Chapter Forty-Four – Pax
Rourke and the team parked two houses down from our destination.
They wait in the back of the armored van, wearing tactical gear similar to mine, ready to go.
I got word from Jose that they tracked Bradford’s call to his house—so it seems like Gideon was right in assuming Bradford had no idea about me and Alabaster Security working behind the scenes with him, that he was brazen enough to bring Raeka and Colter here.
The balls on him. If I wasn’t so pissed off at what he did, I might be impressed.
I walk up to the back of the van, where Rourke and the others are waiting. Rourke gives me a short nod, asking, “What’s the plan? The house is big, with multiple exits.”
“I want two of you to remain near the base of the driveway and make sure nobody escapes. Rourke, you’ll take four to one of the back entrances. Remaining three are with me—we’re going to storm the front door.”
He nods, and soon enough we separate into teams. Adrenaline is pumping; by the time we all get into position, it’s impossible that Bradford doesn’t know we’re there. He lives in a fucking mansion, a newer-build, with cameras and all that good stuff.
Doesn’t matter. No amount of defenses are going to stop me from getting my omega back.
Once everyone is in position, I talk over the shared comms, “Now.” As Rourke and his team break in through the back, me and mine bust in through the front. I don’t need a battering ram; two kicks from me and it’s enough to bust the damn door down.
My three guys have their guns raised. I pull out a pistol. We clear two rooms in the front of the house—a sitting room and a lounge with a ridiculous display of alcohol—before we’re joined by two alphas wearing all black.
They have guns, too.
Based on the grunting I hear over the comms, I’d say Rourke and his team are working on subduing others.
For a moment, the newcomers and I stare at each other, and I growl out, “You sure you want to do this?” I make sure to ooze dominance and venom, make these asshole know just who they’re about to mess with: an über.
I’ll rip their fucking throats out if I have to.
The two alphas glance at each other, and their hesitation is enough. I tell my team, “Do it,” and they exchange their guns for tasers. Soon enough the alphas in front of me are on the floor, dazed, and I step over them as I say, “Knock ‘em out or tie ‘em up. We aren’t finished here.”
Still haven’t seen this Bradford Bentley asshole.
Down the main hall of the house I go, moving quickly. I turn into what must be the dining room to find the man himself sitting at the head of a long table all by himself, sipping on some amber liquid in a short glass.
I point my pistol right at him. There might be fifteen feet between us, but if necessary I can put a bullet in him just as easily as if he were right in front of me. “Bradford Bentley, I assume?” I hiss out his name like it’s the worst pair of words I’ve ever had the displeasure of speaking.
Bradford doesn’t even look at me or the gun. He just frowns to himself and takes a sip from his glass. “Didn’t know Gideon had his own team.” He chuckles once. “Maybe he has changed.”
“It’s not Gideon’s team, it’s mine, but he’s lucky enough to have me now.
Where the fuck are they? Tell me where they are and I won’t put a bullet in you.
” It takes an ungodly amount of restraint on my part to not shoot him here and now; he deserves all the pain in the world for kidnapping my omega.
His lips quirk in a forced, tight smile. “I don’t know what you mean.”
The dining room has another entrance; it’s this entrance that Rourke and his team comes in through, and it’s only because the alpha has a whole host of guns trained on him that I lower mine.
Once my pistol is in its holster, I storm over to where he sits, grab him by the collar, and jerk him out of his seat.
He tenses, but he does not resist, even though he could. His team might’ve been your run-of-the-mill alphas, but his scent is laced with an added layer of dominance, too. He’s the only one in this house that could maybe take me and Rourke on.
But he doesn’t even try—and still, he won’t meet my eyes.
“Where are they?” I hiss the demand inches away from his face.
He sighs, sounding bored, as if his life doesn’t dangle in front of him. “Again, I’m afraid I don’t know what you mean—”
I don’t let him say anything else. I lean my head back then whip it forward as hard as I can, so hard I see stars, but the action serves its purpose. Bradford’s head jerks back as the alpha grunts, and I let him go, right into the arms of Rourke, who’s waiting to restrain him.
As I watch a thin trail of blood burst from his forehead from the headbutt, I growl out, “That’s for kidnapping my omega.” Once Rourke has him cuffed, I land a punch square on his jaw. “And for my beta.” To Rourke, I say, “Take him outside with the others. Line them up and call the police.”
As much as I want to take this asshole to our company’s secluded warehouse and torture the living fuck out of him, he’s too high profile of a name. Regular law enforcement needs to get involved.
Bradford, with his hands now restrained behind his back, jerks himself away from Rourke, muttering, “Don’t touch me.”
Rourke rolls his eyes before forcefully grabbing the alpha and shoving him forward. Him and his team go to join mine up front, which leaves me a big ass house to search.
I don’t wait around. I resume the search, moving quickly from room to room.
I make it to the second flood. The house spans on and on, so it takes a while to fully search it.
Eventually, I come upon a door with a lock on the outside.
My heart leaps in my chest, and I flip that deadbolt faster than I’ve ever moved before.
Throwing open the door and stepping inside, I’m greeted by the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen.
A waiting Raeka and a concerned Colter.
They stand just before a queen-sized bed, what worry there was on their faces melting away the very instant they lock eyes with me. I rush toward my omega, bending to scoop her up and sweep her in my arms.
“Raeka,” I whisper her name, burying my nose in her hair and breathing her in, the relief in me so overwhelming it’s suddenly hard for me to think straight.
She hugs me back, her feet lifted off the floor. “I knew you’d come for us.” She barely finishes the words before I turn my face in toward hers and catch that mouth with mine, kissing her with a fury I hope tells her I can’t lose her. Ever.
I’m slow in setting her down, even slower in pulling my lips off hers, and I look at Colter. He’s giving me a strange look that says something along the lines of: I hope you’re not going to kiss me next.
The beta doesn’t have to worry. I have zero desire to do that.
I do, however, reach for him. I grab him by the shoulder and pull him in toward me, hugging him in much the same way as Raeka, only with a little less fire—and no kiss to seal the embrace.
“Gideon?” Raeka asks.
I let Colter go as I say, “He’s at the HQ downtown.” I pull out my phone and dial him, and before he can pick up, the omega snakes the phone out of my hand.
You’d have to be blind to not see the relief in her eyes when she hears Gideon’s voice.
“Gideon,” she says softly, a slight smile on those soft lips.
“We’re fine. Both of us. We’ll see you soon, okay?
I—” It almost sounds like she’s about to tell him she loves him, but she stops herself short.
“I can’t wait to see you.” Then she ends the call and hands the phone back to me.
Knowing she’s safe, unharmed, knowing I made it to them both in time… I can’t say I’ve ever been more full of relief than I am in that exact moment in time.
This girl, this pack; as unexpected as they were, I cannot imagine my life without them.