Chapter Eleven #2
“They don’t stay in one place long,” Jex added, leaning back against the table with his arms folded, a toothpick hanging from the corner of his mouth. “Two to three weeks max. Parking garages, half-demolished strip malls, old factories. Basically, the shittiest places you can think of.”
Fox, who’d been standing with his arms crossed and his eyes locked on the wall of intel, spoke up next. “No permits. No leases. Nothing in writing. They’re ghosts. Everything is off-book, underground, or both.”
“They’re paranoid,” Dare said, tapping a tablet screen with one long finger. “But not random. There’s a pattern. Not the easy kind—but it’s there. Think about zoning loopholes, utility grid blind spots, and municipal codes that no one pays attention to. They’re smart, but we’re smarter.”
Romano beams at Fallon. “Give me one more full cycle and I’ll have it. We’re already sitting at about a seventy-eight percent accuracy prediction on the next site. Once we confirm a few more of their transport drop-offs, we’ll have them.”
Kingston’s voice broke the silence. “Suppliers?”
Still half in the shadows near the intel wall, Voss answered without looking up.
“After... questioning low-level lackies, I got some information.” He flashes a feral smile and high-fives Fallon.
“They buried the paper trail deep—layers of shell companies. Most of the names attached are either dead, fake, or people who don’t exist. But one name keeps circling back. ”
He leaned forward and tapped the whiteboard once. “Mercury Holdings.”
“Fucking M’s.” Fallon throws her hands up. “I swear to god if this isn’t the final M I will start murdering all of them I come across.” She turns to me, doing the finger to the eyes thing. “Not you…yet.”
“What the hell is Mercury Holdings?” Jex asked, trying so hard not to laugh. We are all used to our omegas antics by now.
“A ghost company,” Romano answered, flipping open another folder. “No board, no employees, no building. Just a PO box and a bunch of money laundering trails that lead nowhere fast.”
Arianne crossed her arms, eyes sharp. “And the buyers?”
Romano’s mouth pressed into a flat line. “The worst kind of people. Politicians with offshore interests. CEOs who invest in private merc groups. The kind of assholes who think they’re untouchable because their blood type is money.”
“They really think they can get away with this?” Violet muttered under her breath. “God, I hope one of them tries to run.”
Dare’s laugh was quiet but vicious. “Let ‘em run. Makes the hunt more fun.”
I couldn’t stop watching Odette. She was still so still, the storm behind her eyes gathering weight with every word. She hadn’t flinched. Not once. But I knew her now. I knew what that silence meant. It meant someone was going to pay. And I hoped I got to help her collect.
Kingston leaned forward, resting his hands on the table. His voice didn’t rise—it didn’t have to. It carried the weight of a thousand consequences.
“We hit them on the next rotation—no more waiting. We predict the location. We go in fast, we go in hard, and we tear that fucking ring apart piece by piece.”
He looked around the room. No one nodded. No one spoke. We didn’t need to.
Because this time, the monsters weren’t hiding in the dark.
We were.
And we were done waiting.
Odette
October 20th
6:47 P.M
I leaned back comfortably into the plush cushions of Fallon’s oversized sectional, sipping from a steaming mug of coffee that smelled gloriously of hazelnut and caramel.
The Rosetti pack house always felt extravagant, a beautiful blend of luxury and deadly energy, much like Fallon herself.
The familiar presence of Fallon and Violet at my side wrapped around me like my favorite fuzzy blanket. I missed them so much.
The three of us were tucked into a cozy corner of Fallon’s expansive living room, curled up like cats and surrounded by an array of pillows so fluffy they looked like clouds.
Fallon had her legs tucked underneath her, midnight blue hair tumbling down in casual waves, her eyes sparkling with amused curiosity.
Violet lounged beside her, looking dramatically elegant, as usual, her dark lipstick perfectly applied even in our cozy downtime.
“So,” Fallon began with a mischievous grin, swirling her own mug playfully, “spill it, O. How are things really going with your pack? Are they spoiling you properly?”
Violet leaned in immediately, eyes gleaming with curiosity. “Details, Odette. Good ones. Don’t hold out on us.”
I laughed softly, warmth spreading through my chest at their familiar, comfortable banter.
“It’s… honestly been wonderful. I mean, it’s still new and sometimes overwhelming, but the guys…
” My cheeks warmed just thinking of their gentle hands and careful eyes.
“They’re really good to me. All of them. ”
Fallon wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, smirking over her mug. “And how good exactly is good?”
I rolled my eyes, fighting a grin. “Not like that… yet. They’re being careful with me.
Slow. But they’re sweet. Micha is like… steady as a rock.
Always calm, always making sure I have what I need.
Ravik hardly speaks, but when he does, it’s like the whole world stops to listen—he’s terrifyingly protective.
Salem is the quiet one; he’s so gentle it sometimes surprises me.
And Haze…” I groaned playfully, hiding my smile behind my hand.
“Haze is complete chaos. He somehow manages to be insanely sweet and completely deranged at the same time.”
Violet laughed, shaking her head fondly. “Sounds like you found your perfect match.”
Fallon nudged her playfully. “Or perfect disaster.”
“Honestly, a little of both,” I agreed, smiling broadly.
“Their house, though… gods, it’s stunning.
It’s huge, but not intimidating. Very modern, lots of open space, and giant windows.
Their living room alone is bigger than my entire apartment, and there’s this kitchen…
” I sighed dramatically. “I could live in that kitchen alone. It’s all warm wood and marble counters, and the pantry is stocked with literally every snack I’ve ever mentioned liking. ”
Fallon gasped theatrically. “You have your own personal snack pantry already? You’ve only been there a few days! It took me weeks of intense training to get Jace and Kingston to remember my favorite snacks.”
Violet rolled her eyes playfully. “You literally texted Jace a detailed list on day two.”
Fallon shrugged innocently. “Semantics.”
I laughed softly, warmth flooding my chest as I pictured my alphas again. “Honestly, though, the best part was that they let me bring my nest. I didn’t think they’d agree, but they didn’t even hesitate, just told me it was mine, and that if it mattered to me, it mattered to them.”
The room fell dramatically silent. Fallon’s eyes widened, jaw dropping slightly, and Violet’s mouth hung open in exaggerated shock.
“Wait, wait, wait,” Fallon sputtered, nearly spilling her coffee as she pointed an accusing finger at me. “You got to bring your nest? Like, your actual nest, with your own stuff?”
I blinked at them, suddenly self-conscious. “Yes? I mean, I insisted. My things mean a lot to me. They understood.”
Fallon groaned dramatically, flopping backward against the couch with a hand thrown theatrically over her eyes.
“I cannot believe this. I desperately tried to bring my nest stuff when I moved in here, and Kingston looked at me like I’d lost my mind.
Romano literally picked me up, carried me out of the house, and took me straight to Fluffed Up.
” She grins. “The overenthusiastic puppy tried to build a nest before I moved in. Gods, I love that man.”
“Same!” Violet exclaimed, indignant. “Fox refused point-blank. He literally told me it was ‘a violation of alpha law’ and that we had to make an entirely new nest together. Dare and Jex agreed! I didn’t even get to argue!”
I laughed helplessly, feeling oddly victorious. “Sorry, ladies. I didn’t realize it was such a controversy.”
Fallon sat up straight again, her expression mock-serious. “You realize you’ve broken the sacred omega rule. You’re officially spoiled rotten. Clearly, your alphas are defective.”
Violet grinned wickedly. “Or they’re just smart enough to realize Odette was gonna win that argument regardless.”
I laughed, shaking my head fondly. “I did tell them they could add things later. I compromised.”
Fallon smirked knowingly. “Smart girl. Train them early.”
I giggled, shaking my head. “You two are impossible.”
“Obviously,” Violet replied, smirking. “And you love us for it.”
I smiled softly, warmth settling firmly in my chest, chasing away the lingering shadows. “I really do.”
Silence settled comfortably between us for a moment, the quiet warmth of true friendship. Then Fallon set her mug down and leaned forward, eyes sparkling mischievously again.
“So,” she said slowly, grinning wickedly, “tell us more about this chaotic, deranged alpha of yours. What exactly makes Haze so delightfully unhinged? And does he need a best friend?”
I had just settled deeper into the soft, buttery cushions, laughing at something ridiculous Fallon had said, when a loud, splintering crash shattered the calm. My mug slipped from my fingers, landing forgotten on the thick rug, coffee seeping silently into the plush fibers.