6. Joker
CHAPTER 6
JOKER
J ust call me the motherfucking Oracle of the digital realm. While my pack brothers are out there getting their hands dirty, I'm the puppet master pulling all the strings from behind my wall of screens. Yeah, I have no problem playing shoot ’em up with my brothers, but I’m in my element with lines of code in front of me. Ain’t nobody better—well, maybe Malcolm but that remains to be seen. For days straight I've been searching for Charlotte, following digital breadcrumbs so small most people wouldn't even know they exist. But I see them. I always see them.
"You look like shit, J."
I don't bother to look at Teagan. My fingers dance across the keyboard, the clicking sounds almost symphonic as I work through another firewall. "Thanks for the fashion critique, Te. I'm going for the 'exhausted tech genius' look. It's all the rage in Milan this season," I say offhandedly. Yep, I’m being a brat and I know I’m going to eventually pay for my petulance.
My Alpha's heavy footsteps approach and I can feel him looming behind me. His scent of leather, and gunmetal invades my space, like a walk through the forest at the break of dawn. Blissful. On any other day, it would be comforting, but today it's just another distraction.
"When was the last time you slept?" His voice has that edge to it. The Alpha edge that makes the Beta in me want to drop to my knees and submit.
I ignore it. "Sleep is for the weak and the dead. I'm currently neither."
"Josiah," he growls out in frustration. My full name. Never a good sign.
My eyes remain fixed on the screen. "Three pings in the last hour. They must be prepping for the auction. More videos have appeared of other Omegas. Maybe we can take them down?—"
A large hand closes my laptop, nearly catching my fingers. I jerk back, finally looking up at Teagan's face. I overlook the concern in those gorgeous hazel eyes and openly challenge him. I keep my eyes locked on his. I don’t have time for this.
"Seventy-two hours, Joker. That's your limit. You know this. We've talked about this," he replies, lifting his eyebrows at my blatant stare down.
I push back from the table, standing so fast Malcolm grips both our laptops to stop them from tumbling to the floor. I can feel my anxiety rise. I know I am on the verge of a meltdown. But I can’t stop myself. I’m exhausted. I know this, yet I can’t help myself.
"And I've told you I'm fine. I'm not some fucking child who needs a bedtime."
"Your hands are shaking," Teagan says, gesturing to my hands.
Everyone’s eyes are on me now and all the attention on me only makes my anxious behavior worse. I look down. Fuck. They are. I shove them into my pockets.
"Caffeine. It's a stimulant. Basic pharmacology."
Moses looks up from reading his book. "Te's right, man. You're no good to us burnt out."
"I'm no good to the missing Omegas if I take a fucking nap. I’m no good to Charlotte!" The words come out sharper than intended, laced with the kind of emotional response I usually keep in check .
“I got this, Joker, I have my eyes at the ready. If anything new pops up I’ll be the first to come and wake you,” Malcolm says reassuringly. It’s clear he’s trying to diffuse the situation.
Teagan's eyes narrow. "That's an order, Josiah. Go. Sleep. Now."
The Alpha command hits me like a physical force, but I push back against it. My skin feels too tight suddenly, like there's electricity running just beneath the surface. The cabin lights overhead are too bright, the hum of the computers too loud.
"No." The word comes out between clenched teeth. I’m spiraling. I’m losing my shit.
Beaux, who was previously napping in the corner, straightens up. "Shit."
"What did you just say to me?" Teagan's voice drops dangerously low.
The room is spinning now, details becoming too sharp. I can count the threads in Teagan's t-shirt from here. I can hear the tick, tick, ticking of the watch on my wrist. Can smell everyone's emotions, concern, tension, frustration.
"I said no." My voice rises. "I'm not fucking sleeping when there’s more intel to gather. I can feel it, Te. What if there’s more explicit footage of her? No one gets to see that. Don’t you see? Can’t you feel it?" I point to my chest as I try not to fidget. I’ve mastered my need to stim under duress—well, mostly. "They do!" I shout, pointing to Moses and Beaux. Why am I shouting at Trigger? He’s mine too.No. . .no. . .no. My hands come out of my pockets, flying through the air as I speak. I'm pacing now, can't remember when I started. “Charlotte is special.”
"Joker—" Teagan reaches for me. I jerk away, bumping into the table. A coffee mug falls, shattering. The sound is like an explosion in my ears.
"Don't touch me!" I'm shouting again, hands covering my ears. "Just let me work. Let me work. Let me work." I'm rocking slightly, the mantra continuing. The room is too much—too loud, too bright, too everything.
"Fuck," Teagan mutters, his voice gentler now. "Sensory overload."
I sink to the floor, back against the chair, knees pulled to my chest. The patterns are all wrong. I’m slipping away, slipping away from myself.
"I just want to work," I whisper, squeezing my eyes shut against the assault of stimuli. "If I work, then I’m useful."
I feel rather than see Teagan crouch in front of me, careful not to touch. "Josiah," he says, voice steady and calm. "Look at me. "
I crack my eyes open, the cabin still too bright, but his face is right there, hazel eyes locked onto mine. There's a shift in his expression, something dark and promising.
"You need your Alpha to distract you, J?” His voice is a low growl, sending a shiver down my spine.
I nod, barely breathing now. This, this I understand. This will ground me.
A wicked smile spreads across his face. "Then get your ass up and go to the bedroom. Now."
The Alpha command is back, but this time, it's laced with something sinful. Something that makes my body respond instantly. I stand, my earlier outburst already a distant memory. This is our dynamic, the familiar dance between us. I crave it as much as he does.
Walking down the aisle of the plane, I pass Quincy and Beckett, their noise-cancelling headphones on, asleep in their seats. Moses watches with a knowing smirk, and Beaux shakes his head, a small smile playing on his lips. They know the drill. They know how Teagan pulls me back from the edge.
The main bedroom is a sanctuary, the large bed dressed in black and grey linens. Teagan's scent lingers here, mingled with Beaux’s and Moses', now calming and grounding. The hum of the plane's engines is softer, the lighting dimmer. I can breathe.
I sink to my knees at the foot of the bed, hands clasped behind my back, head bowed. This is my submission, my control. I let the beginning of subspace wash over me, chaos receding with each steady breath. Time loses meaning as I wait for Teagan. He won't rush this.
Finally, the door clicks shut behind me. Teagan's footsteps are heavy on the carpet. He doesn't speak, just circles me, his fingers trailing over my shoulder, up my neck, brushing through my hair. I lean into his touch, sighing softly.
"You're mine, J," he murmurs, voice low and steady. "Mine to command, mine to control. Isn't that right?"
"Yes, sir," I reply, arousal stirring, making me languid and pliable.
He stands in front of me, hand gripping the back of my neck. "And what do you need from me, J?"
I meet his eyes briefly before casting my gaze down. "Distraction, sir. I need to get out of my head. To sleep."
A proud smile tugs at his lips. "And how do you want me to distract you? With pain? With pleasure? "
I lick my lips, heart pounding. "Both, sir. I want both."
A dark chuckle. "Greedy little thing, aren't you?" He leans down, lips brushing my ear. "But you're my greedy little thing."
He turns to the cabinet, selecting an array of items: rope, flogger, lube. My breath hitches in anticipation.
"Stand up, J," he commands, stepping back.
I rise, eyes never leaving his as he circles me again, fingers trailing over my skin, leaving goosebumps. He stops behind me, hands gripping the hem of my shirt.
"Arms up."
I comply, letting him undress me. His hands explore my body, tracing muscles, the curve of my spine. I shiver, my dick eager but patient.
He leans in, lips brushing the back of my neck, hand cupping my dick through my pants. He squeezes hard, and I stay still, taking it.
"You're going to give me everything, J. Every moan, every scream. I want you to beg me to fuck you. You're mine until you pass out. Understood?"
I nod, breath hitching. "Yes, sir. I understand."
"I want you naked," he commands, and I quickly comply, shedding my clothes until I am completely bare before him.
Rope in hand, he approaches, eyes locked onto mine as he binds my wrists in front of me, his movements deliberate. He guides me to the bed, pushing me down onto my back, and climbs onto the bed after me. Using my legs, I shuffle backward to give him room. Straddling my waist, he leans down, capturing my lips in a brutal kiss. I moan into his mouth, arching against him. The kiss is unexpected, but I know its unspoken meaning. This isn’t truly a punishment, but a recalibration. His kiss, though brutal, is a reminder given with a tender heart that makes my chest ache with warmth and love. He sees me, he cares for me and won’t hesitate to give me what I need.
He pulls back, smirking, "Eager, but not yet, J."
Reaching for the flogger, he shifts off me and moves to stand at the foot of the bed. I watch him go, knowing what comes next, needing it. The first bite of leather against my thigh makes me gasp, pleasure mingling with pain. Each measured strike of the flogger erases the anxiety clawing at my skin, centering me. I writhe beneath him, body on fire.
"Count for me," Te commands .
"One. . .two. . .three."
Each number is an anchor, tethering me to the moment, to him. My body obeys before my mind catches up. I sink into his control, his presence, until the world outside ceases to exist. He's relentless, strikes precise and controlled. He knows my limits, how far to push me. And I crave it.
When the flogger is replaced by his hands, firm, possessive, I melt into him. I'm hard and aching, dick throbbing with need. He smirks, wrapping a hand around my length, stroking me slowly, keeping me on the edge.
"You feel that?" he whispers against my ear, his voice calm and dominant. "That’s me. Keeping you here. Keeping you safe."
“Yes, sir.” Is my only reply as he gently strokes over each mark, leaving kisses to soothe the delicious pain.
Reaching for the lube, Teagan coats his fingers, eyes never leaving mine as he spreads my thighs wide and presses one finger into my eager hole. I gasp, body tensing, but he's patient, preparing and working me open. He adds another finger, scissoring them, stretching me. I moan, writhing, ready for him.
“Such a good boy for me, taking my marks. Now you’ll take it while I pump you full of my cum,” Tegan purrs as he removes his fingers, making me groan from the absence.
Adding more lube to his throbbing dick, Teagan lines himself up and notches my hole, pressing into me slowly. We both sigh in pleasure, my body stretching wider with each inch to accommodate him. When he finally starts to move, the thrust slow and deliberate, I’m lost. My eyes flutter shut with each brush over my prostate. We're connected, bodies moving as one. Freed from needing to think, I just feel.
Leaning down, he captures my lips in a fierce kiss. I moan into his mouth, body on fire. He's everywhere, consuming me, controlling me.
"Cum for me, J," he orders, voice a low growl.
And I do. I come undone, body convulsing, my release explosive. He follows me over the edge, body tensing, painting my insides with his release.
We lay there together, both spent and breathless until Teagan leaves the bed and returns to clean me and tend to my marks. When he is satisfied that I’m okay, he gathers me in his arms, holding me close until my breathing calms.
"Sleep for me," he whispers. "We have about an hour left before we land. You can at least get a power nap."
I let my eyes close, pushing away thoughts of the woman we're trying to save. Instead, I let Teagan remind me that I’m his, that I’m alive and whole.
Then, I fall asleep.