Chapter 14
Savannah
I f I could remember what it felt like sitting at the principal's office, ready to be scolded for doing something naughty, I have a feeling it would be a lot like the scene before me.
I’m sitting at the guys’ kitchen table, arms on the top, blood red nails tapping against the wood surface as the four of them sit across from me with a variety of different expressions.
“In my defense, I thought she was an intruder,” I explain with a shrug, not able to handle the eerie silence in the room. The looks Walker and Leroy are giving me make me shift in my seat; in unease or arousal, the jury is still out on that one.
The way Leroy handled me, with his hand around my throat, had my stomach in knots. In what I think was a very good way?
I mean, I didn’t have the urge to stab him, something I would have done with anyone else. Nope, I wanted to get down on my knees and have him call me his good girl. To hear him call me his Little Monster again.
You would think that would have bothered me, but it didn’t. Everything he said and did just made me wet, because none of it was meant to humiliate me. There was no ill intent or cruelty behind his actions and words.
I’ve been on my knees before, had degrading words thrown my way, but that was meant to hurt me, to belittle me, to tear me down.
Nothing these men have done so far shows me they have the same intentions.
I’m not stupid enough to trust them so easily, but I’ve been around enough vile people to be able to read them.
And I have it on good authority to believe these men are nothing like them.
Only time will tell, I suppose.
“What about that woman made you think she was here to cause harm in any way?” Walker asks, crossing his arms as he cocks a thick brow.
I grind my teeth, feeling twitchy that he would defend that woman in any way. I’m his fucking Omega, not her.
“She had something in her hand,” I say, crossing my arms, mimicking his pose. “Could have been a gun.”
“It was a bottle,” he deadpans.
“And how was I supposed to know that?” I throw my arms up. “No one mentioned another woman living in this fucking house,” I snarl, hands slapping the table. My eyes dart to Caleb and Jake, the ones I’ve spent the most time with, who had many chances to fill me in on not only the Beta living in their house, but the fact that they have a daughter.
Their expressions are filled with guilt. I narrow my eyes, and I can see them start to sweat. Good. They should be afraid of me.
I’m still processing the part where they have a kid. Need more answers before I lose my fucking mind about it.
“We should have told you, we just didn’t want to overwhelm you,” Jake speaks up. “It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours since everything happened.”
Fair point. I didn’t expect for us to sit down and spill every detail of our lives. But still, this is something big, something that I should have been given a heads up about.
“Okay, true. I get that. And I might not know much about how this world works—you know, being fucked up in the head and all.” I tap on the side of my head. “But I know enough about how scent matched Alphas and Omegas work. Shit in this world, things move fast when they’re matched like this, am I wrong?”
“No,” Leroy speaks. “Everything is more intense: feelings, emotions, instinct. Scent matches are no longer in control like they were before; these elements are the driving factor for everything they do. For the most part, no one thinks twice about what happens after they meet their match.”
“But you did.” I point to Walker. “You left last night. You made me think you didn’t want anything to do with me while these two have been all in from the moment they smelled me.”
It’s his turn to look guilty. He runs his hand against the back of his neck. “I want you, Savannah. I do. Fuck.” He runs a hand down his face. “I have this need inside me to pull you into my arms and never let go.” My belly warms at the thought. “And I’m sorry if I made you feel like I didn’t want you. But between my past and...” he trails off. I can see the pain on his face.
What happened in his past that made him hesitant to take his scent match? Whoever hurt him, I'll find them and fucking slit their throats!
“Athena,” Leroy finishes for him. “If we didn’t have a daughter to think about, things probably would have been different. I know it would have for me.” He shrugs. “I might only be a Beta, and there’s nothing in my DNA pulling you to me. But I can’t deny there’s something about you. I know I’m not going to be able to resist.” He gives me this sexy grin that makes my heart race.
But it’s drowned out by what he said before. I narrow my eyes and point a finger at him. “Don’t speak about yourself like that. You're not just a Beta. There’s nothing about being a Beta that makes you any less than an Alpha or an Omega. It’s who you are as a person; people should not be judging you by your designation. Are you a piece of shit?”
His eyes darken, and I watch how his throat bobs as he swallows hard. “I’d like to think not.”
“Then you're no less than me or any of these guys. Got it.”
He licks his lips, and I bite mine. He’s looking at me like he wants to lay me out on his table and eat me up for dinner. I mean, I’d be down for that.
“Whatever you say, Little Monster.” There’s a gravely tone to his voice that has me clenching my thighs. Damn it. I need to have more restraint than this.
“Good.” I nod my head, hoping he doesn’t see how he’s so easily affecting me. I’m pretty sure I fail, but I push forward anyway. “Now, about Athena.”
“Is she a deal breaker?” Jake asks, his question laced with worry.
My brows furrow. “What? No. Why on earth would you think that?”
“A lot of Omegas aren’t open to raising another woman’s child. They’re very territorial and jealous,” Walker explains.
I snort out a laugh. “I think we all know by now I’m not like most Omegas. Mind you, I am very territorial. But that comes into play when another woman looks at what's mine. Not an innocent child. She’s your daughter. You love her, care for her. That much I can see with just a glance.” I look over to the sweet little baby sleeping in Caleb’s arms, and my heart clenches.
Flashes of my baby boy pop into my mind, and I wonder if he’s looking down at me right now. Would he be mad that I’d be in this little girl's life? Or would he want me to be the mama she doesn’t have?
I haven't been around many babies, but the ones I have, I’ve had this overwhelming need to get away. The pain is too much. I felt weak, defeated. But being around Athena? I don’t have that urge. If anything, I keep wanting to snatch her from Caleb’s arms and snuggle her myself.
In my heart, I know I’d kill for her. It’s just that simple.
“I am no threat to her. I will never put her in harm's way. I might not be all there in the head.” I snort. “But I’m not that far gone; I’d never hurt a child. I’d rather someone put a bullet between my eyes than hurt a hair on any child's head.” Sure, some of the kids I’ve seen at the park in passing are annoying as fuck, and I’m glad they’re not mine, but I’ve noticed it’s all about how each parent deals with the child that determines how they act. But I’d never dream of hurting one.
Walker watches me for a moment before nodding. “I believe you. And I’m sorry I wasn’t all in last night. But you do understand where we’re coming from, right? We met you while you were literally trying to dispose of a dead body.”
I scoff, waving my hand. “He deserved it. You can’t go around raping women and think karma isn’t going to bite you in the ass.” I lean forward with a grin. “I’m karma by the way,” I add, giving him a wink. “But you can call me Savvy. All the cool kids do.”
Walker’s lips twitch with a smile, and I mentally fist pump myself that I was able to swipe that broody look off his face for even a moment. New side goal: get him to smile more. I bet his smile would make me slick my panties like a damn river.
“Anyways. Let’s get this all out on the table, shall we? Hi, I’m Savannah. For the past five years, I’ve been held captive by a piece of shit little bitch named Corbin. He kept me locked up in a padded cell where the only human interaction I’d get was the pervy guards that would bring me food or take me for my shower once a week. Or when Corbin, himself would show up to do whatever the fuck he wanted to me.”
I’m not going into detail because while I might not be ashamed of the life I was forced to live, thinking of the things he forced me to do makes me sick to my stomach.
Also, Duchess warned me about sharing too much, that it might make people uncomfortable. I remember the look on her face when I told her about the videos. I didn’t know if she was going to puke or go find Corbin and kill him herself.
“I didn’t know why he wanted me until I got out. Turns out he wanted to make my father pay. I don’t remember my dad, but that’s fucking petty as hell. Sure, he brought down your business, but hello, it was Omega trafficking!” I roll my eyes. “Not that it did any good, he’s still doing it. Did it with me. When he got what he wanted with my dad, the fucker decided to sell me to some sick dude in the Russian mafia! Can you believe that? Jerry said he keeps Omegas in cages like animals and takes them out when he wants to fuck them,” I growl. “Thankfully, Jerry was amazeballs and got me out of there. I owe him a solid.” I nod. “Anyway. Like I said, I remember fuck all. I only know what I’ve seen in movies that I watched while I was locked up. Some good ones too, might I add.”
I look to Jake, whose face is pale. “Sorry. I know you said we know each other and have some kind of past. I really don’t remember. But!” I say excitedly with a big smile on my face. “I’m super excited to get to know you again. Start over new, you know? Because I can tell you right now, I’m not the Savannah you knew before. Again, sorry.” I shrug. “But even if I remembered, too much fucked up shit happened for me to be that girl. I hope that’s not a deal breaker?” My smile slips. “Shit. I didn't even think about that. Oh god, did I ruin the image you had of me in your head?” My stomach drops. Fuck. He’s been looking for me for years, right? He was expecting the girl he grew up with. I’m not her. What if he’s disappointed? What if he doesn’t want me because I’m not her?
“Savannah,” Jake’s soft voice is like a soothing blanket, settling my rambling mind. He takes the hand that’s been tapping frantically against the table into his large ones. Instantly, I feel better. “Breathe.”
I nod, my heart pounding as I try to take a few deep breaths.
“It’s not a deal breaker.” He smiles. “You kill people, and that didn’t send me running. So, you not remembering everything we’ve had in our past isn’t going to either. All I care about is that you're safe and sound. That you're healthy and well.” He takes a shuddering breath. “That you’re with me.”
The smile finds my face again. “Okay, good.” I laugh. “Because even if it was a deal breaker, I wasn’t gonna let you go. I’m not a fan of locking people up, because it sucks, but I mean an Omega’s gotta do what an Omega’s gotta do.” I shrug.
He bursts out laughing and god, the sound goes right to my clit. “No need to lock me up. I’m all yours.”
“I mean, I wouldn’t say no to being locked up,” Caleb says, amusement in his voice. “Same goes with being tied up.” He grins widely.
My mind races with all the naughty things I could do to this man. He better be careful with his offers because he’s going to get more than he bargained for.
Candy apple fills the air around us, making the men groan, and I’m not even sorry. They shouldn’t say tempting things if they don’t want me perfuming like this.
“Can we get back on track?” Leroy clears his throat.
I look over to him and grin. He might not be an Alpha, but my scent seems to get to him, too. Good.
“Right!” I snap my fingers and point to him. “As I was saying. Everything is new to me. I’m excited to see the world.” I grin widely. “I’ve been on the down low because no one wants to draw attention when they’re killing someone, am I right?” I laugh. “So, I’ve mostly gone out at night. Duchess wanted me to perfect my craft before I was able to go out on my own. So I’ve gone with her on a few jobs. She’s so good at it,” I sigh in awe. “The way her wrists move as she glides the blade against their flesh. I wanna be like her when I grow up.”
“You do know she’s younger than you, right?” Caleb chuckles.
“Age is just a number, baby.” I wink, then turn to Leroy. “Speaking of age, how old are you?”
He blinks a few times and... oh my god, is he blushing? So cute!
He clears his throat before answering. “Fifty-five.”
My brows jump. “You're twenty-five years older than me.”
His shoulders slump. “It’s a turn off, isn’t it?”
“Fuck no,” I snort. “It’s hot as fuck. You're literally panty-melting to look at. You're like the silver fox fantasy. The daddy vibe.” I grin. “You can be my daddy any day.”
Leroy groans, and I swear I can smell his arousal. It’s faint, but I can smell his licorice and vanilla scent.
“He might be older, but his cock works just fine,” Caleb adds, a menacing grin on his face. “Not that I know from experience, but I’ve walked in on the man jacking off a few times. Dude is hung.”
“Caleb!” Leroy hisses, slapping him upside the head.
“Hey, I have Little Bug in my arms. Don’t hit me.” Caleb laughs.
“Then stop saying stupid shit,” Leroy scolds.
“Nothing stupid about a fat cock.” I lick my lips. “Can I see?”
Leroy’s eyes snap over to mine, widening in shock as Caleb bursts out laughing, while Jake snickers, and Walker huffs out a chuckle.
“Kidding, kidding.” I grin, leaning back in my seat. My eyes look him up and down, the table covering where his dick would be. “For now.”
“Off track, again,” Walker points out.
“Sorry.” I laugh. “I do that a lot. Duchess says I have ADHD.”
“You do,” Jake says. “Ahh... at least you did.”
“Huh.” I nod. “Cool. Like my messed-up brain needs more reasons to be messed up.” I shrug. “Makes life more interesting, am I right?”
“Savvy,” Caleb says, getting my attention. “Who’s Jerry?”
I raise a brow. “You don’t know your own brother?”
“My brother’s name is Jeremy.” He frowns.
“Remember, I gave him a new name. Keep up.”
“So, you just change people's names when you don’t like them?” Walker asks with a smirk.
“Pretty much.” I shrug.
“Gonna change any of our names?” he asks.
I take a moment to think. “Nah, I think they’re all sexy.”
“Good to know.” He nods his head, smile still in place.
“So...you're a firefighter.” I say to Walker. Fucking sexy might I add. “You're ex-military turned bodyguard.” My eyes flick over to Leroy. “You're a cop.” I look at Caleb. “And you’re a teacher.” I end, looking at Jake.
“And you're the sexy badass vigilante completing our pack of randos.” Caleb chuckles. “Perfect fit to me, might I add.”
That makes my heart flutter, a warm, happy feeling filling me. No judgment, no rejection, like I was worried about. They... want me. For me.
Listen, I was really worried I was going to have to kill them for a little bit. But thank fuck I don’t have to.
“Now that we’ve gotten that part out of the way, wanna tell me more about her?” I nod towards the sleeping baby.
“This is Athena. She was made through surrogacy. The egg was from an anonymous donor,” Leroy informs me. “We’re not sure whose DNA she has, but it doesn’t matter to us. It’s why we mixed our samples together. We didn’t care who helped make her. We just wanted her. She’s ours either way.”
I smile. “That's so cute. You all came in the same cup and made a cum smoothie.”
They all groan except Caleb, who laughs.
“Something like that.” Jake chuckles.
“Why did you want to have a baby this way? You have a pack, why not find the right woman?” The thought of them being with another woman makes me want to stab someone in the eye right now.
“Our jobs took up most of our time. We were all busy. We were in no place to add a partner,” Leroy says.
“And we didn’t want to start something with a woman and not all be together.”
“Why wouldn’t you have all been together?” I frown.
“Because I refused to be with another woman when my mate was out there somewhere,” Jake speaks up, making my heart race. He looks at me with this intense emotion in his eyes that I don’t understand, but I sure as hell feel in my soul. “I already found my mate. There was no other person on this earth for me. Only you, Savvy.”
“But what if you never found me?” I find myself asking in a whisper.
“Then I’d have lived a life with the small hope that one day I would. I’d rather die alone than have been with someone who wasn’t you,” his voice cracks, and I feel my eyes welling with tears.
I hope he knows he just cemented what we have together, and the only way that man is getting away from me is in a body bag. I’m keeping him. He’s mine.
Taking a shaking breath, I smile. “Thank you.” He has no idea how much his words mean to me.
I turn my attention back to the group of them. “So, if you don’t know who the donor is, who carried and gave birth to her?”
That question earns me a nervous look from the group of them.
“What?” I ask cautiously, not liking how they’ve all gone silent, looking guilty as fuck.
“We had the egg placed into a surrogate.” Jake clears his throat.
“Yeahhh.”
“Ashley isn’t just Athena’s nanny.” Walker scratches his beard. “She was also the surrogate.”
My body goes stiff as I blink rapidly. So, they’re telling me the woman who gave birth to their daughter became her nanny. I don’t like this. Not one fucking bit. The idea of this woman building a mother-like bond with their child makes me uneasy.
“You said you didn’t have a woman.” My eye twitches as I try really hard to keep my cool.
“We don’t,” Caleb says quickly. “We’ve never touched Ashley in any way. She’s just the woman who carried our daughter and then helped care for her after she was born. Having a newborn isn’t easy, and we needed the help. We were in over our heads and didn’t know what we were doing.”
“So she lives here,” I start slowly. “In this house. With all of you?”
“Yeah,” Leroy answers awkwardly.
“She sleeps, showers, eats, and spends all her time here. In this house. Around you?” I think I’m starting to sound a little more manic.
“Yeah,” Leroy sighs heavily.
I nod my head, licking my lips. “Okay. So, here’s what's gonna happen. She’s fired. And if you refuse to fire her, I’ll kill her.” I shrug.
“You're joking, right?” Leroy asks.
My lip curves into a manic grin. “Wanna find out?”
“She’s fired. We’ll pack her shit up and send her on her way,” Walker says, surprising the hell out of me. “Leroy is retired now; it was always the plan for him to be a stay-at-home dad. We were going to keep her around because she cooked and cleaned as well, but that doesn’t matter anymore.”
“No, it doesn’t.” I narrow my eyes at them. “Because if you're going to be with me, I won’t allow any other woman to live in this house. I can cook. I can clean. Got it?”
“Yes,” they all agree at once.
My lips kick up into a smile, and I settle back into my seat. “Wonderful.” I clap my hands. “Now, how about we go take out the trash?”