Chapter 17
Chapter
Seventeen
BELLAMY
Dressed in a light hooded t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers, I sneak into a side door in the warehouse building with Winter. Though, I suppose it’s not breaking in or sneaking around when the door is unlocked.
Pack Mayor made sure everything was ready for us at the warehouse.
They say that all of life is a stage, and Winter and I have learned it’s true.
We’re relearning what it’s like to be ourselves without fearing the consequences, but the masks slip back on easily as we pretend to be two very tired and scared omegas.
The memory of what it’s like to fear every moment isn’t old enough yet, and it’ll help us pull the wool over Matilda’s eyes.
Old backpacks are on our backs, something Ansel had that he’s been meaning to donate, and Cassidy sprayed it down with descenting spray so it wouldn’t smell like alphas.
She also gave us each a bracelet with a little charm on it, with the warning to push the charm for three seconds if there was a problem we couldn’t handle.
I’m not sure what that means, but I’ll take it as a fail safe when we have no way to contact them otherwise.
There’s a blanket, a flashlight, and a bottle of water in the bags, the bare minimum, and not enough to survive on the streets. Yet, that’s the point of this, isn’t it?
We’re clearly ill-equipped for this life and seeking help from a snake.
The inside of the warehouse is dim, with no electricity as we walk, the only ambient light is coming from the moon now that it’s so late. My finger is keeping Winter close to me as I link it through her belt loop, and her eyes dart around the seemingly empty warehouse.
Our pack, shit it’s weird to say that, dropped us off a mile away from the warehouse in an alley, and the walk wasn’t fun. Empty eyes stared at us from annoyed faces as we passed them quickly, and our anxiety found a way to ramp up to the point that Winter’s fingers are trembling.
There’s no way to know how long we’ll be waiting here, or if it’ll even be Matilda who comes. It has to appear as if we’re packless and alone.
Matilda can’t know that we have a pack willing to scorch the earth if anyone hurts us. Shiloh told us they’d all be hiding and waiting while they watch the building. I have to trust they have our backs.
Our feet scuff the dirty cement floor, and a broken window allows the wind to blow leaves inside. I don’t know why Lyle and his pack would own a place like this. I can see that it’s been vacant awhile.
“Where do you want to put our stuff?” Winter asks.
If we weren’t playing a part, even though we could be alone, we wouldn’t be speaking at all. Tugging her to a corner where we can still see most of the entrances, I slide down the wall to sit on the ground.
“Doesn’t matter if we’re not staying long,” I murmur.
My arm goes around her body to pull her close, offering her some comfort. I know we have support somewhere, but I don’t trust Winter’s aunt. She was cagey and mean on the phone, and it grates to know she’s this spiteful person who will sell us again in a second.
I know they say the third time is a charm, but I don’t want to be sold again by Madam Clara. Winter and I may not survive it.
The minutes slide past one another as Winter lays her head on my shoulder, but I can feel the stiffness in her body.
Pulling oxygen into my lungs, I tell myself we’ll wait as long as it takes.
Our alphas know where we are, and they won’t pull us out of the warehouse until Matilda is caught.
She can’t call the phone number Winter called her from, her only recourse is to come to us.
This isn’t the worst place I’ve been forced to sit or even sleep in. We’ll wait.
Of course, none of this was cleared through Abbott. He’s understandably on edge. They all are.
This is just another lurking danger in Winter and my life. We meant it when we said someone would come for us. It just happens to be multiple people who want to use us for our similar looks, our promise to do anything for the other, even if it means living or dying for them.
I can’t survive without Winter. Finding our scent matches won’t change that.
A banging sound on the other end of the warehouse makes Winter squeal in fear, a sound she doesn’t have to fake. I flinch as well, because it’s a consistent banging. My body is strung so tightly, the sound of blood pounding in my ears makes me lightheaded and faint.
“Winter,” I breathe in warning as she presses her back against the wall.
She nods, her eyes turned in the direction of the banging. The door gives way, and I can hear a woman grumbling as her heels click against the floor. Something tells me that’s not Matilda.
Winter’s fingernails dig into my arm, and I refuse to complain as she holds onto me.
Abbott and Ansel slid knives into our back pockets and there’s pepper spray in our shoes.
It’s not much, but I reminded him that if we’re searched, it would look suspicious if we had too many well crafted weapons on us.
That all costs money, and we’re supposed to be weak omegas with few choices in need of help.
Multiple footsteps move toward us, causing us to get up and walk quickly into the shadows. I’m not sticking around if it's not who we’re expecting. Getting kidnapped isn’t on my bingo card, and that’s saying something when Winter and I have shit luck as it is.
Somehow, we drew the short straw in life. I’d like a refund on some of my previous experiences, please.
Hidden behind a large concrete column with Winter plastered to my side, I watch as Madam Clara prowls into the warehouse, her dark eyes darting around as the building settles around us. It’s an older building as much of Savannah is, and with character brings creeks and moans in the structure.
“Matilda, what the fuck?” Madam Clara snarls under her breath.
Winter’s aunt is pushed forward by a couple of Madam Clara’s men, and my brow furrows. It’s one thing to highly suspect something, and another to fucking see it.
I can feel the emotions inside of Winter as if they’re my own, and it feels as if my heart is breaking. God, I can’t stand this fucking cunt, and I was never a fan of Matilda to begin with after our first meeting.
“Winter? I’m here, baby,” Matilda calls out, making my blood boil with anger. “I’m sorry about the noise, honey. The warehouse is locked up tight. How did you even get in here? Come out, please.”
Winter swallows back her audible emotions as she refuses to answer. We’re going to have to come out, we both know that. I want to see more of their interactions though.
It definitely feels as if Madam Clara is forcing Matilda in a sense, but that’s not going to save either of them from what’s coming.
My heart pounds as I watch Madam Clara grow angrier, and like a dog that’s been trained with violence and pain, I nearly piss myself at the sight. Her anger always meant we’d lose pieces of our souls at her version of justice.
Fuck do I despise this alpha so damn much.
Patience…
Whether the word comes from Winter or my inner sense of preservation, I can’t tell, but it’s solid advice. We’re so intertwined, there are times I have to ask myself if they’re my emotions and thoughts or not. It’s wild but comforting as well.
“We can be a family again,” Matilda says, trying again as she glares at Madam Clara. They’re the silent words of: I’m trying bitch. Shut the fuck up.
It’s safe to say there’s no real love lost there. Whether she's being coerced or paid to flush us out, it doesn’t fucking matter at this point. She’s the enemy.
“Come on, Winter,” her aunt sighs. “What else are you going to do?”
Madam Clara and her men step back into the shadows as if that’ll make us forget their existence.
There’s some trash on the ground near me that suggests we aren’t the only people who’ve been here.
Shaking my head, I pick up an empty can and toss it further into the warehouse to force Matilda to move further away.
Winter raises her wrist to remind me of the emergency button, and I decide this is as close to danger as I want to fucking be. Clicking it as instructed, I move quietly in the direction I threw the can.
We’re planning to be caught, only on our terms.
“Aunt Matilda?” Winter asks in a small voice. “Do you mean it?”
We both know she doesn’t, but I think my girl should go into theater because her acting skills are on point.
“Where are you?” Matilda demands, walking faster. The moon is hiding, and everything is much darker in the building now.
Thank goodness for decent night vision since we’ve been in this building for hours at this point. My ass was getting numb from the ground.
“I’m right here,” Winter says.
We both stop, waiting for Matilda to get closer. The sound of air puffing through the building makes me gasp and Winter sags against me a moment later. Lifting her in my arms as her mind goes silent, her head falls back to show she’s asleep.
Fuck.
“You’re still getting her into trouble, aren’t you, boy?” Matilda asks with a cruel smile as she sees me.
“You’re still a bitch I see,” I snarl, glaring at her as Madam Clara joins her.
“Matilda is a greedy bitch, and it works out great for me. You and Winter will always belong to me, Bellamy,” Madam Clara says. “Are you going to be a good boy?”
“No,” I reply, done with the charade. “Fuck you both. I’m not going back to your bullshit.”
“You stupid shit! I own you!” she screams, her hand shaking as she motions her men forward.
Shit.
The doors explode open around us, and I have a distant thought that my pack is going to owe Pack Mayor new doors. It’s a hysterical and panicked thing to think about, but I can’t help it.
Stepping away from the people threatening my freedom, I start to sing at the top of my lungs as Madam Clara tries to alpha bark me. If I can’t fucking hear her, then she can’t control me. Silly?
Maybe, but if it’s effective, it doesn’t really matter, does it?
Hands touch my shoulders, and I scream, holding Winter closer to me.