me senseless into tomorrow.
“You okay there, Moonbeam?” Asher cocks a brow as he looks down at me. The corner of his lip twitches.
I freeze. Did I…”...say that out loud?”
“Say what out loud?” Soren says.
My shoulders slump in relief. Thank the gods. “Nothing. It’s nothing.”
“Come on. The faster we get going, the faster we can come back and fuck our omega into tomorrow,” Phoenix says.
“I think the term was ‘ senseless into tomorrow’, brother,” Soren says, sucking his stupid-full lower lip between even white teeth as his gaze roams my face with enough heat to sear.
“Any way she wants us, she can have us,” Phoenix growls.
Please let the ground swallow me now. “You heard.”
“Thank the gods we can’t scent you after a statement like that, because we’d be forced to abort the mission,” Soren says.
I punch his bicep that might as well be made from carved and polished marble. “You wouldn’t.”
“We would never give up on a mission.” Asher sends Soren and Phoenix a chastising look and then tips my head with a gentle knuckle under my chin. “But we never back down from a challenge, either.”
***
We slip out through the side door and into the garage, the overhead lights flickering on to reveal a black, top-of-the-line sedan. Sleek, elegant, exuding quiet power just like everything else in this house.
Asher takes the wheel, jaw set and eyes flinty, posture radiating calm control that doesn’t quite hide his tension.
I climb into the back, my dress slightly hitching around my thighs, and settle between Soren and Phoenix, who take up their positions on either side with silent, watchful certainty.
Soren’s hand finds mine and squeezes once, his palm steady and warm.
Phoenix’s thigh presses solid against mine, reminding me I’m not alone.
Doors close softly, the interior lit by the faint blue glow of the dashboard. Leather seats cradle us, but my nerves are taut, strung like wire. The gun holster under my dress digs against my thigh, a constant but not-unwelcome pressure. A dangerous comfort in the storm that lies ahead.
The tires crunch over gravel as Asher pulls out of the garage, headlights swiveling to illuminate the empty driveway and then the quiet street. As soon as the house falls away behind us, every breath in the car sharpens. The city looms ahead, impossibly bright. I press in close to my alphas.
Asher’s phone buzzes, screen lighting up with Adrian’s name. He answers instantly. “Adrian. What’s the situation?”
Adrian’s voice comes through, a shade rougher than usual as we listen through the speaker. “Mira’s gone into heat. She’s a walking signal flare right now. No way she can set foot near the gala without drawing the attention of every alpha in a city block radius.”
I stifle my gasp as Asher lets out a tense breath, jawline rigid as he looks at me in the rearview mirror. “That’s rough, Adrian. You staying back with her?”
“Zane’s got her covered. He’ll take care of her. Cole and I are still coming, but we’ll be one alpha down. As soon as this is over, we’ll head back. No waiting around.” There’s a deep note of promise in his voice. “I’ve briefed Ronan on the update.”
Phoenix blows out a breath. “We get it, Adrian. I’d rather Mira be safe than risk our omega’s safety.”
I feel the impact in my chest—a strange pang of relief and loss twisted together.
There’s no way Mira can be out in public.
Not only isn’t she physically able to, but her alphas are right.
Her scent would be a drawcard for every unmated alpha at that gala.
“Tell her not to worry. Mira needs to take care of herself. I’ll handle things with Leah. She’ll have me.”
“Thank you, Emma. You know you mean the world to her. We’ll see you in ten minutes,” Adrian says, and ends the call .
I let the words sink in, my mind racing.
It would be far too dangerous for Mira to be surrounded by strangers and predatory alphas in a heat that raw.
I couldn’t bear it if she put herself at risk for us, no matter how much she wanted to be there for Leah.
It’s not just a question of safety. Her body is calling her home, demanding safety and tenderness from those who love her.
She deserves that shelter, but there’s loss tangled in the relief.
An ache for the comfort of my friend, for the strength she gives just by being at my side.
For tonight, it’ll be just me for Leah, and for all of us. I hope I’m up to the task.
Phoenix leans in, voice edged with concern. “You all right?”
I nod, forcing a steadiness I don’t quite feel. “Yeah. I’m going to be okay.” I press that conviction down until it fills every shaky part.
Pride softens Soren’s face. He brushes his knuckles over mine. “You know how proud I am of you, right? You’re stronger than you think, Emma. Way stronger.”
Inside I’m a mess, nerves crackling just beneath the surface. My heart is a wild, fast thing, but I manage a smile and squeeze his hand. That pride in his gaze does something soft and anchoring to me.
Phoenix grins. “Hell, I’d be worried if you weren’t nervous. Only the truly unhinged aren’t scared of a night like this.”
Asher’s steady voice grounds us all. “We play this out as best we can. Emma is our top priority no matter what else happens.”
We turn a corner, and the city is suddenly brighter, alive with energy.
Asher guides us past where the Aegis Gala is being held.
The building is old and huge, but quaint, and includes eight floors restored to their former glory.
Spotlights sweep the facade, the colorful lights picking out decorated cornerstones and finished window frames.
People flow up the front steps. Women are dressed in shimmering, expensive gowns, alphas resplendent in tuxedos, laughter and anticipation riding high on the night air as they walk through the glittering entrance.
The front doors glow with promise and privilege, but our business tonight is anything but glamorous.
Asher eases the car past the front, turning at the next intersection and ducking down a quieter side street.
He pulls up beside a discreet entrance where Cole and Adrian wait, sharp and focused in tailored suits.
Three more men stand with them, tall and broad-shouldered, their faces unfamiliar but their posture all business.
Even in the dim light, anyone can see they’re alphas.
The confidence in their stance and the controlled alertness marks them as men who solve problems.
The minute Asher shifts the car into park and the engine hum quiets, my nerves spike fresh and sharp.
My stomach cramps, a tight knot twisting, but I force myself to breathe slow and steady.
The scent suppressant is holding strong.
I don’t give off a whiff of fear; nothing to betray just how tightly wound I am on the inside.
Thank the gods for that. At least that’s one thing I won’t have to manage on top of everything else.
Soren gets out of the car and offers me his hand. As I step out, the cool night air hits my face and sends a tremor through me. My calves wobble a little in the delicate heels, but Phoenix’s hand slides around my waist, steady as bedrock. Soren falls in at my other side while Asher flanks behind.
The soft click of my heels on the pavement echoes a hundred times louder than it should as we cross the sidewalk toward the small cluster of alphas.
I recognize Adrian from the hospital, and Cole from the literal thousands of photos Mira sent me.
The three others—tall, broad, exuding power in restraint—watch us with keen, appraising eyes.
I tuck just that little bit closer between my mates, shoulders square but fingers curled tight, determined not to show a flicker of doubt. My alphas bracket every step and the confidence in their movements make me feel as much a part of this operation as I ever could.
Ready or not, the mission has started.
And there’s no turning back now.