Chapter 9
While we ate, we figured out a plan. Carter wrote out a list of things they would stock up on—a high chair for Nora, more clothes for everyone, toiletries, educational resources so the kids wouldn’t fall behind, toys, games, bedding, stroller, diapers.
The list seemed endless and each item added made me feel guiltier for relying on everyone.
I forced myself to be as calm as possible each time I caught a whisper of Carter’s peach in the air.
It was tangled with two others, one sweet and tart, the other sweet and earthy.
Shivers kept sweeping through me. I covered it as best I could by focusing on eating, drinking my water, and thinking of items my children would need to thrive.
My body had never reacted this way to an alpha’s scent.
Muted though they were, I had to fight myself to not climb over the table so I could inspect the nuance of each one.
When the list was finished, I quickly checked on Nora before Carter phoned his brother.
I had met Cash a few times, though since the only place I ever saw Carter was at school, my interactions with anyone much older or younger were limited.
I had met their parents a few times, too.
His mom loved volunteering at the school, and I had fond memories of her.
“Hey, Cash,” Carter greeted. “Quick question. Were the four packages you asked us about a few months ago related to Riley? Yeah? Okay, well, they arrived.”
Commotion sounded from the other end of the line. My sister’s voice burst over the call and Carter passed the phone to me.
“Hi, Riley.” My throat tightened.
“Maisie, oh my god. You got out?”
“Have they been by yet?” I asked, curious if the compound was already searching for me.
“No, not yet.”
Relief blossomed in my chest. Maybe Paul would try to find us on his own with fewer resources so the humiliation of his family running away wouldn’t become public knowledge.
“Are you okay?”
“As okay as we can be.”
“What do you guys need?”
Carter leaned over my shoulder. “We’ve got her covered. I’m going to let Mom know what’s up. People in town are used to her spending a lot, so even if anyone sees her buying baby stuff, they won’t think much of it, and if they do, she can figure out a lie about who it’s for.”
“Who are you talking to?” Cody asked.
“Your Auntie Riley,” I replied.
“But we don’t have an Auntie Riley.”
“You do, she just doesn’t live in the compound so you’ve never had a chance to meet her.”
Paisley threw herself at my side, hanging on to my arm. “I wanna meet Auntie Riley!”
“We’ll see.”
Cody crossed his arms. “That means no.”
“No,” I corrected. “It means we’ll see. Auntie doesn’t live very close, so we’d have to make a proper plan to see her, and she would have to come here. Let’s get settled for a bit before we start planning family visits.”
Riley dropped her voice, saying quietly, “Levi has a cousin with the sheriff’s department. Can I tell him that you’re safe if you guys get reported missing?”
“No.” The word leapt off my tongue before my brain could catch up. “We don’t know who can be trusted. If you told him, we would have to leave here and I wouldn’t be able to tell you where we went.”
“Okay, I get not trusting. If the report comes through and he asks us, I won’t give any details. Cooper’s sister, Morgan, told us they were struggling with a proper case against the compound because they had no witnesses that would talk. Would you one day?”
My whole body tightened with a rush of adrenaline. “I can’t. They would kill me if they found me. My kids—”
“Hey, it’s okay. I just thought I would ask.
They’re trying to get the omegas out of there, but they need to know what’s going on inside those walls besides rumors.
You don’t have to be the one who tells them, but if you change your mind, you can let me know.
Carter will take good care of you and we’ll plan for a visit as soon as we can. ”
“Theo got out, too,” I told her. “He’s an alpha, but he still lived there. I don’t know where he went, though. He’s on the run, but not like me. It’s just him.”
“He’s the next oldest, right?”
My siblings were as much related to Riley as I was, but she had never met any of them.
I was the oldest of my mother’s children, and the only reason I knew Riley was because we had gone to the same school for a few years throughout grade school.
By the time Theo would’ve started kindergarten, Riley was already off to middle school.
“Yes. He’s twenty-one.”
“I hope he’s safe. I guess you haven’t heard anything about the others?”
“No, and I don’t know how I would find out, either.”
“I’ll keep an ear out. We’re going to launch security protocols in case anyone from the compound comes sniffing around. I love you. Keep me updated when you can.”
“I will. I love you, too.”
When the call ended, guilt hit me so hard I could barely breathe.
If I talked to the police, would they be able to get my sisters out before they faced the same fate I had?
Marlow would be graduating high school this year.
What would happen to her if I didn’t? But what if someone I talked to had connections to the compound?
What if that was how they found us, and then I wouldn’t be around to protect anyone?
“Take a deep breath for me.” Carter rose from his seat and hugged me from behind. “We have to take things one step at a time. Do you want to go back to the nest while I call my mom?”
My chest felt too tight. I nodded, collecting Cody and Paisley, too anxious to have them out of sight. Nora was waking up when we got back to the nest. I gathered her into my arms, trying not to cry.
A few moments later, there was a knock at the door. Wyatt was on the other side when I cracked it open. His long black hair was in two braids, framing his face where a tentative smile sat beneath warm honey brown eyes.
“I thought you might need these.” He had the kids’ backpacks in one hand, and one of the paper bags Theo had given me in the other.
I opened the door the rest of the way so Wyatt could set everything inside.
“Has Carter shown you everything in here yet?”
I shook my head, my mouth refusing to form words. The care in his eyes made my stomach flip.
“Can I do that now?”
I nodded.
“Extra bedding and towels are in here.” Wyatt opened the skinny door near the bathroom. “If anyone wants to have a bath or shower, there’s toiletries in both, and extras in here.” He opened a cabinet, revealing a stockpile of various items along with facecloths and hand towels.
“Thank you,” I managed to croak out.
“You’re more than welcome. The kitchenette has snacks and water bottles.
” He crossed the room to where a small fridge was nestled between wall and counter, with a microwave and sink next to it.
“Please help yourself to anything, and let us know if they run out or there’s something different you want.
It won’t take Carter’s mom long to pick up supplies, so we should have a bunch by tonight, or tomorrow morning at the latest.”
When Wyatt paused in front of me, Nora reached out to him, and he offered his pinky finger for her to hold.
“Are the kids allowed to watch TV?” he asked.
“They weren’t, but I don’t mind. Paul was the only one allowed to watch TV in our house.”
Wyatt nodded, carefully navigating Nora’s hold on him to turn on some cartoons that instantly enthralled Cody and Paisley.
I felt Wyatt’s gaze on me like a tangible caress, another shiver sweeping down my spine. Nora wriggled until I set her down so she could make her way over to her siblings, as equally enthralled as them.
“Maisie,” Wyatt said softly. When I turned, he was that much closer and I locked my fingers together so I didn’t reach out to him. “How many of the rules still apply?”
I opened my mouth and immediately closed it again. How many of them did still apply? Paul wouldn’t know about anything, but my fear was deeply instilled. “I don’t know.”
His hand hovered between us, a silent request, waiting patiently for my acceptance or denial.
We had never touched before, not even a casual brush.
I nodded and closed my eyes. The warmth of his hand on my cheek almost took my knees out from under me, and I grabbed his wrist with both hands, partly because I needed it to stay upright, but mostly because now that the seal had been broken, I was desperate to touch him, too.
His scent was black currants ripened in summer sunshine, like that whole season was part of him, bringing light to the darkening days.
The same compulsion I’d experienced with Carter hit me hard, pushing me to wrap every limb around Wyatt and sink into his embrace.
That would be a step too far. Carter was an omega, and Wyatt was definitely an alpha.
A sound I didn’t quite recognize shot between my lips.
The blend of fear over the unknown and desire for the man in front of me wove through me, followed by a rush of fury down my bond with Paul.
I abandoned my hold on Wyatt, curling into myself and sinking down to my knees with my face in my hands. Paul’s bitter emotions had been my constant companion for almost a decade. I thought I was used to them.
Wyatt was on his knees in front of me. “What’s wrong? What can I do?”
“I wish there was something.” I choked back a sob so I wouldn’t draw my children’s attention. “He doesn’t know where I am, but he hates every time I feel safe. I think he’s determined to ruin me no matter how far apart we are.”
Wyatt was quiet for a moment. I peeked up at him as the spear of Paul’s anger began to blunt.
“Can I try something?”
I had no idea what he might do, but I agreed anyway.
He slowly angled himself until he was sitting next to me, moving carefully as if I was a deer that might bolt into the woods.
His first touch on my shoulder triggered a fresh wave of desire from me and a new spike of Paul’s bitterness.
Shock from Wyatt drawing me to his chest, his purr rumbling and his scent in my nose slammed down like a shield against everything Paul was throwing at me.
Wyatt gently gathered me onto his lap, holding me close, his purr buzzing in my ear.
Each breath steadied me a little more, his scent making me melt against him.
It slid through my awareness, almost like it was moving with purpose, trying to rip out the roots Paul had laid in me.
The bond couldn’t be undone, but this helped.
Maybe it was too much for my brain and body to handle, to be held by a different alpha than my unwanted bondmate for the first time, but whatever the reason, I was grateful for the reprieve.
I couldn’t spend the entirety of my life on the run entwined with him or Carter, but I was woman enough to admit to myself that the idea was certainly tempting.
The hourglass of my life had been flipped upside down.
Instead of misery filling me endlessly, every breath in safety was a grain of sand tumbling away, freeing me from the weight of my past. Maybe it would take forever for the last grain to fall, but I felt the lightness of each one disappearing as I sat in Wyatt’s arms.