CHAPTER FIFTEEN
DUSTIN
I never imagined my father would cross such a line. The man who raised me, who taught me how to be a man, had crushed my omega’s spirit. I'm no better than him. I’ve been cruel to Harper too, insisting years ago she leave town.
I despise how stubborn I can be. It’s a trait I share with my father, and I hate it.
If I hadn’t been so stubborn, maybe I wouldn’t have been so angry with Harper back in high school. The one omega who knows me inside and out. I lost her because a jealous omega lied. Learning that Sarah worked for our fathers only drives the knife deeper into my heart.
Slouched down in the driver’s seat of the dark SUV, I peer out of the binoculars. “Do you see him?”
“Not yet,” Sawyer says through the earpiece.
Dressed entirely in black, his hoodie pulled up and sunglasses shielding his eyes, Sawyer lingers by a bench on the sidewalk not far from the mens’ dormitory building.
Students pass by without a second glance as he simultaneously scrolls through his phone and observes men exiting the building. We're searching for our target.
Jamie, a reliable wolf, told us about a man hastily crossing campus the other night toward the men's dormitory. It was around the time the man fled the tunnels. On the surveillance camera, Jamie caught a brief glimpse of his pale, blond bearded face as he entered the building. The man kept his head down, attempting to evade the cameras. It wasn’t much, but it was all we had to work with.
“If he doesn’t show up soon, head back to the car.”
“Got it,” Sawyer answers.
Fifteen minutes later, he slides into the passenger seat.
“He might be waiting until it gets dark,” he says.
“Could be. Let’s take turns. You rest first,” I tell him.
He leans back in his seat. “Wake me in an hour.”
“Will do.”
My mind drifts to earlier this afternoon. Harper put herself in harm’s way coming between me and my dad. I understand she was trying to stop me, but I no longer know what he's capable of.
I was mere seconds away from choking the life out of my father.
The instant her arms closed around me, the rage faded—I only saw my omega. I despised that our fathers showed up at the legacy house without warning, yet this ordeal pulled our pack tighter.
Rather than waking Sawyer, I stay on watch for a few more hours before finally handing over the shift.
Hours later, a heavy hand shoves my arm.
“That’s him,” Sawyer says holding his phone in my face.
I rub the sleep from my eyes, blinking twice as I focus on the photo Jamie sent yesterday. A man, hands shoved deep into his pockets, steps out of the building. His description matches the image perfectly. He slips into a Lamborghini.
“Shit, how the hell are we supposed to keep up if he catches on?” I mutter, shifting the SUV into reverse.
“Don’t get made,” Sawyer chuckles.
“Fuck you,” I snap, keeping a safe distance behind him.
“Gotta hand it to you, bro, you showed up for our omega today.”
“I won’t let anyone disrespect her. I’d kill for her,” I growl.
Sawyer bursts out laughing. “Does she know you kidnapped Lionel?”
I shoot him a sharp look. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“That asshole’s locked up in one of our underground holding cells,” Sawyer replies.
I steal a quick glance at him before returning my gaze to the road. “What were you doing down there?”
“Some other piece of shit who disrespected her is down there,” Sawyer says.
I shake my head. “You’re a fucking psychopath. Just because someone calls her out of her name isn’t grounds to kill.”
“Says the guy who almost snapped his father’s windpipe.”
“That’s different. He interfered with our pack. If he crosses the line again it’s lights out for dear old dad.”
“I’m with you,” Sawyer says. “When you take Lionel down, I want front row. Almost killed that bitch on Lexington campus myself.”
“I saw,” I laugh softly. “I pulled up to her dorm for my biweekly Harper fix when I spotted you coming out with him. I jumped out of my truck to check if you needed help, but you had it handled.
I overheard you say he tried to rape her. So yeah, that bastard has to pay for that shit. With his life.”
Sawyer’s heavy hand smacks the dashboard. “Fuck yeah.”
The triple black Lamborghini veers off toward the marina.
“If he’s heading to a party, I’m going to be pissed. I’m not in the mood to act interested in thirsty girls tonight,” I mutter.
“Same here,” Sawyer nods.
Killing the lights, I park a couple of rows down. Our target hops out the car, checking his surroundings. His eyes move in our direction.
“Shit,” I whisper as Sawyer and I duck down.
I peek out the windshield and notice he’s casually walking down the dock.
“Sawyer, we need to move.”
We slip quietly from the SUV. Sawyer and I crouch behind a faded green wooden post, eyes locked on him. He halts in front of a yacht.
“Tell me he’s not going where I think he is,” Sawyer growls through clenched teeth.
The man climbs aboard the Barclay.
“Fuck,” I mutter.
Sawyer and I edge forward.
“I’ll take a look,” I whisper.
On the yacht, I settle against the wall of the deck near the stateroom window.
“Brian, what’s so urgent that we had to meet?” Mr. Barclay snaps.
“The Barclay pack caught me with my sacrifice.”
“What do you mean, caught you?”
“I wore a mask and a robe, so they didn’t see my face. But it felt like someone was watching me when I was heading to my dorm last night.”
“Do you think someone followed you here?” Mr. Barclay asks.
Brian hesitates. “No.”
“I won’t let anyone ruin my plan,” Mr. Barclay snarls.
“Please, sir. No.”
I glance through the window, my eyes widening.
Mr. Barclay pulls out his Glock and fires.
Pip, pip.
“Fuck,” I mouth silently.
Sawyer waves me forward with a sharp motion.
I keep my hoodie up, draw my Glock from the waist holster, and carefully slip over the edge of the boat.
Heavy footsteps thunder behind us as Sawyer and I burst into a sprint along the dock.
I glance over my shoulder, aim my Glock at him, and fire just as he does.
Mr. Barclay reels backward. A burning pain sears through me.
“I’ve been hit,” I grind out. Clutching Sawyer’s hoodie, we plunge into the icy water.