Chapter 76
Chapter Seventy-Six
~Harlow~
I wake up early to Thane climbing out of bed.
I snatch the blanket, tugging it over my face as he gets ready for work.
I want to steal a couple more hours' sleep before I have to get to work for the private gig.
Yet as I listen to them getting ready, Jake's words from yesterday nag at me.
All night, I waited for Thane to leave so I could ask them; that didn't happen. I have no choice but to ask now, because Jake is leaving today. I’m still pondering whether or not to go with him, yet at the same time, the thought of leaving makes that sickly feeling in the pit of my stomach worse.
Rolling over, I see Raidon climb out of bed with a groan before he slaps Leon's ass hard, making him jump.
"Wake up. We gotta get to work," Raidon snaps at him.
Thane wanders into the bathroom, and I know now is my only chance to see if Jake is telling the truth about the council laws changing.
"Can I ask you a question about the council?" I ask Rhen just when Thane wanders out. I roll my eyes and let out a breath.
"What did you want to know?" Rhen says as he buttons up his shirt.
"Nothing, it doesn't matter," I tell him, and Thane looks over at me.
"What do you want to know, Harlow? You aren't going into the rotation if that’s what you want to ask him," Thane snaps at me.
I blink at him because that is definitely not what I was going to ask. Yet his words nag me.
"What if I already put my name down?" I spit back at him. All that earns me is a growl from the lot of them.
"You better fucking not have!" Thane yells at me, and I shrug.
His anger is loud and clear as it courses through the bond.
"Not like I’m pack, remember? I’m only thinking of my future, you know, since it won't be with you!" I snarl, yet my bravado wears off pretty quickly when he crosses the room in a rage.
"Did you put your name on a rotation list or not?" he says, grabbing my arm.
"And if I did?" I ask while glaring at him. He curses, shoving me back.
"She didn't. She is just trying to piss me off," Thane says, turning back to finish getting ready. Rhen exhales and runs a hand through his hair before reaching for his jacket.
“What do you want to know about the council?" Rhen asks.
"I heard some of the hotel workers yesterday talking about how the council had changed the laws about packs owning Omegas. That they are only allowed one now," I lie. No way am I telling them about Jake tracking me down, or where I was when he did.
"They said the laws changed just before your pack bought me," I tell them. For some reason, saying that out loud puts a sour taste in my mouth. They bought me. As if I was merely a belonging, a possession. A fucking Alpha’s possession.
"Yes, that is correct," Rhen says, looking at Thane, who doesn't seem to be the least bit happy that Rhen answered my question.
"So, if you took Sarah, what would happen?"
"Nothing, I would have to pay a fine," Thane tells me, as if the fine is just an inconvenience, not an actual issue. Great.
"But we aren't getting another Omega!" Raidon snaps, glaring at Thane.
"Anything else?" Rhen asks me. I shake my head and lay back down, watching as they finish getting ready for work while thinking about what Jake said.
"Did you know Jake was the other bidder?" I ask them, suddenly curious.
"Yes, but you had already received my last serum," Thane snaps.
"You could have given them a new serum," I tell him.
"And have an Omega that ranks the same as me within the pack?" He laughs and shakes his head.
"Why not? Is everything about control with you, Thane?" I retort.
"I am Alpha, not some Omega. You have Alpha blood in your veins, and I am not giving you Alpha-of-Alpha blood. You would outrank our mates and match me. I am not fucking stupid enough to hand my pack over to a murderer," he replies, snatching his jacket up from off the back of the chair.
"I never killed—"
"I don't want to hear more lies, Harlow. Unless you are going to tell me what really happened, I will not hear it," he says.
"I have been trying to tell you what happened. You won't fucking listen!" I yell at him.
"We have it on video!" he screams at me. "Footage doesn't lie."
"No, apparently only I do. You could always command the fucking answer out of me, but you won't on the off-chance you’re wrong and you punished and blamed me all these years for no fucking reason!" I yell at him.
He growls but says nothing; instead, storming out of the place and slamming the door. Leon, Rhen, and Raidon stare at the door. Thane's fury is palpable, bleeding into us all through the bond. I open my mouth to say something, only to snap it shut when Rhen holds up a hand.
"You just had to press his buttons, Harlow. When are you going to learn being a brat will get you nowhere with him?"
Stunned, I just blink at his words. I know it’s Thane's anger making him say this, but to be told to just submit and be quiet after being called a liar grinds my gears. So, they don't want me to lie, but I can't speak the truth either.
"We will never get you back home at this rate if you can't learn to watch what you say!" Rhen snaps at me before stalking out the door. Raidon exhales and walks over to me, pecking my forehead but saying nothing, and Leon quickly pecks my cheek before rushing after them.
I stare at the door after it closes.
They will never believe me.
No matter what I say, they are never going to believe me—instead, choosing to believe some bullshit footage that only shows we came out of a restaurant together.
By the time I crawl out of bed and start pulling my clothes on, it’s lunchtime. Our earlier argument just reiterates the fact that I am making the right choice by leaving. After I finish work tonight, I am catching the first bus out of here.
I could leave with Jake, but I don't trust him either. What if it is a trap? I want proof that my sister is alive before I throw my life away and blindly follow him. For now, I just need to get the fuck out of this city. I can figure out the rest later.
Grabbing one of their backpacks, I stuff as much of my stuff into it as I can, only to curse that I still haven't gotten my handbag back.
Sighing, I know I will have to figure something else out because asking for it back will just make them suspicious, especially after I asked about the council and then got into an argument with everyone this morning.
When I finish, I call a cab. Nerves start setting in about what I am about to do. Every second that ticks by as I wait for the cab has nausea building, and bile rises up my throat. The trip there doesn't help. When I walk inside, I stop in my tracks when I see Talon is back early.
Bree tries to wave me off, shooing me, but it's too late. He spins around and spots me.
"What are you doing here? Does Leon know you're here?" he asks. I swallow, looking at Bree nervously.
"I need to show you something," she says, tugging on his arm.
"Yep, just wait a second, I want to know why Harlow is here," he tells her, shaking her hand off and walking toward me.
"I asked her to come in. We’re short staffed, and Leon gave her permission," Bree blurts out. Talon stops, glancing between the two of us. I nod in agreement, but Talon seems confused.
“Now, the cash register, I can’t get it to open,” Bree tells him, tugging him behind the bar.
He sighs, glancing at it before bending down to fix it, and Bree points to the back room while Talon is still distracted.
I rush back, hoping to escape to the functions section before he sees me.
I grab my clothes and toss my bag in the locker before racing upstairs to get ready.