Chapter 23
Chapter twenty-three
Callum
Callum watched Bianca flee, barely resisting the tug in his gut that urged him to follow. He instinctively turned to King, already used to trusting his alpha’s judgement.
King, however, was glaring at Bianca’s parents, who looked torn between outrage, fear, and confusion at the turn the situation had taken.
“You folks obviously have business to attend to here, so I’ll go talk to Bianca,” Callum announced, backing out of the room. He patted Daniel’s and Dante’s arms reassuringly as he passed. “Don’t worry. She’s gotta freak out first but she’ll be okay.”
“Let her know that she doesn’t have to see anyone,” King called after him, his attention still locked on Pack Bonnycastle. “She can have all the space she needs, and nobody will bother her. Just make sure she’s okay.”
“Yes, King,” Callum replied, the words coming naturally.
It made him want to smile, despite the tense atmosphere.
Pack King wanted him and Bianca, and Callum knew the feelings were mutual, even if his omega hadn’t been quite ready to admit it.
He couldn’t blame her, considering how she’d been put on the spot, not to mention the terrible shit her parents had said.
His chest ached. He needed to find and comfort her. “brB. And, um, good meeting you folks!”
He waved at Bianca’s parents, which her fathers completely ignored. Her mother gave him a venomous glare that was so different from and yet so like her daughter that it was a bit eerie. Callum hurried from the room. He’d have to work on winning the in-laws over another day.
Callum was no hunter, but it wasn’t hard to follow the scent of apples and oleander through the stairwell.
He also knew a bit about anxiety, and he recognized that Bianca’s fight or flight instinct had kicked in.
Since she’d chosen flight, her goal would be to get out of Bonnycastle Privé as quickly as possible.
Once he passed through the security door separating the penthouse access from the main stairwell, Callum followed his gut out through the exit door into the parking garage.
The evening air was warm and laced with oleander, reassuring Callum he was on the right track.
He followed the rows of cars as they spiraled downward, straining his ears for any sign of Bianca.
The garage was weirdly quiet and dimly lit, and Callum suddenly felt a deep sense of foreboding. He broke into a jog.
Just when he thought he must’ve lost her, Callum heard a sound that made his heart stop. It was a scream. Bianca’s scream.
He started running, pulling his phone from his pocket, nearly dropping it as he skidded around another curve. He opened his contacts, jabbing the screen with more force than necessary.
“Parking garage, now! Something’s wrong,” Callum panted as soon as Dante answered. Somewhere below him, he heard another scream—a man’s this time—and the sound of footsteps pounding against pavement. “Level fifteen or sixteen. Hurry!”
He didn’t wait for a reply, shoving his phone back into his pocket and focusing his attention on getting to his omega.
The footsteps were getting farther away, meaning Bianca and her attacker were heading down.
Maybe toward a waiting vehicle. His lungs seized, worst case scenarios flashing through his mind.
The ache in his chest intensified. He had to reach her.
Callum broke into a sprint. The footsteps had stopped.
He could hear raised voices. He braced himself, wishing he’d had the foresight to bring a weapon.
Of course, he hadn’t been expecting any trouble.
He’d just thought she needed some space to panic, and he’d find her pacing angrily or maybe hyperventilating a little.
If she was in danger and he was too late…
Callum descended another level and there she was.
Bianca was okay, though she looked furious.
She was grappling with her asshole ex, the one he’d met at the shopping village.
The motherfucker was clutching her arm in one hand, the other pressed to his bleeding mouth.
Bianca spun toward him, driving her knee up and into his groin.
He doubled over in pain and released her.
“Bianca!” Callum yelled, relief making his voice weak.
His omega was okay. More than just okay, she was kicking ass. So much for choosing flight. He should’ve expected as much.
She turned, her eyes lighting up when she recognized him.
Then they widened in horror and, as her mouth opened in a silent scream, Callum felt a blinding pain.
Something collided with the back of his head and his knees buckled.
Before he could hit the concrete, rough hands caught him and wrenched him upright.
An arm snaked around his neck and Callum clawed at it, gasping for breath.
He choked on cloyingly sweet alpha pheromones as the arm tightened, cutting off his oxygen completely.
“Knock it off, Bianca, or I swear I’ll break his fucking neck.” The alpha’s breath was sour against Callum’s face, ruining the ragged sip of air he managed to suck in. “Jesus Christ, Robert. Way to get your ass handed to you by a fucking debutante.”
“Fuck you, Frank,” Robert snapped, grabbing Bianca’s arm again and yanking her toward him. “This uppity bitch has had the best trainers money can buy. She’s not as weak as she looks.”
“Too bad I can’t say the same about you,” Bianca sneered. “You’re exactly as weak as I expected, and even stupider than you look.”
Robert shook her violently, gripping her arm tightly enough that Callum saw her wince. He growled, rage flooding his veins, though he barely had enough air left in his lungs to make a sound. Spots danced across his vision.
“You’ve made me look stupid and weak for the last time,” Robert swore, giving Bianca another vigorous shake. “You’re going to regret ever crossing me. I can promise you that.”
Bianca opened her mouth to retort but then she looked at Callum and her face crumpled. “Fine! You have me. Let him go. He has nothing to do with this. Frank, stop it! He can’t breathe!”
To Callum’s immense relief, the arm around his neck loosened just enough for him to pull in a sharp breath.
He sagged against the man she’d called Frank, hating the contact but needing the support.
He felt lightheaded and unsteady, not to mention furious with himself for charging in like an idiot and putting Bianca in more danger.
“Now why would we do a thing like that?” Frank laughed, the sound cruel and humorless. “Our luck just doubled. It’s an omega BOGO.”
Callum shivered, his instincts moving faster than his muddled brain. The situation was much worse than he’d anticipated. This wasn’t just a matter of jealous exes. There was something sinister happening here.
“I knew you’d make up for all the trouble you caused us, Binks,” Robert declared, seemingly regaining his composure.
“See, if we’d known back then how much you were really worth, we never would’ve fallen for your fathers’ bullshit.
But you’re going to make it all better. You’re still rightfully ours and we’re going to get what we’re owed.
We have a buyer lined up who’s paying enough to fund our next startup and allow us to put away a nice nest egg for a rainy day. We’ll be back in business in no time.”
“Fuck the business!” Frank countered, laughing his mirthless laugh again. “With a second omega of this caliber, we’ll never have to work again. Text the buyer. Tell him the price has gone up.”
A sharp crack reverberated through the garage and suddenly Callum could breathe deeply.
He dropped to his knees on the concrete, clutching his throat and gasping for air.
Even through the haze of noise and confusion, he found Bianca’s titanium eyes.
They were fixed coldly on a point above his head.
Beside her, Robert was backing slowly away, his hands raised in surrender.
“One wrong move and the next shot will split your fucking skull.” Bianca’s voice was clear and strong, cutting through the silence that followed the explosion.
For a moment Callum couldn’t figure out what had happened. He glanced over his shoulder to find Frank swaying on his feet, groaning and clutching the side of his head. His hands were covered in blood.
Dante emerged from the shadows, gun raised and eyes darker than Callum had ever seen them. He approached slowly, scanning the area before closing the space between them. He kept his weapon trained on Frank as he extended a hand to Callum.
“You okay, Spider?” he asked, his eyes softening.
Callum took Dante’s hand and started to stand.
Then, thinking better of it, he paused on one knee, pulling away from Dante and turning back to Frank, who was still staggering and clutching his head.
Callum punched him in the balls as hard as he could, pleased when the asshole crumpled to the ground.
Satisfied for the moment, Callum let Dante pull him to his feet.
“Hands where I can see them motherfuckers,” Dante commanded, gun still leveled at Frank, even as he jerked his chin at Robert too. “If you’re packing, toss that shit on the ground nice and easy.”
“Not…armed,” Frank wheezed, still clutching his balls.
King had appeared beside Bianca and if Callum hadn’t known him, he’d have pissed himself with fear.
King’s face was a blank mask but the fury radiating off him was palpable.
He fixed his attention on Robert, who froze, going deathly pale.
The prick looked small and inconsequential in the shadow of a real alpha.
Slowly, Robert reached into his jacket and pulled out a handgun. Callum felt suddenly cold all over. He watched the man shakily lay the weapon on the ground, before kicking it away toward King. Then he straightened again and held his hands high in the air.