Chapter 19
Chapter
Nineteen
SHILOH
It’s two in the morning by the time we get home. Winter is working through the last of the sedative that was shot into her, and Bellamy is wired as we walk inside.
“I…” I trail off as I struggle to find my words. I’ve apologized half a dozen times for Bellamy’s wound but he just shrugged. He wasn’t the least bit concerned by it. The bad guy was dead, and that’s what mattered. “Will you guys sleep in the pack bed?”
Abbott hums under his breath, approval shining in his eyes. Tonight reminded us all of the evil following our omegas, and how easy it could have been to lose them.
“Us?” Winter asks, her head tilting as she leans against Bellamy. “I mean, I don’t see why not.”
Bellamy’s lips purse as he looks down at her, feeling out her answer. It’s not the first time we’ve all slept in a puppy pile, but they were detoxing at the time. It feels different now.
“Yeah?” Cassidy asks, smiling as Bellamy and Winter nod.
Thank fuck. I need to know they’re close, safe, and with us. I think I’d probably end up sleeping at the base of the stairs to their nest to be close to our omegas if they’d refused. I just need to hear them breathe and feel their warmth.
I need the reminder that they’re alive and well.
Trudging up the stairs, they continue up to their nest to get ready for bed. We all need showers, and we hit the different bathrooms in the house to do just that. Abbott is pulling on a pair of sweatpants just as Winter and Bellamy stop outside the doors to the room.
“Come in,” Cassidy says with a smile, climbing into bed. She’s wearing a tank top and a pair of panties, the most she’ll wear in our bed.
Winter and Bellamy come inside, and soon we’re all situated in the huge bed. Abbott turns the lights down, but it seems our omegas are having a hard time sleeping. They both keep moving, and I can’t help but chuckle.
“Do you two have the zoomies?” I tease them.
“We aren’t cats,” Winter giggles.
“You definitely were a cat in another life,” Bellamy murmurs, burying his face in her neck.
They’re in the middle of our bed, while we’re fanned out on either side of them.
“Sedatives usually leave me groggy, but I’m not tired anymore,” Winter explains.
“I also keep thinking about the omegas that escaped Madam Clara. Are they still in Savannah, or did they leave? I don’t know but it’s worrying me.
It feels risky for them to stay here with that bitch chomping at the bit for omegas to sell. ”
“Do you remember any of them?” I ask.
“We all had aliases,” Bellamy says sadly. “The only omegas that Madam Clara had left when Winter and I were sold were the ones from Slick Dreams. Something must have happened to cancel future auctions.”
“She used to mutter about how secure our location was or wasn’t,” Winter murmurs. “We became the equivalent of a floating auction, just like Slick Dreams was a floating sex club. I guess she picked up a few tricks from Bret, the owner.”
“Fucking Bret,” Bellamy whispers, pain in his voice.
“You’re sure he’s dead?” Abbott growls. “We could kill him for you.”
“Definitely dead,” he says, sighing. “We were his money making whores, and he had no problems getting us to do his bidding.”
“Hey,” Cassidy hisses. “The things you have to do under duress don’t define you. Don’t say mean shit to yourself.”
“She means it,” Ansel smirks. “Cassidy tickles people when they’re assholes to themselves.”
“Ugh. She’s the reason I have to strike first!” Abbott yells, his fingers digging into her sides.
“No. Fuck! Abbott!” she squeals, her body wriggling and contorting as she screams. “Uncle!”
“Amateur,” he teases her, kissing her shoulder.
“Tickles or not,” I drawl. “Cassidy still has a good point, Bellamy.”
“It doesn’t feel that way,” he grumbles. “We’ve lost a year of our lives, our birthdays are next month, and we have absolutely nothing to show for it.”
“You’re in a new school,” Abbott begins to tick off.
“You found your scent matches,” Ansel continues.
“I killed the witch,” Cassidy adds. “I think we should teach you some basic self defense.”
“That’s a good idea,” I say. “Oh, you have a kick ass nest you’re building,”
“You’re right. I don’t think Bell meant it like that,” Winter says. “When you’re eighteen, you’re supposed to do something big to remind yourself that you’re an adult.”
“You mean, a bad decision, or doing something just to do it because it’s legal?” Abbott chuckles. “Do you want to smoke cigarettes, vote, get a piercing, or a tattoo?”
“The tattoo wouldn’t be a bad idea,” I say suddenly, thinking about Clara’s goddamned brand.
“Really?” Winter asks. “Are we allowed to do that?”
“We want you happy, not controlled,” Abbott says seriously. He’s wrapped around Cassidy’s body while she lays next to Winter. “You don’t need our permission for a tattoo. We all have them. Even Cass, though hers is small and says ‘eat me’ on her left ass cheek.”
“Does it really?” Bellamy asks, chuckling.
“It’s so dumb,” she laughs. “I was admiring their tattoos, and told them I wanted something done. I didn’t want it to be where people could see, so we checked out a new tattoo shop that had opened up.
I think they’d have freaked out if it was a male artist, but Seren was amazing.
She grinned when I told her what I wanted, and it’s done in pretty script, with lips at the end of it.
I got it right when she opened, and I love it. ”
“Cass got ink to feel included since we all have it, but she didn’t have to,” I say.
“Our parents are really conservative, so my tattoos are easily covered. I have a half sleeve on both arms, so no one can see them when I wear a suit or quarter length sleeve t-shirt. I don’t give a shit when we’re alone though, which is why I’m shirtless often. My mother is fussy about appearances.”
“And my parents are all about how society sees me as well. I love them, they did the best they could, but we aren’t as close as we could be,” Cassidy shrugs.
There’s a lot more to this, and I know it best. Her parents do love her. The problem is that the pressure they put on her led her to cut and restrict calories to “look her best.” We try not to see her family very often, just like I check in on my mom occasionally.
Cassidy isolates when she’s feeling big emotions, and it’s another sign something was wrong when she started taking long walks alone. Abbott, Ansel, and I agreed we can’t fuck up like that again. She’s too important to us.
Cassidy is our heart. She’s the light, the calm, and our pack’s soul. We can’t leave her alone in her pain.
“We made the family we wanted,” Abbott rumbles. “We fight and bleed for each other. When everyone is equal, there aren’t any power plays or jealousy. We already considered you as part of our pack, courting is part of the fun.”
“Like our silly photo for Winter,” I chuckle, wrapping my arm around Bellamy’s waist as I lay my head on the pillow we’re sharing.
“I didn’t know a body could be turned into a human candle,” Winter murmurs. “It was quite the science experiment.”
I snort-laugh at her incredulous tone. That’s not even the coolest thing we’ve ever done, but it was fun.
“Winter, do you want to get a tattoo with me?” Bellamy asks, circling back to the topic at hand. He’s facing her in bed, and links his fingers with hers. “I could design something for us. Then, we’ll have a new core memory instead of a reminder of Clara’s brand on us.”
My eyes shutter as I think of how dehumanizing her brand is. Who the fuck does that? I can’t wait to find that bitch and make her scream. She ran for a reason, but I bet she doesn’t even understand the shit storm she’s unleashed yet.
We are the scourge and karmic revenge wrapped in one. We will not stop until she’s dead.
“Hmm,” Winter says. Ansel pokes his head up behind Abbott, waiting to see what she decides. “I like this idea. Think Seren would do it for us?”
“Oh yeah,” Ansel chuckles. “She’s phenomenal and getting really good traction with the community. Her shop may be new and small, but she’s a single mom and hard working. Her art is beautiful, snarky tattoo or not.”
“I like telling you what to do, it felt fitting,” Cassidy purrs. God, she’s adorable when she’s being a brat.
“We’ll work on it together,” Bellamy decides. “Your fine details are better than mine, Winter.”
“Are you sure you’re not interested in pursuing an art career?” I ask her.
Cassidy says she’s amazing, and I trust her judgment.
“No,” Winter says sadly. “I’m worried I won’t love it anymore if I’m being paid for it.”
“That’s fair,” I admit.
Winter yawns wide, signaling that the zoomies may be wearing off.
“It’s late,” Cassidy says. “Let’s get some sleep. Your first lesson in self defense is tomorrow. I think it’s a good idea to do a little muscle toning too. Too much time being unable to move can cause long term damage.”
“You’re fucked now,” I tease. “Mommy Dom is a hard ass in the gym.”
“Rude,” Cassidy mutters. “Fuck you very much.”
“Anytime, Precious,” I say, blowing her a kiss.
Bellamy chuckles, his ass pushing against my cock as he gets comfortable before freezing.
“It’s community cock, baby boy. You can rub against me any time in bed. It won’t lead to anything unless you want it to.”
“Jesus,” Bellamy breathes.
“Shi has a way with words, huh?” Abbott says, amusement in his tone. “Good night everyone.”
My cock has a hard time settling down, but I manage to fall asleep a few minutes later.
ABBOTT
Bellamy looks a little nervous as he walks into the art school next to me. Could he go alone? Maybe, but I need to make sure everything is above board here.
I will not be lax in my protection of my omega to give him a sense of privacy. I need this, and Bellamy seems fine with it.
My finger links in his nonchalantly to give myself an anchor. I don’t know why this is so hard for me. Actually, that’s a lie. We just dismantled a scheme to kidnap him back into fucking sex trafficking.
Yes, I’m going to be on edge.