Chapter 10
10
Hazel
Kellan held my hand as we made our way back down the aisle to my guys. His fingers gripped mine with a raw sort of desperation that definitely soothed my inner omega side. Being needed by him—by this pack—was all I wanted.
It was strange; I’d had my shower and was clean, but something in me had still felt wrong until I’d cuddled with Kellan and his scent had transferred onto me. As Kellan dropped into his seat, I took a moment to check out the other three men eyeing me like I was their next meal.
I wanted to be smothered in their scents, until I didn’t know where one ended and the next began.
But trying to pick which one to cuddle up with next was like trying to pick my favorite dessert. And the longer I stood there, the more I started to stress over it.
“What’s wrong?” Crew was watching me like a hawk. Hell, at this point, he was so freaking attuned to me, he could probably sense my pulse from a few feet away.
Rhett’s head tipped to the side, understanding in his soft gray eyes. “There’s no wrong choice, love. Follow your instincts.”
I glanced at my men. Rhett had switched seats so he was now beside Jude, our beta resting with his head against Rhett’s shoulder. He gave me a tired smile before reaching out to link our pinkies.
After giving his hand a quick squeeze, I turned and fell back into Crew’s lap. His arms immediately banded around me, a rumbling purr filling the space as his chest vibrated under me.
Kellan winked at me. “Apparently we need to go feral more often to get Hazel’s attention.”
I stuck my tongue out at him. “Don’t be jealous.”
He lifted a brow. “Fucking temptress.”
I leaned back, melting into Crew’s touch as he purred for me, soothing us both. I’d had a feeling his nerves were still a little raw, so I mentally high-fived myself on making the right call. I could feel Crew calming the longer I sat with him, his scent slowly becoming less pungent.
“How’s your shoulder?” I asked Jude, flicking my damp hair off my shoulder and eyeing the wet patch it left behind with a scowl. My hair took forever to air dry, and I didn’t even have a tie to twist it back.
“Okay,” Jude answered.
I frowned. “You shouldn’t have carried me.”
Jude scoffed. “Baby, please. Even if I’d ripped every stitch open—which I didn’t—I still would’ve carried your sweet ass around.”
I rolled my eyes as Rhett sighed and shook his head before mock-glaring at Jude. “You’ll be the death of me yet, pup.”
Jude’s dark eyes went liquid and he tipped his head back to kiss the underside of Rhett’s jaw.
“You feel better since your shower, little one?” Crew asked as the rumble in his chest faded. He rested his chin on my shoulder, watching me with dark blue eyes that seemed to see more than I’d like at times.
I nodded and turned, not hesitating to press my lips to his.
I’d meant it to be a quick peck, but Crew wrapped a hand around the back of my neck and held me close, deepening the kiss. I sighed into his mouth, loving the possessive way his hands gripped me, the sure way his mouth moved against mine. Like this was the most natural thing in the world.
When he finally pulled away, he nipped at my lower lip before licking it slowly, like he was savoring my taste.
It took a second for my lungs to figure out how to work again.
“We’ll be landing in a few hours,” Rhett reminded us. “Hold it together until then, Crew, yeah?”
Crew flipped him off without breaking eye contact with me.
“In the meantime,” Kellan started, giving me a knowing look, “we need to talk.”
Rhett stiffened and Jude’s head popped up. Both exchanged uneasy looks.
I took a deep breath. “When I was in the car with the alphas, a call came in. It was Carter Martin.”
“Martin’s son ?” Jude’s brow furrowed. “Why would he be calling them?”
“From what I gathered, Carter and his dad set up a window to preoccupy you guys so Donovan could take me back.”
Crew’s hands tightened on my hips. “You’re sure?”
I shrugged as I looked at him. “I mean, that’s definitely the impression I got. Carter was freaking out about the OS agents that had been killed by APA. I also got the feeling this wasn’t the first time they’d worked together, and Carter let it slip that he knew his father and my uncle had arranged for you guys to be taken into custody.”
“Fuck,” Rhett whispered, looking stunned. “I knew Martin was a self-serving prick, but this is…”
“I spent months gathering intel on APA,” Jude murmured, “and every time I thought we were getting close, something changed. They moved shipments and storage facilities. It was enough to keep us from being able to sweep in and bust their whole organization.”
“Almost like they had an insider feeding them info,” Crew finished darkly, violence rolling off him in waves. “Every time Jude called in, I made the report notes and passed them directly to motherfucking Martin.”
I swallowed a whimper, burrowing into Crew’s chest, and he pressed an absentminded kiss to the top of my head.
“You originally went after the APA because you suspected them of terrorism, right?” I asked, looking at Jude.
He nodded. “Yeah. It was why I went undercover. We’d received word that under their “alphas are superior” cult shit, they were moving unregistered and stolen weapons.”
“But what would Martin have to gain from that?” Rhett speculated.
Jude’s brows knit together. “APA’s whole mission was about making alphas the superior designation. About how an alpha had the right to an omega of their choosing, and a beta’s job was to assist an alpha in that goal. That if the proper designation hierarchy was put in place, there would be less fighting, poverty, and conflict in the country.”
“Ellis was out of his fucking mind,” Kellan said with a derisive scoff.
“No, he wasn’t,” I countered. I met each of their gazes. “When it was just him and me, Donovan let the APA facade drop. He didn’t give a shit about alphas and betas and designation placement. All his prophetic shit was just that—absolute garbage. He was using the wedge between the designations as a way to further his cause.”
“Which was?” Kellan asked, sounding confused and curious.
I gave him a helpless shrug because I couldn’t connect the dots, either. I just knew they did connect in some twisted way.
Rhett rubbed his temples. “None of this makes any sense.”
“We need to figure it out,” Crew spoke up, his tone even. “Something tells me there’s a lot more to the APA and Martin than we know.”
“We’ll need help,” Jude pointed out.
Crew nodded. “We know Pack Stone has our backs, but we’ll need more.”
Rhett let out a heavy breath. “I can reach out to my parents. They know people.”
Jude’s dark eyes hardened. “Rhett.”
Rhett turned and looked at the beta. “They’re already involved, love.” He slid a large palm along Jude’s jaw when Jude huffed. “Trust me.”
“I do trust you,” Jude shot back. “Your family? Not so much. If they help, they have a motive, and that motive usually comes tied to a million strings that you end up paying for.”
“Jude’s right,” Crew added. “We can figure this out on our own.”
Rhett looked at each of us before settling his sterling gaze on me. “They came after our omega. Whatever shuts this shit down the fastest is all I care about. I can handle my family and their… demands. Anything to protect our pack.”
Heat simmered low in my stomach, and I wiggled away from Crew to cross the aisle and wedge myself between Jude and Rhett. Both wrapped their arms around me. Rhett nuzzled his nose against my throat as Jude took my hand and kissed the inside of my wrist.
My nerves settled as their scents wound around me, completing the unique scent that was all of us.
“I don’t want to wait,” I whispered.
Kellan leaned forward. “Wait for what, sugar?”
I licked my suddenly dry lips. “To bond. Can we… I mean, if you guys want?—”
“We fucking want,” Crew assured me, his voice a low growl.
My heart pounded in my chest. “Now?”
Rhett hissed a breath as Jude chuckled and muttered, “Fuck, I love you.”
“No.” Crew’s rasp grated over my skin, popping the small balloon of hope.
I deflated quickly. “Oh. Um, okay.”
Crew stood and maneuvered into the aisle to take one of the seats across from us. A second later, Kellan dropped into the seat beside him, the five of us huddled together despite the size and openness of the jet.
Crew took my hand. “It’s not what you’re thinking, little one.”
I swallowed around my dry throat, but couldn’t meet his gaze. His rejection stung more than I wanted to admit.
“Look at me, baby,” Crew demanded in a gentle tone.
I lifted my gaze to meet his.
“I love you,” Crew said, almost reverently. “We all do. And we’re not bonding you in the back of a fucking airplane. You deserve better than that.”
All three of my other guys nodded in agreement.
“He’s right, dove,” Rhett added, kissing my shoulder. “You deserve the world.”
“I don’t want the world,” I countered. “I just want the four of you. I want to know that I can’t be taken away from you again. You’re my pack.”
“And you’re our world,” Jude assured me, squeezing my fingers.
“No one is ever taking you from us again,” Kellan snarled. “Not the APA, not OS. Fucking no one.”
I felt the blood drain from my face. “Oh, god. Will OS come after us again? Technically they were taking me away when the APA showed up.” I had no love lost for Hillary and the men who had come for me, but I also knew that OS wasn’t just going to forget I existed. Omegas were too rare for that to ever happen.
“No.” Crew didn’t bat an eye. “After the OS office in Montana botched things so epically and endangered your life, there’s no way. Rhett’s parents went public that their soon to be daughter-in-law was taken.”
I gasped and turned to Rhett. “They did?”
His smile was grim. “Yes. I’m not sure why, but they went public, asking for aid in your return and even getting the President’s vow to help find you.”
“The US and Canadian governments often work closely together,” Jude explained. “When we knew where you were, we had the support of both countries to bring you home. It’s why we were able to get to you so quickly.”
“What he’s saying, love,” Rhett clarified, “is that, thanks to my parents, you’ve already essentially been approved by the President of the United States as our omega. Your capture has been all over the media. No one would dare try to break up our pack.”
Kellan cracked his knuckles. “Damn right they wouldn’t.”
“So, you’re saying it’s over?” I held my breath, waiting for the answer.
“You’re ours, little omega,” Crew rumbled. “At this point the paperwork is just a formality, and one that we’ve already begun expediting. My parents know a few people at Omega Affairs in the capital. Since you were a resident of California when you were taken?—”
”And since that’s where we’re currently headed,” Jude chimed in with a wink.
Crew smirked. “That, too.—California will be the branch of OS that ultimately signs off on your pack placement. And the head of the California branch just so happens to be the alpha of one of my mother’s closest friends.”
Kellan grinned, his smile so wide I could see his dimples popping in his cheeks even under his beard. “I bet the paperwork is waiting for our signatures when we land.”
Tears filled my eyes as relief slammed into me like a freight train.
Crew leaned forward. “We’re taking you home, Hazel. Home, where you’ll build your perfect nest over the next few days, and when the time is right?—”
Kellan cut him off. “Preferably in the next few days.”
I ducked my head as a giggle spilled from my lips.
Crew rolled his eyes, but a smile tugged at his lips. “Then, we’ll bond you.”
“Try to stop us,” Jude snickered.
“Neanderthals,” Rhett sighed. “We’re assuming this is acceptable to you, love?”
I blinked, tears spilling over as I bobbed my head frantically. “Yes. I love you guys, and I just want to be yours.” I settled back between Jude and Rhett, a newfound feeling of peace swelling in my chest.
I yawned as my head dropped onto Jude’s shoulder. Rhett situated me so I was on Jude’s lap with my legs thrown across Rhett’s thighs. A soft, fuzzy blanket appeared and I felt the weight of the last two days dragging me under. I fell asleep to the sounds of my pack’s warm voices and heady scents.