Chapter 61 Red
Chapter sixty-one
Red
The doorbell rudely digs into my subconscious, yanking me from a delightful dream of Zack fucking me slowly from behind. I groan and roll over only to discover it wasn’t completely a dream. Zack’s fast asleep, but his morning glory pokes my ass cheek.
The doorbell rings again.
“Who the fuck comes to visit at this ungodly hour?” I mutter, sitting up.
Zack grabs me protectively, digging his face into my hip. “Stay,” he orders grumpily.
I chuckle and run my fingers through his hair. On the far side of the mattress, Rickon sprawls half-off the edge of the bed, one hand draping the floor as he snores. Sunlight brushes his naked back, which rises and falls gently. So fucking beautiful.
But one alpha’s missing, and I cock my head to listen as his footsteps tramp down the staircase. The murmur of familiar voices rises from below as Callisto gets the door, and I shake Rickon awake as recognition hits.
“Babe, your paren—” Well damn. After everything that went down yesterday, I better watch how I phrase this or I’ll shock him. “Lexi Wren’s here.”
“Huh?” my sweetheart alpha lifts his head, drool pooling on one corner of his mouth.
“You’re adorable,” I mutter. “But wake up. Calli’s family is here.” Well, our family now. Excitement burns in my chest as I scoot down the end of the bed only to come up short as Zack grabs my wrist.
I chuckle. It’s like we’ve reverted to the days when he first arrived. “C’mon, Zack.” I whine, shaking his legs. “We’ve got visitors.”
He peels one eye open, looking about as happy as a cat in water, but after a few more prods I get him up on his feet.
Zack lifts me up to drape over his shoulder, and I hang there patiently as he carries me downstairs.
The ache in my neck doesn’t sting as sharply today, and it’s kinda moved down into my shoulder, which is more bearable.
Besides, with the way Zack’s set on carrying me, I might never have to move myself again. The idea makes me chuckle.
“Red!” Lexi cries as she catches sight of us. “You’re all over the news. Lordy, I was so scared for you, my girl!”
I reach my arms down Zack’s back, and she hugs me as best she can around the bulky alpha. “I’m fine, Aunt Lexi,” I tell her. “My alphas saved me.”
“She bloody saved herself like the champion she is,” Rickon declares, padding down the stairs behind us. “We just got there in time to pick her up.” He covers a yawn.
“Good grief! What a nightmare you’ve all been through.” Lexi bursts into tears as she pulls him into her hug.
Pressed tight to her, Rickon’s eyes flutter closed, and a beautiful peace flows through the bond. “How are you, Mom?”
She straightens, stares at him, and jerks him in for another hug, bawling her eyes out. Shit, I love her to bits.
“Put me down, Zack,” I order.
He grumbles but sets me on my feet, holding the back of my tank top as I walk forward. “Thanks for coming, Mom,” I tell her.
She gasps and releases Rickon. “You too, songbird? I’m so happy I might burst.” The omega nearly strangles me in another hug, releasing me only when Rickon mentions my injuries. I grin over her shoulder as Simon and Lector come closer.
“We brought pancakes,” Lector says, holding up two big carry bags.
Zack actually releases me. “Pancakes?” he asks, tipping his head. We all laugh.
As we set out spreads and Lexi chops fresh strawberries, the dramatic story spills out.
When Lexi hears that Clarissa Jones is dead, she plops down on a chair and sobs, saying how unfair it is for Rickon.
The alpha himself pats her shoulder and tells her it’s okay; even goes as far as thanking Lexi for sponsoring his birth mother all those years ago.
There are people, there are angels, and somewhere above that sits Rickon.
He needs a day of the year dedicated to him.
Even if he’s at peace, I can’t help wondering how he feels about me.
It was an accident, but I’m still the one who killed her.
I fiddle with my fingers in my lap, processing that idea.
Can I call it an accident if I flicked the safety off?
I wasn’t trying to kill anyone, I just didn’t want to die myself.
“Biscuit.”
I snap alert to find Rickon crouching at my feet. Gazing down into his lovely green eyes, a lump forms in my throat.
“Don’t even go there, my darling,” he orders. “You did what you needed to do to stay alive, and that’s all that matters to me. Got it?”
I nod mutely, my heart squeezing. He’s right. I’ve had enough suffering in my life without torturing myself.
“Ohm-ee-ga,” Zack rumbles warningly, drawing my gaze. “When you in challenge, you must be winner. Always. Good job!”
I choke on a laugh. Trust Zack to simplify something like this. “All right, Alpha,” I tell him. My family gathers around me, offering gentle touches and encouraging words, their love chasing away every dark thought. If any doubts rise again, I’m sure Doc Leanne will set me straight.
“Guess this means another court case,” I say, wrinkling my nose.
“Do we know any good lawyers?” Simon quips, breaking the last of the tension.
Amid the laughter, we gather at the table and load our plates with warm, fluffy pancakes, drowning them in syrup and the whipped cream the Wrens brought over.
After we’ve downed a few, Simon laces his hands together over his plate. “We’ve got some news of our own.”
All eyes snap his way.
He grins and motions for his brother to take over. Lector chuckles. “Alpha Cash is now officially under the control of Wren Industries. The takeover happened yesterday.”
I fall back in my chair as Callisto and Rickon cheer, and Zack demands to know what it all means.
Their voices come from a long way away as the reality burns into me.
The fortune Ray made selling omegas, haze, and human dignity has been ripped from his hands.
My throat swells. I feel like I’m floating in some place far removed from time and space, a place where I’m light as a feather.
“Red?” Rickon calls. He squeezes my hand, watching me with a concerned expression. Bit of déjà vu going on here.
“Shit,” I mutter, swallowing hard as gravity sucks me back into my body.
“You okay?” he asks.
“Yeah, I’m fantastic.” I grin. “It’s like a fucking exorcism just took place.” My cheeks tickle, and when I swipe them, I discover a few rogue tears. Well, I suppose freedom deserves a bit of saltwater.
Simon reaches his hand across the table. “Is there anything we can do for you, sweetheart?”
I shake my head as I squeeze his hand. “You’ve already done it,” I assure him. Way above what I could dream.
“Where does this put us financially?” Callisto asks, loading syrup onto a new pancake stack.
Lector hums and passes him the cream. “It’ll take a few months for the share price to rebound, but when it does, we should be third.”
“Behind Romdines and Wests?”
“Yeah. Will be close with the Kilroys, but I think we’ll overtake them.”
Callisto snorts and throws his dad a knowing look. “Competitive much?” he asks around a mouthful of pancake.
“Wait,” I say. “Third what? And who are the Kilroys and others?
Rickon shakes his head, a half smile playing on his lips. “They’re talking about the richest families in the country, Biscuit. Dollars.” He rubs his fingers together.
His words from the cabin rocket into my brain. Callisto’s family are filthy rich. But that much? “Third?” I choke out. “As in third richest in the country?”
“That’s correct,” Lexi says, leaning into Lector who beams like a Cheshire cat. “My men are business aces. All three of them.” She throws me a cheeky smirk. “So, congratulations on packing up with Ricky, my youngest.” Lexi winks at my first alpha, and he ducks his head, hiding a happy blush.
Yes, she makes a grand point, but I suddenly realize what we’ve forgotten in the chaos. I glance at Callisto, and he nods, smiling shyly.
I clear my throat and tap my fork against the side of my plate. “Well, on that topic . . . Um, so first, congratulations on taking over Alpha Cash. I don’t even have words to say how happy that makes me. And congrats on being the third richest family in the country—”
“Almost,” Lector corrects, and I can tell he’s a stickler for the numbers.
I chuckle. “Okay, soon-to-be third richest in the country. I can’t even imagine how that’s calculated. But we have some other news you need to know.”
They all watch me expectantly, and when I reach out my hand, Callisto rises and comes to stand behind me, resting his hands on my shoulders.
“Ricky isn’t your only son I’ve claimed.”
Lexi gasps, and her hands fly to her mouth. Her saucer-sized eyes shift from me to Callisto. “Are you for real?” she screeches.
Callisto laughs. “Mom, Dads. I’d like to introduce you to my scent-matched omega. We knew ages ago, but I made a mess of things.”
“I cannot fucking believe this,” Lexi squeals, more tears running down her face.
Her joy overflows so much she flaps her hands like Ozzie does his wings.
“My babies all grown and packed up. And in the same family. I’m going to throw you the biggest party of the year, I swear!
” She promptly breaks down in massive sobs that have her alphas racing to pick her up.
It’s so sweet and genuine that I can’t help but feel like the luckiest omega in the world, complete with a wonderful extended family.
When she catches her breath, my new mom pounds her fists on her son’s chest while scolding him for not telling them earlier.
“I’m sorry,” Callisto says, grinning as he grabs her wrists. “Like I said, it wasn’t smooth sailing.” He tugs her close and smothers her in a hug where she can’t hit him, and he nods to Simon over her glossy head with a loaded look that makes me wonder if Simon knew something all along.
Zack rises from his seat and walks over to Lexi, towering over her by two whole feet. “Hug?” he asks, holding out his arms.
She laughs through her tears and squeezes him.
“Now I have three handsome sons,” she declares.
“And a gorgeous daughter.” Her lips pout out in a kiss aimed in my direction, and I blow one back.
After all these years of being on my own, I finally found my three alphas .
. . and now that family’s doubled in size.
The doorbell slices through our celebration, and all noise halts, except for Lexi’s sniffles.
“I’ll get it,” Rickon says, doubt in his voice.
“Were we expecting anyone?” I ask. Callisto shakes his head in reply.
“Is that Wren bastard here?” a familiar male voice calls the moment the door squeaks open.
Both Simon and Lector bristle and step forward, and Zack copies them, swinging around to search for a threat.
“Hale, what a surprise,” Ricky says with a laugh. “Yes, Calli’s here.”
“Yeah, well, we haven’t got time for surprises.” Callisto’s paralegal stalks into the room and glares at Callisto.
“What’s going on?” Callisto asks.
“Well, if you’d answer your damn phone, you’d know,” the pissed-off man says. He eyes Calli up and down as he closes the distance and clucks his tongue. “And just fucking great, you’re still in your pajamas.”
“You’re not making any sense,” Callisto shoots back, tone brittle.
Hale drags on his elbow. “I know you’ve been through shit with a manhunt and whatnot, but you need to get dressed. You’re due in court in fifteen minutes.” He shoves Callisto bodily toward the stairs. “Go.”
The blood drains from Callisto’s face. “What? But I don’t have anything scheduled today.”
His colleague huffs. “No? How about the fucking case you ran out of yesterday? God knows why, but the judge ordered an overnight rescheduling. You’ve got a big penalty fee to pay, but I’m sure that won’t bother you much.
” He blows out through his lips, looking both frazzled and proud.
“You must’ve been born under a lucky star, Callisto Wren. ”
I wobble. They gave him a second chance at his career streak?
“Holy shit!” Callisto cries from the bottom step. “Are you serious?”
Hale lifts his arm and looks at his watch. “Fourteen minutes.”
Callisto bolts up the stairs, and Ricky charges after him, their footsteps thundering overhead.
Hale spins and pushes escaped wiry hair toward his topknot before bowing slightly. “Mrs Wren, and Misters Wren, please forgive me for intruding on your meal.” He’s suddenly like a completely different person.
Without waiting for an answer, he swings toward me.
“Ms Jones, I’m horrified by what happened to you and thrilled to see you standing here in one piece.
Tomorrow, or when I get a chance to breathe, I’ll be sure to send flowers, but today I need to borrow your lawyer.
” He turns and shouts up toward the second floor. “Twelve minutes.”
A giggle escapes me, and I press a finger to my lips. “I see why Callisto loves working with you,” I say.
He grins. “Well, the pleasure’s all mine. He might be a bit of a—” he blanches, gaze flitting to the senior Wrens. “A bit special, but he’s brilliant at what he does. Working with him keeps things interesting.” He climbs a few steps and calls out, “Ten minutes. Your ride is leaving.”
Shit, the case. I should be there to watch Callisto’s triumph!
Hale sees me lunge forward and holds out his hand. “Don’t strain yourself, Ms Jones. I’m sure you’ve been through the wringer since yesterday. If you prefer, I can call you when things wrap up, and you can come pick him up.”
My panic evaporates. “That’d be great, but you sound certain that he’s going to win.”
He heads for the door, smirk lighting up his face. “He’d have to be a nincompoop to lose this one.”
Zack glides to my side and takes my hand. “Cal-ee smart,” he declares proudly.
Hale shoots his fingers at the big alpha. “Right you are. Let’s just hope we can get that smart alpha to the courthouse in time.”
Callisto flies down the stairs, still buttoning his vest. He pauses to kiss my cheek, but Hale hisses at him, shooing him out the foyer.
“Good luck, alpha!” I shout as the door slams shut.