21. Trigger
CHAPTER 21
TRIGGER
I fucking hate bow ties.
My fingers fumble with the silk strip for the tenth time, attempting to create a perfect knot. It’s been too long since I had to wear a penguin suit. Tom Ford. Black jacket with satin peak lapels, matching trousers, and this goddamn bow tie that’s testing my patience.
In the mirror’s reflection, I catch Joker appearing in the doorway of my bedroom, already dressed in his own tux. The fabric hugs his slim frame perfectly, accentuating his height and the strength hidden beneath his lean build.
“Need help?” He grins, watching me struggle.
“I’ll figure it out,” I mutter, unraveling another failed attempt .
My mind wanders to earlier today, when I found J in my office.
He was pacing, muttering calculations and probabilities to himself, his hands flapping at his sides in that way they do when he’s spiraling.
“It’s my fault,” he said when he noticed me. “I should have had better firewalls, stronger encryption. Now everyone knows she’s here. Everyone knows about Charlotte and her whereabouts.”
The news had leaked about Charlotte and the other Omegas being found, and Joker was taking it personally. This was what happened when Joker spiraled, he took the weight of the world on his shoulders, especially when it involved someone he cared about. And Charlotte had very quickly become someone we all cared about deeply.
“J,” I said, pushing the door closed behind me. “Come here.”
He knew what I meant. What I was offering—a dance we’d perfected over years, the recalibration, the grounding. The way I pulled him back from the ledge when he got too deep in his own head.
“What if they come for her at the gala?” he asked, his breathing uneven as he approached me. “What if we can’t protect her? ”
I grabbed his wrists, holding them firmly. “Look at me.”
His eyes met mine, still wild with anxiety.
“Have we ever failed a mission?” I asked, keeping my voice calm.
“No, but ? —"
“Has anyone ever gotten past the four of us when we’re on guard?”
He shook his head, his breathing started to slow.
“Then Charlotte is safer with us than anywhere else on this fucking planet,” I replied, meaning every goddamn word.
What happened next was between me and Josiah—or it was supposed to be. The way I pulled him against me, the way my mouth found his, the way my hands gripped his hips, pushing him back against the desk, enjoying the taste of his tongue. I loved the way he sighed and relaxed in my hold. It was a physical release we’d shared for years, one that calmed his mind and satisfied my need to dominate.
But then the door opened as he sat shirtless on his knees before me. Charlotte stood there, her eyes widening as she took in the scene. Time froze as we all stared at each other.
Then something remarkable happened. I ordered her forward and she came willingly. Instead of shock or disgust or confusion, understanding washed over her face. She stepped inside the room and closed the door behind her.
What followed wasn’t just sex, it was a communion of souls. The way she joined us, touching Josiah with a tenderness that matched my intensity. The way she understood instinctively what he needed, what we both needed. No jealousy, no hesitation, just three people connecting in the most primal way.
“Fuck this tie,” I growl, snapping back to the present.
Joker laughs and steps forward. “Let me.”
His nimble fingers make quick work of what I’ve been struggling with for fifteen minutes.
“How the hell did Beaux manage to get us all fitted for these in less than forty-eight hours?” I ask, watching Josiah’s reflection as he works.
“It’s Motley,” Joker says simply, as if that explains everything. And honestly, it does.
Beaux is a box of surprises that continues to baffle me, even after all these years. The man who can break someone’s neck without blinking also apparently has connections with high-end tailors who will drop everything for a rush job.
Moses appears in the doorway, already dressed, looking like he stepped off a magazine cover. “Charlotte’s almost ready. You two presentable yet?”
“Just finishing up,” I say as Josiah steps back to admire his handiwork with my bow tie. Perfect.
I turn to face the room, adjusting my cuffs. “Tonight, we stay alert. Charlotte will be in the spotlight, and we don’t know who might be there.”
“Perimeter’s covered,” Moses confirms. “I have six trusted contacts working security.”
“I’ve hacked into the venue’s surveillance,” Joker adds, his earlier anxiety replaced with focused determination. “I’ll be monitoring everything from my phone.”
The sound of heels on hardwood makes us all turn toward the hallway. And then Charlotte appears, and all the air leaves my lungs.
She’s stunning in a deep burgundy gown that hugs every curve, her hair swept up to reveal the graceful line of her neck. Her eyes meet mine, and I see a flash of heat there, a reminder of what we shared earlier today.
“You clean up nice, Trigger,” she says with a smile that holds secrets.
“You’re beautiful,” I respond, the words inadequate but sincere.
What I don’t say is that I’m falling for her. Hard and fast in a way I never expected. What happened between us and Josiah earlier solidified something I’d been feeling since I first laid eyes on her—she belongs with us. With our pack. With me.
Her Omega Rights Activist profile puts her in the spotlight tonight and all I want is to shelter her from whatever dangers might be lurking. But I know she’s not the type to hide. So instead, I’ll be by her side, ready to face whatever comes our way.
“Let’s go make some rich assholes uncomfortable with talks of equality and shit,” I say, offering her my arm.
Her smile widens as she takes it. “My specialty.”
I feel the weight of my concealed weapon against my ribs, a constant reminder of the threats that might be waiting. But tonight, Charlotte will shine, and the Hudson Pack will ensure she does so safely.
Whatever happens at this gala, one thing is certain, we’ll face it together.