Chapter 37 #2
Yeah, pendejo, we know. Since the signal disappeared, there’s no way to know how far she traveled after that.
Worst case scenario, she could be anywhere, but signal blockers don’t work like that.
Someone would have to disable the device completely or jam it, and the odds that they would know there’s a tracker in Rosa’s ring is negligible.
This is someone who is covering all of their bases just in case. It’s fucking devious, and speaks to the fact that they have some experience in this. Pursing my lips, I continue combing through listings in the dark web, searching through auctions, sex for hire, and other terms as I go.
“Yes, that’s right,” Easton says cheerfully.
He’s laying it on thick, but he has every right to.
Having to twist people’s arms to do their fucking jobs shouldn’t be necessary.
“Chop chop now. I also want everyone to look the other way when we get there. While I don’t trust you assholes, I need more boots on the ground. ”
“You are one of us!” Andy yells.
“No, Andy, I’m better.” Easton hangs up with a heavy sigh, and Lyle stands up to head inside.
“I feel like I need to do something,” he mumbles.
“Join the club,” Shiloh grunts.
“Is anyone hungry? Please say yes,” Silas grumbles.
Everyone shakes their heads in denial, and they go inside anyway. Easton follows, and I hope he doesn’t get into too much trouble over what he just did.
Nico jerks in his seat, and I turn toward him, concerned something is happening to him. Instead, he pulls out his phone, his brow wrinkling as he sees a number pop up.
“Isolde, this isn’t the time,” he groans as he answers.
“You’re a difficult man to find,” she greets him. “I met someone we both know in town today. Hollis is just the sweetest, isn’t she?”
“You’re still in Savannah. How lucky for me,” he murmurs.
“What’s wrong with your voice?”
“Bond sickness with a touch of going feral. Do you think we can reschedule this conversation for never?” he asks.
Riley winces at Nico’s words, but my alpha waves him off.
“I’m currently dealing with a pack issue, Isolde. If it offends you, then maybe you can kill me another time,” Nico adds.
We all glare at him, because the reality is that many feral alphas do end up with both homicidal and suicidal tendencies.
“Wait. Feral. Who is missing?” Isolde asks.
“My omega and wife. There’s no trail, no nothing. She was taken just outside of our home, Isolde.”
“So this is real. Hollis wasn’t fucking with me?”
“If you’re speaking of Hollis Edwards, she doesn’t fuck with anyone,” Abbott replies, jumping in. “The woman is a straight shooter unless you’re a problem. We keep in touch.”
“Damn. Since I crashed your wedding, let me help,” she says.
Shiloh makes a frustrated sound before shutting his computer.
“Unless you have a hacker who can find out if my omega is being sold or not, no thank you,” he growls. “We either need people checking warehouse buildings looking for Rosalia, or this. Otherwise, you’re just a pain in my ass.”
Isolde is quiet, and I can feel my ass pucker up and try to turn itself inside out.
This is not the kind of person you tell to go away.
However, we’re all at our limit with stress, because it feels like time is running out.
No one decides they’re going to drown and electrocute their prisoner unless they don’t plan to keep them for long.
We’re quickly heading to the end of the line.
“I actually do have a hacker who may be able to help you,” she says slowly. “He has a way of finding people who can’t be found. You sent me to kill him, Nico.”
“Yes, yes. I fucked up, I’m terrible, fuck!” Nico screams, dropping the phone as his body begins to seize.
“What’s going on?”
Isolde’s words are lost in the shuffle as Shiloh saves my laptop as I pass it to him without looking and I wrap my arms around my alpha’s body.
“It’s okay, I have you,” I whisper, hugging him as tears overflow my eyes. “God, I hate this. I love you so much. Be strong, I’m sorry.”
Verona leans over and picks up Nico’s phone from the ground, pressing her hand to Nico’s face as she lifts the device to her ear. His eyes roll back and Riley jumps up to help me lay him on his back.
“Talk to him. These may be psychic reactions, but he could still swallow his tongue or stop breathing,” Riley murmurs so only I can hear.
Sobbing, I lay next to him and whisper how we’re going to find Rosa. I feel as if I’m lying at this point. Our pack doesn’t work without our queen. We are all broken without her.
“I can’t call an ambulance for something like this,” Dario says helplessly. “Do we sedate him?”
“He’ll hate us for it,” Ciro mutters. “Whoever is responsible for this needs to burn.”
We’re all finding a penchant for fire, since it’s become Rosalia’s favorite way to deal with her enemies. I just hope when we find this person, our girl is still here to enjoy their screams.
“Isolde, right? This is Rosalia’s alpha. Nico is currently having a seizure. Can you really help, or are you talking out of your ass? I know you’re supposed to be scary, but I grew up with evil, and I’m mated to a pretty scary omega,” Verona says as chaos reins.
“I can help,” a man grunts over the line. “I am no friend to Nico, and have enjoyed fucking with him on more than one occasion, but I don’t necessarily want him dead.”
“Who are you?” Verona asks, her fingers pinching the bridge of her nose as Nico struggles on the ground. If I’m sobbing, I don’t doubt that Verona probably is very close to losing it as well.
“Don’t look,” Cooper growls, pulling Nina into his lap.
“I’m fine,” she whispers. “I’m not made of glass. We have to find her, Cooper.”
“I’m Oliver, a royal pain in Nico's ass. Give me Rosalia’s details. What does she look like? Sometimes, I can find the buried invite-only listings,” Oliver murmurs.
Taking a deep breath, Verona gets her voice steady as she rattles off Rosa’s description.
“The area is about to be crawling with police in search of her,” she warns. “What’s to keep this person from killing her and calling it quits?”
“Money,” Oliver grunts. “They spent time and money to take her, yes? Rosalia has also probably pissed them off if Nico is feeling what she is. Who do you think took her?”
“She’s an omega by the name of Avery,” she says, flinching at Oliver’s intake of breath.
“Yeah, it’ll be my pleasure to find her. She’s a rabid bitch. I truly think there’s something fucked up in her head.”
“Great, so a plague took my omega,” Verona sighs. “Thank you for your help. You can call this number for any information.”
“You got it. Take care.”
Nico sprawls out, hitting my chest as he gasps for breath, the convulsions finally settling.
“Fuck. My entire body hurts,” he groans. “Verona, will you give me a rundown on your call?”
“Only if you’ll hold me while I do it,” she sniffles.
“Done. I’m sorry to scare everyone,” he rumbles, allowing me to help him sit up. “I heard Oliver’s name. He’s an asshole, but a really smart one.”
Pillows are given to me as I help prop Nico up as he leans against them on the ground. Verona joins us, and Ciro and Dario sit next to her.
It's hard to believe that it’s October. I want to go for picnics and normal shit with my pack, without having to worry that one of us is going to be kidnapped. I want a normal fucking life.
Is that too much to ask? I force myself to take deep breaths, because I can’t afford to lose my shit.
“We’ll leave after we eat something,” Lyle says, coming out with sandwiches and ice tea.
Easton and Silas follow him, though I notice that Easton is now wearing tactical gear.
“Catch us all up and then let’s get the fuck out of here.
I’d rather be beating on doors than have to sit for one more second. ”
I’m glad to see I’m not alone in my thoughts.