Chapter 32
Thirty-Two
KAELEN
The hair on my nape stood on end while I fidgeted. I didn’t fidget. Something was wrong and I didn’t know what.
I scrubbed my hand over my brow, rereading the text from Liam for the third time.
William Sterling knew the suppressants weren’t working. Liam tapped a phone call that morning from the senator’s phone to his crooked doctor, rambling about Isabelle’s scent returning, and how bright and energetic she was.
Liam asked if he should take Isabelle now. I said no. It was too risky to kidnap a sitting senator’s wife. It would be a shitestorm and draw too much attention. When we took Isabelle, it had to be at the same time we were ready to deal with William.
While my wife had given me permission, I had to ensure Isabelle’s health and safety first. According to Sweeney, she needed more time for the hormones to clear her system, making it safer to sever the bond with Sterling.
Instead, I told Liam to intercept the new shipment of suppressants and replace them with placebos.
I tossed my phone onto the desk and rolled my shoulders. A wave of Willow’s sweet scent wafted off my shirt collar. I groaned, my eyes closing as the honeyed morning rain soothed whatever uneasiness prickled beneath my skin.
My dick twitched at the image of our pretty omega—our wife—safe in our arms, snuggled under the blankets in her nest. My alpha demanded that I hide her away from the world, uneasy that she was still unbonded.
I loved my wife, my omega, but I was a patient man when I had to be. And if she wasn’t ready, I would wait. I would wait a lifetime for Willow. I was at her command. Her dutiful servant. All I wanted was to please her. Love her.
And I would spend an eternity worshiping at her altar to prove myself.
A pain throbbed between my eyes as I tried to focus on the calendar. My fingers hovered over the dates on my computer while I tried to count out the days since Willow’s last heat.
It had been a breakthrough one, so we were both uncertain if her next one would occur on its usual schedule or if it would follow a new schedule based on the heat she had when she first arrived.
Part of me wanted to text Torin, ordering him to bring her home. I still hadn’t told her the depths of my feelings, not exactly certain of why. I told myself it was because I wanted her to be ready, that I didn’t want to frighten her, but that was only partially true.
Something buried deep inside that I refused to face, worried about our omega rejecting us, rejecting me and my alpha.
Nothing in this world scared me… except that.
I didn’t know whether I would survive the loss of Willow. Marriage only went so far. If she refused my bite, my bond…
I snarled, cracking my knuckles, shaking away the unpleasant thoughts.
Tonight.
Tonight, we would talk. I would show her how devoted I was. Tell her how much I loved her, how I worshipped her and wanted to make her mine.
Torin’s name lit up on my phone, and my face pinched as I immediately answered.
“What?” I snapped.
“Boss,” he started, his tone detached and slightly off. “She’s gone.”
All the color drained from my face. My blood went cold, not daring to believe what I was hearing. Torin was with Willow. They were off to visit the rescue site. My omega had been spending all her free time there while I worked.
“Who’s gone?”
The pointless question slid from my cracked lips, already dreading the answer I knew was coming. A throat cleared on the other side of the phone, and Torin’s whispered voice barely echoed over the line.
“Willow. She’s gone.”
I stood, my chair toppling over with a loud thud as I banged my fist on the desk. It was impossible. Torin was the best. How the fuck did this happen?
Rossi.
Anger bubbled in my gut, the burn of it tearing a hole through my stomach as my alpha howled.
That bastard took my omega.
My wife.
It was him. Vittorio Rossi. It had to be. I had a lot of enemies, but he was the only one who made sense.
I spat back at Torin, texting Aidan at the same time to come to my office now.
“What the fuck do you mean ‘gone?’”
“Someone took her from the café bathroom.”
Frozen, I listened as Torin explained. They had stopped at a coffee shop on their way to the rescue. Willow used the bathroom, and when she was gone for too long, Torin investigated, only to find the stalls empty.
The only evidence of what happened was the ajar window and signs of struggle. Torin mentioned broken porcelain from the sink and beads from a necklace scattered around the floor.
My little omega fought.
Hard.
Torin’s voice cracked—high-pitched and unsteady.
Outside the window, he found two sets of footprints. However, one looked more like drag marks.
Based on what he said, it sounded as though someone had waited for Willow in the bathroom, hoping on the off chance that she would come in.
And when she did, they subdued her and snuck her out the window before Torin noticed.
Someone had been trailing my wife, looking for the opportune moment to snatch her.
I’d find her. I’d burn the city to ashes if I had to.
“Get your arse back here now!”
I ended the call, tightening my grip around the cell until it shattered in my hand.
Shards of glass from the screen pierced my palm, sending blood streaking down my arm.
I stared unseeing at the fireplace, hearing only the sound of my heavy breaths and the quiet trickle of my blood pooling on the desk.