Chapter 22
22
RUBY
M arcus looms over me, a self-satisfied smirk twisting his face into something ugly. The dim light filtering through the grimy window catches the silver threading through his hair. Everything about him makes my skin crawl.
“You really should thank me for this, Ruby.”
“Thank you?” I spit the words like poison. “For what, exactly? Showing your true colors as a pathetic excuse for an Alpha who has to chain up women to feel powerful?”
My wrists throb where the chains bite into them, but I force myself to sit straighter on the bed I’m tied to, refusing to cower. He had taken my bag and my phone and left me useless.
“Don’t feel bad. You were running that bar into the ground. Omegas like you can’t run businesses; you have better things to do serving your Alphas. So, I’m doing you a favor, even if you don’t see it right now.”
“Running it into the ground?” A harsh laugh escapes me. “I guess that must really burn you up inside, watching an Omega succeed where you failed. How many businesses are you running right now? None! Or do you just hate Omegas because you can’t find any to love the monster you are?”
“Shut the fuck up,” he snaps. “You don’t know anything.” His smirk falters for just a second, and I press harder.
“What would your stepfather say if he could see you now? Kidnapping women because you can’t handle?—”
The back of his hand connects with my face, snapping my head to the side. A metallic taste of blood fills my mouth, and I whimper as it feels like my head’s cracking. Fuck, that hurt so bad.
“The police will come for you when they find out.” My thoughts fly to the three Alphas who have broken me, yet they never leave my thoughts. I want to believe they might come for me. Except, who am I kidding?
He chuckles like a lunatic. “You think anyone will believe you? Besides, you have no Alphas at your side, and this is just a little insurance to ensure those fucking pricks don’t stick their nose around you until after Christmas Eve. Then, Ruby, I recommend you go to them, spread your legs, and become their Omega so you don’t end up homeless.”
I grind my back teeth, never realizing I can hate someone as much as I do him.
“You’re even more fucking pathetic than I thought.”
“Such language...” He straightens his shoulders. “Here I am caring, even giving you advice because I don’t want to see you with nothing. You just need to learn your place, is all. Your Aunt Eve wasn’t that much smarter, you know, but saying nice things to people like her can make them think the world of you and add you to their will.”
His words stab through me. He played my aunt? She told me he was a decent man who was just lost and needed guidance in this world, but he lied to her the whole time.
My blood runs cold. “Don’t you dare talk about her. You’re not fit to speak her name, you piece of?—”
“Enjoy your time, Ruby,” he cuts me off, heading for the door. “Maybe some quiet time will help adjust that attitude of yours.”
Then he’s gone, and I’m alone in this rundown room with light only from the window across the room.
Outside the door, voices murmur—Marcus and at least one other person.
I yank at the chains again, hissing as they cut deeper into my already raw wrists. Bet Marcus bought these at a garage sale. The room grows darker, and panic claws at my throat. I force it down.
No. No, you don’t get to fall apart now, Ruby. Think.
The old bed frame creaks as I flop down onto the mattress, scanning the room for anything useful. The decorative finial on the corner post catches my eye—it’s been loose since I got here, wobbling slightly every time I move.
I stretch an arm toward it until my shoulder screams in protest. My fingers brush the cold metal, but it’s not quite enough. “Seriously?”
I pull my knees under me, trying for better leverage. The mattress groans, and I freeze, not wanting to make too much noise and get Marcus’ attention.
This time I manage to grip the metal finial, my fingers curling around it. The thing’s cold and rough with rust, but it moves when I twist it.
Nothing happens.
Come on, you son of a bitch. I work it back and forth, ignoring the burning in my muscles.
A sound from outside the room makes me stop breathing. Footsteps? No, just the wind. The house groans around me like it’s in pain.
My arms are shaking now, but I keep working on the finial. I think about the bar and how Marcus is probably doing inventory right now on how he will tear it down and destroy all my memories with Aunt Eve.
I put everything into that bar this past year to make it succeed, and I don’t want to lose it. I feel at home there, like Eve is still around.
Pausing, I rest my wobbling arm, then try again. I won’t give up.
The finial comes free so suddenly, I almost smack myself in the face with it. I barely catch it before it can clatter to the floor, my heart pounding in the process.
Quickly, I study the lock on the chains. Then I start working the pointed, thin screw attached to the underside of it into the lock. Lily taught me how to break locks after I locked myself out of my bar.
It’s all about feeling for the pins, she’d said, demonstrating with a bobby pin. You need to push them up one at a time until they catch. Like solving a puzzle with your fingers.
I angle the metal just right, the way she showed me, pressing upward with careful pressure. My fingers work blindly, searching for that telltale resistance that means I’ve found one. The metal scrapes against metal as I probe deeper. A tiny click sounds, and I smile. One pin down. Now for the others.
Minutes crawl by as I probe the lock, refusing to give up.
Another tiny click and another, the sound almost lost in the howling wind outside. The shackle suddenly springs open.
Yes! Fuck you, Marcus.
Free of the chains, I slide off the bed. The floorboards creak under my feet, and I wince. Shut up, shut up, shut up.
A burst of laughter from somewhere in the house makes me jump. Marcus’s voice carries through the old walls, something about making a phone call. My stomach churns at his casual tone, as though he’s at a business meeting instead of holding someone captive. Bastard’s probably calling his investment buddies, planning how to carve up my bar.
I decide to avoid the door and go right for the window. The wind blows louder outside, rattling the windowpanes. Snow swirls beyond the dirty glass, thick enough to obscure anything more than a few feet away.
My fingers trace the window frame, finding a lock similar to the one from my shackles, but one crusted over with years of paint and rust. Throwing something through the glass is out of the question. Might as well ring a dinner bell for everyone downstairs.
So, I lift my finial lockpick and start work. Minutes later, nothing. The lock is worse than I thought; each subtle movement feels like I’m trying to shift concrete rather than metal.
Come on, you rusty piece of?—
The lock finally gives out with a grinding sound that seems loud enough to wake the dead. I freeze, holding my breath, but the voices in the house continue their muffled conversation.
My hands shake as I ease the window up, praying the ancient frame won’t squeal. Cold air rushes in, bringing with it stinging pellets of snow. The sloped roof below is covered in at least six inches of white powder, but it looks solid enough. I’m up on the second floor.
I hesitate at first, not wanting to break a leg, but if I do nothing, I lose everything. I swing one leg over the sill, then the other, grateful I’m still wearing my boots.
Easing onto the lower roof that juts out from the room I am in, I find a steady footing, the snow crunching under my feet. The pitch isn’t too steep, but one wrong move on this slick surface and I’ll make enough noise to bring Marcus running. Or just fall and break my neck, which would probably make his day.
Footsteps outside the room.
My heart stops.
“No, no, no...” I press myself flat against the outside wall near the window, snow coating me, coldness seeping through me. The footsteps pass the door to my room and continue down the hall, but I know my time is running out. They’ll check on me soon.
In better weather, it would be an easy climb. In this storm, with numb fingers and shaking legs...
I need to move.
Heart thundering, I grip the window frame with numb fingers as I perch on the narrow ledge near the window. Eight feet below, the lower section of the roof disappears into swirling snow. I lower myself to a sitting position, the rough shingles scraping against my clothes as I scoot toward the edge. My muscles tremble from both cold and fear. A sharp point—a loose nail or broken drainpipe—catches my coat, and I have to pause, barely breathing as I work to free myself without making noise.
I reach back to pull myself free.
The snag in my jacket suddenly releases, and the world tilts as I pitch forward, tumbling onto the snow-covered shingles. My stomach turns as I hit the snowy ground, the air rushing from my lungs, and I taste copper where I’ve bitten my lip to stay quiet. I lie still, heart pounding so hard, I worry they’ll hear it inside, listening for any sign I’ve been discovered.
Nothing.
Through the swirling snow, I spot the black van at the side of the property. My chest tightens as memories surface of me stuck in a storm up in the mountains—stormy night, my fingers turning blue, the dangerous confusion of hypothermia setting in. The woods in this weather would be certain death. The van might have keys, might be unlocked... I have to try.
I push to my feet, hunching against the bitter wind. Hastily, I round the corner of the house. The snow muffles my footsteps but also hides patches of ice. I’m halfway to the van?—
White-hot pain explodes across my scalp as someone grabs my hair, yanking me backward. A cry tears from my throat as I crash to the ground. The cold seeps through my clothes instantly while fury burns in my chest like a living thing. Before I can scramble up, rough hands seize my throat from behind me.
Dominic’s training cuts through the panic. I drive my elbow back with everything I have, feeling the satisfying crunch of impact and a pained grunt. My heel comes down hard on a foot, and I wrench away… only to have Marcus appear like a nightmare. The asshole behind me kicks my legs, and I crash face-first into the snow. A scream rips from me.
Fuck. Fuck!
I push up on trembling arms, but Marcus shoves me down again.
“Stay down, bitch,” he barks.
I sprawl, rolling onto my back to see both him and his masked thug looming over me like dark giants against the snowy sky.
“Drag her back inside,” Marcus spits out. “You’re watching her this time. Make sure she stays put.”
The man in the balaclava grunts, meaty hand reaching for my throat?—
He vanishes backward in a flash. Three familiar shapes materialize from the storm like angels. Dominic and Garrett slam into the huge thug, driving him to the ground. The crack of Knox’s fist connecting with Marcus’s jaw is loud, and I find Marcus on his knees, getting the beating he fucking deserves.
“You came for me,” I whisper, the words catching in my throat as tears freeze on my cheeks.
The massive henchman shoves to get to his feet, but Dominic’s already behind him, locking an arm around his throat.
“You touched her,” he growls, voice promising retribution. “Big mistake.”
The massive thug thrashes against Dominic’s hold, his beefy arms swinging wildly as he tries to break free. His feet kick out, scattering snow, but Garrett is there, slamming fists into him while Dominic’s grip tightens around his throat. The thug’s face pales, and his movements become sluggish. I don’t want to see this, but I can’t look away.
The hands that were clawing at Dominic’s arms begin to fall away, his legs buckling beneath him. A wet, choking sound escapes from behind the balaclava, and his eyes roll back. Finally, his massive body sags, dead weight in Dominic’s arms as consciousness leaves him. He drops him in the snow.
Garrett breaks away the moment the henchman falls, crossing to me in three long strides. His hands are impossibly gentle as they frame my face, brushing away snow and tears I hadn’t realized were falling. Those deep eyes scan my face.
“Are you hurt, sweetheart?” His voice breaks. “Fuck, I would die if anything happened to you. Please, Ruby, tell me he didn’t hurt you. Tell me we weren’t too late.”
I shake my head, emotion overwhelming me. The familiar scent of him has my chest aching with how much I’ve missed them. Even through the memory of betrayal, the fact that they came for me breaks something open inside.
“I’m okay,” I manage. “Just cold. So cold.”
Dominic drags the unconscious thug inside by the foot while Knox keeps Marcus pinned to the ground, one heavy boot on his chest. Blood runs from Marcus’s nose as he whimpers pathetic apologies.
“Shut the fuck up,” Knox snarls, pressing down harder. His ice-blue eyes find mine, softening instantly. “I almost died not seeing you these past days, pretty girl.”
I’m melting on the inside.
“We’re going to make this right.” He swallows hard. “You have to let us try. Please.”
Dominic returns with rope from inside the house and begins binding Marcus’s legs at the ankles, then his wrists, as Knox hauls him up. I stay pressed against Garrett, craving his warmth and protection despite everything. The pain in Dominic’s dark eyes is raw as he catches my gaze.
“I’m so sorry, angel,” he says softly, moving to my side. “We’ve been searching everywhere since you disappeared. Going out of our minds.” His hand hovers near my cheek but doesn’t quite touch it. “We’re going to make it right, you’ll see. Whatever it takes.”
Words fail me as tears sting my eyes. The cold has set my teeth chattering, and Garrett holds me tighter, his chin resting on my head. Knox speaks quietly to Dominic, something about taking care of the backup he called, while Marcus continues to whine.
I still can’t believe they found me, that they saved me, that they made that asshole pay.
“We need to leave,” Garrett murmurs against my hair. “Get you somewhere warm.” He hesitates. “Home, if you’ll let us.”
I nod. “I’d like that.”
They load a bound and sobbing Marcus into the back of the SUV, and Knox returns to me, pulling me into his arms. His scent of chocolate and thunderstorms wraps around me like a blanket.
“You’re mine. Ours.” He kisses my brow, his lips warm against my cold skin.
“Ours?” I question, glancing at the three of them as the other two approach, their boots crunching in the snow. We’re beneath the overhang at the back of the house, sheltered from the worst of the storm, but their breath still comes out in white puffs in the freezing air.
To my shock, all three Alphas sink to their knees in front of me, snow soaking through their jeans. Knox’s ice-blue eyes shine with unshed tears while Garrett’s hands tremble as he reaches for mine. Dominic’s usual stern expression has crumbled into something raw and vulnerable.
“We had every intention of sharing you from the beginning,” Garrett starts, his voice rough. “If you’d have all three of us. But we wanted to meet you first, to make sure we connected naturally, without pressure.”
“Then we experienced the scent match,” Dominic continues, running a hand through his black hair. “That irresistible connection that none of us could walk away from if we tried. You have to understand, Ruby… the moment I caught your scent, my whole world shifted.”
Knox squeezes my hand. “We planned to meet you separately because we wanted you to see us in our everyday lives. No fake first-date behavior, no pressure. Just real connections forming naturally at the bar, the brewery, during ski lessons. But we fucked up.” His voice cracks. “We took away your right to make that choice for yourself.”
“Without you, I’m losing my mind,” Garrett confesses, snow melting in his dark hair. “Every time someone orders a drink at the brewery, I turn, expecting to see you. I’ll burn down the whole damn world to make this right.”
Tears sting my eyes as I look at them—three powerful Alphas on their knees in the snow, their faces etched with regret and longing. Deep inside, past the hurt, I know they’re telling the truth. But...
“I’m still pissed at you,” I say, my voice wobbling. “Do you know how many people in my life have tried to tell me what an Omega can or can’t do? What choices I’m allowed to make?”
“We fucked up,” Dominic acknowledges, his dark eyes intense. “What can we do to show you we’re sorry?”
I wrap my arms around myself, fighting the urge to fall into their embrace.
“Time,” I whisper. “If you’re serious about this, about us, you’ll be patient. Maybe we can try normal dates again, start over...”
“Yes,” they say in unison, hope blooming on their faces.
“Whatever you want,” Dominic adds, then exchanges loaded glances with the others. “We’ll take all the time you need, except for one thing...”
My heart stutters as they look at each other, then back to me.
“We don’t have anything to give you right now,” Knox says softly.
“But...” Garrett continues.
“Will you marry us?” they ask together.
I stare at them, wild snowflakes catching in my eyelashes, my heart threatening to burst from my chest. Three pairs of eyes—ice blue, forest green, and dark brown—watch me with such naked hope and love, it steals my breath away.
“Why are you saying this?” I choke out, my throat thickening as tears blur my vision. “I wanted you to suffer a bit longer, and then you say that?” I shake my head, but something in their intense gazes makes my heart stutter. Deep down, I suspect I know why.
Garrett rises to his feet, snow falling from his knees. The others do the same.
“We know the truth about your aunt’s will, and fuck if we’re going to let Marcus take your bar. We’ll marry you, gorgeous, and if you don’t want us, we’ll step aside and take nothing from you. We have everything we could want… money, success, except for one thing... an Omega to love.”
“You’re everything to us,” Knox adds, his voice raw. “These past days without you, not knowing if you were safe, were torture.”
Dominic steps closer, his presence achingly tender. “We’ll spend our lives protecting you, cherishing you, if you’ll let us.”
I cover my face with my hands as tears spill freely, my chest tightening. This is crazy; this whole situation is insane. It’s like a wild dream where everything I’ve wanted comes true in the most chaotic way possible. Part of me worries it’s too fast, too soon, but another part knows with bone-deep certainty that this is it. And after what Marcus just tried... I can’t let him win. Not when I have three days left...
They surround me, strong arms enveloping me in warmth and familiar scents. Suddenly, I’m off my feet, cradled against Dominic’s chest.
“Okay, let’s get you somewhere warm,” he murmurs in my ear.
In the SUV, Marcus whimpers from where they’ve shoved him between the door and back seats, begging to be released. Dominic glances back.
“Oh, we’re dropping you with your father. He wants to see you… knows everything you’ve been up to.” His smile is all teeth. “And just so you know, you come anywhere near any of us, especially Ruby, and I will break a bone in your body every fucking time, starting with your neck. Thank your stars we didn’t bury you out in the woods today. But there’s always another day if you cross our paths again.”
The silence is beautiful.
I’m nestled between Dominic and Garrett while Knox drives, his ice-blue eyes finding mine in the rearview mirror with soft smiles that have my heart flipping. It feels surreal—the warmth of their bodies, the gentle way they touch me as if I might disappear if they let go. After everything that’s happened, I should be more scared, more uncertain. Instead, I feel... home.
They pause in front of a massive business building, Knox and Dominic dragging Marcus inside.
“What’s going to happen to him?” I ask Garrett.
“Something bad, hopefully.”
“Really horrible,” I add, and we both laugh. He pulls me close, nuzzling my neck. “Just so you know, we’re never letting you out of our sight. Every day, we’ll be at your bar until you’re ready to have us... to live with us.”
I blink at the speed of it all, even though it feels right. “Three homes, three Alphas... what is this, some kind of rotation schedule?” I tease.
Garrett chuckles, cupping my face.
“Our biggest regret is ever hurting you. We’re going to spend the rest of our lives making it up to you. You know that, right?”
Tears well up again—will they ever stop? “I’ll hold you to it.”
After a solid fifteen minutes, the others return, and Knox is laughing as we pull away.
“That prick Marcus might just be disowned by his stepfather. Everything taken from him, leaving him penniless...”
My jaw drops. “After all those times he told me I’d end up with nothing, homeless...” I let out a whoop that makes them all laugh. “You have no idea how happy it makes me to hear he’s going to suffer. And I have you three to thank.”
“Just the beginning of everything we’ll do to ensure you always smile,” Knox promises, his eyes meeting mine in the mirror with such tenderness it makes my chest ache.
And somehow, despite everything, I believe him. Believe in them. In us.