Chapter 2 #2
He glares at me, my heart racing as I’m about to hear the verdict of how threatened Diana is.
“Okay, don’t get all raging on me and hear me out.
I formed a dark bond with her, because it was either that, or Titan was going to turn her into a breeding bitch.
And I have many marks on me from where she’s hurt me. You can check for them.”
What a fucking mess.
“Even if that’s true,” I say, avoiding the dark bond shit because it’s not relevant right now. “I can’t fucking prove that, Jack.”
“Then I can’t help you further there.” He lowers his head.
I slowly inhale and cross my hands. The movement makes him flinch again. “I think you know what happens next.”
“I was honest, Judge.”
“You’ll understand why I don’t believe you. You deserve what comes next.” I lift my gaze to Beast. “Get Dogma. I want every truth peeled out of Jack over the next hour,” the useless alpha in front of me starts to look rapidly between us with concern, “then I’m leaving.”
Jack fully faces me, his voice rising with panic. “I fucking talked!”
“Where are they going?”
He looks around, almost forlorn. “I don’t know… Rebecca always talked about the Witch Doctor. If she’s going anywhere, it has to be there.”
My eyes slightly roll in my head with sheer, utter annoyance, taking everything I have not to punch his skull hard enough to cave it in. Instead, I start walking away.
“Where are you going?” he frantically asks.
“To get Diana,” I say, seeing no reason not to tell him. He’ll be dead soon, anyway. “And to see what your omega knows. If I don’t have good information by the time I leave, I’ll send you her head and scent gland.”
His eyes flash with fear that almost looks real.
“Don’t hurt her! Please. She only knew because I forced her to know.
The dark bond was Titan’s demand. He wants all his closest alphas to have dark-bonded omegas so they do whatever we ask.
Rebecca literally couldn’t help herself.
She stayed quiet because I made her. Nearly fucking broke her because she hated it. ”
I breathe slowly, relief flooding me once more for a brief moment that Diana isn’t in as much of a danger as I feared, before I glance up at Beast. “You know what to do to him.” I watch as Beast immediately gags Jack. As he does so, I ask, “They’re still driving in the jeep?”
Beast stands as Jack thrashes in his binds. Beast looks off, his eyes glossing over. “They’re on seventy-three. Southwest. The skies look like they’re about to bring snow.”
Well, shit.
“An hour,” I say. “That’s all he gets to convince us. And when you’re done, bring your hawk. The one you send for long trips. I’ll need her.”
Adrenaline hits my system hard as I spot a truck with its headlights on.
The tires are deeply ridged, with spikes welded to the front to spare the windshield, and lights mounted all over.
Steel bars line the sides like ribs, meant for riders who usually carried rifles.
Skinner is arranging maps when he glances up at me.
The wind snaps the corners and blows snow across the landscape.
When we place those inside, I assist with getting the trailer hitched on, the metal freezing in my hands.
Every ounce of fear and anxiety is directed toward ensuring there are weapons, extra clothes and food for Diana, radios, and double-checking the water supply to ensure we have a few weeks.
Dried meats, canned food, and dehydrated things.
Jugs of water. Blankets, extra clothes, and tinder.
If she gets stuck in a storm, I need to be able to reach her and keep her warm.
Skinner carries the third container of gas to strap into the bed, the truck slightly rocking as he jumps into it. I say, “If anyone asks, I’ve gotten recent word that I need to tend to something pressing.”
“Business as usual,” he remarks. “What are the rules of engagement?”
“I’m going to take Beast’s hawk so he can keep an eye on things. He knows the signals and codes. I’ll take Widow in case she’s needed. I’m taking a satellite phone, but will only use it when it’s absolutely needed. I don’t trust the privacy on them. That’s what the hawk will be for.”
He hops off the truck, shaking out his bad legs, sighing as he looks at me while snow drifts between us. “Sorry you’re dealing with this shit.”
I immediately look off, not anticipating the vulnerability.
All he gets is a slight nod, and he and I work to get the plow attached to the front of the truck so I can use it if the roads get bad.
Won’t help much for ice, but my body is built to endure extremes, especially the cold.
I can walk to their jeep if needed. We work as fast as possible because the metal is fucking freezing.
All I can do in this moment is trust that Diana is safe.
She’s in a warm jeep. The tether feels calm.
She won’t get far before I reach her. If the weather wasn’t bad, I’d tear away on a bike.
The timing of this snow is shit.
I glance up at the enormous clock on our tower, noticing the hour is almost up.
Last thing to do is ride Widow up the trailer so we can strap her down.
She’s a refurbished bike painted all black, with the Dominion logo on the front in chrome.
It’s capable of handling more than just concrete roads if I need it to.
I straddle her, the engine roaring to life as I idle her up, the handlebars in my hands spiking my energy so I nearly want to kill something just to take an edge off.
I don’t know if I’ll need it or not, but if Diana is heading toward to the Black Mirage, I’ll need Rust to help me get there.
Whether I’m stopping there first or not, I have yet to decide.
Rust is a bounty hunter that no one outruns. I’m sure the tether can guide me, but if someone captures them, I want to make sure I don’t miss a fucking thing. If she gets to the mirage, and I can’t access it because I’m not with the right person, I’d never forgive myself.
When I spot Beast in the distance walking toward us, my stomach is alive with nerves. I’ve tried my best to hone in and read Diana through the bond when I can, but I want everything I can use to find her.
The eyes he can provide on the road is invaluable.
A hawk flies low from the sky, its eyes visibly glossed over and white when it flies close enough.
As Beast approaches, it’s clear his are, too.
He lifts an arm so the bird can swoop lower, feathers scattering snowfall.
Beast hands me a canvas bag, his eyes returning to the unnatural pale that mirrors my own, peering at us over his mask that puffs out warm air.
“She’ll understand any command. There’s a parchment inside with an alphabet on it, which I can use to communicate with you.
There are a few pens and paper, as well, if you need to send anything to anyone.
I added her extra glove, too.” I shoulder the bag, staring at him as I wait for the verdict about what he learned.
“Jack is telling the truth. His omega knows about Titan and his threat to Diana, but she won’t do anything about it.
She abhors Titan, which Dogma confirmed with other omegas.
Titan is aware that we’re aware of him, and Jack confirmed that he let Titan know you had shown interest in an omega.
Jack hadn’t yet confirmed who it was, because it was causing a rift between him and Rebecca, and he hadn’t acted on his orders to reveal details.
Dogma and I feel confident he didn’t leak it to Titan yet.
As far as I’m concerned, only the four of them know they’re out there, plus any of us that know. ”
I think back to the decision to allow Jack to oversee Diana. The screens were always off when I was around, and Jack only watched her in the morning hours, hours I let her know someone other than me was behind the screen.
That’s the last time I trust anyone with her again.
Dogma’s belief in his truth does make me breathe easier. He’s an echo as well, one of the thirteen that reside in Dominion. His unusual gift for being an echo is that he can sense others’ intentions. Sense out lies.
My gaze slowly slides to the hawk that’s all black. “What’s her name?”
“Slash.” Beast gently touches her head. “She’s fond of using her talons. She can sit in the front seat on her perch. I saw, through my eagle’s eyes, that real snowfall is coming—it’s what I think they’re all currently driving through.”
“I don’t want to be gone longer than two weeks, depending on weather.
Hopefully, I’ll catch her long before then,” I add.
“I trust you to take care of here while I’m gone.
If Titan writes again, I want to know about it.
Otherwise, we plan to meet him as scheduled.
I don’t want I’m to suspect anything is off. ”
Not only do I have to save Diana’s ass, but still deal with the fact that Titan has asked to meet. To which I’ve agreed, with great caution, obviously.
He’s moving in on us, and Diana is out there, alone.
I near the truck, getting into the driver’s seat as I put the bag in the passenger, opening it up to remove the items inside, finding there is, indeed, a perch that’s sewn into the fabric.
Beast opens the door and very gently leans his arm in so Slash sticks out her talons, gripping it.
I think that bird is the only time I’ve ever seen Beast be gentle.
Maybe Mira needs to see more of that.
Omega. My heart twists to think that Diana needs to understand me more, even though I gave her more than I ever give anyone, and in such a short fucking timespan, too. I glance in the small backseat, eyeing a warmer jacket, the cloak, and scarves. The truck turns on with a dramatic roar.
We all share a nod as I drive out. The rest that surround us gave me and Skinner space as we worked as they they all just follow orders, opening the gates for me. Beast and Skinner will handle discussing where I’m going. If Jack isn’t lying, then I might even be back in just a few short days.
The priority is getting to Diana before someone else does, or before the snow.
The bond thrums under my skin—Diana’s fear, her exhaustion, the faint thread of her hope that someone might come. But there’s no panic, which is all that matters for now.
I’m coming, little nurse. No one will touch you again.