25. Ianto
Chapter twenty-five
Ianto
I double check everything for this fiasco for the fifth time. Most of the MC is staying as far away as they can from me. Lurking near walls, giving me space. My notoriety is legendary. My temper is explosive. For the first time since I joined the MC, I’m not sure about this path Zaden has chosen for us. It grates because his logic is flawless. As an MC, this is the correct path. As a pack, this is the correct path.
As an alpha with an omega about to go in heat, everything about it feels wrong.
I know we need to get retaliation for Ranger. But Lia isn’t well, and I don’t want to leave her unprotected.
I let out a growl and watch as two prospects pale and go completely still, watching me as I pass by. The whole thing just gives me the shits and makes me want to put holes in the walls.
“Get outside and get your rides ready. Make sure everything is perfect,” I bark out, stalking past them.
They run for the door, another two joining them. The satisfaction I would normally feel isn’t here.
It’s the perfect retaliation.
So, why am I so edgy? Why does everything feel so off? I glare at everyone. Rojers and Jolie are talking quietly. Both of them in their leathers and ready to ride.
We called in everyone, and they answered the call. Everyone is here to get Ranger justice. It should be amazing and feel good. But there’s a niggling something that isn’t sitting right, and I can’t put my finger on it. I’ve been over the plan a million times .
Zaden comes down the stairs, Ranger and Mills at his side. I glance at Badger, who, along with our two newest prospects, Kyle and Nick, will stay here.
It’s babysitting duty, but he doesn’t care. Badger’s happier out of the drama. I can respect that. He’s tired and older now, and excitement is for younger men, or so he keeps saying. He’ll keep those kids out of trouble.
It will also mean if something goes pear-shaped, we’ll know one way or another who it is.
“A few weeks ago, our brother Ranger was taken by the Despair MC. He was kept for three days and tortured. We have him back, but we don’t forget.”
“Fuck no!” the club roars.
“WE DON’T FORGIVE!” Zaden roars at the MC.
“NEVER!” They roar back at him.
“Retribution will be had!” Zaden glares around the room.
Our alpha is power, and I can’t take my eyes off him! He’s compelling and vibrant and so very dangerous when he’s like this. It’s part of why I stayed. This man. I knew he would be our prez, just like I knew he was my alpha.
He’s charismatic, he’s a magnet, he’s pure Mirakill, and I can’t look away. I love him as much today if not more than the day I met him.
I love the entire pack. It’s difficult to put into words how I feel about them: romantic, brotherly, the pack bonds with the MC bonds. We’re tighter, almost symbiotic. We act with no need for words. Sometimes it feels like we’re less individuals and more one giant being divided into five parts. We’re always on the same wavelength.
So why is he ignoring all the wrong here?
And Lia. I look away from Zaden. The only reason I’d look away from Zaden is to glance in her direction, up the stairs, where she is hidden in his room. We snuck her in early this morning.
She’s going to kill us when she realises what we did. But Lia keeps losing it when we leave her. She tries not to show it, but her despair and panic fill the air whenever she finds herself in a room alone. I don’t understand it.
Mills’ put something mild in her tea last night. So, she should sleep for a few hours now, safe and sound. When we get back, we can take her back to her mansion and pack her shit. She’s not going back there. I’m done with it.
I don’t know why we’re pretending still. We should just tell her she’s ours. We’ve all decided. Hell, Zaden gave her his nest. We’re keeping her. We just haven’t told her.
Because we haven’t told her everything yet.
I feel like I have buzzy bees under my skin. I’m edgy and antsy, but leaving feels wrong. The closer we get to go-time, the louder the feeling gets .
Did Mills give her enough? Did he give her too much? The fever had started again during the night. I’d sat with Ranger and bathed her head, trying to bring it down until Mills finally dosed her just after dawn.
We should only be gone a couple of hours. Frantic is a good description of how I’m feeling, but it’s a damn frenzy inside my brain.
“Let’s get retribution!” Zaden shouts.
The club roars back at their president.
I lead the way outside and get on my bike. It’s a matte black and absolutely perfect. And still, if someone would ask me to choose between my ride and Lia, I’d choose Lia.
Damn, what has she done to me?
We ride for an hour and then split into seven small groups. The task is simple. We’re going to hit everyone of their hangouts. The two bars, the clubrooms, the three houses they keep.
Small, brutal teams will go in with the element of surprise and cause maximum damage, no kills allowed.
I storm into the pub, all on my own, and look at the bikers at the bar. Someone says, “Oh shit.”
The dim lighting can’t hide them from me.
Five guys get up and take a few healthy steps back, but there’s nowhere to go, and guys like us…we don’t run. We take our beatings.
I just smile at their apprehension, pick up a pool cue, and start walking.
An hour later, I’m on my bike heading back when I get a call. I pull over and answer it.
“Malone killed someone!” Zaden barks.
Fury, blinding white and so potent I can’t breathe, rushes me. This fucks up all Zaden’s plans. It fucks up everything.
“I’m going to kill him with my bare hands,” I growl.
Zaden doesn’t say anything, though I know he agrees.
“Where?”
He gives me an address.
I turn away from home and go back into the city, praying that Lia remains asleep and safe. I’ve got a mess to clean up.
It’s turned into a shitfest. The person Malone killed wasn’t even a part of the MC. He was a family member. And now we’ve got people all over the city trying to find him because he got shitty and stormed off.
We’re also trying to get everyone safe because when the Despair MC finds out, it is going to be a bloodbath.
I tried to talk Zaden into just handing his ass over, but he wouldn’t be in it. Though it might be the simplest solution. Malone is a drunk. He’s harmless enough, but according to Jolie, it was simply a really lucky shot. Except, when I looked, there were three bullet holes. I don’t think he was lucky. I think he thought this out, which means I think Jolie is either lying or blind.
Either way, I’ve got prospects and patched members that have been bashed within an inch of their lives. The club sprawled seven ways to Sunday, and it’s now sunset. This is a fucking mess. I’m tired and pissed off, and I need a damn drink.
Worse. Lia is awake.
We need to get home. Now.
Still, it takes another four hours until we pull up in the driveway. Zaden is absolutely furious as he stomps towards the porch, snapping into his phone at whoever is telling him it can’t be done.
Badger comes racing out. “Why the fuck don’t you answer your fucking phones!” he screams at us.
I yank off my helmet, ready to rip him a new one, but pause. Badger looks like he’s been crying.
“Lia’s been screaming,” Badger pants. “I can’t get in there. I tried. They’ve got security, and she’s screaming, Zaden.”
Zaden has turned to stone. And then he inhales, and when he inhales a second time, Zaden is gone, and all that remains is an alpha whose omega is being hurt.
That movement breaks the shock we’re all in. We turn as one, racing towards Lia’s mansion. Dark, deadly, unstoppable. The weapon the omega doesn’t know she has.
We’d do anything for her.
Beat them, cheat them, steal them, kill them. Whatever she wants, we will give it to her.
And whoever makes our omega scream is going to wish they were dead.
As we get close, I can’t hear Lia. But I can hear the things she’s saying about my omega .
I hear everything, and I promise that, one day, she will pay for every hurt she puts on my Lia.