Chapter 41
LANDON
Life isdifferent now that Skylar’s my mate.
It’s better.
I didn’t realize how lonely I was until the mating bite took place, and Skylar fit into the empty space in my heart.
It’s been two weeks since the video of her speaking at the conference went viral, and I couldn’t be prouder of her.
The tips have been coming in nonstop—and with every Omega we save, I think about how grateful I am to the woman I love.
Except, we’re still waiting on April Waters.
Her brand of O is still being sold around Isleton, and no matter how many drug busts are set up, no one can find her.
It’s obvious it wears on Skylar, even though her face perks up every time we mention another Omega we rescued.
I take Skylar to the café so she can start her shift and am surprised to see Ben and River chatting outside, with Devyn beaming at Ben.
And River is actually grinning.
“What’s with that?” Skylar asks as I park the car.
Ben punches River’s shoulder, and he laughs.
“Either the mating bond has turned River into an optimistic extrovert, or he recently received a lobotomy we don’t know about,” I mutter.
Skylar chuckles. “I’m sure there’s a reasonable explanation.”
“Or he ate too many of those cookies you made, and it went to his head.”
Her face flushes as she unbuckles her seatbelt. “I may have been a little overzealous with those,” she admits. “Um, I wasn’t thinking rationally when I made them.”
“We’ve been wanting to ask you to make more,” I tell her pointedly. “Whenever you have time.”
Her face flushes. “You can’t be serious,” she says. “You really want more of those?”
I shrug. “It’s a good pick me up,” I smirk. “It pairs well with coffee.”
She sputters and exits the car.
When Devyn sees us, she waves and grins broadly. “Guess what!” she says. Ben looks at her fondly, then turns to us. River’s eyes dart to Skylar, then he nods at me.
“What?” Skylar asks, a smile spreading across her face.
“I made detective,” Ben says.
“He’s the youngest Isleton has ever had,” River adds, crossing his arms and grinning knowingly. “Which means if he ever wants to, he could join any detective bureaus that may have an opening.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Congratulations, Ben,” I say, and Devyn grins at me.
“It’s because of your letter of recommendation, Landon!” she says. “You helped get him promoted!”
I’m confused. I didn’t write a letter for him, and I don’t have any sway with that department. The only one that couldhave done that would be?—
River shoots me a warning look, and I keep my mouth shut.
It’s not my place to tell Ben that his cousin, who used to loathe him, had a change of heart.
So, I simply nod and plan to inquire about River’s intentions as soon as I can.
“You deserve it,” I tell Ben genuinely. “Especially with everything you’ve done these past months.”
After Devyn and Skylar head inside the café, Ben steps aside to take a phone call. I look at River, who crosses his arms.
“What?” he asks, irritated.
“A letter of recommendation?” I ask. “That was nice of you.”
He scoffs. “Don’t make it weird,” he mutters.
“I’m not making it weird. You’re the one that said it was from me, remember?”
“Yeah. And?”
“Why?”
River grumbles and runs a hand through his hair. “He deserves it. And look, I’m trying to be nicer, okay?”
“Nicer?”
“Yes, nicer. Maybe it’s a pack thing, I don’t know, or maybe I inherited something from Skylar with the bond, but I want to try to not be a prick all the time, okay?” he snaps.
“I’m not sure that’s possible,” I counter, hiding my smile.
He narrows his eyes. “Asshole,” he mutters. “You could at least be supportive. I’m turning over a new leaf.”
“Does that include the Vincent leaf?” I ask.
He nods and kicks at the dirt with the heel of his boot, watching dust gather around his foot. “Yeah. I mean…nothing is going to change the past. I don’t have a fucking time machine, and even if I did, I don’t think we could have found Lauren in time.”
I pause. “That’s true,” I say slowly, surprised he’s bringing her up. I’ve never heard River say her name before.
“Yeah, so,” River continues, clearing his throat, “what I’m saying is, I’m tired of being angry at him all the fucking time. And now that we’re bonded with Skylar, she doesn’t need to be in the middle of us fighting.”
I nod.
“He loves her. I love her. You love her,” he says, waving his hand dismissively. “So, it is what it is.”
“You’ve got a point,” I concede, looking over to Ben, who’s still on his phone call, frowning.
“Who do you think it is?” River mutters.
“No idea,” I say, as anxiety grows in my stomach. He turns the corner of the building, and I’m left with just River.
“We have to fucking find her,” River says. “She’s one of the few Omegas left that’s missing. We have to.”
I nod. “I agree. We just keep doing what we’re doing.”
He huffs. “I don’t want to fail Skylar,” he says.
I want to tell him that even if we don’t find April, we’re not failing Skylar. That we’re doing everything we can.
But I don’t want to lie.
“Me neither.”
River kicks at a rock on the ground. “Why did she choose us? We’re workaholics, we’re assholes—why did she choose us, out of anyone she could have?”
I shrug. “I know why she picked me, but not you. Maybe she was feeling merciful.”
He growls at me, and I smirk.
“You’re a prick,” he says. “I open up to you, tell you all my shit, and you’re still an asshole.”
“True. I’m still happy to lend an ear, though.”
He looks at me and nods. “Yeah. I appreciate that. Even if you’re a prick.”
I almost smile.
Ben races around the corner, breathing heavily.
“We need to go,” he says. “Now.”