Chapter
Shortly after Acadia’s first heat with Pack Soto…
Acadia
I click the bathroom door shut and crouch down next to it on a small wooden stool.
The alphas and Mads are in their beds asleep.
Everyone thinks I’m with someone else. I can feel the memory of their soft snores over my skin like I’m still with them.
I unlock my phone to my contact list and call my dad.
“Cadi? Oh my god, it’s late,” my sweet dad answers the phone after one ring. He’s an alpha, and the warmest man you’d ever meet. “What’s going on? Are you ok? It’s been a while.”
I haven’t called him in a few days, and then my heat…
“My heat,” I whisper.
“Oh! Goodness, did everything go well?”
“Yeah, I’m bonded.” I decide it’s best to be honest. “But, Dad, can I talk to Papa?”
He’s about to ask me a hundred questions, but stops short.
“Oh, yeah, of course. He’s right here.”
I never ask for Papa. I haven’t spoken to his omega in almost a year.
We’ve always had problems, but things got worse after he forced my hand at the omega housing.
He refused to fund private security for the omegas there, so I moved in, making sure they would have it no matter what.
It was our biggest blowout, and I couldn’t get myself to speak to him after.
Omega Remington Nightingale. A man with a reputation. The man who sired me.
“Acadia.” Papa’s tone is utterly neutral. His deep, masculine voice always used to soothe me when I was younger. He’d tell me epic stories about bad guys and good guys. Princesses and kings. Good always prevailed. Evil destroyed.
“I need a favor.”
“What’s his name?”
I should be worried that he answered so quickly. But this is why we haven’t gotten along. I want to help people. He feels it’s okay to hurt people. I never understood this until now. Some people cannot change. Some people are evil. There are people who need to be hurt.
“Legs O’Bannon.”
“Of Salt Port?” he asks with genuine interest. “How are you mixed up with a creature like him?”
“My scent match.” I lower my voice. “He’s Locke, formerly O’Bannon.”
There’s a pregnant pause.
“I know about him…”
“Then you’ll understand.”
“I didn’t need to understand, Acadia. You want my help…you want my help…” his voice wavers, “It’s yours.”
“It has to be you. I don’t want anyone else to do it. Make sure he doesn’t leave the hospital alive.”
“Consider it done.”
I breathe a sigh of relief. I actually feel better. I feel like there’s space in my head to think straight.
“Soto,” he says, like he’s just remembering it. “Soto took Locke for himself. Do you need me to deal with him as well?”
I can’t help but chuckle. “No, he’s mine.”
“Oh…”
“Yeah. I’m Omega Soto.”
“Congratulations. From what I know, he’ll take care of you.”
“I know.”
“O’Bannon has a daughter…”
“She’s mine, too. Don’t touch her.”
“Who else is yours, little omega?”
I smile at my papa’s familiar, paternal voice. “Mads. He’s a beta. I already love him. And Kol, an alpha.”
“So, you’re doing well then?”
“Very.”
“Good.”
“You can give the phone back to Dad.” He tells me goodbye and hands the phone off.
My dad says, “He says he loves you. I don’t know if you heard.”
“I heard.”
“Do you need anything more?”
“Not right now, Dad. I’m good. I’ll talk to you soon.”
“Ok, you know I love you, right?”
“Yes.”
“Goodbye.”
“Goodbye.”