Chapter 36 Red
Chapter thirty-six
Red
Rickon turns off the highway where a small, arrowed sign at the intersection says Laversham Alpha Lodgings. Such a genteel-sounding name for the wretched place keeping my alpha hostage.
“I don’t think we can dodge this one,” he says, working his bottom lip through his teeth. “Roadside camping is illegal, after all.”
I nod, staring out at the twilight lavender painting the midsized landholdings. “Josef already tried to talk them out of it, right?”
“Yeah. But if the OCB can’t change their minds, I think it’s time to pack up.”
My heart twists with anguish. We’re covering so many miles each day, rushing out at dawn and getting home after dark.
If I could share the driving load, maybe it would be okay, but I can’t keep asking Rickon to shoulder these burdens.
Sometimes he nods off during filming, and the current dark smudges under his eyes have nothing to do with makeup.
Rickon reaches over and pulls my hand onto his knee. “I didn’t have time to tell you this, but I called Calli earlier, and the Omega Center sent him their support letter. He submitted it right away, and he’s confident Zack will get a fast-tracked hearing now.”
I perk up. “Wonderful news! Should we also ask Calli about packing up the campsite?”
He shakes his head. “No. He’s working on his one-hundredth case and ran into issues today. We need to let him concentrate right now.”
A strange, jittery sensation runs through my belly.
Callisto doesn’t feel the same way now, but since he once used his caseload as a reason to reject me, I’ve kinda resented his work.
Now that I’ve been on the receiving end of all his efforts on my and Zack’s behalf, I can appreciate the lawyer’s work ethic.
To have one hundred wins shows real dedication.
But I gotta acknowledge that’s a bit selfish of me. If I’d made an effort to understand his career in the first place, we might not be at arm’s length now. Not everyone can pivot their life for me in a heartbeat like Rickon did.
Callisto and I both have life lessons to learn, but he’s shown an inspiring persistence to keep trying.
Just like my commitment to saving Zack. “So we pack up and go back to the apartment?” I ask Rickon.
“Yeah. We just reached seventy thousand signatures, so that’s an amazing result.” He glances at me and sighs. “You’ve been all over the news, and I can’t help thinking about the traffickers coming back to look for you. If something happened to you, Red, I couldn’t . . .” My alpha chokes up.
I squeeze his hand, my throat tight too. “I’d hold out. However long it takes, I’d know you were searching for me.”
“I’d never stop,” he promises. “Never ever.” His lips quiver with suppressed emotion, and I lean across the console to rest my head on his shoulder.
He slows the car, and our headlights sweep across the OCB van, our tent, and the unwelcome police cruiser.
Josef strolls over and opens my door, his face a mask of annoyance. “I’m sorry, Red. I’ve tried every trick in the book short of declaring this the site of an official OCB investigation, but they won’t budge until you pack up.”
“Thanks for trying,” I tell him. “Don’t stress. Rickon says we should comply this time. No doubt he has new headlines in mind.” We share a conspiratorial grin.
The patrol car flips on its lights, scrolling bright red and blue across the darkening road. Just as I suspected, Rickon snaps a few photos on his phone before switching to film mode.
The police officers haul themselves out of their car and adjust their hats before swaggering over. “Is this your campsite?” one demands. His scent sweeps out, thick with animal fur and a hint of lanolin.
I stare up into his alpha face with its meaty jaw and wide cheekbones and feel an instant rush of dislike. Not for him personally, but for all alphas who use their forceful presences to get what they want.
“Yes, it is.” I draw myself up, refusing to cower. “But I’m pretty sure you know that since you’ve seen the news.” I shrug like it’s no big deal.
Rickon comes to my side, and Josef flanks me on the other, their scents staving off the police officer’s.
He snorts with derision. “You got your story and I’ve got mine. I don’t care what your reasons are, but I have to write you a ticket for illegal camping and ask you to pack up immediately.”
“In the dark?” I ask.
His teeth gleam in the shadows. “Wasn’t dark at all when I first told your fine friend here about the problem.” The officer hooks his thumb toward Josef.
Rickon bristles, the vibration in his body shivering through my arm. “Well, it’s not like we can teleport back, is it? Seems you’d have better things to do than sit in your car and wait for us. Laversham must be overflowing with taxpayers’ money.”
“It’s fine,” I tell the officer, wrapping an arm around my agitated lover’s waist to keep him in place. “We’ll pack up.”
“I’ll need to see some ID,” the officer says, glaring at Rickon. “For the ticket.”
“I’m the only one who slept here,” he snaps back, reaching for his wallet.
The second officer scoffs. “That’s not what the news has been saying.”
I snatch Rickon’s wallet and give him a shove. “Josef, can you and Rickon pack up the extra stuff inside?”
That vanilla scent’s turning awfully bitter, and an ominous rumble vibrates through his lithe body. I know Ricky’s on edge, but he seems about to lose his sanity completely. Is it the effect of the bond bringing his dominance to the foreground?
I smile sweetly at the officer and pass him Rickon’s driver’s license along with my Omega Center-issued ID card. “Let’s not have any trouble.”
“At least someone has sense,” the officer mutters, taking the cards back to enter details into his computer.
I chuckle knowing I’m the least sensible person here.
While he runs our details, I lean my ass on the car hood and stare up at the sturdy prison walls.
Can’t help wishing I could don an OCB uniform and slip inside once more to rescue my alpha, but I know that’s a fool’s mission.
It’s only a few hundred yards, so why does it feel like an eternity of distance between me and my pack alpha?
Most likely because I know how much danger surrounds him.
The officer returns and hands our cards back, but instead of moving on, he says they’ll wait to make sure we pack up. A devious idea springs to life in my head, and I slip inside the tent.
“Hey, Josef, could you give us a few minutes?” I ask.
The agent eyes me up and down and practically throws himself out through the door flap.
Rickon seethes, stuffing a rolled sleeping bag inside its case with all the aggression of a gym junkie hitting the big weights.
“Babe?” I croon, kneeling down beside him.
He huffs out a breath. “I’m sorry. I do want to take you home, but I hate having my hand forced. And I feel weak for not being able to protect you properly.”
I push the bag out of his hands and turn him to face me. “Listen here, alpha,” I say firmly. “You’re enough, just the way you are, okay? You’re busting your gut to keep this ship afloat. It’s time.”
I skim my hands up and down his arms, and he sucks in a jagged breath.
Kneeling up, I lock my hands around his neck and lean down to kiss him.
Rickon jerks me closer, burned-butter scent thickening with desire.
He deepens the kiss, licking and sucking on my lips before sweeping his tongue inside.
I moan and dive my fingers into his hair.
“Red,” he gasps as he pulls back. “If you get me worked up now, I won’t be able to contain myself.”
I grin down at him, devilish amusement spiraling through me. “That was kind of the plan.”
His eyes widen.
“Those officers said they aren’t leaving until we’ve packed up, so I figure a little punishment is in order. Plus—” I wink at him. “Remember Zack’s request? We can’t leave without a little farewell offering.”
“Fuck, Red!” Rickon buries his face in my neck. “I love the way you think.”
He tips me back onto the mattress, and I laugh as I sprawl. My laughter turns into a gasp as he seals his mouth to my bond mark. It’s not as sensitive as when Zack kisses it, but my soul still responds, understanding my alpha’s intentions.
“Why is it—” Rickon hunts down the buttons on my blouse, voice rasping with need. “—that I can have you every single night but still can’t get enough of you?”
I slip my fingers under his shirt and tug, sliding the material up his lean torso. “Because we have so much lost time to make up for,” I whisper.
Rickon rumbles in agreement and flicks my blouse open.
He stares down at me, the edges of his pale body glowing from the globes behind him.
His gaze darkens. “Every time I strip you, I marvel that the world’s most glorious omega chose me.
” His hands skim my waist to cup my breasts.
My nipples strain against the bra’s fabric.
“Even before I met you,” I murmur, reaching for him. “You were mine.”
Rickon leans down and takes my nipple gently between his teeth, tugging at the blue lace covering. I grip his head and hold him tighter, locking him in place so he can consume me.
My alpha complies, tugging the slender straps down my arms. Instead of taking the bra right off, he reaches into the cups and lifts my breast just enough to expose the nipple over the edge.
His tongue dives to lick in circles, scraping the rippling lace edge over my skin.
With his hand, he toys with the other, and I arch, heat pouring through me.
“Fuck, alpha,” I mutter, tilting my head back with a gasp.
“I plan to,” he growls out.
I smile.
Rickon reaches up, his thumb landing on my lips. Like he wants to feel my smile. I dart my tongue out, and he chases it back into my mouth. His finger’s warm from my body and soft, teasing my tongue before pressing into my cheek. I seal my lips around it and suck.
Rickon groans, his cock twitching through his pants on my thigh. He likes it.