Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Harlow
Thane is like a raging bull as he takes me to our room. He goes straight to the bathroom, muttering under his breath about being forced to leave. I let him. Besides, I have bigger concerns. My stomach is cramping, my skin hurts, and I need to shower desperately.
Thane turns the shower on and sits me on the edge of the tub. He tugs off the shirt I am wearing, and his eyes trail over my naked body. Leaning down, he presses his hands to my belly. Our daughter writhes inside me as if she is doing yoga.
He lets out a breath. He crouches between my legs and kisses my belly. My skin tightens and my belly tenses as it cramps.
He jerks back, looking at it as I grit my teeth. “You look uncomfortable.”
“Duh! I feel like I’ve been skinned,” I exhale. My back stings so badly with all the little cuts and scrapes. Thane nods and turns toward the shower, placing his hand under the water.
“It’s gonna sting, but we need to get the gravel out,” he tells me, pulling me to my feet as Leon walks in. Thane growls, and Leon stops by the door.
“Get out, Leon. Right now. I don’t want you near me,” Thane says. Leon goes to protest, but Thane snarls and steps toward him. I get between them. Thane glares at him, and I place my hands on his chest.
“It’s not his fault,” I tell him, confused at why everyone is mad at Leon. Thane’s eyes flick down to me.
“He put you at risk. He put all of us at risk!” Thane snaps. I look at Leon, his eyes are glassy, as if he is about to start crying.
“I didn’t think —” he starts.
“You’re right, you didn’t think. You should have come to us!” Thane yells at him, and Leon flinches. “I warned you time and time again about Talon, not to back him, and you did worse. You put everything on the line when you said you would be the collateral!”
“I just paid the debt; I didn't know he would gamble it!”
Thane shakes his head. “He didn’t gamble it. He set her free!”
“What? No! I just gave him money. What are you talking about?” Leon argues.
“Money he used to get a fucking underage Omega! Rhen told me what happened on the way here. Your actions nearly cost us his life! You going down as collateral for Talon nearly cost us our fucking child!” Thane screams at him.
“Wait, what are you talking about?” I ask, confused. Thane pulls me closer, steering me toward the shower.
“Leon put his assets, meaning himself, down as collateral for Talon. If Talon doesn’t come up with the money, they can go after Leon.”
“Yeah, I put my life on the line, Thane. No one else's.”
“And even that is too much!” Thane snaps at him. “You just don’t fucking listen. I told you, next time, come to me. I’m changing her title back. This is exactly why we can’t keep anything in your name. Every damn time he calls, you go running to help.”
“He’s family,” Leon sighs.
“No, we are your family! I am done with this shit. Done with you bailing him out!” Thane roars. “What if I didn’t get back here in time? What would your excuse be then, Leon? He came for her because she’s an Omega under your fucking name! We could have lost her!”
“That makes no sense. They have no way of knowing that her title is in my name,” Leon says, but Thane shakes his head.
“Omega records are public information. They could have looked it up through the council, or Tal could have given him the information,” Thane says, pinching his brow.
“No, Tal wouldn’t — he wouldn’t betray me like that."
Thane scoffs, and I remember the conversation Corbin and Leo had.
“And he didn’t. Bree did,” I tell them. They both look at me.
“Rhen never mentioned Bree. They had Talon, but Bree wasn’t with them,” Thane says.
“Bree would give up that information for him. You know she loves Talon,” Leon says before sitting on the edge of the tub and putting his head in his hands. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think,” he murmurs.
Thane growls before nudging me under the water. I hiss, my back arching as it comes in contact with the water. “I know, love,” he whispers, stepping under the water with me and holding me under its spray.
I try to pull away. It feels like my back, ass, and legs are on fire.
“Shh,” he hushes before flooding me with his Calling.
My body turns languid and he has to hold me upright.
I am drowning in the sensation his Calling awakens.
Thane starts washing me, while continuing to speak with Leon.
My brain is mush, making it impossible to understand anything they say.
His Calling is potent, nearly knocking me out when I feel another set of hands on me.
Leon’s scent wafts to my nose, so I know it is him.
The shower turns off and Thane weakens his Calling, letting me slowly awaken from it, bringing me back to them.
I find myself in the bedroom suddenly, with no memory of how we got there.
His Calling changes to something more like a muscle relaxant than an actual sedative.
I roll to my side on the bed, tensing as my belly aches and my hips hurt.
Thane pulls me to him, tugging a shirt over my head.
“What else did he say?” Thane asks someone, and I hear Rhen respond.
“Corbin took the families of both the officials who were here. Half of the state officials are already in Corbin’s pocket, too. Raidon is about to wake Leo up. When he does, we’ll question him.”
“If he has half the state officials in his pocket, who the fuck do we call?” Leon asks.
“He gave us a few numbers of some higher ups who might be able to help. As for the city, anything that happens within its limits is ultimately up to Thane. We are well within our rights to defend our home. They can’t come after us for that, and whatever happens within the city is Thane’s decision,” Rhen tells Leon. Thane sighs.
“Maggie and Samson?” Thane asks. He must be referring to the housekeeper and gardener.
“I called the coroner. He will be here soon to pick up both their bodies. The city authorities are out front if you want to deal with them. They are going over the car. You killed four men in there. One was Corbin’s mate, and, well, we have Leo too.
Tal wasn’t in the car, so he must have been in one of the ones that got away. ”
“And Corbin?”
“Alerts have been put out. We will find him. Raidon and I are also going to make some calls to get the ball rolling on the investigations into the state council,” Rhen tells him.
“But in the meantime, I need you to stop sedating Harlow. I need to know what she saw the day Leo killed your mother. I need to speak to her, Thane.”
“I’m staying,” Thane snaps.
“Very well. Leon, go handle the authorities downstairs. Leila is also down there, asking for you. She’s convinced Thane is torturing you,” Rhen says. Thane’s Calling finally lifts, and he tilts my head back.