Chapter 25
Red
Iggy leans against one of the gigantic windows off the living room, looking uncomfortable in his skin. Cass, attempting to diffuse the situation, chats with Theo while Sully and Asher stare at the front door as if that'll help bring their mate home faster.
When Enzo texted me and said, "I've followed Ophelia and her friend Imogen to the prison. I'll escort them home when they're finished their business," without so much as an explanation, I got pissed.
What the fuck were they doing there? Two omegas, alone in a prison? I want to wring Phe's neck for putting Imogen in danger 'cause I know she's the instigator.
We piled into Cass's truck, which is bigger and nicer than mine, debating the entire way what the fuck our girls could be doing. Phe is family, but Imogen… She's everything.
I could think of only one person—one pack, really, who resides at the prison—that would cause Phe to go there, so it didn't take long to put the pieces together. Still, I was pissed she pulled Imogen in on it and didn't take me or one of her alphas with her instead.
But I could be mad later because right now, I just needed eyes on Imogen.
The sun sets by the time they return, and their headlights shine through the window, prompting both Sully and Asher to hurry outside. Cass and Theo glance toward the door but try to stay chill, while Iggy and I have a slightly harder time, tensing in stiff silence for Imogen to emerge through the front door.
Phe walks in first, but that sweet cherry scent is right on her heels. Imogen, dressed in her OFA High Hills uniform, looking classy as fuck, walks in, smiling when she sees us. It's subdued, too quiet, and when I get up to greet her, I notice her scent is slightly off. She's upset about something.
Holding her face in my hands, I lean forward to kiss her soft lips, and she returns it greedily. Her arms shake slightly, her whole body, really, so I pull her in for a hug. Only when I wrap my arms around her tightly does the shaking subside.
I close my eyes and breathe her in. "You okay, Im?"
I feel her nod, though she says nothing, just hugs her arms tightly around my torso. Phe's mates arguing in the background is a buzzkill, so we let go. I take her hand, guide her to the couch, and pause so she can hug and kiss Cass along the way. She sits, me on one side, Iggy taking residence on the other, draping his arms over her shoulder while I clasp her hand in mine. Cass stands beside us, and we wait for Sully to calm the fuck down.
"Because! He never would have talked to me with you there, and you wouldn't have let me go!" Phe shouts.
"When have I ever not let you do something?" Sully counters.
Phe growls, "Ugh! I don't know, like lots of times!"
Asher tries a different approach. "Okay, I think we're getting off track. Ophelia, we just want to know… why didn't you ask us to go with you? Why Imogen? Two omegas in an alpha-housed prison—"
"We're not invalids," she snaps.
"No, of course not. We just want you safe. That's all. You went to see Jackson, I assume? Did you find anything out, at least?"
Phe shoots a look at Imogen, who sits stiffly between me and Iggy. She has that fake small smile on, eyes downcast, sadness radiating off her.
Phe sighs, then sits in a chair, crossing her legs, picking at the material of her jeans. "Yeah. We found some things out."
"Care to share, Bumblebee?" Though the rest of the room groans at Theo's stupid nickname, Phe's lips lift slightly in amusement. She loves it for some reason.
"Well… he claims…" She clears her throat, frowning at Imogen. "He said it was Kenneth Stevens, the mayor, who got his name on the list. Apparently, the mayor's the go-to. You pay him under the guise of campaign funds, so it's basically an embezzlement scam on top of him being, apparently, one of the biggest sexual predators in the city." She winces, still watching Imogen for any reaction, but Imogen doesn't flinch. She stays perfectly still, seemingly relaxed.
It's unsettling. We could be talking about a fucking bake sale, and she'd have the same expression. Iggy stares her down, but this just opens a lot more questions for me.
"Im… how you doing?" Phe asks.
Imogen's lips lift slightly. "I'm fine, thank you for asking." It's so fucking fake.
"So, you can break off your engagement now, right?" Cass asks, and I shoot him a glare.
Imogen's expression doesn't change. I recognize this mask from when we found out she was our scent-match. She's not going to say yes. But I'm not letting that slide anymore.
"Im, you have to tell us what they have on you. You said it had something to do with your parents?"
Everyone in the room watches her with rapt attention, but she's not budging. I get out of my seat and kneel between her knees on the ground in front of her.
"Do you trust me?"
A slight tic in her brow, but it's not enough of a reaction. "Of course I do," she says sweetly.
"You trust me and Iggy and Cass. To take care of you. To catch you when you fall. Right? I know we haven't had a lot of time together, but you know how we feel. You can feel it, too."
Her blue eyes water, and she nods.
"And we trust you, too. To take care of yourself and us. We've got each other's backs. But that means leaning on each other once in a while. You can't do everything yourself in a pack. We want you in our pack, in our family. But that means trusting us fully. Not just with your body. But with your heart, your problems, your worries. The things that make you sad. Let us in, baby," I plead.
A single tear falls down her cheek, and I hold her hands in mine. Reluctantly, she nods, Cass and Iggy letting out a breath.
Never letting her gaze leave mine, she says to the room, "They tried to purchase me. My parents… they accepted a sum of cash for me to marry them. When I told my mother I wouldn't do it, I found out they owed money to some sketchy debt collectors. My father, Jeffrey, now has a broken wrist, and Bowen is recovering from a knee injury. I'm not sure exactly what happened. They claim both injuries happened at the gym. But my mother said it's because the collectors are getting impatient. I have no idea who holds the debt, only that the amount could be a few hundred thousand. I don't want to marry them. I can't. I won't.
"But I've been going along with it, publicly, because I don't know how to break it to my family. I don't want them to get hurt or worse. What if someone's killed over this? I'd never forgive myself."
Imogen's tears flow more freely, and I don't give a fuck that I'm in a room full of people not-pack. I sit again, gather her in my arms, and let the purr rattle from my chest. The vibration soothes her instantly. I've never done it before, didn't even know how, before the other night, but I know how much Imogen needs comforting, and I think the ability to purr showed up right when we really needed it.
So this is the big secret that's been keeping my omega away from me. I have to say, it's not what I expected. Of course it's something selfless, something she did to help people she loves. Even if they don't fucking deserve it. I keep purring, trying not to think about how enraged I am at her folks at what they've done to her, her mental well-being, her confidence, stealing her trust. I suspect it's worse than what she's shared, but I save those questions for later.
The guys and Phe talk around us, coming up with solutions and plans. Sully doesn't even hesitate, he offers the cash right off the bat to keep Imogen from danger, which I fucking respect and hate that I can't provide?. He and Cass go back and forth, but ultimately, they decide they'll hold her parents responsible, treating it like a loan with interest.
It lets Imogen off the hook but doesn't solve the other problem. The mayor caught up in, essentially, forced prostitution. Rape. Collecting cash by selling omega's heats. It's so fucked up.
But when they get down to the details of how to handle it, Imogen pulls from my lap. I wrap my hands around her hips. She doesn't go far, but she's much calmer and stronger than when she walked in here.
Soft as she sounds, everyone quiets when she speaks. "No, you can't confront him. We need proof. I can't explain it, he's… he's two-faced. Truly, he's like two different men. Ophelia, you told me you met with Saul last year to discuss omegas rights and the OFA."
I nod, remembering the meeting. "I was there, actually. Yeah, he acted surprised at how bad things were on the streets."
Imogen shakes her head. "There's no way he's not involved or didn't already know. Depending on the company, at dinner parties, sometimes he'll talk about how the OFA are traitors ever since you've gotten involved with them to make policy changes for omegas and protection rights. But other times, he talks about Constantine like they're a godsend to our community. He's a liar, and there's no way he doesn't also know what's going on. The entire pack, I'm sure, but certainly Saul."
Phe and I catch eyes, and I grit my teeth. "So our whole meeting with him was bullshit."
She shakes her head. "No, it got Rubens involved. That was a huge help. But I've been having trouble getting Fletcher to do anything. One second she's talking about reform in the classrooms, the next, it's like she's doubling down on those fucked up classes. So, as far as big changes… yeah, we're definitely being gaslit. I think the OFA and Fletcher are the larger issue, but Stevens is more pressing. Kenneth especially."
"We need to nail him," Imogen growls.
"Maybe we could—"
"I'll get proof," Imogen says with determination.
Nearly everyone in the room shouts "No!" at the same time.
I hate the idea, but fucking love that she doesn't back down. "It makes the most sense. They don't know I'm aware of what they've done. And as far as they're concerned, I'm still engaged to them."
"I don't like it," I grit, walking a fine line between wanting to keep her safe and not wanting to tell her what to do.
"I really don't fucking like it," Iggy adds.
Imogen's shoulders soften, and she turns in my lap, pressing her lips to Iggy's. His alpha energy, which has been radiating off him for the last twenty minutes, settles instantly. It's amazing. He's so fucking aggro sometimes, but around her, it's like she switches a flip.
"What do you have in mind?" Phe asks. Of course, she's the only one in the room not completely against the idea.
"They extended an invitation to stay in their nest—"
"What the fuck!" "No fucking way!" Cass, Iggy, and I all protest instantly, but she keeps going.
"They said I could be alone, just get a feel for the space and what it needed. Maybe I could ask if they could even leave the house for the duration of the stay, say something about wanting to get comfortable in my new home."
"No." Cass shakes his head, fisting his hands at his sides. "Im, I feel you, but no. It's too fucking dangerous."
Imogen opens her mouth to argue, but Phe pipes in, "I kinda agree, girl. These dudes are predators."
"Thank fuck," I say under my breath, and Im shoots me a glare, but I just shrug. Even the hard-ass omega is against the idea.
"But I agree it might need to be you." I shoot Phe a look, but she holds up her hands. "Hear me out. We need proof, and they sure as hell don't trust anyone in this room. Sully could get a meeting with them, but like Im said, they'd likely just say whatever they thought Sully wanted to hear. They wouldn't let him near their place. They wouldn't keep anything incriminating at the office downtown unless they're stupid."
"So what do you suggest, Ophelia?" Sully asks.
"A party. Like, a gross, OFA-style, high-society ball hosted by them. Im, if you could convince them to host, Constantine would definitely be invited. Then you and I can snoop together." She apologizes to me, Iggy, and Cass. "You dudes are never getting in. But maybe we can disguise you enough and throw you in catering outfits. Melanie would help. Those high-society packs always hire the same company since they're OFA approved."
Cass groans. "Okay. I hate that I'm saying this, but it's not a bad idea."
Imogen nods vigorously. "I agree. And I'll admit, I'll feel more comfortable with all of you there."
"So, Im… think you can convince them to throw a ball?" I don't think Phe's acknowledging how hard that will be for Imogen.
She tenses in my lap but agrees to try. Both packs want space with their omegas, so we say goodbye a few minutes later. Imogen insists on driving her car, but we convince her to come home with us, so Iggy and Cass leave in their truck, and I climb into Im's BMW.
She drives like she walks. Slowly and gracefully, always using her turn signal, even at the end of the driveway. After twenty minutes of watching her in amusement, she finally laughs, lightly, a blush creeping up her neck.
"What is it? Do I have something on me?" She wipes at her cheek, pushing her hair aside.
"Nah. Just admiring the view."
She smiles, and I'm relieved the sadness cloaking her earlier seems to have dissipated. But as much as I don't want to bring it up, remind her of what was bothering her, I told her earlier that she could trust me with her burdens, and I meant it.
"Are you okay Im? For real?"
The curl on her lips lowers, but she nods her head yes. Then amends, "I got into an argument with my mother before we went to the prison, before I found out about Kenneth."
"What about?"
"The wedding. My body. Money. Everything and nothing all at once."
"You told her it wasn't happening, even before you found out about Kenneth?"
She nods, "After the other night… Red, you must know, I'd never have gone through with it. But even the farce felt so wrong. I didn't want to pretend, even for her."
"But you're worried about her. Broken arms and shit?"
She giggles, "That's so inappropriate. Broken arms and shit," she mocks, but her sweet, delicate voice doesn't go deep enough, so it's fucking funny. "Yes, broken arms and knees and the fear there's more to it."
"If it's just about money, they'll take a loan from Sully. Problem solved."
She stills. "I just realized. You're right. I mean, even during all of that, I was listening and agreeing. But it just now dawned on me. I don't have to worry about them getting hurt." Eyes glistening, she turns to me. "Red, I'm free."
"God damn, woman. I know our date night is tomorrow, but please, will you sleep in my bed tonight? Can I have you all to myself just this once?"
"Just once?" She teases.
My alpha growls in excitement, pheromones heady in the car, causing her perfume to bloom. She almost whimpers, her cherry scent so mouthwatering I think I'd do anything to get her alone when we get home so I can taste and steal every single drop of her slick.
She drives through downtown, crossing over the bridge in South Loop, when I remember one more thing she said. "What about your body?"
"Hmm?"
"Your mom. Said you argued about your body."
"Oh… that… that's nothing." Pulling up to the warehouse, I direct her in, having her pull up next to my beat-up red truck, the guys are already parked and inside since Imogen drives about two miles under the speed limit.
"Im… you can trust me." Her cheeks flame in embarrassment when I cage her against the car door after we climb out.
Looking up, not meeting my eyes, she says shyly, "My mother thinks my body is becoming… unladylike. Masculine. She doesn't like all the muscles I've been getting. Or that I'm getting… bigger."
I frown, tracing my fingers over the material covering her arm. "I can tell you how fucking beautiful you are. Insanely gorgeous, the absolute perfection my brothers and I see in you. You take our breath away. Literally, sometimes. When I watch you dance, especially when you use your strength, holding yourself up on that pole, with nothing but your hard work and will, while making the moves graceful and elegant... You're a wonder, Imogen. But all that doesn't matter. What do you think? How do you feel in your skin?"
"I… I feel… strong. And happy. And beautiful, too. Especially when I wear the wings and the mask. Not because I'm hiding, but because it makes me feel alive. Like I'm doing something so wild and crazy, but sexy, too. I really love dancing in them. And being on stage."
I nod, gripping her chin. "You're perfect, Imogen. Not because you try to be but because you just are, with all your imperfections. You're perfect, just the way you are."
Tears well in her eyes, but instead of a soothing hug, she jumps on me. Wrapping her legs around my waist, I bring my lips to hers, kissing her fiercely.
She cries out when I bite her lip, dragging my teeth to her neck.
"No biting," she whines. "Not until—"
"I know, I know. Stupid party first. But after that?"
"Take me inside, Red."
I pick her up and carry her up the stairs. Cass and Iggy are waiting in the kitchen but give me an unspoken nod that they're gonna give us some space to be alone. Before I can carry her up the second set of stairs to my room, she crawls out of my arms.
To my brothers, she says softly but confidently, "After the party, I'm done waiting. You three will bite me and make me pack."
The command, coming from such a submissive voice, dulcet and light, is the biggest fucking turn-on. She's shorter, smaller than the three of us. And even as time passes and we watch her shed bits of that OFA cloak, she's still so proper and poised, and I don't think that'll ever change. The way she speaks, the way she holds her shoulders back, spine straight, hair perfectly done. She's a lovely, submissive omega.
But she's also the strongest woman in South Loop, and she doesn't even realize it because she can command me, Iggy, and Cass to do anything.
Iggy's teeth shine when he smiles, stepping in front of her so her back presses against my chest. He bites his teeth, snapping them together, before kissing her cheek. "Anything for you, Imogen."
Cass, taking Iggy's place, kisses her other cheek. "We're only waiting on you, angel."
Her perfume blooms again, and all three of us groan, but I snag her by the waist and steal her away. Upstairs, into my room, knowing she likes to be manhandled, I toss her onto the bed, undressing her with feral need.
Each shoe comes off, tossed behind me, then I tear off her sweater thing and the stupid dress that hides her shape. Underneath, she's wearing a strapless bra and basic slick wick panties that match her golden skin tone, and I tug those off, too, leaving her panting, writhing, and wanting in my bed.
"You gotta rub that cherry scent all over my sheets, Im." Crawling on top of her, still fully clothed, I spread her legs while kissing her, dipping two fingers along the seam of her pussy, getting them nice and wet. Her eyes lower to half-mast while I rub her scent into my sheets. "I never want to sleep without your scent again."
Imogen watches, speechless, when I lower down her body. She tries to follow. When she gets hazy with need, her body just wants, her primitive omega brain on one track. I press my palm to her sternum, holding her in place.
Her round tits, lightly dusted with freckles, shake while she squirms against my hold. I roll her quarter-sized nipples, hardened into peaks, between my knuckles, pinching every so often, easing the pressure between barely touching and a firm tweak. Her cherry scent gets stronger by the minute, and her bright blue eyes dilate so wide, you'd think she was in heat. But I know she's here with me, trying to calm her omega into just feeling and being patient. It isn't easy for either of us.
"Red, I want your shirt off," Imogen whispers, clawing out at my chest. I reach behind my head and pull the material forward, tossing my shirt aside while she touches every inch of me. I'm not bulky, pretty thin compared to most alphas, not as thin as Iggy, but I'm tall, and I work a lot of odd jobs, leaving me defined and strong.
She likes what she sees, growing more impatient, clawing at me the more I play and tease. Crawling down her body, I gently lick each nipple, sucking them in one at a time before dragging my teeth down her stomach. Fortunately, she stays put this time, but her hips buck up against me.
I tug off the rest of my clothes and kneel between her legs, and I've made her wait so long, she's dripping wet, her thick thighs squeezing my head in desperation.
"I love how strong your legs are. How needy you feel, how your thighs nearly choke me, you need it so bad. I fucking love your body, Imogen." I kiss the thighs in question, giving each all the love they deserve.
She whimpers my name in gratitude, squirming her hips around, seeking pleasure. Finally, I slip my fingers inside her pussy, parting her lips just enough to kiss her clit, and she cries out.
I don't make her wait any longer, sucking and tongue thrashing her clit, periodically dragging my long tongue along her pretty, wet pink pussy, tasting every cherry-flavored drop, then back to licking and sucking her clit. She thrashes around, thighs flexing tighter around my head before she cries out her first orgasm, and I kept tasting and taking it in.
Before letting her come all the way down, I climb back onto her and pull her up to a seat. Grabbing every single pillow in a mad rush, I stuff them behind her back, and one just slightly under her ass. Wrapping her legs around my waist, I line up at her entrance then thrust in, and in this position, I bottom out almost instantly.
I thrust in quick motions, scooping her ass with my hands, pressed higher against me with the pillow beneath her, and I hold her in place, while we meld together, her pussy squeezing my cock so tight. I had no idea sex could be this good, this visceral.
Imogen's tits press against my chest while I hold her close, barely an inch of space between us, so tight I'm nearly rocking and shaking, barely pulling out anymore, seeking relief deep inside her.
Imogen, my bouncy girl, rocks her body upward, angling so I hit all the right parts, and before long, her second orgasm builds.
She's squealing out in rapid "Ah! Ah! Ah!" moans, and I feel it, we chase it together. A slow build until suddenly it's there, pleasure so blinding it sucks the life out of you. My sensitive cock gets one last deep body tug from her tight-as-hell pussy, and I'm gone, shooting come in one long burst, covering her walls, marking her as mine.
She shakes, her orgasm fading, but before I let her fall too far, I carefully pull out, flatten my fingers and rub her clit, a third orgasm, right on the heels of the second, this one gushing around my fingers. Her body falls limp, and I release her, loving every inch of her slick and sweat-coated body, wrapping her up in my arms. She passes out, but only for a few minutes, before she's begging for more.
Sometime in the middle of the night, I remind her we have a date night later the next day and that we should get some sleep. She whines, but her body agrees because she falls asleep instantly.