Chapter 12 Jo
twelve
Jo
"Are you sure about this?" I whisper, trailing after Hayden as he leads me to a door that's clearly marked "NO ENTRY".
We had stopped by my room so I could let Turnip rest for a little bit, and then he led me through the courtyard, into an admin building I've never seen before, then down a hall so long I had to squint to see the end of it.
He shrugs. "Nobody ever comes through here—I’m not sure if the other patients even know about it. They haven’t cleaned the area up since it was abandoned. Something seems…off about it. "
I huff a breath, and Hayden grins when I nod. "Alright then, let’s go."
He pushes the door open, and we enter into a part of the facility that looks like it hasn't been touched in fifty years. Just like the Cathedral.
According to Hayden, this wing has been abandoned for that long, after a riot started by a pack of alphas.
They hadn't even thought of the instinct tamping drug yet.
The pack had formed inside the asylum, with a beta woman as their center.
What people didn't know though, was that this beta was actually a late presenting omega and she came into her designation in the middle of the cafeteria.
Cue insane alphas protecting their omega from the other inmates, and then turning on staff when they wanted to take the woman for tests.
Nobody handled it well, a riot started, everyone died. Typical asylum shit.
My nose wrinkles as I step over a cart of broken medical supplies. Really, nobody thought to clean this up? My eyes scan the walls, and I notice there are no cameras anywhere. At least nobody can track us through them.
"Didn't they do a buncha updates and stuff to the facility?" I ask, trailing behind him as we walk further down the hall. "Why wouldn't they have torn this place down or somethin'?"
"That's what I've wondered too," he admits, looking over his shoulder at me.
Damn, he is one handsome alpha. When he leaned in front of me earlier, trying to get a look at my book, his smoky pepper scent did something funny to me. And then watching him get used to Turnip was hilarious.
And a little strange. It was the first time she’s tried to go to anyone besides me since I found her.
The alpha in question plays with that lighter I saw him with on the first day, flipping it open and closed.
I might blame it on being nervous. Because really, this wing of the facility is creepy as fuck.
If this was a movie, you'd be screaming at the screen, telling the main the character to get the hell out because obviously this place is haunted as fuck.
But, he flicks the lighter constantly, so I don't think it's that.
My curiosity quickly gets the better of me. "What's the deal with the lighter?"
He shrugs. "My official diagnosis is pyromania. The lighter, along with whatever drugs they pump into me, help me with 'impulse control issues'." He does finger quotes around the last part. "I mean, I still want to light shit up. But…it's manageable now."
"Why?" The question is out of my mouth before I can stop it, and I mentally curse myself.
Great idea, Jo. Ask the pyromaniac why he sets fires.
Hayden barks a laugh. "Alright, going straight to it. I'll show you mine if you show me yours. I'll tell you why if you tell me what omega you're looking for."
I bite my lip, peering into one of the empty rooms. Looks like we've entered the old dorms. The bed is ratty, a simple metal frame with the mattress torn to bits.
There really can't be any harm in telling him about Mabel. There are no cameras here, and if he tries to sell me out…well, we're all crazy here. Who's going to believe him?
There's something about him though, something that pushes me to trust him with the information. I'm usually pretty good at reading people, and I don't think he'd sell me out.
"Deal," I finally say, and he grins.
"There's something in my head, Fireball.
" He sighs as he looks up at the ceiling.
"Noise. Words. And itchiness that I can't scratch.
But that moment? Where the fucking thing finally catches fire and the flames dance right in front of your face?
It…it makes everything quiet, and it's…fucking euphoric. "
Huh. I don't know what I was expecting him to say, but it wasn't that. And since he shared his with me so easily, I take a deep breath and tell him about my sister.
"My sister," I say quietly, then swallow roughly.
"Mabel. She's my twin. Fraternal. She…" I haven't spoken about what happened to Mabel since we found out where she went.
"When we were eighteen, Daddy sold her off to a pack.
He wouldn't tell me who he sold her to, just that I would never see her again.
" I let out a shuddering sigh, shaking my head.
"Mabel, she…she's not like me. I'm wild and unpredictable.
Hard. Mabel is soft and sweet, and everything an omega should be.
So when I finally tracked her down…" my voice chokes, and my eyes snap shut.
"Hey, Fireball." His hand grabs my arm, but oddly, I don't have the urge to rip it off. "It's okay." I open my eyes and look into Hayden's sparkling hazel gaze. "Really. You don't have to talk about it—"
I fervently shake my head. "No, we made a deal.
Plus, it might...I don't know, it might help. When I finally caught up with her, two years later, I found out that she was the omega that murdered her entire pack on the east coast. They changed her name, never showed a picture, but my sources…they say it’s her. "
To my surprise, Hayden grins. "Oh, so murder runs in the family, does it?"
A bitter laugh leaves me. "That's the thing. Mabel couldn't hurt a fly. I don't know what happened, but I know with absolute certainty that Mabel did not kill those alphas. And even if she did, I'd still be right here lookin' for her. I checked the Cathedral for her yesterday—"
Hayden releases an audible shiver. “Fucking hate that place. Never been admitted, but my dad made sure they showed me what it was like my first day so I didn’t go causing trouble.” I frown, noting the way he said the “dad”. He shakes his head. “Sorry. Continue.”
His antics have me suppressing a grin, but I roll my eyes and continue. “She wasn’t in the Cathedral, so now I’m tryin’ to figure out where else she could be. I’m not gonna stop until I find her, Hayden. I can’t.”
Something strange settles over his features as he looks me over, and I find myself shifting awkwardly under his gaze. "What?"
He shakes his head like he's trying to clear it. "Nothing, Fireball. Just thinking that Mabel's one lucky person to have someone like you in her corner. I don't have any siblings, but if I went missing…I don't think I'd have anyone that would look for me. Certainly not my parents."
I don't know why I say it. I don't know how he's gotten under my skin in such a short amount of time, but he has. So I shrug. "I would."
He gives me a sad smile. "Jo."
"What?" I shrug again like it's no big deal. "I would. Hell, I might miss you tryin’ to irritate me all the time."
He chuckles, shaking his head. "You really are something else."
Before I can answer, he ducks into a room, and starts rifling through the cabinets.
“What are you up to?” I ask, planting my hand on my hip and standing in the doorway.
“Looking for shit to start a fire.” He gives me a feral grin, and shrugs when I shake my head. “What? I said the urge is manageable, not gone. One time I found a bottle of rubbing alcohol, some steel wool, and a nine volt battery. That one actually got me hard.”
A laugh bursts out of me, and I find myself wanting to see the world through this alpha’s eyes for just a little while.
He gives up shortly after, meeting me back in the hallway before we keep going.
But then, I hear footsteps coming our way and my heart leaps into my throat.
Shit.
Shit, shit shit.
"Someone's comin’," I hiss out, panicking.
We need a reason to be here. If they catch us…fuck, what if it's Doctor Brooks? If there really is something down here then they won't take kindly to people snooping.
If this really is a lead and they realize I've sniffed it out, they'll do everything they can to make sure I can't investigate further.
I meet Hayden's wide eyes as the steps get closer, and an idea hits me.
"Play along," I plead.
Then I throw myself into his arms.
He catches me easily, and he must know exactly what I'm thinking because in the next second his lips are on mine.
Oh, fuck.
It's like he set me on fire with his touch, and all I can do is melt into him.
A little whimper leaves me as he holds me closer, and then I'm scrambling up his body, wrapping my legs around his waist. Hayden groans into my mouth, spinning us so my back is against the wall.
My hands tangle in his hair and tug, making him moan.
His hard cock grinds into my aching center, and I desperately want there to be exactly zero clothes between us.
My alpha.
His hands squeeze my ass, and I'm just about to beg him to take me against the wall when a throat clears.
Shit. Right. There was a reason we were doing this. He rips his face away, breathing heavily as he looks at me with a question in his eyes. It’s obvious the kiss affected him just as much as it did me.
"You guys know you shouldn't be in here." A vaguely familiar voice rumbles, and I look over to see who found us, trying to blink away the heavy fog of lust.
It's that same orderly that was with West the day I beat Lars to a pulp.
"Oh, I'm sorry, sir," I drawl, tracing a circle with my finger on Hayden's chest. He's still holding me against the wall, his cock pressed against me. "I had no idea."
He only grunts and tilts his head towards Hayden. "Well, he does." I try to rein in my little growl of possessiveness at the idea that Hayden has been caught in this position before, but it still finds its way out.
"Sorry, Sam." Hayden gives him a sheepish grin. "Needed some…alone time if you know what I mean." Then he winks, and my cheeks burn so hot I'm sure they're as red as my hair. I didn't expect him to just come out and say it.
"That's what you have bedrooms for, Hayden." Sam shakes his head. "Come on, West asked me to find you—you're late for your psych appointment."
"Oh, fuck." Hayden's eyes widen in surprise and he looks at me apologetically. He gently eases me down to the ground. "Sorry, Fireball. We'll have to continue this later." He steals one last kiss with a cheeky grin, leaving me speechless as he hurries back down the hall.
Huffing and running my hands down my jumpsuit, I follow after him, not at all surprised by Sam's footsteps behind me.
My heart stutters when he says quietly, "I'd be more careful if I were you, Ms. Harding."