Chapter 43
ASHER
I never regretted anything more than not bonding with Esper. Fear is a fickle bitch, and not being able to tell if she was okay rocked my core.
Maybe regret is the wrong word. I had my reasons. She’s not the only omega in my life, and I consider both of their feelings equally. But holy fucking shit, was my heart in my literal ass as we raced back to the Plaza after Reed and Soren said there was something wrong.
Confirmed by DJ not being able to reach One Eye or Jewels, or Cobra reaching Lacy.
We never rode so fast. Not a single person lagged behind. We all became one.
The shadows of the Bar hid us as we snuck in through the back, giving us time to figure out what the fuck was going on.
Esper in ruined pajamas, alone, holding a gun. Her legs shaking under her, her hair all messed up, breaths choppy and scent terrified—I could barely put my alpha in check. Neither could Neven.
But we couldn’t rush into it. Not when that nameless fucker off to the side had his gun trained on my fucking omega.
Looking down, that nameless man hangs nearly limp in my hands.
I punch the fucker again.
We don’t use the Cages beneath the Bar often.
But this… this was needed.
No weapons. No advantages beyond whatever ailment you came in with. A supervised fight room. Only one rule. Don’t kill.
A rule I’m having a very hard time following.
Each Cage is lit by a single lightbulb. The walls are lined with chainlink fencing. The floors and walls are concrete. Old blood dried on them.
“Ash,” Soren’s voice comes over the speaker, and I land one final kick on the already black and blue, bloody alpha who thought he could hurt my damn omega.
Closing the gate behind me, Reed comes out of another room, his hands red with blood. We jog up to the room where Soren is, passing the other three Cages, holding Axe and each of Soren’s brothers.
Soren sits in front of the cameras of the command room. Leaning his head against his fist, he doesn’t move as we come in.
“So what are we doing?” I ask, plopping down in one of the fold-up chairs by the cameras.
The two nameless strangers are beaten, lying on the ground.
Soren’s brothers sit in the corners in their rooms carefully.
Rocker’s shoulder is wrapped up. The one Esper capped in the knee has a bandage around his leg and even then I can see the complete ass-whooping Reed put on him.
We aren't fair people. Good people. We take vengeance. We take whether you can fight back or not.
“I say kill them all,” Soren mutters.
Reed ticks his head. “We aren't killers.”
“We used to be. Your dad was.” Soren shrugs.
“But we’re not,” Reed answers.
I keep quiet since I agree with Soren. Though I worry about him a bit. These are his brothers. Brothers he grew up with.
This can’t be easy for him. As much as he wishes to show the opposite.
“We could drop them off over the border. The Mexican MCs can deal with them. Maybe even straighten them out.”
Mexican MCs have a bad rep, but they actually don’t play that omega trade shit. Most are Packed up so it makes sense if you have at least two brain cells to work with.
“How about we drop them in Canada's freezing cold waters and see how well they do there?” Soren says and I chuckle as Reed claps the back of Soren’s shoulder.
“We’ll leave them here for now. Let’s go. We have a meeting.”
The Classroom looks small with every single member of Midnight Wolves in attendance.
Esper and Neven sit up front at the second table. Reed takes his spot at the first table, and I sit beside him as Soren pulls up a chair between the two tables, grabbing Esper’s hand as he sits down.
“Now that everyone is here, we have a few things to discuss,” Ace says, straightening out the paper in his hands and setting it down as he stands. Queen sits in her chair beside his desk. Thunder, his old lady, Bear, and Hunter all sit together on the other side of the room.
“First order of business is my replacement. I’m getting old. Too old for this upcoming war and too old to play in the arena with these young bucks.” Ace’s words have the room silent. I can’t stop my eyes from going to Reed’s, whose gaze is on Esper.
She eyes him, nodding her head but he shakes his. A silent conversation the rest of the world doesn't get to be a part of.
"Every person will submit a name. Any name, of anyone in this room. The name with the most votes will win.” Ace sets a black box on his desk with tiny slips of paper and a pencil next to it. “One at a time, starting with Asher,” Ace says and I shoot up.
Despite not knowing this was happening today, I already know who my vote would go to. Whether he still wants the damn position or not.
Reed isn’t running anymore. He said he felt free. Happier.
Whatever.
I still vote for him. Who the fuck else would anyone vote for? None of these guys are leaders. They need a leader.
There is no one I trust more to lead this MC.
Reed is next, and I really wish I knew who he put down. Probably Neven, even though the alpha would rather do anything else.
Each person, including Esper, goes and votes. It takes the room all of forty-five minutes to vote. Ace grabs his whiteboard marker and grabs a name from the box.
We watch as he writes the first name on the board, which earns a few chuckles in the room.
Esper.
The next name to get a vote is Reed, of course. Reed watches the board like he isn't sure whether to smile or throw up.
Another tally goes under Reed's name. Another name gets added to the board, now this one surprises me. Especially since the MC never really accepted this man into the fold, at least not until recently.
Soren’s name has a tally.
DJ, our Road Captain, and Neven are added.
Minutes pass, and tallies go up, and before long the winner is more than clear. As if there was really a doubt.
Reed can’t help himself as he stands and addresses the room. “I’m not running anymore. I—”
Esper reaches around Soren and grabs his hand, trying to yank him back down.
“No one gives a shit if you were running. You are the guy for the job,” I say, grabbing the omega’s other hand and pulling him to sit back down.
I grab the side of his neck and kiss the top of his head.
In front of the whole damn MC. He flushes pink, but he doesn't pull away.
Not even when we get a few whistles and hollers from the MC.
That is when I truly know Reed is in this Pack for the long haul.
He grips my hand tight as he looks back at the board.
He’s our omega, and just like Esper, we’ll make sure he gets everything he wants.
“The vote is clear. Please welcome Midnight Wolves' new president, Red,” Ace says, clapping and pushing Reed to stand. He stumbles around his chair a bit before gaining his footing. Striding to the Prez’s desk. Ace stands, pulling Queen up from her chair and sitting with her in his lap.
“Thank you, everyone. Though I cannot accept the role—”
“Reed!” Esper chastises and Reed chuckles as he stares at her.
“I cannot accept without my omega's blessing.”
Soren is up, dragging a chair to sit on the other side of the President’s desk.
Reed reaches a hand to a blushing Esper, who has no choice but to take it.
Not that she wouldn’t. She wants this for him so badly.
She’d been hanging in the Bar, telling everyone how amazing Reed would be when he’s not around.
Holding mini meetings in the booths of the Bar, convincing members who really needed no convincing to vote for Red when the time comes.
“I bless—everything,” Esper says, a bit lost for words. She sits in the chair, her hands clasped in her lap and her eyes tracking Reed like he’s her lifeline.
They look fucking perfect together up there.
For almost a full minute, they simply stare at each other in silence. Entire soliloquies the rest of us can only guess at must pass between them.
Gratitude.
Forgiveness.
Adoration.
Pride.
“First order of business,” Reed finally says, voice strong and clear as he faces the rest of us again, “We will be progressing with the takeover of the Eastern Outlaws. They are not welcome in White Pine Crest or any of the surrounding areas,” Reed says, writing the agenda Ace left for him on the white board.
Townhall goes on and everything feels right. My Pack is safe and happy. As an alpha, I can’t ask for much more than that.