Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
ROSALIA
Eyes blinking into the darkness, I go through the motions of stretching in front of Pack Mayor’s house. Cassidy was jogging up by the time Pablo, Vero, and I stumbled out the gate to join them. For God’s sake, the sun isn’t even up yet.
It’s too damn early. Still, I can feel my muscles loosen as I work through the exercises, ensuring I won’t have a cramp while running.
I don’t see Nina as I pick up my water and adjust my sweat band around my forehead to keep my hair off my face, and I try not to feel disappointed about it. Maybe I’ll see her another time.
I didn’t have the patience to tighten my ponytail the way I usually do when I need to look perfect, and I’ve noticed recently my roots are more sensitive.
I have to baby them while I’m detangling my hair, something I’ve never previously needed to worry about before.
I’ll fix my hair if necessary later into my run, but I won’t torture myself.
There are twelve of us by the time we’re ready to move, and I swallow nervously, glad for the alpha pheromone blocker cream. I just want to feel normal, or at least be able to figure out what that means for me. Being a mafia princess in her gilded cage isn’t exactly anyone’s idea of “normal.”
“Ready?” Cassidy asks, watching as I nod. “You, Pablo, Verona, and Charity will go in the middle. We like to have our omegas and pacing partners there so we don’t leave anyone behind accidentally.”
“Is pacing partner code for ‘slow’?” Vero asks wryly.
“Everyone is slow until you get cooking,” Cassidy says easily. “We’re going to do a few miles. Some we’ll walk, others we’ll jog. If we need to split up, we’ll break into two groups. Rosa, you got a weapon?”
“I do,” I say, pulling her gun from where it’s holstered at my stomach underneath the band of my shorts. “There's a knife in my cleavage too.”
“I have a taser in my pocket,” Vero says. “It’s a small one.”
The three of us did a little online shopping for weapons and holsters yesterday while we were waiting for it to be time to move on our plan.
I want to go shooting at the range with Pablo and Vero, but I need to buy new guns for the three of us.
Cassidy’s hands are larger than mine, and I want something a little more comfortable.
“I’ll stay in the middle,” Pablo snorts, amused. “I don’t do as well when my opponent is moving.”
“That’s why you learn how to hit so they don’t do it for long,” Abbott grunts. Cassidy’s lips twitch as she nods in agreement, and then we begin walking as a group to warm up.
“I hate sparring, but it’s good practice,” I sigh.
“Fighting while you’re kicked and beaten repeatedly is not sparring,” Vero mutters under her breath.
“You mean learning to get pummeled while staying awake isn’t a skill set?” I ask, rolling my eyes. “My father’s men suck.”
“Men who beat the fuck out of women aren’t men,” Pablo grunts.
“They’re not.” A man I don’t recognize walks with us, and he looks down as he shakes his head at himself. “I’m Riley, Nina’s alpha. I was caught up at the hospital when you had your meeting.”
“Hey,” I say with a nod. “Nina had a lot to say that day. I’m sorry to see she couldn’t join us.”
“She joins in on a lot of our runs, but Cooper was being needy,” he grins. “I bet they’ll find us later. I have my location on so they can track us.”
“So I’m not the only one with alphas who stalk them?” Pablo grumbles.
“Nope,” Cassidy laughs. “Alphas are territorial, protective, and co-dependent fuckers. Including me.”
“I’m not much better,” Vero shrugs. “I was stalking you at one point.”
“Pick it up!” Abbott yells.
Making a face, I push myself into a light jog. Vero isn’t doing too badly, and she easily keeps pace with us. I know she’s trying not to overdo it, but I don’t think she needs to worry. Her side is healing well.
She’s always been concerned about not being able to keep up with the more nefarious side of my life, however, I watched her jump out a bathroom window once.
I think she needs to be reminded of what she’s capable of. I’ve always thought of her as beautiful, ethereal, and strong. I hope she eventually sees herself the way I do.
By the second mile, Cooper, Nina, and her stepbrother join us, and she makes a silly face at me as she joins me in the middle. We’re all starting to breathe harder by the third mile, and Pablo is wheezing in pain.
“Slow it down,” Cassidy calls out, and he groans despondently. “We all need water anyway.”
“Running when no one is chasing you doesn’t seem like it should count as exercise,” he groans.
“That’ll teach the brat not to turn down cardio,” Nico teases, walking toward us with Dario and Ciro.
Those who haven’t met them yet move closer to us, and two others draw their weapons.
“They’re not dangerous,” I grumble. “At least not to us.”
“Nice save,” Ciro teases me with a wink.
“I didn’t know you three were willing to roll out of bed so early,” I say, sipping my water slowly.
“Hard to sleep when I know you’re on the move,” Nico sighs. “I rolled out of bed an hour ago because I was feeling antsy.”
“You have your own internal omega radar,” I reply. “Sounds annoying.”
“Not for me,” Nico shrugs. “The only time I feel better is when I’m near you.”
“That’s almost romantic,” Pablo murmurs.
“I don’t do romance, remember, tesoro? Merely finding peace for myself.”
“Deja de hablar, mi amor.”
My lips twitch as I listen to them bicker, knowing I’m going to have to start running again soon.
“If you promise to behave, you can join,” Nina grumbles. “It’s too early to deal with your bullshit.”
“You managed to piss off my usually sweet omega,” Riley chuckles. “That’s quite the feat. Cooper, can you promise not to eat them if they join in?”
“I’ll try,” Cooper rumbles.
“Then we’ll split up,” Cassidy decides, glancing toward the lake. “One lap around and then we’ll head back. We all need to start our days soon. The sun rising is our sign that work won’t wait.”
The two groups easily break apart, and Nico, Dario, and Ciro step into the outer circle as we begin walking again. The first group leaves us in the dust, but I’m too tired to care. My muscles are pissed at me, and I need to keep moving so they won’t lock up on me.
“I want a bubble bath after this,” I groan, keeping my feet moving.
“I think I may end up in there with you,” Pablo grumbles. “I want to make pancakes after though.”
“I could really go for blueberries on those pancakes,” I groan.
“Food will always be orgasmic,” Nina giggles. “Make sure it actually gets eaten. It doesn’t always in our house.”
“Shh, Little Omega,” Cooper smirks.
I drop my head back as I walk, sucking in lungfuls of air. The Domino men are quiet as they simply exist with us, and I find myself relaxing. Their presence is normally stressful for me, but it’s really nice when they’re not speaking.
Soon, they’re walking us back to the house, and I wave off any concerns about the guys kidnapping us. They could have done that last night if they’d wanted to.
“Your hair looks pretty,” Nico says, his eyes on me as he watches me. “You still smell sad, but it’s almost as if it’s coming from far away.”
“Do you have any errands to do?” Ciro asks, trying to detract from Nico’s observations.
“I need new guns,” I say carefully, waiting to see what he has to say about that.
“I hear there are three places in town people recommend. Brooker, Looney, or Winston. Where do you want to go?” he asks.
“Are you offering to arm me?” I ask, blinking slowly.
“It’s an oversight I want to fix, so yes I am.”
“I have the remote in case he needs to be trained,” Vero mutters.
Ciro makes a barking sound, and my jaw drops.
“Bad boy,” Vero grunts, and he goes down on his ass with a gasp. It isn’t for long, a little shock that makes him grin once she releases him.
“Did you just…”
“Bad boys get punished, don’t they, Verona?” Nico asks, chuckling under his breath. “Work us over, girls. We can take it.”
“Masochists,” Pablo sighs. “Why is that so hot?”
“I can’t take this conversation seriously,” I say, laughing. “Up you go, Ciro. No barking.”
He’s a little pale as he climbs to his feet, the shock collar prominent against his throat in his tank top. All the guys are wearing comfortable running clothing, allowing me to see tattoos peeking out here and there as I get my fill.
“Is that a yes to shopping?” Dario asks, his fingers against his lips to cover a smile.
“I hear that Looney has the best options,” I admit. “Easton said I’d be able to find what I was looking for there.”
“Use your words, mia carissima moglie. May we escort you?” Nico croons.
“I would prefer to go alone, I just know it’s not the smartest option,” I confess. I’m not going to allow my need for independence to be my downfall. It’s why I ran in a group today, and why Easton was our ride last night.
It would be detrimental to our plans if Papa caught us. He’d put me in a cage and never let me out again, or he’d sell me to someone who has no reason to keep me intact. I hear snuff actions are popular, despite my father insisting he finds them distasteful.
“We’ll accept,” Vero says staunchly.
“It’s not a firing squad, Verona,” Nico says, smiling. “You may find you enjoy our company.”
“I enjoy frying the neural passages of wayward alphas,” she shrugs. “But the ones with too much time on their hands? No, I very much don’t enjoy those.”
“As you will,” he growls, watching her closely as we walk.
However, she never shows him the shiver his words create, nor the way the growled words give her goosebumps.
I suppose sometimes, alpha men find ways to get to you, like invasive plants who have no business being in your garden.