Chapter 29
Lexi
“Hey.” I join Silva in the kitchen. “How are you doing?”
She looks up from where she was playing with the rim of her cup. “Hey.” She smiles. “I’m good.” She looks like she has the weight of the world sitting on her shoulders. I don’t blame her. Tonight was a lot.
Silva wanted to have a girls' night, so Luna, Aries, Briar, and Lark came over. It was nice to have everyone together again, even for a short while.
We all live very different lives now, it feels like we go months between seeing one another.
Or maybe that's just me. My sister and Briar are the only ones I see on a regular basis. I’m a homebody when I’m not at work, and with Briar working at the club with Silva and me, it makes sense why I see her more often than the others.
The night ended up with all of us talking about the possibility of bringing down Gideon and his whole operation.
For the longest time, we felt helpless to do anything about our situation. It weighed on all of us that we got to live our lives while the other girls were sentenced to god knows what.
I know there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think about it.
These Alphas who blew into our town and took mine and Silva’s lives by storm turned out to be the best thing that could've ever happened.
Not just because we got ourselves some amazing packs, but because their job provides the manpower and skills to bring Gideon to his knees. Even better, straight to hell.
Before we take that next step in our lives, I need to talk to my sister.
We’ve both been so busy these past few weeks, our lives changing in major ways.
I’ve seen the bite marks on her neck. And while I’ve teased her about them, letting her know that I’m aware of her Alphas in that way, I want to have a real conversation.
I miss my sister and our talks. Before, we used to tell each other everything.
Well, almost everything. I kept a lot from my sister over the years to avoid her worrying when she didn’t have to.
“I mean, how are you, really?” I lean against the counter, my heart hammering in my chest. “These past few weeks have been insane. Silva, we can beat around the bush, but the fact is, we have Alphas, packs. New people in our lives we never saw coming.”
“Yeah,” she laughs, shaking her head. “How crazy is that?”
“Pretty fucking crazy.” I grin.
“So, I’m not the only one packed up, huh? Who thought we’d end up with Alpha brothers?”
“Sure as shit not me,” I snort. “I never wanted Alphas, period."
“But you do now?” she asks, raising a brow of concern.
“Yeah.” I grin. “I do. I really like them, Silva. A lot. I know our past fucked with me. And at first, I was freaking out, not sure what to do. I had Emmett to worry about. But, it turns out that he’s scent-matched to them, too, so it kind of all worked out, you know?”
“I’m happy for you, Lexi. Do they treat you well? Because you know I’ll beat them with my bat if they don’t,” she says in a very serious tone.
“I know you will, but you have nothing to worry about. They’re amazing. Aiden is sweet and kind, so damn caring. And Sloane.” I snort. “He’s wild. You never know what's going to come out of his mouth. But he’s fiercely protective. They treat both of us great.”
“How’s Emmett adjusting?”
“He’s doing a lot better than me.” I want to tell her about the baby. I was going to after the whole Luke thing was dealt with. We both know Brad and Luke are dead, and that we each had a role in their deaths, but we didn’t go into details.
I have an idea why Silva and her men would want Brad dead, but I don’t think too much into it. Because if I do, I’ll break. I’ll lose it because knowing that something horrible happened to my sister would be the final straw that finally takes me out.
It’s better this way. We’ve grown up, we’re starting new chapters in our lives. We don’t need to tell each other everything anymore, we have our packs for that now.
“I’ll always be here for you, Firefly.” I take her hand in mine. “Even though we have these amazing men in our lives, you’re still one of the most important people in the world to me. No matter where life takes us, we will always have each other.”
Her eyes fill with tears. “I love you.”
“I love you too. And, Silva?”
“Yeah?”
“I want you to know that I’m so fucking grateful for everything you’ve ever done for me.
Even the things I might not know about. You’ve always been my protector, and I love you so fucking much for it.
But you don’t have to worry about me anymore.
Let my pack take care of me, and you worry about yourself, okay?
Let those men spoil you, worship you, and love you so damn hard.
Because if anyone in this world deserves it, it's you.”
Silva’s lower lip wobbles as she makes her way around the island. She pulls me into her arms and hugs me tight. She doesn’t cry, but I can feel her emotions rolling off of her in waves.
I don’t tell her about the baby. Not yet. She would just worry about me, it’s in her DNA. Once all of this is over, and our last demons are slayed, that's when I'll tell her.
When we’re finally able to breathe, to relax, to live without fear.
I never thought that day would come. Guess this world is full of surprises.
“Nope. Not happening.” Aiden shakes his head. “Sorry, sweetheart, but I’m not putting you at risk.”
“It’s a good thing I don’t answer to anyone but myself,” I snark back. “You cannot ask me to sit on my ass while everyone is out killing the man who literally kidnapped me for three fucking years!” I throw my hands in the air.
My sister’s Alphas decided it was time to take care of Gideon. My Alphas are completely on board. They’re having a meeting tonight to plan everything out.
What they’re not on board with is me coming with them.
I get it. They’re worried about me. They don’t want anything bad to happen to me.
And honestly, I love them for it. Yes, love.
Because that's where these feelings inside me are headed. But if they think that I’m not going to have any part in bringing that evil man down, they have another thing coming.
“This is serious shit, Lexi,” he growls. “People could die. There's no way in hell I’m going to allow you to go and risk the chance of getting hurt.”
“Allow me?” I scoff. “Listen here, buddy. I’m going, end of story.
This isn’t your fight, it’s mine. And yes, I’m fucking stoked that you and your team have the resources to make this happen.
But the fact is, I was the one taken. I was the one forced to change my whole fucking way of living with the expectation I was going to be sold off to some sick, rich fucker who only wanted me for breeding purposes. ”
“Please. Please! For me, for the sake of my sanity, stay here where it’s safe. You’re pregnant, for fucks sake!” He looks to Emmett. “Tell her, please.”
“I don’t like the idea of her going either.
The possibility of her getting hurt makes me sick, too.
But Lexi is her own person, and she will make her own decisions.
If she wants to go, then we bring her. We make sure we do everything to keep her safe so she can get her revenge, too.
Six girls were kidnapped, six escaped together, and those six women built this very town you're in. I think it’s only fair that all six girls get to be there to bring down the man who tried to take it all. ”
“You’re not helping,” Aiden huffs, bringing his attention back to me. “Can’t you just let us take care of it? Like we did with Luke. Why do you want to be there? You don’t even like the bloody stuff.”
“Who said I didn’t?” I raise a brow.
“Ugh!” He grabs handfuls of his hair.
He’s worried. I understand that and I can’t blame him for it.
“Aiden.” I step up to him, taking his face between my hands.
“Please understand that I need this. I’ve spent years, sick with myself for knowing we had no power to take him down.
That he was still out there doing to other girls what he did to us.
Selling poor girls who don’t deserve it!
We’re ending that. After all these years, it ends.
No more girls will be hurt because of him and I will be part of that.
t would mean the world to me if you would support me on this. ”
He looks gutted. “I can’t lose you,” he whispers.
“You won’t.” I smile. “Not when we have a team of people. They won’t even see us coming.”
Sloane walks through the door. “Ready? Everyone is at Silva’s place.”
Aiden sighs. “Yeah.” He nods. “We’re ready.”
“Thank you.” I lean up on my tiptoes and kiss him roughly.
An hour later, everything the Alphas have planned is in place. I know what I need to know, and that's it. Aiden will be going with his brother to handle things somewhere else.
“We’re really doing this?” Emmett asks as we head back to our house.
“Yeah, we are.” I’m filled with nerves, a sick feeling in my stomach, but also on a high knowing that tomorrow night, Gideon and his operation will be obliterated. Erased from this world.
I know it doesn’t put an end to all Omega trafficking, but it’s one less monster we have to worry about.
Hope you enjoy the next twenty-four hours, Gideon. t’s going to be your last.
We’re sitting in the living room of the house the guys rented, not far from Gideon’s property.
I feel sick. I can’t believe we’re actually doing this. What is wrong with me? We could die!
“Peaches, breathe.” Emmett’s hand rubs up and down my back. “It’s not too late to back out. You don’t have to go. No one is making you and no one would blame you if you chose to stay behind.”
“I’m not staying,” I tell him, my eyes glancing around the room. It’s packed, everyone here is ready to play their part in this operation.