Chapter 59
FIFTY-NINE
“I’m not a huge fan of food in the nest,” Emmanuel says with a wrinkled nose as I bite into the sandwich Maverick made me. “It doesn’t feel sanitary.”
“Eh, we won’t use this nest for much longer, right?” Mav replies with a shrug. “We’re all moving into my place, right?”
Puck adjusts me in his lap so he can look over my shoulder at Maverick. “Your place?”
“I’m just assuming since I’m this incredibly successful TV star…”
“You’re B-list at best.”
Maverick gapes at Puck, clutching his chest dramatically. “Regardless,” he draws out the word and turns his back to the hulking Alpha as I chuckle around the sandwich. “I’m just assuming that I have the biggest place. I even have a whole nesting suite. It’s empty, of course,” he says as he looks at me, “because my beautiful cherry bomb needs to put her touch on the place.”
“I still think that nickname is way insensitive,” Emmanuel mutters.
“Woof, fun police,” Gage stage whispers to Maverick. “Who invited Dad to the pack?”
Emmanuel tosses a pillow, hitting Gage square in the face. He falls backward, dramatically crying out. “Crys! I love you! Don’t forget me!”
Puck throws another pillow in Gage’s face, and Maverick throws himself on top of the Beta, giving him mock CPR as Emmanuel rolls his eyes and tries to hide a smile.
This is my pack.
I can’t believe it.
My heart feels like it’s going to burst. I can feel all of my Alphas, three distinct threads in my chest that tell the story of their joy, affection, and humor.
And then my handsome Beta, with his big, crowded smile and awful jokes, looks at me, and I think I may burst.
“I’m so fucking happy,” I sigh. “I know we thought I was going to go into heat, and that’s why we bonded, but I want to make sure we cement them when it does happen.”
“Of course, Queenie. Whatever you want.” Puck’s voice is tight, and I can feel something sour in our bond. I set my sandwich on its plate and turn to look at him.
“Are you okay, Puck?”
He gives me a weak smile. “Finish your sandwich.”
“No, I don’t think I will. What’s going on?”
The big Alpha picks me up and sets me down beside him before standing up and taking a few steps back to distance himself from us. I don’t know if it’s conscious, but I don’t like it, and it makes my stomach churn in worry about what he’s about to say.
“While you were with Maverick and Gage, I called Pack Lupine for an update on everything. The police were paid to look the other way with all the Prism chaos, so that’s not a worry, but they didn’t catch Tyler.” He pinches between his eyes. “With everything going on, we never called them and told them we had confirmed Tyler was over the trafficking division. They may have had a chance to catch him, but…”
“Well, you were out of it,” Emmanuel says gently. “And it’s not like we knew who to tell. Besides, after he shot me, he took off, and I didn’t see where he went, but I doubt he stuck around. I don’t think it would’ve made a difference. At least they know who they’re looking for now, right?”
“That’s not the biggest problem,” he continues, giving the other Alpha a soft, appreciative smile. “Sebastian showed up to get Atlas and the pleasure den workers. And they weren’t there.”
My heart stops.
My hands feel numb.
My vision narrows, and my skin feels too tight.
“What do you mean?” I whisper. “What do you mean? What do you mean?” I ask repeatedly, though I know the answer.
I know what he means.
“Queenie,” Puck says gently, dropping to his knees in front of me, “this isn’t your fault.”
“They took Atlas? Tati? Rina?” It’s too hot in here, too hot.
“Some of them may have gotten away. But knowing Tyler’s history with Atlas…” Puck inhales sharply. “Yeah, he took them.”
“‘I’d hate to hurt another of my lovers tonight,’” Emmanuel mutters. “That’s what Tyler said when he pulled a gun on us.”
“Call Lupine. Call them right fucking now,” I shout, grabbing at Puck. “He’s my friend! Call them right now!”
He leaves the room and returns seconds later with a cell phone already on speaker and ringing.
“Puck.” It’s Wyatt’s southern accent that fills the room.
“I told Queenie about Atlas,” Puck says gently. “She wanted to talk.”
“Oh, darling,” Wyatt says softly. “We’re gonna get him back.”
“I want to help.” Maverick’s arm snakes around me from behind, his sweet almond scent helping me ground as I start to feel out of control. “Part of this is my fault. I killed Kieran and made you guys mobilize when you weren’t ready.”
“You can’t blame yourself. Atlas signed up for this, knowing the risks. Once the meds that make them think he’s an Omega wear off, he should be able to fight them off and get free. Regardless, we’re already tracking some of Tyler’s go-to spots to see if we can find a trail. We’re gonna find him.”
“I can help with that. I know Tyler. Not as well as Atlas does, but I can help. Let me be a part of this.”
“Are you sure?” Gage asks softly. “These guys are professionals. They’ll find him.”
“He’s right, darling. You can’t blame yourself. You’re free of this life now. Don’t go throwing yourself in the line of fire again.”
Wyatt is technically correct.
I’m free of Kieran. Free of the Conglomerate.
I could live a normal life. Get a house by Eve with a yard for Burger. Get my doctorate. Work with Dr. Knight on some incredible research projects.
Live the life I could only dream of when I was under Kieran’s thumb.
But now that I’m out?
Now that I’m free of it and know its horrors?
Of what can happen?
I will do whatever I can to make sure no one else ever feels the way I did again.
* * *
Turns out, when you rent a unicorn for a party, it is just a fucking horse with a fake horn on its head.
Why is there an upcharge for a fake horn?
But it was worth every penny.
Hannah’s face as she rides on the back of that unicorn, her puffy rainbow dress flouncing on either side, is the best thing I’ve ever seen.
“She loves it,” Eve says, spooking me as she sneaks up behind me. “Thank you, again, for doing that for her.”
“Happy to,” I say, never taking my eyes off my little princess.
“I still can’t believe your boss had a psychotic break,” she says quietly. “I just keep wondering why you? Why did he take guardianship of you and hold you hostage?” she asks.
When I showed up this morning, two days after killing Kieran Cobb and leaving her that ominous voicemail, she almost kicked my ass. It took a while for me to calm her down and explain what happened. I couldn’t, or rather, didn’t want to, tell her the whole story. The guilt would eat her alive. Instead, she now believes that I had a second job to pay off my Academy loans faster, and my boss became obsessed with me, had a psychotic break, and was holding me hostage.
It’s not a much better story, but hey, it’s close enough to the truth.
“Does it have anything to do with that pack?” she asks before I can answer, nodding her head towards where my guys are talking to some of the parents of the attendees. “You have a lot of explaining to do.”
I laugh, taking a sip of my soda. “Yeah, it’s because of them. Puck,” I point at him, “worked for Kieran and is my scent match. We didn’t realize it all those years we worked together.”
“Oh my God, it’s like a novel. How romantic! You were so close that whole time?” She clutches her heart dramatically.
“That whole time. And then Maverick and I fell into each other’s arms, discovering we were also matches.” The goofy DJ makes a face at Hannah as she slides off the horse, and she falls over in laughter. “Gage is my tattoo artist, and I guess after four years of being pantsless around him, we finally realized we cared about one another.”
The tattooed Beta turns his arm around, pointing out tattoos to one of the dads. My eyes linger on a cherry on his bicep. When did that get there?
“And the other one? The one with the sleepy smile?” she asks, pointing at Emmanuel, who is conversing with Eve’s coworker in Spanish.
“He’s in the gene therapy trial I’m working on.”
“Oh man, doctor and patient is my favorite trope!” she coos. “I’m so happy for you, Crystal. I never thought you’d settle down. They seem like great guys.”
“They are. They encourage me, protect me, and love me. What more could I ask for?”