1. Trigger
CHAPTER 1
TRIGGER
One month later
G ood evening, I’m Rachel Ford, and this is Bayou City News. We begin tonight with news of the alarming rise in Omega abductions sweeping the nation. Safe cities—once thought to be sanctuaries— are now at the heart of these terrifying disappearances.
The most high-profile case right now is that of Charlotte Matthews, a beloved Omega Rights Activist and spokesperson for the Have Faith Foundation. Matthews was abducted just a few blocks from her home in Houston exactly one month ago. Her disappearance has sent shockwaves through the Omega community, raising serious concerns about the safety of these so-called Omega-protected zones.
Matthews, widely recognized for her outspoken advocacy and relentless fight for Omega autonomy, has been both a symbol of hope and a target of opposition. Her growing prominence made her a celebrity among those pushing for progress—and an enemy to those who seek to maintain the status quo.
Her parents, devastated by the lack of progress in the case, have made public pleas for information, even offering a substantial reward for any leads on their daughter’s whereabouts. Meanwhile, her best friend, world-renowned supermodel, Brookes Daniels, has taken to social media in a desperate bid for answers. Using his extensive platform, Daniels has vowed to leave no stone unturned, rallying supporters worldwide in the search for Charlotte.
But with each passing day, hope dwindles. Authorities warn that many cases like this end with the victim vanishing without a trace, lost to the underground world of Omega trafficking. The question remains, will Charlotte Matthews become just another statistic, or will she be found?
We’ll continue to follow this story as it unfolds. For now, this is Rachel Ford reporting for Bayou City News. Stay safe out there .
The news broadcast hums in the background—something about Omega abductions—but the words dissolve into white noise. The only thing holding my focus is the masterful mouth working between my thighs, the weight of Josiah's hands on my skin like iron brands. With my head thrown back, I force down the primal groan threatening to spill from my lips as warm, wet heat engulfs the crown of my dick. Each flick of his tongue sends electricity crackling through my veins. Gripping the arms of my desk chair until my knuckles whiten, I widen my legs with a ragged exhale, giving my Beta more room to work his particular brand of magic. It's an unspoken rule between us: what Josiah wants, Josiah gets.
"Fuck, Joker," I grit out through clenched teeth, hips stuttering upward of their own accord.
He hums around me in smug satisfaction, the vibration rippling along my shaft. Smug bastard knows exactly what he's doing to me.
Tingles race up my spine like wildfire as he takes me deeper, hollowing his cheeks with practiced precision. His throat constricts like a vice around my length, making my eyes roll back as I teeter on the razor's edge of release. Sweat beads at my temples, my chest heaving with each labored breath.
"That's it, baby. You want my cum?" I ask, voice dropping to that gravelly octave that makes him shiver. Though the point is moot—I’m coming whether he's ready or not. My thighs tense, my body coils tight as a spring.
Josiah nods eagerly, his fingers digging crescents into my thighs. He cups my balls in his palm and tugs gently, rolling them with expert precision?—
The sharp vibration of my phone rattles across the desk, the harsh buzz cutting through the haze of pleasure. The work phone. The one that never rings unless something's gone catastrophically wrong. Fuck.
Josiah looks up, his dark eyes gleaming with the silent question that speaks volumes between us. I stroke his cheek, feeling the slight stubble against my palm as I drag my thumb along the strong line of his jaw. The sudden interruption of work has left me suspended in frustration, but there's something delicious about this momentary pause.
"Good boy," I murmur, my voice dropping to that intimate register meant only for him. "You're going to finish what you started the second I end this call." I reach out and run my hand over his head to pull him closer, making him gag. I feel the quickening of his breath against my skin from the action. "And since I have to wait, I think I'll take it out on your ass later."
He only rolls his eyes, that typical Josiah defiance never fails to stir my inner Dom—and in deliberate retaliation, he sucks me so hard my vision blurs at the edges. I barely manage to stifle the groan building in my chest, my fingers tightening reflexively around the back of his neck as pleasure crashes through me in a white-hot wave. The phone continues its insistent buzzing, demanding attention I can barely focus enough to give.
Grabbing the phone, I glance at the caller ID and pause.Dez Savoy.I haven’t heard from him in over a year. If he’s calling, it’s serious—he doesn’t need help handling the usual bad shit.
"Dez, long time. I take it this isn’t a social call."
"Teagan. I’m surprised I caught you. Thought you and the team were in the field. But yeah, this isn't social." His voice is as flat and steady as ever.
Dez Savoy—our old boss, the reason we started H.E.L.S. Security. The last time he called was when his now-wife, Freeya, was abducted. We were deep in a mission and couldn’t help, something I still regret.
"We just got back yesterday. Joker and I were finishing paperwork." I shoot Josiah a smirk. He gives me a pointed look even with his mouth full.
Josiah isn’t the only one who notices the shift in my demeanor. Beaux and Moses walk in, exchanging looks as they take in the scene. Smirks curl their lips, but they keep their mouths shut.
"What can I do for you, boss man?" I say, attempting to lighten the tension.
Dez exhales heavily. "I need your help. Normally, we’d handle this, but with the uptick in Omega disappearances, Omari’s on edge. Freeya’s pregnant again, and the pack is losing it."
I nod, even though he can’t see me. Omari has every right to be rattled. Years ago, we found him locked in a shipping container with other Omegas.This is personal.
"Congrats on the baby. But you know we’ve got your back. What’s the mission?" I switch gears, setting the phone on speaker so Josiah can hear.
Dez doesn’t hesitate. "Charlotte Matthews."
The name rings a bell, but I can’t immediately place it.
"She’s been all over the news. Omega Rights Activist, abducted in an Omega-safe city," Beaux says, rubbing the back of his neck. "It’s been a month. She’s probably gone."
"My money’s on her being found." Dez’s voice is firm. "She’s friends with Mercy Smooth. The spokesperson for her sister, Faith’s, foundation. Freeya knows her too, and they’re ready to start a war to get her back. If anyone can find her, it’s you four."
Moses whistles. "Tall order. What do you know?"
"Malcolm’s sending everything we’ve got to Joker." Dez pauses. "Is he there?"
Beaux and Moses snicker as Josiah flips them off, his mouth still busy.
"He’s occupied, but yeah, send it over. We’ll move as soon as we have a location."
Dez exhales. "We’ve been searching for their base for years. If we find it, we can shut this whole operation down. If Charlotte hasn’t been put on the auction block yet, she’s there."
I rap my knuckles on the desk. Beaux and Moses give me a thumbs-up. We don’t take missions unless we’re all in. Looking down, I meet Josiah’s gaze.Even with his mouth full, his eyes say everything. He’s in.
"We won’t rest until we find her. That’s a promise."
Dez’s voice softens. "Thank you. My team is at your disposal."
"Aye, aye, Captain," Beaux salutes as the call ends.
I exhale, letting my head drop back. "Well, boys. Guess we’re not unpacking our bags yet. We have an Omega to find. But first." I turn my gaze to Josiah, tilting my head. "I need to cum.”
"Tell me you've got something good, Joker." I lean against my desk, coffee burning a path down my throat. None of us slept much after Dez's call. The weight of another missing Omega sits heavy.
Josiah's fingers fly across his keyboard. Three monitors flicker with data, his eyes scanning rapidly. "Malcolm sent everything. Police reports, witness statements, security footage—" He stops mid-sentence, clicking something. "But this, this is interesting."
The main screen fills with an image that makes my cup freeze halfway to my mouth. Dark skin glowing under stage lights, curves wrapped in a deep purple dress, smile bright enough to blind—Charlotte Matthews commands attention even through pixels.
"Damn," Beaux whispers, leaning forward. "That's our missing Omega?"
Moses abandons his position by the window. "She's gorgeous. "
"More than gorgeous." The words slip out before I can catch them. Something about her eyes pulls at me—fierce, challenging, alive with purpose.
"Recent speech at the Have Faith Foundation gala." Josiah taps more keys. "She's been making waves. Conservative packs aren't happy about her pushing for Omega rights."
The image changes to security footage. Charlotte walking down a street, phone to her ear. Then chaos—men grabbing her, an SUV, the screen darkens.
"They knew exactly where she'd be." My jaw clenches. "This wasn't random."
"Targeted hit," Moses agrees. "But why her specifically?"
Beaux snorts. "Look at her. A beautiful, outspoken Omega fighting the system? She's either someone's fantasy or their worst nightmare."
"Both," I mutter, studying her face again. Something about her calls to my Alpha instincts, makes my blood heat. "Joker, what else?"
"Yeah." Josiah adjusts his spectacles. "Charlotte Matthews is twenty-nine, works as an Omega advocate in Houston, one of those protected cities ironically. She's been stirring things up lately. Interesting background, loving Beta parents gave birth to her, which almost never happens. For the past eighteen months she's been the main voice of Have Faith Foundation."
Beaux leans forward. "Hold up, that's Mercy Smooth's organization, right?"
"Exactly." Josiah flicks through several images showing Charlotte at podiums. "Mercy spotted her after this killer interview about Omega trafficking. Brought her on to speak at a fundraiser. Ever since, she's been their go-to advocate, campaigning for everything from better security measures to medical reforms."
"And disappeared without a trace," Moses says softly.
Josiah confirms it. "Snatched this report from the police yesterday evening. Her Omega housemate, Brookes, was talking to her when it went down. Local police discovered her crushed cell on the pavement, evidence of resistance." He hesitates, his usual light-hearted attitude fading. "But here's the kicker, she's just one of many. Like we've seen, Omegas are vanishing at an alarming rate, particularly from supposedly safe zones. Same MO every time: sedatives, white vehicle, pros doing the job. We should check the dark web." Josiah's fingers pause over his keyboard. "Someone like her, the sharks will be circling. High-profile Omegas with that much influence, they'll want to make an example of her."
A rumbling snarl echoes through the space, making me jump. I've never witnessed such fierce determination in Beaux's gaze before, and his lip piercing makes a clinking sound against his grinding teeth.
"Easy, Motley." I keep my voice level, though I'm caught off guard by his visceral reaction. We've handled dozens of missing Omega cases, but something about this one feels different. The energy in the room crackles with unusual tension.
"Sorry." Beaux runs a hand through his curly fro, the movement agitated. "Just thinking about some entitled asshole trying to auction her off like property."
"I know." And I do. The dark web auctions are a special kind of hell. Omegas displayed like merchandise, their lives reduced to bidding numbers and crude descriptions. "But if they're planning to move her through those channels, we need to know."
"Already on it." Josiah's fingers fly across the keys. "I've got contacts monitoring several known auction sites. If she shows up, we'll know. "
I study Charlotte's photo again, trying to maintain professional distance. She's just another job, another rescue mission. So why does my chest tighten when I imagine her fierce brown eyes dulled by fear? Why does Beaux look ready to tear through walls to find her?
"Set up alerts for any new listings," I order, forcing myself to focus. "Cross-reference with known trafficking patterns in Houston. And get me everything you can on her recent activities, speeches, meetings, anyone she might have pissed off enough to do this."
"I'll scan the hidden networks," Josiah announces, his hands dancing over the keys. "A high-profile target like her, vultures are probably already negotiating. These particular Omegas typically surface at exclusive bidding events."
"Hold up." Moses adjusts himself, tapping a restless rhythm on the chair. "Dez mentioned they might be operating out of a hidden facility. Not your typical warehouse setup, we're talking about a fortress. Underground bunker, state-of-the-art security. The Shangri-La of hideouts."
My brows arch upward in amusement. "Shangri-La?"
"Quit acting like I'm some ignorant fool," he snaps, trying to suppress a smile .
I brush my fingertip across my mouth, thoughts churning. "If we locate this facility?—"
"We'd devastate their whole network," Moses concludes. "For a while, at least. Consider it, their premium captives must be stashed somewhere heavily guarded. A place completely off radar."
"That explains why they've stayed hidden." I pivot toward Josiah. "Pull Malcolm's orbital feeds. I need heat signatures, subsurface scanning, anything indicating buried structures or suspicious movement."
Josiah attacks his computer at lightning speed. "Currently reaching out to Malcolm. Though boss, if they're as advanced as Dez implies, they won't be obvious. Expect isolated spots, possibly land owned through dummy corporations."
"Search electrical usage," I propose. "An operation that extensive requires massive power. Hunt for unusual spikes in utility data."
"Working it." Josiah launches multiple displays, scanning intently. "I'll create detection programs, target regions within logical driving distance from confirmed kidnapping locations."
Imagining Charlotte trapped in an underground cell makes rage surge through me, no one deserves to be kept this way, bought and sold like cattle. Discovering this base isn't solely about her now, it's about every Omega they've dragged into the shadows.
Yet this specific Omega could be exactly what our pack needs to make it complete. I didn't know we were missing her, but one look at her picture and I can feel it.