14. Aisling
Chapter fourteen
Aisling
The room feels like a cocoon, all soft shadows and hushed tones. Rook and I are tangled in each other—skin to skin, breath mingling. His chest rises and falls against my back, a calming rhythm in the aftermath.
“Hey,” he murmurs, his voice rough with the remnants of earlier exertions.
“Hey yourself,” I reply, my words floating on a contented sigh. The lamp on the bedside table casts a golden halo around us, and for a moment, it’s like we’re the only two people left in this screwed-up world.
His fingers trail over my shoulder, a light touch that sparks tingles across my flesh. He’s careful, always so careful, as if he understands the raw edges beneath my surface. Maybe he does; maybe that’s why I’m here with him now, instead of with my pack.
I need this…his gentleness, his care.
Fuck, I can’t believe I waited this long.
“Your hair’s a mess,” he teases, brushing a stray blonde lock from my face.
“Guess you’re to blame for that,” I shoot back, rolling to my other side to face him. Our noses brush, and we both chuckle before our lips meet. It’s a soft kiss, not one of those earth-shattering ones—you know, where the world fades and all that. No, this is different.
More like a promise whispered in the dark.
We pull back slightly, our foreheads resting together. I can feel his smile without seeing it.
“Didn’t peg you for a romantic,” I whisper, my lips curving into a smile that feels strangely vulnerable.
“Only for you, Stargazer.” His thumb caresses my cheek, and I lean into the touch, savoring the warmth.
“Good answer,” I murmur, closing my eyes and letting myself just be—for once, not an omega with power or a pawn in some game.
Just Aisling, held tight and treasured in the arms of a man who sees me for all that I am.
“Hey,” Rook’s voice is soft, but there’s something in it that pulls me back from the edge of sleep. His fingers trace idle patterns on my spine, grounding and intimate. “I’ve been digging more into the Mojave Lab situation. There’s stuff you need to know.”
“You’ve got some funny ideas about pillow talk.”
He doesn’t laugh. “I need to tell you—it’s important.”
My heart kicks up a notch, but I keep my voice steady. “Okay, tell me.”
“Found some leads connecting ex-ACB officials across the country to eros trafficking. It’s bigger than we thought, Aisling.” His hand pauses on my back, the weight of his words hanging heavy between us.
“Details,” I prompt, rolling onto my side to face him, all traces of sleepiness gone now. This is personal—eros has left its scars on me, after all.
“Seems like they’ve got a network, distributing the drug through unofficial channels, beyond just pack territories.” He’s watching me closely, gauging my reaction.
“Unofficial channels?” I echo, trying to piece together what that could mean for our plans. For revenge.
“Black market, rogue packs, even some lone wolves,” Rook continues. “And they’re not just pushing eros—there are other drugs, experimental ones. Stuff we haven’t seen yet.”
“Experimental…” The word sits like lead in my stomach. “That’s why you’re telling me this now, isn’t it?”
He nods, his jaw tightening. “Yeah. Because it matters. Because it’s hurt you, and I don’t want it to happen again—to you or anyone else.”
“Who’s behind it?” I ask, the question a whisper of dread in the quiet room.
“It’s him, Aisling. The one who drugged you and Luka.” Rook’s voice is low, every word soaked in warning.
My body goes cold despite the warmth of his skin against mine. That name—that face, leering at me while Luka…I’ve tried to scrub it out of my memory, but now it surfaces, clear as if he were standing right in front of me. “You’re sure?”
“Got it confirmed today. He’s running Mojave Lab. It’s all connected back to him. And if we take him out, we can shut down their whole op.”
I sit up abruptly, the sheets pooling at my waist. My chest feels tight, every beat of my heart a drum signaling war. “That… That changes everything.” My voice is steady, but inside, I’m a storm of emotion—anger, fear, determination—all swirling into a vortex that threatens to consume me.
Rook sits up too, his hand finding mine, gripping it like a lifeline. “We’ll take him down, Aisling. We will. This won’t go unpunished.”
“Damn right, it won’t.” My eyes are hard now, the grey in them like steel. My fingers curl into fists, nails digging into my palms. This isn’t just about vengeance; it’s about justice—for me, for Luka, for everyone harmed by that monster’s ambition.
Rook’s arm snakes around my shoulders, his hold both protective and empowering. “When we expose them, it’ll send shockwaves through the city. The lab’s been a thorn in everyone’s side for too long.”
“Shockwaves…” I muse aloud. My strategic mind starts to rev, like an engine sparked to life. This is bigger than personal vendetta; this could reshape the hierarchy that’s been suffocating us all. “It could destabilize the current power holders. Create an opening.”
“Exactly.” He nods, his expression growing dark with the promise of rebellion. “We have to be smart about this. Play our cards right, and we can control the narrative. We could influence the balance of power, shift it.”
“Once the lab falls, there will be chaos,” I continue. “But from chaos comes opportunity. We…no, I need to be ready to step into the void it leaves. This just makes it more clear that it’s time to pack up with Nero, and Vance…fuck, we have to take Vance out of the picture, huh? At least for now.”
“Damn, Aisling,” Rook says, a smirk playing on his lips, admiration lighting his eyes. It’s clear he sees me not just as an omega to be protected, but as a force to be reckoned with. “You’re thinking three moves ahead.”
“You’ve played chess with me enough that you should have expected that,” I reply, leaning back into his embrace. The warmth from his body seeps into my skin, grounding me. I’m going to need every ounce of strength and cunning for what’s coming. The thought fills me with a sense of purpose, a fuel for the fire that’s been lit inside me.
The ringing of my phone cuts through the heavy silence that had settled between us—a persistent, grating chime that’s impossible to ignore. For a moment, I consider letting it go to voicemail, but the caller is as relentless as a storm, and I know who it must be.
“Damn it,” I mutter under my breath, the frustration evident in my voice. I extricate myself from Rook’s arms with a reluctance that tugs at my chest. The cool air hits my skin as I reach for the nightstand, the warmth of our shared heat now just a lingering memory.
“Hello?”
“Aisling? You okay?” Gunnar’s voice filters through the speaker, tinged with concern.
“Yeah, I’m fine. What do you need?”
I can hear the worry threaded through his words, the undercurrent of a protective alpha that sets my nerves on edge. “You didn’t come back to the pack suite. Where are you?”
“Look, Gunnar—” I start, but Rook’s hand slides down my arm and gently takes the phone from my grasp.
“Hey, Gunnar,” Rook interjects. “She’s with me.”
“Is she?” Gunnar’s response is laced with curiosity, but there’s an underlying challenge there—one that doesn’t go unnoticed.
“Yep,” Rook confirms, his thumb tracing idle patterns on the back of my hand. “She’s safe and sound, man. No need to send out a search party.”
“Alright,” Gunnar replies. The sound of his laughter crackles through the speaker, the humor in his voice like a balm to the tension that had started to coil inside me. “I guess you two are having quite the night. Rook as good as they say in Pacific City? I’ve always had my doubts…”
“Who’s been saying things?” I shoot back playfully, feeling Rook’s gaze on me, a silent question in the depth of it.
“Word gets around, Ais,” Gunnar chuckles. “So…?”
“Maybe,” I concede with a smirk, glancing at Rook whose face is an open book of mock indignation and subtle pride. “I’ll keep you guessing.”
“Always the mysterious one,” Gunnar sighs dramatically over the line. “Well…I expect both of you back with us in the morning, okay? Gotta get to some pack business—especially now that you and Rook are official.”
I smile, warmth filling my chest. It’s really coming together now…my pack, my family, my home. “See you in the morning, Gun,” I murmur—then I pause, biting my lip. “I love you.”
“Love you too, Ais,” he says.
I hang up the phone, then I turn back to Rook, settling into his embrace once again.
“Sorry about that,” I murmur, setting the phone face down as if to signal the end of interruptions.
“It’s fine,” Rook says, pulling me back into the crook of his arm. “He cares about you.”
“Sure, he does,” I laugh softly, tracing a pattern over Rook’s chest. “But let’s not dive into the mushy stuff again. Gunnar was teasing about you…so, you think you’re as good as the Pacific City rumors suggest?”
He smirks, a playful glint lighting up his eyes. “Well, considering how you came apart just now, I’d say I’m doing something right.”
“Modesty suits you,” I tease, but my heart flutters at the memory of our passion.
“Modesty?” Rook chuckles, pulling me even closer. “No need for that. When you begged for more, when you screamed my name—that said more than enough.” His voice drops to a whisper, sending a thrilling sensation across my skin. “Better than ‘alright’, wouldn’t you agree?”
“Maybe,” I admit, grinning up at him. His confidence is infectious, and the way he looks at me—like I’m the only thing in this twisted world that matters—sends warmth cascading through me. “You might be onto something.”
“Only ‘might’?” he teases, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead.
“Okay, maybe a solid definitely.” My laughter fills the room, echoing off the walls, a bright sound in the dimness.
“Definitely,” he echoes back, satisfaction lacing his tone.
“But let’s not make it all about strokes to your ego, Rook. We have more pressing things to think about.”
“Like what?” His voice is gentle now, stripped of its earlier bravado, and it reminds me why I’m here with him—why he matters.
“Like us.” The word feels heavy on my tongue. Us. It’s a dangerous concept, especially for Rook, when I’m already tangled up in so many bonds that sometimes I forget where they begin and end.
His fingers find mine under the sheets, our hands interlocking. “Aisling, wherever this goes… I’m with you. Through the chaos, through the mess. You know that, right?”
I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. Trust doesn’t come easily in this world, but with Rook, it feels like second nature. “I do. And I’m not just saying that because of how good you are in bed.”
“Good to know,” he says, laughter warming his words. “But back to us…”
“Right, us.” I take a deep breath, feeling the pull of vulnerability. “We have to be careful. With the Mojave Lab business, with everything. If we’re together, really together, it could change the game.”
“Then let’s play to win,” he whispers, determination replacing the lightness. “Together.”
“And you’re sure you wouldn’t prefer someone who just has you? Not…this pack stuff,“ I murmur. “You’re a beta, you don’t have to bother with this—”
“It’s not about that,” he says. “It’s about you, Ais. Because I care about you…and I realized a long time ago I can’t just let you go.”
I gaze into his eyes, my mind starting to grow foggy with sleep. Rook reaches out to cup my cheek, his thumb grazing over my skin, and he presses a kiss to my forehead.
“Sleep now,” he murmurs, voice rough, his Irish accent tripping over the words like a song. “We both need rest if we want to get another round in before we go to meet with the pack in the morning.”
And with those words, I drift off into the comforting darkness, his warmth my anchor in a world teetering on the edge.