Chapter 3 Crash Out
Crash Out
Mads
Locke hasn’t said a word. He’s completely shut down. I know this because I’m in so much pain I think I’m going to pass out, and he doesn’t even register feeling it through our bond.
He’s numb.
It’s not great. I’ve never seen him like this. It can’t be normal.
We’re ushered out of the van into a dark stone courtyard. This is an old city, and the ground is made up of cobblestones, and the buildings are red brick. A man bends my head down so I can’t look around, but I can hear the seagulls and taste the salt in the air.
This is Locke’s home. It smells like him. It feels like him.
We are pushed and prodded through a side door, down a hall, through a door, and up some stairs, until finally shoved into a room. Locke is a numb husk of a man. This isn’t great. Between the two of us, I’m not sure we can muster up enough courage to fight against this assault.
My leg is trash, and I’ve been leaning all my weight on it. My joints are stiff, including my hip and side.
The three beta men shove us headfirst into a small box cage.
It’s five feet by five feet by five feet.
They leave us alone.
Locke wraps his arms around himself and doesn’t look up from his shoes.
I move my focus off my alpha to look around.
We are in some sort of gentleman’s parlor.
Or a smoking lounge. All red velvet tufted furniture, several life-sized portraits of a black-haired, skinny man in gilded frames, a fireplace you can walk into, and covered windows, so it’s impossible to know what time of day it is.
I rest my hand on Locke’s shoulder.
“Hey, buddy, you doing ok?”
He doesn’t respond.
We are truly fucked, aren’t we?
A laugh from somewhere deep inside bubbles up through me until it’s out. It starts out as a chuckle, and then snowballs.
I cannot believe I got myself involved with alphas and omegas again. I could have just stayed the hell away from them in the first place and been fine. I had never even talked to an omega before Nancy—and that nearly cost me my life.
And then, my dumbass thought What’s the worst that could happen when I saw Cadi.
I thought I even had my answer, that I’d probably lose another leg.
But this? Wow. This is funny. I’ve been kidnapped!
I’ve been drugged and brought across state lines.
The fucking ocean is nearby! I’ve never even seen the ocean!
And now I’m in a creepy-ass cage in some rich man’s playroom!
I’m still in my black suit, and Locke is wearing his beautifully embroidered gold suit. At least we are dressed for the occasion.
God! And Cadi! Good God, she’s ok. She was long gone before the goons attacked. I hope Oscar and Kol are with her.
I’m laughing so hard I can’t breathe. I bend over trying to catch my breath and not fall over at the same time.
Tears prickle at the corners of my eyes. This is fucking crazy!
This is worse than if I were in my room, unemployed, and popping painkillers. Why did I march into this?
A pretty girl?
The promise of lifelong friendship?
Money? Stability?
No…
I have some sort of problem.
Alphas and omegas are nothing but trouble.
My laughing finally subsides, and I wipe my face with my entire hand a few times. Sweat drips down my jaw. My leg finally gives out, and I tumble into a heap on the rug.
I hold on to the bars of the cage and lean my head against the metal. I take a few deep breaths. My legs are not where I need them to be.
“Locke, I know you are catatonic right now, but we have to come up with a plan and get the fuck out of here. It’s been cute or fun or whatever getting kidnapped, but I’m literally just a poor beta who can’t walk.
I’m truly not supposed to be wanted by anyone, let alone a mob boss from the toughened streets of Salt Port.
Can we just acknowledge that part, please?
For me? And then, after we assure me this is insane, let’s get the fuck out of here.
Yeah? Locke?” I twist so I can see him behind me.
He’s in the same position he was in before I fell to the ground.
Poor Locke.
“Okay, well, I will get us out of here then. Let’s think. I can always pass out, and then this nightmare will end because…I’ll be dead.”
Locke doesn’t stir.
“It’s all good, man. It’s all good. We’re going to be ok. I’ll just jimmy these doors open.” I reach over to the door and start to yank and pull. Obviously, nothing happens.
There’s a keypad. I reach through the bars and activate the keypad with the press of my finger. It’s a solid flat screen, but I can’t see what’s on the screen with all the smudges.
Huh
I wonder if I touch the smudges…there are five smudges. I press my face into the bars and try my best to tap only the smudges, but I can’t even get my entire hand out.
There is a little chime with each press.
The whole thing flashes red. No such luck.
There are only so many combinations of five numbers, right?
I’m not doing anything else anyway, I guess. This room is totally empty.
“Locke, my space alpha, I hope you are breathing in there. I’m guessing you’ve been in this thing before?
” I have to talk, otherwise, the pain on the right side of my body will kill me.
“I totally understand. I have had my moments, too. An alpha surgeon came into my hospital room to introduce himself before one of my surgeries, and I just started screaming. Armed police officers had to hold me down. I actually don’t even remember it happening at all.
One of the nurses told me about it. I’m much better now.
I was only getting triggered by certain alphas or packs.
But since you guys started forming a perimeter around me, I feel even more normal.
Or whatever. Maybe I don’t want to use that word. ”
I sigh deeply and try another combo. Red lights flash. Bummer.
“I can imagine how you feel. I couldn’t bear it if I got kidnapped and then put back on that bridge in Old Town.
And then sitting there waiting for…” my voice strangles.
It’s wild to imagine ever running into the Dougherty pack again.
I’d probably do what Locke is doing and check all the way the fuck out.
They don’t exist to me.
I’d hate to be reminded I’m wrong.
“Anyway, we will get out. We will get you back to Oscar, Kol, and Cadi. Wasn’t that wild?
Finding out Cadi was Acadia. I didn’t think for a second they were the same person.
Absolutely nuts. It certainly will make things easier.
And just to let you know, I was not going to break up with her, but I wondered if she was going to break up with me, not over the bonding.
She didn’t seem like the kind of person to judge me for that.
But she’s just so much cooler than I am.
Good thing I have a pack of cool alphas now, right? ”
Suddenly, the lock slides open, and the keypad flashes green.