Chapter 4
VINCENT
The neighborhood shinesbright with the blue and red of police sirens.
I turn down the street to the address Landon sent me and see a clusterfuck of chaos. Skylar’s front door is open, and there are three officers in the doorway. River stands in the driveway with Ben. Four squad cars are lined up on the street, and residents from the houses next door stand on their front lawns, watching everything.
I recognize some of the other officers as I step out of my car, and they all do a double take as they see me.
Great.
As I head up the driveway, avoiding the awkward stares, Ben stops his conversation with River and looks at me with wide eyes. But before I can say anything, there’s a flurry of black and then pain explodes across my right cheekbone.
“You motherfucker!” River snarls, followed by the confused shouts of the officers. “This is your fault, you piece of shit!”
I really didn’t want tonight to start like this.
I’m here for Skylar. Not River, not Landon, or anyone else.
Just her.
Instinct has me swinging my fist back, and I land a good hit on River before we’re both pulled apart by officers.
“HEY!” Landon shouts, stepping in between us. “River, knock that shit off right fucking now, or I swear I’ll make them arrest you.”
My punch was better than expected; River spits a mouthful of blood on the driveway, baring his teeth at me. “This is all because of you,” he hisses, ignoring Landon. “You, making her fucking cry?—”
“River!” Landon growls, his voice laced with venom. “Shutthe fuck up.”
I stare down River, wanting to spit words back at him, dredging up everything I can’t stand about him. He acts like a fucking child, he’s too emotional, he should never have been a detective?—
At least he still is one, a guilty voice inside me says. At least he didn’t quit.
I let out a deep breath, ignoring the pain across my cheek. It isn’t the first time we’ve fought, and I doubt it will be the last.
“I’m not here for your shit,” I say calmly as the two officers holding me back release me. “I’m not here for you at all. Just stay out of my way, Cain.”
I ignore his murderous look as I walk up the driveway, following Skylar’s faded scent. My inner Alpha rumbles to life after being ignored for so many years, and guilt tightens my chest.
Maybe this wouldn’t be happening if I hadn’t been so cold to her.
Maybe she wouldn’t have kicked Landon and River out, leaving her prone and vulnerable.
Fuck.
The metallic scent of chloroform grows stronger as I enter the house, and I grit my teeth.
Fuck.
I hear snippets of conversation as I stand in her front room, taking in my surroundings.
“Checking neighbor’s security footage?—”
“Sign of struggle near the back door?—”
My ears ring.
It’s been two hours since Landon called me.
Two fucking hours.
She could be anywhere by now.
“What are you idiots doing?” I snap at two of the Beta officers. “Just standing around?”
They should be doing more than just idling around. There’s so much more that can be done than just the typical paperwork.
But they don’t owe me an explanation.
One narrows his eyes at me. “Fuck you, Jackson,” he says. “You don’t get to walk in here and tell us how to do our job. You shouldn’t even be here.”
“He’s fine.” Ben says as he enters the house, stopping me before I can reply with something shitty. “There’s no problem.”
He shoots me a look, and I nod at him.
Then I tune everything else out as I explore.
I learn more about Skylar.
Her kitchen is cluttered but organized, as if she tried to cram the entirety of the café into the area. She has at least five different types of coffee bags, all lined up against the tile backsplash of her counter, next to a sleek espresso machine.
I remember the pride in her eyes when she saw my reaction to tasting the coffee she handed me.
It was the best I’d ever had, along with that cookie.
I wonder if that particular roast is sitting on her counter right now.
I stare at the photos on her fridge, her smiling face and bright eyes captured beautifully by whoever took the pictures.
There’s one of her and April Waters at a theme park.
Another of her and an older woman, her face full of pride as her arm is wrapped around Skylar’s shoulders.
This girl is loved and easily lovable.
I swallow, shake the thought away, and open her fridge.
It’s just as organized as her counter, with containers of what I assume are homemade pastries.
Another glass container holds different colored macarons. Three jugs of iced coffee sit on the bottom shelf, along with a soy, almond, and oat milk.
I stare at the contents of her fridge a little too long, realizing how ridiculous I look.
“She’s not in the fridge, Jackson,” someone snickers, and I slam the appliance door harder than necessary.
This isn’t a fucking joke.
Landon said the fight started when he and River told her she shouldn’t go back to work, which makes sense.
Her work is obviously her passion.
I used to know the feeling.
Exiting the kitchen, I head down the hallway, past the tiny bathroom, and halt at what I assume is her bedroom door.
Technically, I don’t need to be in here.
Landon and River would already have looked through.
They’ve already been in here more than once, and unexpected jealousy races through me.
They never technically told me what was going on with them, but it doesn’t take a genius.
The stale aroma of sweet, sugary Heat still lingers from behind the door, with the smallest hint of musky Rut.
I turn the doorknob and enter the bedroom before I can stop myself.
Omega washes over me, almost knocking me on my ass.
Which is ridiculous.
Her scent isn’t even fresh, but it affects me the same as if she was right in front of me.
I understand why Landon and River are enamored with her.
The fierce determination in her eyes. The independence.
The loyalty to her friend and her job.
And that fucking scent.
My inner Alpha all but roars, finally freed from his cage.
I only spent a few minutes in her presence, and she’s affected me.
I can’t even imagine how River and Landon feel.
And the fact that she could even bring them together says something about who she is, too.
It’s all starting to make sense.
I recognize the specialty Omega bed she has and almost smile.
She deserves nice things, a quiet voice inside me says, as I observe the silk pillowcases and abundance of fluffy pillows.
My eyes scan her dresser, tidy and dust-free. A small stack of papers sits on the dark wood surface, and I carefully look through them.
Recipes.
My lip quirks.
I haven’t done this in so long. I haven’t tried to learn about someone through their possessions or whatever they leave behind.
Yet I feel like I’m understanding Skylar more and more every second I stay in her house.
And the more I’m determined to find out what happened to her, and where the fuck she is.
Mine,a possessive voice snarls inside. Someone took her from me.
But before I can focus on my reaction, Ben enters the room, looking at his phone with his brow furrowed.
“Hey,” he says urgently. “I’m not supposed to show you this, but um…” he hands me his phone, his expression weary. “Forensics just got back to us from another county. Look at the results of this. A new batch of O.”
I read the report and my stomach churns.
“Fuck,” I whisper.
We have to find Skylar.
Now.