Chapter Seventeen #2
Laken raised a self-conscious hand to his hair, stiffening at Rue’s laughter. “I don’t know what you mean!” he replied indignantly, sniffing loudly, nose going up in the air like he’d smelled something bad.
Rue knew that look all too well, Laken was putting on his Mr Frosty Pants front. It was too much, and Rue shook with the force of his laughter. “Man, you need to go to the restroom before you enter the boardroom. Jupiter will make mincemeat of you.”
His brother stomped off, muttering something Rue didn’t quite catch. Rue wasn’t gonna poke his nose in Laken’s business when he didn’t want anyone doing that to him after this morning. He’d gone to apologize to Jupiter, only to find he wasn’t in his office and hadn’t been all day.
In the boardroom, he took a seat, his gaze sweeping the table, landing on Jupiter. The man didn’t so much as acknowledge him, and Rue sighed, disheartened. He hadn’t really expected anything else.
His phone vibrated, and he tugged it out of his pocket. Seeing Monty’s name on the screen, he winced. With one glance at the others to check no one was close enough to read the message, he opened it.
Monty: Does that mean you aren’t coming at all tonight?
Rue: Silas has called an urgent meeting, like I said, not sure how long I’ll be here. Didn’t want to put you or Kendrick out. I messaged him too.
The dots danced to say Monty was answering, so he waited.
Monty: Kendrick said he’s still going to call. Can you come after the meeting… if you want to, that is? We won’t mind the lateness of the hour.
How much he wanted it should have him saying no.
Rue: Alright, I’ll message when I leave here so you know when to expect me.
The dots appeared again.
Monty: I have some leftovers if you’re interested.
Rue: Don’t go to any trouble.
Monty: It’s leftovers, no trouble. See you soon. X
Rue felt a blast of emotions wash over him at how considerate Monty was being, but he wasn’t sure how he felt about it.
“Great, now that Laken has arrived, we’ll get started. Unless Rue has something urgent to do on his phone?”
Silas sounded tired, and Rue noticed the dark circles, so kept his sarcastic comment to himself. Nodding curtly instead, he pocketed his phone.
The tension in the room was palpable.
Silas lifted a newspaper and slammed it down on the boardroom table. “This shit hit the fan in the evening press.”
“What now?” Kari was the first to ask.
“Some fucker down in Drinkwater has sold their story to the press about what happened when we were at the ranch. The press is all over the hotel like a bad fucking rash. Oakland has his hands full after the original fallout. He’s mightily pissed and feels it’s too risky to leave the vulnerable omegas in the hotel.
” He rubbed his temples, eyes flashing with temper.
“Not that they aren’t all vulnerable, but we need to move those who are struggling the most out of harm’s way, as soon as possible.
And what I mentioned before, I wanted to plan more thoroughly before we moved the four from the hotel to the ranch in Bayfield, it needs to happen faster. ”
At the collective nods, Silas grunted, a hand running over the back of his neck as his gaze swept the table.
“Oakland is interrogating the staff to prevent further leaks, because we can’t have anyone following them to the ranch.
It would defeat the whole purpose of sending them there.
” Silas drummed his fingers on the table, looking pale and somewhat older than he had.
Rue felt the beginnings of a headache at his temples, at what the press could cause if left to run amok. The alphas who were fighting the case against them over the treatment of the omegas had their dirty hands all over this, Rue just wasn’t sure how.
“How is this going to work, then?” Jupiter questioned, a finger rubbing at his eyebrow in a continuous movement, one that revealed the distress his expression didn’t.
Silas pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyes sweeping the boardroom table. “There’s a lot to consider.”
Silas had laid out the priority: re-home those who were struggling, safely and quickly, which meant one of them needed to assist. When Rue had originally read the group chat in Bayfield, he’d had an idea, though he cast it aside for many reasons.
The main being that doing whatever he was doing with Kendrick and Monty would never be a long term thing.
But could going back to Bayfield give him a chance to fuck this infatuation with the pair out of his system?
Neither man would want him long term, he accepted that.
But short term? That was more plausible, wasn’t it?
Take the chance.
Leave me be. Rue made sure his animal side got he wasn’t messing.
“Oakland is going to pay a visit to the ranch. He’s leaving in the morning to assess the risks and work to mitigate whatever he finds.
I’ve had some ideas about this. I’m stopping all the team-building packages at the ranch.
This prevents any newbies, or press, from showing up and pretending so they can get information.
I called Ethan before I came here, and he’s working on cancelling and refunding folks.
Once that’s done, we’ll be able to think about potentially transporting the omegas beginning of next week.
I can’t do it this week as we have paid visitors for the entire week. ”
“How’s that going to happen? Can Oakland manage all the logistics and settle the omegas at the ranch?
From what I’ve seen, Ethan can’t help. He’s got his own workload and yours on his plate.
” Rue laid out the issues as he saw them, his mind considering how to get what he wanted without raising suspicion.
“That’s part of why we are here. I need to discuss how we help Oakland. He is going to take Brier along with him and leave his remaining team with the others.”
“If Oakland is dealing with just those few, who will be in charge of keeping the other situation confined? It feels a bit like overkill to send Oakland to the ranch when so many are staying behind. And how long is he planning on staying there?” Laken questioned, his lips thinning, looking more like himself after his visit to the restroom.
“Oakland is considering who will replace him long term. He’s the best placed to keep the most vulnerable safe, and he won’t consider anyone else doing it.”
“Isn’t that strange?” Kodi looked at everyone in confusion.
“Surely, he should stay where the majority are, as Laken said? Isn’t he needed at the hotel to aid in planning what comes next?
I mean, I’m sure there are others out there who could do what Oakland does, but that’s gonna take time to find that we don’t have, no?
I’m seeing more problems than solutions in this option. ”
Silas shrugged off the concern. “It’s his decision, and I agree with him after he explained the carnage after the heats. They trust him, and that is fucking vital. What we need now—”
“I’ll help.” Rue interrupted, doing his level best to contain his embarrassment at rushing to speak before anyone else could even consider offering. “I can go and stay in Bayfield.”
Rue made a point not to say he’d stay at the ranch because he hoped it wouldn’t be long term anyway. “Until such time as things calm down. My military training could be useful.” He looked at Jupiter. “And not everyone enjoyed being on the ranch. I can manage my workload via email right now.”
He would check, or get Monty to, once they’d discussed it. He was flying by the seat of his pants, and hoped the fuckers didn’t catch fire, burning his ass for making assumptions on Monty and Kendrick’s behalf. Burning his ass could be the least of his problems if he was reading both men wrong!
Jupiter laughed, rolling his eyes. “Some of us definitely got more out of the ranch experience than others. Right, Rue?”
“What’s he referring to?” Kodi questioned, looking between the two.
“Shouldn’t we all take a turn? Do a few weeks each?” Laken offered, and Rue resisted telling him to shut up when it was clear he was deflecting for Rue.
Rue offered a pinched smile. “Do you have the skills I have?”
“What, stomping shit?” Laken fired at Rue, getting chuckles from Kodi and Taylin.
“Would you take Monty?” Booker’s lips were twitching.
No one had said anything aloud about his visits to town. He knew well that some, if not all, of his brothers had an idea about his nocturnal trips. They were all far too observant, as the conversation with Jupiter made glaringly obvious.
“Yep.” It was getting harder to hold on to his embarrassment, while starting Booker down, hoping like heck he revealed none of his internal conflict.
“What if Monty doesn’t want to stay at the ranch for weeks—months without knowing when he could come home?” Always the voice of reason, Kari had a valid point.
It was something they would talk about later tonight, after they confirmed he was going. “It’s in his contract. He goes where I go.”
“You can’t fucking force him,” Silas muttered angrily. “Popi would have a fit if you tried to do that!”
He blew out a frustrated breath. “Leave it out, I’m not fucking forcing anyone. Monty knows the score. Hollis pointed it out to all the PAs in the e-mail he sent us all when he allocated them. Or have you lot forgotten that? If I remember right, you all had a bitch about it.”
“We’re getting off track.” Kodi drummed his fingers on the table much like Silas, looking most uncomfortable. “If Rue can wangle it to work being based up on the ranch, then why are we looking for another solution when we have one?”
“Are you sure, Rue? I could go.”
Silas was the obvious choice as it was his ranch, but Monty had shared that Ziggy had a major fear of horses, explaining the fainting episode at the ranch when they were there.
“Would Ziggy want that?” It was a low blow, but he was desperate for them to agree, despite how unsure he was whether this was in his best interest.
“No,” Silas replied, after only a minor hesitation. “If you’re sure, Rue?”
He nodded before Silas had finished speaking.
“As that’s decided, are we done?” Jupiter rose before anyone answered.
“Sit, we aren’t done. If Monty goes, that leaves a gap in Emmy’s childcare—”
“I’ll do it.” Jupiter might as well have said he’d run naked through the building after he’d set fire to it. He didn’t sit down, just stood with raised brows challenging them all. “What?” he finally asked when the deafening silence continued.
It wasn’t really a surprise, Jupiter loved Emmy and spent most of his time, if allowed, when he was home with her. What surprised Rue was how many nights Jupiter stayed home for the privilege when others were out. He was a man whore, yet with Emmy, he was something different.
“It seems we’re done,” Kodi motioned at Jupiter, also getting up.
Rue rose too, ready to leave, eager to get to Monty’s to discover whether what he was proposing fit with Monty and Kendrick.
Preoccupied, he didn’t notice Silas following him to his office until he spoke. “Are you sure about this?”
Rue paused in tidying up his desk to look at his big brother. A brother with whom it had taken a year to really feel like they were family. Silas had persisted, despite Rue’s obstructive behavior, in making him feel he belonged. He’d always be grateful for that, loved him for it.
He witnessed concern and gratitude. “I am. Don’t stress ‘bout it. I went through my workload,”—or he would later—“and there isn’t anything I can’t do from Bayfield for the next six months, at least.” He grinned deliberately. “As long as you don’t let the others pull any shit on me.”
His office filled with Silas’s booming laughter. “Like I can stop them?” Silas spluttered. “But I’ll get Dad on the case if they don’t play fair. He’ll sort them out.”
Rue rolled his eyes. “Good luck with that.”