Chapter 23 #2
“What do you mean?” I ask, a growl rattling up my throat as my inner Alpha surges to the front of my mind. Protective instincts kick into overdrive, calling for me to take out these threats before they can harm my pack.
Hannah and Foster press into my side, a purr vibrating through my Omega’s chest as they attempt to soothe me. Even Kaitlin senses my frantic emotions and climbs into my lap to curl under my arm. It takes a minute, but I pull myself together.
“Benjamin and Jacqueline have targeted Omen with the intent to force her to mate with Senator Adam Pierson’s son, allowing them to carry on the Montgomery name.”
“Fucking hell,” Foster curses, his purr stuttering to a stop. Hannah looks furious beside him.
“We believe their inability to reach Omen means they will target you instead,” Donovan tells Hannah.
She nods, already knowing this would be the outcome. I hate it. Hate that she escaped that fucking cult only to have them haunt her every move. It’s utter horseshit!
“As conniving as my sister-in-law is, I doubt this was her plan. She’s more likely to break my father out of prison than to find an heir to his empire.
And Ben—well, he isn’t smart enough. This is my mother’s doing.
She holds the reins in this operation.” Disgust lines Hannah’s voice, as does strength.
Her resolve would bring me to my knees if I weren’t already sitting.
She’s so fucking strong. Still standing against her family when she deserves to relax and let others figure this shit out.
Donovan bobs his head, agreeing with her statement. “That is what we were thinking as well. Unfortunately, we still have no leads as to her whereabouts.”
“She won’t touch them,” I grit out, trying to hold in the anger threatening to burst from my chest.
“I wanted you to be aware of the situation and to know that there are additional agents ready to step in for your protection should you decide you need them. I’ll keep you apprised of further developments.” Donovan stands and brushes his hands down his slacks. “Please be careful.”
He leaves us to ruminate on this development. We’re all quiet as we absorb everything he said. It’s a fucking mess, but so is anything related to the Montgomery cult. Whatever they throw at us, we’ll handle it. Be it my mate’s asshole of a brother or her abusive mother.
“I think I’d like to call Omen,” Hannah whispers, groaning as she pushes to her feet. I jump up and help her stand, palm spreading across her belly to feel our son.
“We brought food, so we can eat when you’re finished.”
“I doubt I’ll be able to stomach anything for a while,” she admits. “Go ahead and eat. I want to hear all about your heat later, Omega.” She winks at Foster, who gives her a half-smile. We watch her walk away, lost for ways to help lighten this burden.
Our lazy day turns into a lazy evening, spent curled in bed with a muted show playing in the background.
Foster lies on my left, Hannah on my right.
Both their heads rest on my chest, fingers entwined over my stomach.
I keep my eyes closed, listening to them share hushed moments from the days we spent apart.
“You were right,” Foster admits, sadness coating his voice. My hand instinctively buries in his hair, a tactic I know centers him.
“About what?” she asks, free hand rising to brush along his jaw. The intimacy wrecks me. I love her. So damn much it feels impossible to express.
Foster sighs and leans into her touch, eyes fluttering closed. “The heat helper. Manny. He was a good one.”
A knowing look enters Hannah’s brown eyes, understanding through only his body language how affected our Omega was by the male Beta.
“You connected?” When he nods, she dances her fingertips over his lips, pulling the bottom one free from where it is trapped between his teeth. “Are you going to see him again?”
He shrugs, the motion weighted with all his doubts. She looks to me for answers, so I explain Manny disappeared the morning the heat broke. “We’re going to reach out to him in a few days. See if the interest is still there.”
“If that’s okay with you,” Foster tacks on. He gives Hannah a firm look as he captures her hand on his jaw. “You are part of our pack, too. If you aren’t comfortable with us adding another Beta, then we won’t.”
That wasn’t something we had discussed post-heat. We’d both been eager to get home, and were distracted by Manny leaving. I push appreciation down our bond, grateful for his ability to cement her role in our pack.
Hannah swipes her lips across his, thumb brushing across his cheek. “I’d never deny you expanding your pack. Unless they were jerks or hated children.”
Our Omega melts, hearts filling his eyes as he twists his head to kiss her palm. “You’ll get to meet him before we bring up joining the pack. He has to accept all four of us, not just me or Shep.”
Their whispers continue, soft in the still apartment.
My body is heavy with exhaustion from Foster’s heat, and I quickly drift into a dreamless sleep, wrapped in my mate’s scents and with hope for the future in my heart.
We may not be free of the threats the Montgomery cult poses, but they seem more like an inconvenience when I imagine a life of joy with my pack.