53. Adam
ADAM
I sent out a text to the group chat in the lull of dinner rush: What do you think about going out for dinner tonight? I was thinking Mexican?
No one read my message. It remained delivered. Huh. Weird. I didn’t have time to think much about it, though, because work got busy again.
Later that evening, Fletcher passed by. I called out to him, “Hey, did you get my text?”
“Huh?” He looked confused for a moment, then laughed. “Oh, no. My phone’s on the charger in the office. It was at fifteen percent, and I knew it wouldn’t last the whole night. Why?”
“Mexican?” I raised my brows.
Fletcher’s lips curved into a grin that stretched from ear to ear. “That sounds amazing, babe. We’ll have to see if the baby’s feeling it first.”
“Yeah, except Sky hasn’t replied either. I keep checking,” I told him. “Surely he’s back from his walk by now. It’s nearly seven.”
This had my mate’s smile slipping away. “Maybe he took a nap?” Always one to look on the bright side. His brow furrowed. “I hope he didn’t fall or sprain his ankle. Ugh. Now I’m gonna worry the rest of the night. Let me try to call him.”
He disappeared into the office. I went back to cooking, winking at Josie when she came through to grab a few orders. The shiny new “Assistant Manager” badge adorned her apron, even though she still ran tables on busier nights.
“You’re doing amazing, Jose. Just wanted you to know that. The new position suits you well.”
She bit her lip to hide her smile, but it was too radiant to stifle. She ended up beaming. “Thanks, boss. It’s a lot of extra work, but I can’t say I’m hating the bump in my pay.” She laughed. “I hope you guys will be back sooner rather than later, though. This is your last shift, right?”
“Yes. Paternity leave, as per management.” I chuckled. “AKA me. Sky is going to need us. He—”
“ADAMMM!” Fletcher’s scream shrilled from across the restaurant, making my heart leap into my throat.
Josie and I exchanged a look. “Excuse me, I need to go see what’s going on,” I said, then hurried towards the office just as Fletcher came crashing out the door. I caught him by the shoulders. “Fletcher?”
He was white as a ghost. His eyes were wide and filled with fear as he thrust his phone out towards me. “Adam! It’s Sky!”
“Shh,” I hushed him, glancing behind us at the full restaurant of people enjoying their dinners, oblivious to whatever had just happened. I guided Fletcher back inside the office and closed the door behind us. “What happened?”
He began to sob. “H-He called while my phone was on the charger,” he uttered. “They took him, Adam! That monster took him!”
The words were a punch to the gut. “What?” I knew I’d heard him correctly, but it was the only word I could eke out. Taken? Sky?
“Listen!” Sinking down in the office chair, Fletcher waved me closer and set his phone down on the desk. With shaking fingers, he pushed “play” on the voicemail, and Sky’s voice came clearly over the line.
I listened to Sky whimper pleas to his captor, listened to them argue and shout, listened to the man strike him and threaten him. My gut sank with each whimper my frightened Omega made.
“No…” He sounded terrified, begging Dr. Thompson to leave him alone.
As the call ended in silence, and then cut off, Fletcher covered his mouth, his eyes filled with tears. I stood there, in a state of shock, my entire body feeling like I’d just been doused with ice water. I was cold to the bone.
“We promised him we’d protect him and now he’s gone. He’s gone, Adam! HE’S GONE!” Fletcher cried, his voice cracking.
“Fletcher, please, baby! Please, you need to calm down.” I grabbed my mate by the shoulders and gave him a small shake, then pressed my lips to his forehead. “We have to stay calm. We’ll find him.”
Fletcher burst into tears. “He’s going to hurt the baby. Sky will never recover. He’ll be broken forever and it’s my fault, I should’ve told him not to take a walk and—”
“No. It is not your fault; do not take that on. Sky’s an adult. He’s a grown man. We’re gonna find him before it’s too late. Clock out. We’re leaving and I’m calling Gracie.”
“Gracie won’t help us!” Fletcher hissed at me, but I spun on him, jabbing my finger into his chest. It startled him into silence, his eyes going wide.
“One of her pack members, whether she likes him or not, just got abducted on her territory. And from what it sounds like? River’s next. That’s Xan’s mate. Her grandson’s father. She’ll help us.”
“No. Not Gracie,” Fletcher said softly, realizing something. “River. River will help us. He’s the only one who knows where the facility even is.”
I paused. He had a point. River did know where Thompson took Sky—and we were going to find out exactly where that was.
“Let’s go. Grab your coat.”
We drove in tense silence to the Howell pack-house and knocked on the door.
Xan answered with a sunny smile, wearing yoga pants and a hoodie. He took one look at our faces and his smile faded. “Shit, did someone die?”
“We need to talk to River,” I said, straight to the point. “Is he home? It’s urgent.”
“Yeah, he just got home from work, like, twenty minutes ago. He’s in the shower,” he said, glancing between us. “What happened?”
“Sky was abducted, and River might be the only one who knows where he is,” Fletcher said.
“Shit… Come in.” Xan ushered us inside, bringing us to the large dining room table adorned with a basket of polished wooden fruit.
When he returned, not only was River in tow, but Gracie was as well. They both sat down. River glared at me, but I gritted my teeth and tried to be the bigger person.
“Look. I know that you and your brother are on the fritz, but we need your help. Sky’s been kidnapped.”
“What?” Gracie snapped, her shoulders immediately squaring.
“Dr. Thompson kidnapped him. Look. Just listen to the voicemail, and everything will make sense,” I said.
Fletcher handed me his phone, and I did exactly what he had done for me—I played the voicemail on speakerphone so everyone could hear it.
The entire table was silent. River was still, his hands balled into tight fists, shaking slightly. When the call ended, he slammed his hands down in a rage with a roar. “FUCK!”
“River!” Xan gasped.
“GODDAMNIT! I THOUGHT WE WERE FINALLY FREE OF THIS BULLSHIT!” He clawed at the back of his neck almost desperately, like he might find the tracking device inserted there, but Xan pulled his hands away.
“River, please. Breathe. They came because they need your—”
“No. I REFUSE to go back to that hellhole! I refuse! You don’t understand what I’ve been through, Xan! YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND.”
“I do,” Fletcher said softly, his eyes filled with tears. “I do, River, and I’m so sorry. But please, don’t let your fear end up being the reason Sky is forced into slavery again. We can save him if we all work together.”
“No. Just… No.” River stalked away, pacing the floors, raking his hands through his blond hair.
“River, I don’t think you have a choice,” Gracie said quietly.
He wheeled on her, his eyes flaring with rage. “What do you mean I don’t have a fucking choice?!”
“You’re next. He knows where you are. He’s been watching you. Watching us.”
“So, what? Now that I’m a danger, you’re gonna kick me out?” He snarled at her, fangs bared.
Gracie stood, throwing her hand to the side, her voice sharp as knives. “Don’t put words in my mouth, River. I never said that.”
Xan reached for his mate. “River… Don’t you see? We could end it all for good.”
“What?”
“The pack could help, right Mom? We could go to the facility and get the cops involved.” When Gracie slowly nodded, Xan turned back to River and grasped his arm. “You wouldn’t have to go alone. Thompson’s madness would be over, and you’d never have to be afraid again. You and Sky could be free.”
River growled and ground his teeth together, but he said nothing. Xan continued, “We could end this, but we don’t know where the facility so. You said yourself, you don’t even know the exact location. You’d have to find it by scent. We can’t do this without you.”
“Please, River.” I finally found my voice, but it was quiet, nearly hoarse. Emotion choked me. “I’m begging you. Help us. I can’t lose him. He’s a part of me now, just as Xan is a part of you, and he’s carrying my daughter.”
“Our daughter,” Fletcher added.
“They’re right,” Gracie agreed.
River stared at us, his teeth bared and hackles raised. “I don’t like it. I don’t fucking like it one bit. I don’t wanna be the goddamn bait in this stupid plan!”
“But you gotta be, baby,” Xan said softly, touching his cheek with tender fingers. “You’re the only one who can.”
“I’ll think about it. I need time.” Before anyone could protest, River stormed off down the hall.
A door slammed. A moment later, a baby began to cry. Xan rubbed a hand over his face. “I’m so sorry, Adam, Fletcher. He’ll come around, give him a little time.”
We don’t have time, I wanted to tell him, but I nodded instead.
Gracie turned her attention to us. “Adam, you’re welcome to stay in the spare room for now, so you’re close. In the meantime, I will reach out to my enforcers and strategize a plan for moving forward.”
She reached out and squeezed Fletcher’s arm. “Don’t give up hope.”
“I’m trying,” Fletcher whispered.
I wrapped my arms around my mate. “We’ll get him back,” I promised, but it made me wonder… Was that a promise I could keep?
Fletcher began to weep softly into my chest, and it felt like my heart was breaking all over again.