Chapter 43
Chapter Forty-Three
Tatum
It’s been four days since our heats ended, and I’m not sure if I’ve ever been happier. The brother’s spent the first few days making sure we were fully recovered by treating us both to spa-like comfort. That first hot bath after the heat haze passed was borderline overkill.
Declan spent the entire time bringing us every snack our hearts desired, while Kodi and Hayden bathed us with obsessive intensity. If it hadn’t been for the sore state of my lady bits and the oversensitive feel of my skin, I am fairly certain it would have devolved into a slick soaked mess.
When they left us to the nest while they handled the business things that were missed during our heat, Easton crawled between my legs and worshiped my pussy before slipping in me from behind and falling asleep.
Ghost returned with Omar, his Omega, two days ago. Easton felt more prepared to open up and was able to tell us everything he felt we needed to know.
They spent many hours planning how to take Keslor down, while I curled up in Easton’s arms, purring to settle his nerves.
As their conversations circled back to how to ruin the fucker, Kodiak settled on the long part of the sectional and put his arm around both of us. The deep rumble of his purr was an instant balm to Easton’s nerves.
“Don’t let Keslor take anything else from you, Psycho. You have us now. We’ll help you close this chapter so we can start the next part of our lives,” Kodiak murmured into the Omega’s ear. The combined presence of his Alpha’s scent and my own responding purr settled him.
Seeing Easton open up to our Alpha’s, opening the wounds of his past while working toward the closure he needs, showed that we were meant to find each other.
The bond between the five of us feels electric inside me. I love the way they constantly send me feelings of love and desire. Devotion and, sometimes, even a little bit of obsession.
They can never seem to keep their hands off me, and I love it.
Today, we’re visiting my mom. I haven’t gone to see her in nearly two weeks, and even though I call every day to check on her, I can’t take it any longer. I need to see her. To see she’s okay with my own eyes.
I’m her only family. She shouldn’t be left there for so long without me visiting her.
One perk of bonding to a pack like mine is that they gave me no other choice where bills are concerned. They took over paying for everything. And Ghost assured me that Pack Hayes is the owner of Mom’s facility. I no longer need to worry about her being kicked out because I’m not working myself to the bone.
One of my Alphas leaves for a few hours a day so they can check on the club. They don’t actually need to work there as much as they appeared to when I had been an employee, as it turns out.
Bernie and Chef call me every few days to check in as well, since I’ve never gone more than a few days without working since I was hired at sixteen.
They’ve been visiting Mom in my place, but it’s not enough.
Right now, the guys are dashing around the house along with a dozen of their guards.
Easton is stuck to my side, though, twirling his knife through his fingers as he often does. Today, he’s making eye contact with every guard that walks within ten feet of me. I can’t help but giggle. He’s very protective.
Once everyone is ready, and we climb into an SUV I’ve never seen, I’m shaking with excitement.
The drive to ABO Care isn’t very long, but I notice Kodiak keeps glancing at the rearview mirror every few moments. Hayden and Declan are also tense, while Easton is very still.
Unnaturally still.
He also insisted on pressing himself against me, rather than letting me occupy my seat alone…
“Okay, what's going on?” I ask when the tension gets to be more than I can take. They all tightened their holds on the bond, sending me only calm reassurance. Except Easton is sending more of a sinister sort of reassurance.
“We like to be prepared for anything, Little Omega.” Declan turns in the passenger seat so he can glance back at me. I can tell by the clench of his jaw that he’s tense, though.
“Don’t worry, Tatum. We brought Winnie as backup,” Kodiak says, but when he catches the confused look on my face from the mirror, he adds, “The Winnebago.”
“Okay.” I don’t really know what else he expects me to say to that. I don’t even really know what he means. Why would I need to worry, and what kind of backup? And how does a Winnebago help?
“Ghost thinks Keslor has something planned, but we didn’t want to disappoint you. We know you’ve been looking forward to seeing your mom. And we can’t spend our lives hiding you in the nest,” Declan adds, when it’s clear through the bond that I’m only more lost than before.
“Wrong. They said we can’t hide you away in the nest. I firmly disagree.” East grumbles, tightening his hold on me. Pressing a kiss to his cheek, I just shake my head. I’ve learned not to try and argue with Easton’s instincts.
“Tatum likes when we’re a little possessive, but she also likes her independence.” Hayden tells East in a tone that suggests they have had this conversation before. I glance up at the blue-eyed Alpha, who rewards me with a kiss. “She knows what she wants, but not always how to get it. I know you like being told what to do and how to do it, Starlight.” His words are a breathy whisper, and now is not the time to be getting turned on.
We’ve just arrived at There For You when Declan curses, drawing my attention away from Hayden. I turn to see him staring at his phone.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, glancing between the four of them.
“How the fuck did he get here so fast? Omegas, get inside. East, protect Tatum.”
“What–” but I’m cut off when Hayden grabs my arm and drags me out of the back seat. Easton scoops me up in his arms and carries me into the building. “This is ridiculous! Put me down, I’ll walk! What is even happening?!” I growl at him. “Who’s here? Keslor?”
“Yes.”
“Well, fuck.” I grunt, looking back over Easton’s shoulder since he firmly ignored my demand to be put down. Through the front door windows, I watch as a Winnebago parks across the street, and my Alphas start pulling things I can’t see out of the back of their truck. “What’s in Winnie?”
“Guns. Smoke bombs. Non-lethal flash bangs. Vests.” Easton sets me on my feet and pulls his hoodie down at the collar to show me.
We’re around a corner now, out of sight of the front window as their guards all hustle to different areas of the bottom floor.
I glance at the secretary, who sends me a nervous wave. She nods at the guard closest to her with familiarity. Easton tries to push me into a utility closet, but I smack at his shovey hands. Someone hands him a vest as they pass, and he swiftly tugs it over my head. Okay… Shit’s getting very real.
“Sir, the back exit,” a heavily armored guard says as he approaches where Easton and I wait. He gestures back behind the secretary to a hall that leads around the corner. East considers that for a moment, before nodding.
“He’s too focused on getting to them so he can lure out Ghost. Come on.” East laces his fingers with mine and tugs me along behind him; that's when I see the gun strapped behind him.
“I should have a weapon.”
“I am your weapon, Sweet Sparrow. If anyone gets too close, I’ll blow their brains out.” He takes the opportunity to kiss my temple, before pulling me out the back door.
“I’ll need to give Connor a raise. He said he could easily get inside, and that no one would even suspect he wasn’t supposed to be here, but I doubted him. My mistake,” a voice I’ve heard before says in a far too cheerful voice. My panic and fear grip the bond tightly, sending out a cry for help.
I can tell they feel it, when their own panic shoots down the bond and into my heart.
Easton has me shoved behind him the moment we’re a single step out the door. He reaches for the gun at his waist, but Keslor shoots off a warning shot that hits the building with a bang, and I scream.
“None of that, now,” he warns us tauntingly. I cling to Easton’s back, suddenly very glad for the vest. It won’t do anything to protect us from getting shot in the face, though. Easton raises his hands in the air, blocking me from Keslor’s sight. “Now, hand over the Omega, or I'll shoot you and take her anyway. If you’re both dead, well, I guess that’s fine, too. Seems my merchandise has been spoiled.”
I risk a glance around the side of Easton’s body. My heart stalling at the sight. Keslor aims a fucking rifle at Easton, and my entire world zeros in on the fucking asshole. If he pulls the trigger, Easton will be killed…
“Uncle. What a surprise to see you.” Despite the nonchalant delivery, I can feel his fear and uncertainty through the bond.
“Nephew, why am I not surprised to find my prized killer distracted by pussy. You of all people should know how this plays out.” The menace in the Alpha’s voice has my flight instincts in overdrive.
My mate takes a breath and focuses on his uncle’s approach. He keeps me tucked behind him, and I can feel the tremble in his shoulders.
“Easton…” I whisper, the terror clear in my voice.
“When he pulls the trigger, run for the others, Tatum. Leave me, and run,” he hisses.
“No, East, no, never–”
“You had impressed me with your ability to get close to her while you moved in on the Hayes brothers,” Keslor interrupts as he stops his advance. “I expected another perfect kill and delivery. Tell me why my men reported back that not only had you disappeared from my playground with my newest toy, in a seemingly brilliant ploy to lure the bastards in, but that you also had vanished into the home of the very men you were meant to kill!” The burnt taste of his anger floods the space around us while he takes a step closer.
I feel the moment Easton makes the decision to run for me. With a breath, he stands taller as his hands fall back down by his sides.
“You underestimate me, as always.” He leans back into my space as he focuses on the movement the manic Alpha makes.
“See, that is where you're wrong, nephew. I waited and watched to see what masterpiece you would give me with the retribution you promised the Hayes brothers. How charming that, instead, I find you bonded to the very trash that stands in our way. What would your father think, hmm?”
The menace flooding into the bond at the mention of his dad has me reaching up to soothe a hand down his back. I can feel the rapid pace of his breath as he holds himself back.
“What will it be, Easton? Her life, or both of your lives? I’ll kill you and take her if I have to.” Keslor threatens again, and I glare at the fucking bastard. Where are the others? Where are their fucking guards. This building is long and wide. I can faintly hear some kind of commotion in the distance, but not well enough to guess what's happening.
The shitty old bastard is standing between us and an SUV, its doors wide open. That's where he wants to put me. I’m shaking violently from the thought, but… I can survive whatever he has planned for me, right? If I just…
“I’ll hand her over,” Easton says loudly, but I can feel his lie through the bond. “Run!”
But as Easton turns around, shoving me to run away, my feet get stuck… I can’t… I can’t leave him.
I leap at Easton, wrapping my arms around his neck, and shut my eyes. I’m not leaving my mate to die alone. My heart cracks, and I send every ounce of love in my soul into the bond. If I die, at least they’ll know I loved them with all I have.
Instead of bullets, the sound of screeching tires rings through the air, and I open my eyes in time to see a black sedan plow through Keslor, sending him flying over the top with a sickening crunch.
I gasp, “Oh, god!” I watch, relieved, but also extremely horrified, as the small car reverses and runs Keslor over again…more crunching… And what suspiciously sounded like a popped water balloon.
“Tatum! Easton!” Hayden and Kodiak are shouting our names as they rush out behind us, both men colliding with our bodies and caging us in as they take in the scene.
“Ghost!” Declan shouts as he joins us, and the older Alpha steps out of the car, panting, handgun raised. Shots ring out, and I flinch.
“That's not necessary, I don’t think. Maybe he didn’t hear the way Keslor’s body just…sounded.” Easton winces.
“Aren’t you a literal hitman?” I ask, eyes wide. “Why do you look so green?”
“I use a gun, Sparrow. Sometimes, I use my hands. Ferris for example. But that's going to be very messy to clean up…” East winces again, and I snort at the absurdity of this whole thing.
“It was a pretty gruesome sound,” I agree, but I’m also smiling. That bastard was going to shoot my mate. I wish I was the one that ran him over after everything he put Easton through. “He deserved it,” I growl.
“Yes, he fucking did, Starlight.” Hayden holds me tighter and doesn’t make a move to release us.
Ghost, who’s panting, walks over to our little group, his eyes still wild with adrenaline.
“Omar is going to be very upset with the blood on his car. And possibly the dent.” Ghost glances back at the murder scene, wincing as he looks between us. “Maybe we don’t tell him, hmm?”
I snort. “Will he be upset that you saved us?”
“Oh, no. He’ll be glad, of course.” Ghost shakes his head, stuffing his gun into his holster, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand. “But he does like that car… I’ll just say I sent it to get serviced.” Ghost nods as he takes in the sight of the five of us. “Everyone okay?”
“Well, clearly not everyone,” Kodiak snorts, glancing toward the rapidly spreading blood stain. “There’s also a few out front. Our people are on that.” Now that the threat seems to be over, I tug Easton’s attention to me.
“Are you okay?” I ask him quietly, as our Alphas talk to Ghost, pretending they aren’t also listening for his answer.
“More than okay, Sparrow. Ding dong, the dick is dead.” His grin is infectious, and I smile right back as he pulls me in for a hug. “Guess I never saw this day coming,” he murmurs, and I nod, understanding what he means.
“We have to leave,” Declan announces. “I’m sorry, Tatum. You can’t be here when people show up, asking questions. Especially you,” he tells East. I deflate, but the guys promise to bring me in a few days to see her.
With Keslor dead and Jimmy on the run, Easton and the Alphas are able to take over control of what's left of the Merzotto organization. Ghost and Omar are integral to the plan and provide a lot of connections to contact middle men Easton was unaware of.
Easton is able to gain access to the inheritance his mother left for him, discovering he’s, in fact, filthy fucking rich. More so than the Alphas.
No wonder Keslor murdered his own brother and kept Easton under his control.
Now that I’m a part of the Hayes Pack, the guys fill me in on how they help Omegas in need. By rescuing them. Either from traffickers like Keslor or abusive relationships, and send them to a facility so they can heal in peace.
They met Mr. Trace a long time ago and had been sending Omegas to There For You ABO Care for a few years. They still don’t know what happened to their friend.
Now, between my pack and what's left of Merzotto’s people, they can help even more Omegas.
Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to visit Mom since the day after the attack. She looked okay, but very tired. I got to hug her and tell her about the guys, but she kept falling asleep, so we had to leave. I want to go back, but there’s always an excuse. The guys are being fucking cryptic about it, but my birthday is coming up, and they’ve promised to take me to see her then.