Chapter 23
23
Crew
My gaze cut across the table to Jude as Rhett stormed out of the kitchen. “Who was that?”
Jude’s mouth twisted into a snarl. “Thane.”
Hazel’s eyes were big as her gaze bounced between us. Her sweet scent soured with worry. “Who?”
“Rhett’s oldest brother,” Jude explained, his expression smoothing out when he caught her distress.
She frowned. “Do we like any of Rhett’s relatives? From what I’ve gathered, his parents aren’t that great.”
“If Crew’s family is the ultimate family goal, then Rhett’s is the opposite,” Kellan offered, biting a roll in half.
I couldn’t deny that my family was pretty fucking amazing. From my parents to my siblings and now my pack, I’d struck gold in the relatives department. I was a lucky bastard and I’d freely admit it to anyone who asked.
But Rhett’s family? They were so cold, so unyielding they may as well have been made from marble. Well, except when they’d helped us find Hazel. But even that came with strings, and we all knew it.
Looked like the Coulson clan was coming to collect.
A low growl built in my chest, that impotent feeling of rage that simmered when something happened that was out of my control. Right now I wanted to protect Rhett from his family, but I couldn’t.
I refocused my attention on my girl. “What do you want to do today, little omega?”
The way her eyes went soft and liquidy as I asked the question made my alpha side preen like a damn peacock. “I don’t know.” But her scent was stronger, thicker, leaving zero doubt as to what she really wanted.
My dick hardened as I started working out giving her exactly what she craved. I glanced at the kitchen table, pretty much accepting that I’d eat the cost of an entirely new set of dishes if it meant sweeping them all to the floor to lay Hazel out like a buffet for us.
The muscles in my jaw tightened as I imagined her flavor bursting across my tongue, her moans echoing off the high ceiling. My fingers flexed around my mug of coffee and I wondered if sweetening it with Hazel’s slick was an option.
Arousal hovered in the air, and I was about to grab her when my phone started ringing obnoxiously from where I’d left it at the kitchen island.
Cheeks flushed, Hazel blinked a few times. “Do you need to get that?”
No.
I sighed and shoved away from the table. If it was my family offering up more congratulations, I’d let it go to voicemail. But on the off chance it was something important, I couldn’t ignore it.
And, sure enough, Oakley’s name flashed across the screen. Considering the mess he was currently sorting out for us, I knew I needed to take the call.
I gave Hazel a tight smile. “Sorry, baby.”
She didn’t seem phased as she stood. “No worries. We should probably get all of this cleaned up.” She started to grab a plate, but Kellan snatched it away.
“You cooked, sugar. We’ll clean up.” He kissed the inside of her wrist.
She smiled at him. “Okay, then I’m going to make sure Rhett’s okay.” She turned and sashayed out of the room, all of us staring at her ass until she turned a corner.
Kellan glared at the table and then at Jude. “Guess we’re on dish duty.”
Jude scoffed. “I fucking cooked, too. You’re on dish duty, bro.”
I grabbed my phone and swiped the green button to answer the call as Kellan and Jude bickered over who was doing clean up.
“Hey, man,” I greeted as I stepped out on the deck just off the kitchen, glancing around at the familiar surroundings with new eyes and intentions. It was a large space that overlooked a huge swimming pool and the pool house. I missed the potted roses that Mrs. Jones always had lining the deck. There was no furniture out here, giving it a barren vibe even with the bright California sun shining overhead. Leaning on the railing, I noticed the pool seemed in good shape, so that was a plus. Hazel always loved swimming.
The bone-deep acceptance that this would become our own—the place we came together as a pack and eventually raised a family—fell over me like a thick blanket on a snowy night.
“I saw the announcement this morning,” Oak replied. “Congrats, Crew. I’m happy for you and your pack. Hazel’s an amazing woman.”
“She is,” I agreed, nodding even though he couldn’t see me. “But I have a feeling you didn’t just call me to shoot the shit about bonding my omega.”
“No. I wanted to let you know the bureau has issued an APB on Martin. He vanished sometime last night after a warrant for his arrest was issued.”
I ground my molars together. “What the fuck happened?”
Oak sighed on the other end. “You were right. Martin was working with APA. Looks like he was turning a blind eye to their gun running in exchange for a fucking kickback.”
“How’d you find that out?” I demanded.
“That hacker guy Bowen knows? He did some more digging into the APA and uncovered a treasure trove of documents on the dark web that included bank statements and purchase orders.”
“For the guns,” I deduced.
“That, and for omegas,” he added.
My heart stopped. “What?”
“Yeah. They were trafficking omegas—male omegas, specifically. Females are too closely monitored, but the males tend to fall through the cracks. Explains how that Logan kid got twisted up in this mess,” he finished.
I scrubbed a hand down my face. “Tell me you found the rest of the APA assholes.”
“All except one. Hayden Ellis is still missing.”
My spine stiffened. “Donovan’s brother?”
“That’s the one. After we went through the compound in Canada where we found Hazel, we found a dug-out escape tunnel. He must’ve made it there in the chaos and slipped away. We had hounds tracking him, but it looks like there was a vehicle near the river that he used to get away.”
Every word made my blood pump harder, hotter.
“There’s a shit load of warrants out for his arrest and he’s on every international watch list,” Oakley said. “Same with Martin. They won’t get far. But, Crew, there’s one more thing.”
Because of fucking course there was.
“We think we found evidence that Martin knew the APA had Hazel.”
It took everything in me not to hurl my phone into the pool. “Explain.”
“Donovan Ellis and Alaric Martin used an encrypted program to exchange messages. Everything seemed to be going fine until a year ago when Martin heard they had a female omega in their camp.” Oakley took a big breath before continuing. “Hazel was never mentioned by name, but it seems that was when communication broke down between the APA and Martin.”
My eyes fluttered shut. “Which explains why he didn’t block us from investigating the APA ourselves.”
“Before the tech analysis response unit took Martin’s computer, the hacker downloaded more messages from the program Martin was using. Martin seemed to be communicating with someone going by the alias 'Sovereign’ who kept insisting Martin provide updates about the omega in question .”
“Hazel.” Her name was a feral growl on my lips.
“I mean, no names were exchanged, but, yeah. Seems like there was a lot of interest in your girl.”
“We need to find Martin,” I rasped, my breaths sawing in and out of my chest. “I need to know who this ‘Sovereign’ is and what the fuck they wanted with my omega.”
“We’ll keep digging,” Oak assured me. “This hacker seems to be on his game, but he’ll only talk through Bowen, which pisses me off.”
I felt my brows hike up to my hairline. “Think he’s after your beta?”
Oak’s growl was all the confirmation I needed. Oakley, Silas, and Bowen had a different sort of pack. They were more than just bonded—they were together in every sense of the word.
And I knew Oakley Stone was a prickly bastard on the best of days. The man redefined the word territorial . Hell, I’d seen it when he’d lashed out at my sister for slapping Silas. I never thought I’d see the day when Oak went after an omega, but his pack was his life.
Sobering, I refocused on the reason for the call. “Check out Carter, too.”
“Martin’s son?”
“Yeah.” I ran a hand through my hair. “I told you he called Ellis when Hazel was in the car. I’d bet my ass Carter knows something, or can help us find his dad. He’s a sneaky fucker, and I’d be willing to bet he’s involved somehow.”
He hummed in agreement. “There’s one other person I might be able to press.”
“Oh?” He had my attention.
“Henry Reed is still in custody.”
My breath hissed through my teeth at the mention of Hazel’s uncle. I’d kill for five minutes alone with him.
“Considering the APA connection to the bureau, they’ve been keeping him pretty isolated for questioning, but I’ll see what I can do.”
“I appreciate it,” I said, knowing I owed Oakley big time for the way he’d stepped up for my pack the last few weeks.
But, as usual, he didn’t give a shit about gratitude. “No worries. I’ll call again when I know more.”
“Oak, wait. I spoke with my dad about running security for my mom’s foundation. It’s a safe haven for omegas, and, considering the always increasing threats to their safety, I’d love for your pack to come to California and work with us.” We’d spoken about this before, but now that things were definitely changing, I needed to know if Pack Stone would be up for joining us.
Oak was quiet for a moment. “I have to talk to Silas and Bowen, but I’m pretty certain we’re in. Plus, my mom can finally get off my ass about visiting if I’m closer to home.”
I looked over at my family’s house in the distance. “I know what you mean. Look, with all the side work you’re doing to help us and Hazel?—”
Oakley growled. “If you even think about offering me money, I’ll shove a pole wrapped in barbed wire up your tight ass, Dutton.”
I snorted. “So, you think my ass is tight? Maybe this is why Bowen’s talking to other men.”
Another ominous growl. “Fucker.”
I smacked a kiss into the speaker. “Love you, too, man.”
He was still swearing when I ended the call and went to find my girl.