Chapter 33
Thirty-Three
Polly
N im’s fine. She’s with Henry. Everything went well.
That was the message I’d gotten from Max in the group chat at three a.m. last night. By the time I woke up this morning, the Homestead was on every major news channel on the television. August had come over early in the morning and sat beside me as I flicked through channels. I had to watch, especially when someone leaked bodycam footage from when the cops arrived. I looked at the faces I knew, searching for people, for Nim.
When I saw her, hugging tiny baby Brielle to her chest, the tight bands of anxiety relaxed. They’d need me. Could I really just hide here and do nothing? If I went to them, the authorities would ask questions, and I could expose my new Pack to the law, as well as Otille-James’s Pack, if they discovered what had happened.
Leader Malakai’s name was Ken Smythe. He’d been a corporate banker before he retired and decided to create a cult with his golfing buddies. He wanted to be the king of his domain. He wanted to play outside society’s rules. Old acquaintances talked about what a kind man he’d been, if a little intense.
The news reporters talked about how he’d been found outside the compound’s walls, having committed suicide from the guilt.
The relief and the guilt meshed together until I was a basket case. My emotions were at war with each other, and every news article just made it worse. The news anchor said that the police were interviewing all the people at the compound, and I knew Nim would be one of them. The reporter at the scene confirmed the children were being taken in by CPS, until it could be determined who their parents were, and if they had any other relatives that could be found in the interim.
I hated that they were going to be the victims in this too, innocents caught up in something that was completely out of their control.
August laid me against his chest, surrounding me with his warmth. “This was the right thing. I don’t want you to ever doubt that this was the correct decision. They’ll be scared and angry now, but they’ll be able to grow up and live, fall in love, get an education, find their passions. They won’t have to have sex with some old man, or have babies they don’t want, or die if they happen to be an Alpha, or be shipped off to the highest bidder if they’re an Omega. You’ve given them a life. ”
I knew all that was true, but it still hurt. “It doesn’t seem right that I’m safe and happy, while they’re scared and alone, all because of something I did.”
He clutched me tighter to his chest. “Listen to me, Polly Barrie. None of this is your fault. The fault lies squarely on the shoulders of men who wanted to play god. You might be happy now, but remember, the kids have something you didn’t have. They have each other. They have you, and Henry and Kross. You had to navigate this world alone, so they won’t have to.”
“But what if they have no one, and they’re forced into the system?” I asked softly, as Llew came into the room, a phone clutched in his hand.
“Then we’ll take them.” He said it so easily, like adopting a bunch of traumatized kids was the obvious answer. “There’s someone on the phone who might make you feel better, though.”
I was expecting Rio or Max, but when Nim’s face filled the screen, I burst into tears. “Nim!”
“ Polly? You’re really okay?”
“I’m so okay.” I did our hand sign for I’m all right, just so she knew I meant it. “Are you okay?”
She shook her head. “It’s been… a lot. Cars, Polly. Cars exist. And Henry!”
Tears were streaming down my face. “I know. He’s okay.” Henry’s face appeared over the top of Nim’s head, and he gave me a happy little wave.
“I couldn’t believe it. I thought I was seeing a ghost. And these cellphone things. And the world wide web!”
She had always been the most adaptable of us. It was Nim who’d come up with our hand language, when I wasn’t allowed to speak in the Leaders’ presence anymore. It was Nim’s idea to sew the pocket in my ceremonial skirts, so I wouldn’t be found with my magazines. It was Nim who’d built a small sculpture to put on Henry’s grave, so we’d always know where he was. She was also the most pragmatic; she would conquer this new reality like every other hurdle.
“Are the kids okay?”
She nodded. “Scared, but the authorities agreed to put them all together in a single home, and they’re letting me stay with them. Henry and his friend took the rest of us back to Pieter’s farm for a while, until we get used to the idea that we were… that it’s…”
“Not the end of the world out here? It’s hard, but you’ll adapt fast, Nim, I promise.” I looked at Henry. “What about the Brothers and Sisters? And the Leaders?”
As he poked his head further into the frame with Nim, I smiled at how familiar it was, how perfect they looked together. Like a snapshot of our past, but aged up.
“The younger ones who have never been in the outside world were released immediately. They’re the ones at Pieter’s farm. The older Brothers and Sisters, like Sister Roberta, are being questioned by police and held in jail, until they decide if they’re guilty of child endangerment, unlawful detention, and a bunch of other stuff. The Leaders are being investigated for murder and attempted murder. I already gave my statement earlier.”
I wet my lips. “Do you think I should…”
Henry shook his head. “That’s entirely up to you, Polly. Of all of us, your life was made the most miserable by the Homestead and the Leaders. You have the right to do whatever you’d like, and no one can say a damn thing about it.”
I smiled. My two friends were there in front of me, safe and happy. That was all I’d ever wanted growing up. “Thanks, Henry.”
He looked over to the side. “We have to go; the van is here to transport the kids. Stay in touch.”
“You too. I’ll help where I can from here.” I paused. “I love you guys.”
Nim’s face softened. “I love you too, Polly. I can’t wait to hug you.”
Then she was gone, and my heart was both heavier and lighter.
For hours afterwards, I thought about Henry’s words and Nim’s face, and the thoughts that were going around and around in my head. Sister Roberta had known they were selling me. She’d branded me, while the other Brothers and Sisters held me still.
They should be punished too.
When Rio and Max finally arrived home, I ran into their arms and cried. I was so glad they were home and safe, that this nightmare was over. I dragged everyone into my nest and cuddled them close.
It was late when I rolled into Max’s arms, my body still pressed tightly into Rio’s body, August’s hand resting lightly on my hip. Llew slept by the door, my big Alpha. My protector.
The others they’d rescued from the Homestead didn’t have a Llew. Or a Rio and Max and August. No one to protect them the way a Pack could.
So I’d have to be that for them, until they could find their own Packs.
“Max?”
“Mmm?” he said sleepily, his eyes blinking open.
“I think I want to make a statement. They sold me.”
He was silent for a long time, then he leaned forward and kissed me on the head. “If that’s what you want, Beautiful. Whatever helps you heal.”
I kissed his chin. “I love you.”
He rubbed his face on mine, his low purr vibrating through my chest. “I love you too.”
Two days later, I stood in front of the Rock Hill police station beside Truett Heathstone. Max had been true to his word and gotten me a lawyer, who happened to be OJ’s Alpha, the very Alpha who’d allowed me to speak again. We’d talked on the phone for a few hours the night before, going over what I could and couldn’t say to the police so that my Pack, and his, didn’t get into trouble.
“Don’t forget, you haven’t done anything wrong. You aren’t guilty of a single thing. You just give them the facts, and they can do with it what they will.”
The guys had stayed at home, which I knew would be driving them mad. Truett was a happily bonded Alpha, twice over, but they still hated me going somewhere essentially alone. Truett had to swear on OJ’s life that he’d protect me if anything happened before they’d even let me in his fancy car.
Nodding at his instruction, I gave him a small smile. “I remember.” I paused on the stairs to the police station. “Thank you, by the way, for doing this for me. I know your time is valuable, and I can’t pay you?—”
Truett waved my words away. “Thank you for taking Satan’s turkey and the zombie dog back. I swear, that bird has told me to go fuck myself more than any other living being has in my entire life. I think it’s because it makes OJ laugh, and he does it for attention, the sneaky little birdbrain.”
I laughed, because I could imagine Rufio doing that very thing. He was super smart—scary smart, even.
I straightened my shoulders, but nerves still ran up my spine. Grasping my elbow gently, Truett led me up the stairs. “If you can love that psycho, you can do anything, Polly Barrie,” he murmured. “Let’s go and make sure those who hurt you can never hurt anyone else ever again.”
We walked into the bustling police station, and I took in the hard plastic chairs lined up in neat rows. An entire array of people were in there, from a woman who had no pants on, an elderly gentleman talking to the air beside him, two bored teens staring at their phones, and a woman in a business suit.
The officer at the desk looked stressed. “Can I help you?”
I swallowed hard, while Truett squeezed my arm reassuringly. “Hello. My name is Paloma, and I’m a victim of the Homestead Cult.”
You could’ve heard a pin drop in the room. The police officer in front of me blinked a few times. “That’s over in Arkansas, ma’am. This is South Carolina.” His tone said he clearly didn’t believe me, that I was just one more in a long line of crazies he’d seen today.
I looked him in the eye, despite my Omega wanting to run home with her tail between her legs. “I’m aware. I’m an Omega, and I was trafficked across state lines.”
Still silence.
Finally, Truett interrupted. “Either get her statement, or she can tell it to the press with a nice little caveat that the Rock Hill PD didn’t even believe her enough to take a moment to ask questions. I’m sure the Prosecutor’s office would love that.”
Another cop walked by and did a double take when he saw Truett and me. “Heathstone? Isn’t one Omega problem enough?”
I almost felt Truett roll his eyes. “Frankie, this is Paloma. She’d like to make a victim statement about that cult in Arkansas.”
Frankie’s eyebrows almost hit his hairline. “Don’t worry, Jerry. I’ll take them back.” He met us at a door off to the side and reached out to shake my hand. He was an Alpha, but he had non-threatening vibes. “Come on through. I’m Frankie Gunnar. It’s nice to meet you.” He led me down the hall. “You’re pretty brave. That shit over in Arkansas is rough.”
I didn’t feel brave, but in the words of August, sometimes you just had to fake it until you made it.
For the next six hours, that’s what I did.