Chapter Twenty-Two
Gy
“Behave yourself.” Sheila stares up at me, tongue lolling as I take a seat on one of the uncomfortable stools in the training classroom.
I’d nearly forgotten that Puppy signed Sheila up for doggy obedience class tonight. When he reminded me about it with that shit-eating grin plastered on his face, I almost made him bring the dang dog.
Then you wouldn’t get to see Willow. Ah, the main reason I’m here.
The few hours I spent with her earlier weren’t even close to enough.
And when she refused to wait around until Church let out, I had to send her home in the Hellbent van with Puppy.
Prospects aren’t privy to all the ins and outs of club business, so he was at her disposal.
Even if I hate her being near another man.
It’s a good thing she didn’t wait, though. The meeting was over two hours long, and I’m pretty sure my omega would have been murderous by then. A shiver tingles up my spine, remembering the last time I pissed her off. I’m still conducting electricity.
Plus, as VP, there were a million things to do after Church.
Cerberus wants us all on high alert, which means making sure the armory is stocked, everyone’s been notified, and our allies are brought up to speed, too.
Seems some fuckers think they can step onto our turf and cause trouble.
The Black Plague—a one-percenter club. Even though it appears like they’re a disorganized mess, it doesn’t change their reputation of being cruel to the core.
Their club is involved in drugs, guns, and, from the sounds of it, trafficking for the skin trade.
Not gonna fucking happen on our watch, but it’s going to be bloody before things get better.
The door jingles when it opens, and my pretty little omega walks in.
Seeing her is like breathing for the first time, but her uncertain expression makes me grit my teeth.
Something’s wrong. Propelled by instinct, I leap to my feet and rush toward Willow.
Twice in one damn day. Can’t my baby girl catch a fucking break?
Sheila comes along for the ride, and Bruce flattens his ears at my approach. It’s a warning I don’t heed.
At Bruce’s low growl, Willow’s head snaps in my direction, and her now-brown eyes widen. The sourness of her honeysuckle invades my nose, and I’m ready to kill whoever or whatever has her so distressed.
“What are you doing here?”
“What’s wrong?”
We speak at the same moment, and I can’t help but reach for my woman. She’s wearing the same black gloves from earlier, hiding her fingers, I presume, so I grasp her wrist instead, needing skin-to-skin contact to soothe my raging inner Alpha.
Her pulse flutters like a hummingbird, but aside from her scent, there’s no outward signs of trouble. Frantically, I scan her from head to toe, making sure she’s not going to pass out. Every hair is in place, all her clothing clean.
“Lincoln? Are you okay?” She steps back, pulling away from my grip, but a growl rumbles from my throat, and she pauses. Darkness hazes the edges of my vision.
Who to kill? What to kill? My worry and fury need an outlet as insidious thoughts about Willow being accosted dominate my mind.
“Linc?” Her voice is far away, and I fight with the dark memories of blood and death that threaten to overwhelm me.
A sharp nip to my calf, followed by another on my thigh, snaps everything back into focus.
“Bruce. No,” Willow admonishes, looking horrified. “I’m so sorry!”
“That’s all right. The big guy isn’t sure about me yet.” And thank fuck for that. I almost had an episode. It’s been years since my PTSD has slithered to the surface like that. Holy fuck.
“I see.” She glances between the two of us, then spies Sheila hiding behind me. “Hello, pretty girl. Are you here for class? I thought we were going to train the dogs at your place?”
Sheila ambles forward, begging for scratches from her new friend. Willow gives her a treat, and I’m pretty sure my pit bull falls in love on the spot.
“Puppy signed Sheila up after that day in the park. He was going to bring her, but I wanted to see you…” She blushes beautifully at my comment, her scent sweetening once more. It’s much better, but I still need answers. “And I’m glad I did. What happened before you got here?”
She sighs. “It wasn’t a big deal. There was a man next door bothering Cindy, the barista. Bruce and I took care of it.” God, I love this woman.
“You shouldn’t have to do that. You have my number. Next time you feel uncomfortable, you call. Okay?” There’s a rough edge of dominance in my tone, and I soften it by tucking a stray hair behind her ear.
“There wasn’t time for that. By the way, do you know a biker named Cray? Or the Black Plague? Are they similar to you and Cujo?” There’s a roaring in my ears at the mention of the MC Cerberus warned us about in Church, and I reach down, petting Sheila as I try to remain calm.
“No, they’re not like the Hellbent, baby. Where did you hear that name?”
She shrugs and rubs her fingers as though they ache. Was it the Black Plague who tortured her? Her presence could be the key to knowing why they’ve suddenly decided to mess with us. I’ll wipe them from the planet for you, baby girl.
“I didn’t hear it. The man bothering Cindy was wearing a leather vest—”
“Cut,” I interject, and she rolls her eyes.
“Cut. Just like yours, but it had a gross skull on the back and said Black Plague.” The roaring in my ears gets louder. They’re here. They were close to our omega. Not wanting to alarm her, I nod and control my temper.
She checks the clock on the wall. “Oh! Time to start.”
There are nearly a dozen people in the room now, milling about with their dogs.
I can’t believe I didn’t notice them before, but when I’m with Willow, nothing else matters.
One of the students calls her over, and she gives me an apologetic glance before hustling their way, while Bruce lies down on an elevated bed at the front of the room, his eyes always trained on my omega.
Unsure what else to do, I walk back to my seat with Sheila as an older beta comes to the front of the room.
“Hello everyone, and welcome. I’m so excited for the start of beginner training.
Looking around, I see some familiar faces and some I don’t know yet.
Let’s begin with some introductions. Please tell me your name, your dog’s name, and what you’re hoping to learn in this class.
” I sit on the stool and shift uncomfortably. Great. An icebreaker, awesome.
But still, if it means I get to stick close to Willow, I’ll do it over and over again.
I grit my teeth, trying not to interrupt as Willow talks to yet another student, even though class has been over for fifteen minutes. She’s too damn polite for her own good.
Can’t these assholes see that my woman is fucking exhausted?
The ever-darkening circles under her eyes are making me feel downright lethal.
Willow needs a warm, cozy blanket and me wrapped around her to fight away her nightmares.
Not a constant barrage of questions that were already answered during class.
Originally, I was going to ask her to get some dinner with me. Wine and dine her and Bruce, but the fatigue on her face has me reconsidering. She still needs to eat, though.
Finally, she pats the last dog on the head and says goodbye. Then her eyes swivel to me, her scent spikes, making me flick my tongue out to taste it in the air. Pure perfection.
“Did you have a question about class?” Her eyebrows raise. So much sass.
“No. You need food. Then rest.” It’s more of a demand than a request. For a moment, I think she’s going to fight me about it, but then she gives me a weary smile. Good girl. I may be rough around the edges, but I really do fucking care.
She dips her head before her stomach makes a grumbling sound that’s too adorable for words. “I promise I will as soon as I get home.” Nope. Not enough, my instincts insist we take care of all her wants and needs from now through eternity.
“Let me take you there.” Separating from her is more than I can bear.
“Okay. It’s nothing fancy, but I’ll make us some pasta. I might even have the fixings for some garlic bread.” I’ll literally eat sand if it means spending time with my girl, so I eagerly agree. Though I’m not letting her cook. I’ll be doing all the work.
“I’m in. Can I bring her?” I point at Sheila, who was shockingly good in class, and Willow immediately agrees.
“Of course, pups are always welcome at my house. In fact, dogs are often more welcome than people.” It’s a sentiment I agree with wholeheartedly.
Willow grabs her purse and Bruce’s leash, then I open the door for her, checking the street for any threats before ushering her out into the cool evening air.
“Where’s your cage?” I ask, and she glances at me, confused. “Car.”
Cars are cages to those of us who know the feel of the open road, but even I had to drive mine tonight. No space for dogs on the back of a motorcycle. She points all the way down the street, and I grunt.
“Okay. Give me your keys.” Willow tilts her head to the side, staring at me with confusion.
“Um, Linc. I need them to drive home. I’m not leaving my car here.” Dammit. I guess I’ll have one of the prospects come get mine.
“You’re also dead on your feet. Let me drive you home.” She sways slightly, chewing her lip as she considers the offer. “I promise to keep everything at your pace. Just let me take care of you. Please.”
That tips her over the line, and she swallows hard before agreeing. After fishing the keys from her pocket, she hands them over to me, and my inner Alpha crows with excitement.
Mine.
We head to the car together in comfortable silence, letting the quiet of the evening wash away all the strain of the day.
Holding Sheila’s leash with one hand, I reach out my other, twining my fingers with Willow’s gloved ones.
They rub against my skin, a barrier I hate between us, but I’m not going to push her on it. Tonight.
Town is the perfect blend of tranquility when everything settles and calms. All too soon, we reach her car, and she opens the back door, letting Bruce jump inside. Sheila follows happily, lying down on the backseat with her new friend.
“Looks like they want to cuddle.” She giggles, shutting the door. Sheila may want to snuggle with Bruce, but I’m sure it’s nothing compared to just how much I wanna curl up beside Willow.
I open the passenger side door, and when my omega steps forward to enter, I press my cheek against hers before letting her settle in.
Mine.
Once she’s safely inside, I round the car, ready to get out of here. Before I get in, my instincts light up, sensing eyes, but there’s no one outside. The gun sits heavy in its holster under my cut, reassuring me.
But something is off—and I need to get the Hounds on the scent.
The hunt begins…