24. Apollo
As soon as we laid eyes on that bastard, Corvin and I ran at full speed after him. He had just tried to end our whole world. If he thought he was getting away, he was sorely mistaken.
Holt and Ash were hot on our heels, as well as a few alphas in town.
We had one advantage over Cameron, we knew this town and he didn't. That and he was vastly outnumbered.
Corvin motioned for me to head down the alley to try and cut him off and I nodded that I understood.
Holt broke off and headed down the other alley covering more ground. Smart move. I could see Cameron hesitate at the next alley, just for a second.
That was enough.
"You won't be able to protect them," his voice taunted from not too far away. He’d given Holt the perfect window and Corvin pushed ahead, right on his heels.
I wasn't sure what I was going to do if I caught him but I knew that I would be a hell of a lot nicer on him than Corvin. His alpha rage was palpable, surpassing the other alphas who were just being protective of a friend.
A loud scream and a thud echoed out, stopping me and the group behind me in our tracks. Then angry shouting before Holt’s voice cut over the rest.
"We’ve got him!" Holt called out, then grunted in pain. Cameron was, apparently, fighting back.
Rushing forward, I hooked a left, following the sounds of the struggle. The alpha pheromones were thick in the air, full of white-hot anger from both sides.
A few alphas surrounded Holt and Corvin. My alpha was pinning Cameron to the ground, fists cocked back and ready to strike.
"You thought you could hurt my omega?" Corvin growled.
I pushed harder to get through the others. I didn't want Corvin to do something he would regret.
When I finally pushed through, Corvin was breathing hard and Ash had a hand on his shoulder, half holding him in place.
"You want that slut, have her. Take my leftovers," he sneered at us. "She was like a dead fish in bed. Another useless fucking omega."
We knew that he was just trying to get a rise from us, but for Corvin, it was the last straw.
I walked over to my brother and glared down at the waste of space under him. "Don't fall for it."
"That bitch couldn't even suck dick right," he spit, still fighting against their hold.
“There’s no getting out of here, you might as well shut your fucking mouth,” I said, keeping my voice even despite rage pulsing through me. I’d love nothing more than for someone to shut us alone in a room with this failure of an alpha. We’d teach him a lesson or three.
Cameron spit at me. “Enjoy her used-up pussy. Can’t even get slick for a knot.”
At that Corvin lunged for him and punched him square in the nose, but he didn't stop just there. He rained down on him. Fists flew and blood spattered, Cameron’s maniacal laughter echoing out, getting raspier by the second.
When it was turning to be too far, it took both Ash and I to hold him back.
"We can't let you kill him. He would win then and you wouldn’t get to stay with Bea,” I said, voice shaking now. "I hate myself for even making you stop because he deserves more, but our goddess would be pissed if you go to jail."
That, at least, earned a little smirk from him and I knew that I got through to him. The red blanket of anger over him started to recede to normal levels.
Ash finally let go of Corvin, leaving him to me while Holt pinned the asshole to the ground. I grabbed my phone and Called WLPD. It was time to end this and get back to our girls.
“Do you have him?” Chief demanded, sounding flustered. “We already got a few calls in.”
"Yes, we have the guy in custody that started the fire and has been stalking the bookstore owners," I said. "He took a tumble into a brick wall and may need some medical attention.” I left it at that before giving an address.
The others had to stifle a laugh at my explanation. Cameron had blood gushing from his nose and there was some bruising starting to form on his cheeks as well. I could just imagine what was going to pop up under this shirt and it’d be a miracle if he could open his swollen eyes tomorrow.
“We’re heading that way but I can’t get a cruiser to the alley. I’ll send someone in to retrieve him,” Chief said, barking orders out to his people.
“We’ll meet you at the street,” I offered before ending the call. He’d likely protest and I couldn’t wait any longer.
"Let’s move,” Corvin said.
"This guy is dead weight, I think he passed out," Holt said as he dragged him to his feet, Cameron slumping forward.
I turned to Corvin, "I'll get one leg and you the other?"
He grunted in agreement as Holt let him drop. I grabbed the left and Corvin the right. Cameron didn't fight as he hit every rock and divot in the concrete on the way back to where the crowd was still formed.
Ezra still had an arm around Bea and Phoenix. That was a welcome sight after everything today. So many scenarios flashed through my head as we pushed the truck to its limits to reach them. They said it was bigger this time and I thought I might lose everything.
Thank god this town would never let its own go down like that. Willow Lake was protective of their own and I would forever be grateful for that.
The EMT's rushed towards us to take care of Cameron. I don’t think I breathed again until he was cuffed to a stretcher and strapped in. He was starting to wake up and struggle as they worked.
“I suggest you settle,” the cold voice of the officer cut through his fight. He was exhausted after that and likely in pain. Good. I hoped Corvin did permanent damage like he did to our omega.
“We need statements,” another officer said as he came over, taking notes as we each recounted the evening, starting with Phoenix, then Bea, and us rounding it out.
The moment he walked away, Bea pulled us in close and inspected our hands and gasped when she got to Corvin's.
"Are you okay?" she asked, her fingertips ghosting over the blood and bruising there.
"Yeah. It's not my blood," he promised. Bea’s lips split into a smile before she leaned forward and pressed her lips to Corvin’s.
“Thank you.”
“You’re safe,” he said gently, resting his forehead on hers.
“We told you, we’ve always got you,” I reminded her. She nodded once before pulling me into a hug next, her whispered thanks as her eyes filled with tears.
"What do we need to do now?" Phoenix asked as Bea stepped back and took a shaky breath, grounding herself.
"You both need to be checked out," Ezra said. His voice was firm so, thankfully, there was no argument. “Let’s make sure the smoke didn’t cause any damage or irritation. Then we can go home and shower.”
“Maybe throw out these clothes,” Phoenix said, her nose wrinkling as she took a sniff of her sleeve.
"Are all the other fires out? Do you have to go back out?" Bea asked.
"We got the big one contained and we are on call just in case, but they shouldn't need us," I explained, holding out a hand. She put her hand in mine, settling my racing heart finally.
"We’re fine," Phoenix started to argue as we loaded into the SUV.
"You were trapped in a building full of smoke and a raging fire outside. You could have lung damage," Corvin said, raising a brow as if daring her to argue.
"Plus, Bea is pregnant. We need to make sure her and your baby brother or sister are alright," I reminded her.
"You're right, I just want to curl up on the couch, eat pizza, drink a soda, and forget the day," Phoenix grumbled after climbing in the back.
"I like your style," Ezra said as he buckled Bea in the front.
"Yeah, once we get this all sorted we can make that happen," Bea said before kissing Ezra on the cheek.
"I'm not one for carbs, but I'm in this time," I added, glancing back at Phoenix. She grinned back at me. She had no idea how much I needed to know she was alright, too.
"I think the smoke got to my brain, did I hear Apollo say he wanted pizza?" she teased.
Yeah, we were all going to be just fine, now.
It was hours before we made it home, but we kept the promise of pizza. Corvin even stopped on the way home to load up on snacks and everyone’s favorite drinks to round it out.
"Can we do this once a month?" Phoenix asked as she piled her plate with pizza and bread sticks.
"The fire or the food?" I teased as I grabbed some for Bea.
The doctors said that she needed rest and relaxation but, thankfully, Bea and the baby were fine. He said the stress might make her more tired, but everything else was looking good.
The guys and I didn't have an issue taking care of our girls but hated that we weren't there to protect them when they needed us the most. It was the first time we went away from them and it backfired.
Cameron probably set that fire, too. Something I didn’t hesitate to point out to our chief and the police chief as well.
"Apollo, are you going to bring me the food or stand there brooding?" Bea teased me, making grabby hands for the plate I was holding hostage.
"Sorry, lost in thought," I said as I grabbed her some ranch to go with her dinner.
"I could get my food myself," she started, but I cut her off.
"Not on my watch. Sorry for the delay, m'lady," I said, kneeling and presenting her the plate like it was on a silver platter.
Her answering laughter was exactly what I was hoping for. It was unguarded again, even if it was a bit raspy with exhaustion. I stood up and kissed her forehead before preparing my own plate.
Even with everything that happened today, we were all together and safe and I couldn't ask for more. I did fear some that Bea would try to pull away again and blame herself for that bastard's actions, but so far, she wasn’t putting up walls.
Instead, she looked at us like we’d won a war for her. In a way, we had. He had haunted her life since eighteen, and now, if the authorities did their job, he’d be out of her life for a long time. There were enough witnesses there was no getting out of this one.
I took a seat in front of where Bea was sitting and she hung her leg on my shoulder. Her touch eased a little of the unease in my chest.
"Whatcha thinking about, big guy?" Phoenix asked as she joined me on the floor.
"When are we going to get to eat some of Holt's cupcakes?" I countered with a wink.
"He said tomorrow, but with all that happened let me check with him," she replied, before taking too big of a bite and looking a bit like a chipmunk. She chewed and swallowed before continuing. "After dinner."
She was already almost to her second round of food and I couldn't stop but admire how comfortable she was with us now. Especially with the hell her birth mother put her through.
It felt like home here, for all of us.
"Great, now I want a cupcake," Bea pouted with a sad smile.
"On it. I'll call him now and see if he has one ready without the surprise color inside," I said as I set down my plate and grabbed my phone from the side table.
“No, that’s a bit over the top, isn’t it?” she argued, but I wasn’t listening. I’d already pulled up Holt’s number and started the call.
Holt answered on the first ring.
"Everything okay?" he asked, instead of the normal hello. Who could blame him after everything?
"Yes, but I said cupcake and now the baby wants one. Any chance that you have one that isn't color-filled yet I could swing by and grab?" I asked. “I’m awful at baking.”
"As a matter of fact, I do. I wasn't going to fill them until tomorrow just in case Taryn got nosey and decided to dig through it."
"Mind if I come and get one now?" I asked.
"I was just about to head to town and drop off some dinner for the granny mafia. I'll just come to you," he said and I sagged in relief. I was more than willing to go, but leaving them right now had that tightness in my chest forming again.
"That would be amazing and tell those old badasses to come to the gender reveal tomorrow, too. They are family after all," I said. It was still hard to imagine how many people here cared. I wasn’t used to that.
"Will do, but I'm telling them to leave those purses at home. Pearl whacked me once on accident and I still have the bruise," he said with a grunt.
"Dude, yeah, they have a mean swing. I'd want them in my corner for sure," I said.
“Be there in thirty,” he said before hanging up.
“Don’t worry,” I said to Bea. “We’ve secured the goods, he’s heading over soon.”
“Thanks, Apollo,” she said, crawling over to kiss me, despite Phoenix’s protests. She sat back down and picked up her plate again. “I heard you mention the grannies. Is he checking in on them?”
"He’s dropping off dinner but I told him to make sure they joined us tomorrow," I said as I took another bite of my pizza. It was a bit cold, but damn it was good. Maybe once a month was a good idea after all.
"They’re the grannies I didn't know that I needed," she said with a soft smile.
“Alright, movie time,” Ezra said as he turned it on. As we finished, Corvin collected plates and passed out pillows and blankets, effectively letting our omega create a family nest.
Once we all settled in, she let out the cutest sigh. One that said this was everything she’d ever wanted.
I couldn’t agree more.