20. Bea
It had been a few weeks since the guys moved in, and our lives had fallen into some sense of normal.
It felt wrong saying that when there was an array of fires happening all across town, but I refused to let Cameron haunt me anymore. Between therapy and my pack, I tried not to let guilt hit me.
These were his actions, not mine.
As the guys liked to remind me, stress wasn’t good for the baby, so I’ve been doing my best to keep myself on task, burying myself in work, and keeping things normal at home for Phoenix.
I had an appointment today and I knew seeing my baby on the screen and hearing that heartbeat going strong would chase away everything else.
It was just a normal check up, but the guys insisted on coming. Honestly, I loved how invested they were in my pregnancy and our family.
They were just the right mix of overbearing, the kind that made me feel loved and seen without suffocating me completely.
“Hey, Bea! We’ve got those books in you were waiting on,” Taryn called out.
“Yes!” I shouted, rushing back to the front of the shop. I’d ordered a new set of teen books for Phoenix that I’d heard about online. I hoped she loved them. All the reviews were fairly positive and people were gushing about it.
As much as Phoenix lost herself in music lately, she also always had time for reading. It quickly became our thing after dinner. We’d sit by the firepit and read a few chapters together.
Every day she was here, she seemed to bloom a little more. Her snarky, but playful, personality shined through now. She wasn’t afraid to voice her opinions and argue when she felt something wasn’t right. She had a voice now and I hoped she never lost it again.
Both of us had a lingering fear that Dee would show back up, but we simply couldn’t borrow trouble. Something I had to remind myself of, often. I had a backup plan regardless.
“The covers are even more beautiful in person,” Dani gushed as I walked in. She spread them out on the counter so we could appreciate all of them together.
“Oh, wow,” I breathed out, taking in the vibrant colors and foil accents. The cover art was perfect.
“Tell me you ordered extras for the shop,” I said. “You know these are going to go fast.”
“Of course, I did,” Taryn said with a smirk. “I even snagged a set for the twins’ future shelf.”
“Your guys better build onto that old farmhouse,” I teased. “You’re gonna need an extra library just for them.”
She rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. We both knew it was true.
A loud, metallic clink had us looking at each other in shock. We all turned to the front doors, trying to figure out what happened. Dani and I were already moving when something shiny reflected in the afternoon sun.
Then a figure in a hoodie sprinted off, giving us a glimpse of his build and nothing more.
My stomach sank as I ran towards the door, trying to push it open, only to realize I couldn’t. Whatever was shining in the light was now wrapped around the door handles.
Chains. What the fuck.
“No, no, no, no,” I said before yelling out to the others. “Go check the back door.”
Dani ran to the back while Taryn grabbed her phone, speaking frantically into it. Holt had only walked down the street for lunch, we were alone only a few minutes. How could this happen?
The sick part was I knew that answer.
“Somebody’s chained the front door,” I croaked out, trying not to panic.
Dani walked back in, her face pale now. “Not just the front,” she admitted, her voice shaking. “The back door won’t budge. Something’s blocking it.”
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself when an awful scent hit me. It had that burning smell of a gasoline fire.
“No, no, no,” I whimpered as realization sank in. It took everything in me not to let the awful memories hit me. The ones I spent years burying away.
My fingers shook as I pulled my phone out, calling the emergency line. I’d have to call the pack after, we had minutes and we were trapped.
They barely gave me the usual greeting when I started spilling out details.
“I work at the bookstore downtown in Willow Lake. Someone has chained us inside and started a fire outside. Smoke is already coming in fast.”
“We’re sending help to you now. Stay calm for me.”
Calm was the last thing I felt.
Taryn and Dani huddled together. I moved without thinking, rushing to the bathroom to grab some of our towels, wetting them, then bringing them back.
“Here, this will help keep some of the smoke out of our lungs.” I tied it around my face like a bandana before dropping down behind the counter. “Keep low.”
Dani let out a small whimper as she tied the towel around her face, blocking the worst of it. Tears were running down her cheeks and soaking into the fabric. Taryn was frozen, forcing us to pull her down with us while I tied it into place.
“Thank God the babies aren’t with us today,” she said, her voice so quiet it was hard to hear.
Banging at the front had us peeking over the counter. The smoke was hazy now, filling the space even with us closing off the back room.
Taryn’s pack was at the door now, Ash swinging something heavy at the chain. I could hear something at the back door as well, but we didn’t dare move.
“Keep down until they’re done,” I said, holding their hands in each of mine. The smoke was thick enough it burned at my eyes, and I knew my lungs were next if they didn’t hurry.
This was something I hoped I’d never have to witness again. Dread filled my chest, heavy and thick like the smoke in the air.
This was Cameron. I knew that without a doubt.
Flashing lights and sirens filtered in as the firetrucks pulled up. I peeked over as my pack rushed the door. Just the sight of them had an eerie calm taking over.
They had promised they’d always be here, and here they were. This pack wasn’t about breaking those promises.
Apollo stood at the door behind the others before Corvin ran up. He had some kind of tool in his hand, thick and bulky enough that it took two of them to really use it, but soon it was snapping through the chain, the door bursting open.
Smoke billowed out, emptying the room as they rushed to escort us out.
Everything felt like it was moving in slow motion. The guys pulled me to them, checking me over. They spoke but I couldn't process it.
Soon, I was put in the back of an ambulance and taken to the ER.
Life moved around me, the staff moving me to a room and checking everything out. My body complied even as my brain stayed weirdly silent.
It wasn’t until I heard the rhythmic pulsing of a heartbeat echoing in the air that I finally pulled myself out of it.
“My baby,” were the first words that left my lips. My voice was hoarse and strangely hollow.
“Our baby is fine,” Corvin promised, placing his large hand on my cheek, forcing me to look at him.
His eyes roamed over my face, studying my expression.
“You did so good, Siren. They told us that you kept everyone calm. Covering your faces was brilliant. They said your lungs sound good. They gave you something to soothe any throat irritation when you got here.”
“Oh,” I managed to say.
He closed his eyes, resting his forehead on mine. “You scared me.”
“Us, too,” Apollo whispered from my other side, his hand clinging to mine. I didn’t even feel it until he gave my fingers a squeeze. “You were like a robot when we got you back here.”
“It’s not my first fire,” I said. “It just brought up bad memories. I think I went into autopilot.”
“Well, you did good, omega,” Ezra reassured me. “You kept our baby and your friends safe.”
With that, I rested my head back on the pillows, my shoulders slumping.
I made it through. This time, without the scars.
“What happened after?” I said.
Corvin stepped back and caught me up to speed.
“Taryn and Dani gave their statements to the police, and they want yours as well. But the alphas at the bakery a few doors down heard the noise and came rushing out. They said he nearly crashed into him and they chased him down. Nearly had him but the bastard slipped out of his hoodie. Slimy motherfucker.”
That was an understatement.
“It was him, wasn’t it?” I said. “Cameron. He’s stalking me, punishing me for living.”
“He’s not going to touch you,” Corvin promised, his voice hard. “You listen to me, omega. We will keep you safe. You’re going to have one of us with you at all times. We’re gonna make it through this.”
I swallowed hard, nodding, willing myself to believe him. I did… I was just so damn scared.
“We need to make sure someone stays at the school, too,” I said. “What about Phoenix? If he figures out that she’s important to me, she won’t be safe, either.”
“He’s not going to get either of you,” Apollo vowed. “We’ll have one of the officers stay at the school during school hours.”
A tear slipped free and I couldn’t stop shaking now that my brain was online.
“Can we at least go home now?” I begged.
“As soon as they tell us you can leave,” he promised.
“I’ll go check,” Ezra said, stepping away.
He disappeared out the doors. I stared after him for a second before turning to the others.
“What about the shop?”
“Minimal damage,” Apollo said. “Mostly just tore up the back door, and some of the other firefighters stayed behind to replace it for us.”
“I’m so mad,” I admitted, voice bitter now. “This is bullshit. It’s like he just knew that I was happy and wanted to ruin it. What did I ever do to deserve that?”
“Nothing, omega. None of this is your fault,” Corvin said.
His Amber, orange, and smokey cedar was stronger, mixing with his anger.
“Not one single moment of it is on your shoulders. This is all on him. He’s crazy, and, hopefully, today proved that you aren’t alone anymore, that you’ve got us and this entire town. ”
I let out a dry laugh. “I bet he wasn’t expecting those alphas to get involved.”
“He definitely wasn’t,” Corvin agreed with a grin. “And we reached you in minutes. You don’t have to worry.”
I didn’t have the heart to tell him that I’d always worry. Part of me would always wonder if Cameron would take things too far again. If he’d succeed next time.
“Good news,” Ezra said as he walked in. “It seems we get to get out of here.”
My OB was right behind him. She offered me a gentle smile.
“I hear you’re ready to go home,” she teased.
“So ready,” I agreed.
“The other doctors have already signed off. I just want to check your results,” she said, heading for the monitor that was beeping at my side, playing the baby’s heart rate.
She quickly printed off the results, studying them for a moment before giving me a reassuring smile.
“Well, your lungs are strong, and the baby’s heartbeat is strong.
Those are exactly what I wanted to see.”
“Thank god,” I said, letting out a breath and letting some of the tension drain away.
“I recommend that you rest for the next few days. I don’t want anything to happen to you or this baby, and I’d love to see you next week to give us both a little reassurance.”
“I’ll take it easy,” I promised.
“You found a strong pack here,” she told me with a gentle smile. “I’m always reassured to see my patients having a strong support system. You’ve got a whole waiting room full out there, too.”
I glanced over at Corvin, and he just grinned.
“It seems your best friends are just as stubborn as you are,” he teased. “They refuse to leave until they know you were fine.”
“Well, then, let’s expedite this process,” my doctor said with a chuckle as she unhooked me from the machines. “I’ll have you out of here soon.”
My hands rubbed my stomach where the monitors were. It was no longer as flat as it once was, just barely a bump, but my heart swelled knowing that my baby was so strong.
“We’ll have to postpone those dates a little bit or have them at home,” Ezra said.
“You know our girl is going to be demanding that she get to stay home, too,” Apollo joked.
“We’ll have plenty of stuff to do once she gets home from school,” Corvin said. “You know she was talking about colleges the other day.”
My eyes lit up at the news. “I’m so excited to hear that. I’ll have to start a savings account for her.”
The way Corvin shuffled had me narrowing my eyes. “You already did, didn’t you?” I demanded, not even pretending that I was upset.
“I may have made two of them,” he agreed. “One for her and one for the baby.”
“She’s going to be the best big sister, and you’re the best dads,” I said, blinking as tears started to form. I wiped my face as they spilled over. “I swear these hormones are the worst. I never cry this much.”
“After your day, I’m pretty sure you earned it,” Apollo said.
Ezra nodded in agreement. “I think these next few days are exactly what we need. I can’t promise that all of us will be there all the time, but at least one of us will.”
“That means lots of lazy afternoons in your nest,” Apollo said, wiggling his eyebrows at me and making me laugh.
They easily chased away all the shadows that used to take hold. It was a whole lot easier to face the world when you had an army at your back.