Chapter 37
CHAPTER 37
KAYLA
T he kitchen is stuffed with cops and the three Nexus men who searched the mansion the other day. More Nexus officials pour inside. My breath comes out in ragged gasps, the air is thick and heavy like I’m sucking it through a wet blanket.
Cold sweat slicks my skin, making the thin fabric of my shirt cling to my back. Dizzy, I can’t catch my breath; it’s as if the world has run out of oxygen.
This is it—Nexus is going to take me back. They must know the registration wasn’t done through legit channels.
Oh god, oh god. This can’t be happening. Not when I’ve found my Alphas. Not after everything.
I scan the kitchen for an escape route, but dozens of police and Nexus men and women dressed in suits surround us.
Can’t let them take me away from my men. I will my legs to move, to run, but they’re frozen and I can’t move. Tears burn my eyes and fuck me if I feel like my world is collapsing.
For a moment there, before the Nexus goons showed up, I thought I’d found a sliver of happiness. Something I hadn’t felt since my dad told me he had cancer.
“Kayla, stay behind me,” Ryker growls.
“Everyone on the ground, now!” The cop’s shout echoes against the walls.
Before my knees hit the tile, a solid wall of muscle shields me.
“Back off,” Ryker snaps.
“Sir, step aside!” One of the cops has a hand on his weapon, fingers twitching.
“Ryker,” I say. “Please.” I don’t want him hurt because of me.
After a look back at me, Ryker steps aside slightly, his fists at his sides.
“Good choice,” the cop says, a false note of approval in his tone. “Now down on your knees, hands behind your head.”
“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath, my hands shaking as I lower myself to the floor.
“Ryker, Dane, Liam,” I whisper, more for me than them. “Do what they say. Please.”
They follow my lead, reluctantly lowering themselves to the ground. Next to me, Ryker’s knees hit the floor.
“Sir, we need you to comply,” a cop barks at Dane.
“Complying, asshole,” Dane snarls back, but he kneels too, his hands clenched into fists behind his head.
“Good boys,” sneers one of the Nexus guys as he points an accusing finger towards us. “Now we can get this sorted.”
Sorted my ass. I think, but don’t dare say it out loud. Can’t risk making things worse.
“Shut it,” another officer warns the Nexus man.
“She’s our Omega, registered. You’re not taking her!” Dane’s voice is a lethal calm that sends shivers down my spine.
The Nexus guy smirks. “There are procedures to follow, and you’ve disrupted the process.”
“Fuck your process,” Liam spits back, but he doesn’t move. He’s a statue, all hard lines and raw power like he’s ready to break out in another fight if someone so much as blinks wrong.
One of the three Nexus guys who came here before the cops nods his head. “Throw those Alphas in jail until they rot. They lied to Nexus officials! They had that Omega this whole time!”
But the cops kept putting the Nexus goons who were here and searched the mansion before into handcuffs and I’m completely lost as to what was happening.
“Why are you arresting us? We work with Nexus. We found one of the missing Omegas. Those Alphas need to be arrested, not us!”
The third Nexus guy joined in, pointing at Ryker, Dane, and Liam. “They’re criminals, harboring her illegally! Do your job!”
“Get those three out of my sight.” A female Nexus officer points to the kitchen side door that still stands wide open. On her silver badge is Martha Schmidt, Director. “I don’t want to deal with them right now.”
The police didn’t hesitate, grabbing the three protesting Nexus men and dragging them toward the door. Their shouts and protests grew fainter as they were pulled outside and stuffed into the back of a squad car.
What was going on? Why were they arresting them? Panic claws at my chest.
The air is thick with the musk of Alphas and fear, a bitter tang that sticks to the back of my throat. I want to scream, to run, but my feet might as well be rooted to the ground.
“Kayla, you’re our Omega and no one can ever take that away,” Ryker says, and somehow, I believe him. I have to, or I’ll crumble right here, right now, in front of Nexus and God knows who else.
I’m hyper-aware of everything—the metallic taste of fear in my mouth, the sound of my rapid breaths, the relentless throb of my pulse in my ears.
“Everyone calm down,” Martha orders.
“Easy, Kayla,” whispers Dane, and I realize my hands are shaking. I curl them into fists, nails digging into my palms, focusing on the sting to keep myself grounded.
Martha regards me. “Let’s sort this out,” she says, striding over with purpose.
Dane’s eyes are fierce, protective. “She’s registered. Went through this morning.”
The beta Nexus woman’s gaze shifts to Dane, skepticism etched on her face. “But not certified, right?” Her tone is flat, but beneath it hums a challenge, a dare for us to contradict the facts she’s laying out.
Dane’s lips part, his next words teetering on the edge of his tongue, but they never come. His mouth snaps shut, jaws locking in silent fury. The muscle in his jaw twitches.
My new life is fixing to be yanked away before it even starts. Nexus can revoke a registration if they want, and something about the way that woman’s eyes drill into us tells me she knows more than she’s letting on.
Did someone tip them off? Could they know our secret—that my registration was never by the book?
Bile coats the back of my throat, but I swallow it down.
“Kayla,” Martha says, gesturing for me to stand up and I do so. “Do you swear to answer my questions honestly?”
I nod, because what else can I do? There’s too many cops and the half dozen Nexus officials here make any chance of escape possible.
I can’t trust anyone—learned that lesson well enough at home.
So here I am, wearing my poker face while my insides twist and riot. I’ve gotten good at playing pretend. Had to. But right now, with Martha looking at me like she might actually see past the fa?ade, I’ve never wished for anything more than to stay with my Alphas.
“Kayla?” Martha prompts, soft yet insistent.
“Yes. I vow to tell the truth.”
Martha’s eyes narrow, a flicker of something unreadable passing through them. She steps closer, and I fight the urge to take a step back. The tension in the air crackles, every cop’s gaze heavy on our little group, guns and tasers too close for comfort.
“Are you with these Alphas of your own free will?” Martha asks.
Every eye is on me, but the only ones I care about are Dane’s, Liam’s and Ryker’s.
I push past the lump in my throat, past the fear that they might strip away this sliver of happiness I’ve clawed out for myself.
“Yes,” I say, clear and loud.
Martha holds my gaze a moment longer as if searching for any hint of a lie. But there’s nothing to find except the raw determination of a girl who has decided her own fate, despite the odds.
Her nod is almost imperceptible, but it’s there—a sign of respect? Relief? I can’t read her and it’s twisting my stomach up.
Martha’s gaze is unrelenting, a spotlight that tries to peel back my every layer. “And you haven’t been coerced, bribed, threatened, or forced?” she continues, each word sharp like the crack of a whip in this silent standoff.
I straighten my spine. “No, of course not.”
Martha’s lips twitch, but she doesn’t say anything for a long beat.
Martha shifts her focus to the Alphas, her gaze transforming into an ice-cold glare. “You promise to love, honor, cherish, and protect your Omega?”
Ryker stands, grabbing my hand, his grip firm and comforting. “Yes.”
“Forever and always,” Dane adds, standing and moving to my other side.
“Fucking yes,” Liam says, winking at me over his shoulder.
My heart hammers against my ribs, not just from fear, but from the overwhelming sense of being claimed, protected... loved.
Martha nods once, sharply. Her eyes linger on us, maybe seeing more than we intended to show—a bond that goes beyond legalities, a connection that paperwork could never capture.
“Then you and your Alphas are registered and certified. Congratulations.”
“Really?” My voice escapes me, small and disbelieving. Overwhelmed doesn’t begin to cover it. I’m about to collapse into my Alpha’s arms.
I swallow hard, trying not to let the emotions choke me.
“Really,” Martha confirms.
“Yup. And you helped us rein in these three, so I think Nexus owes you a debt. We’ll call it even then?” The corners of her eyes crinkle, and I realize she’s not just playing good cop—she believes this is right.
“Thank you.” The words tumble from my lips before I can stop them. “Yes, yes. Thank you.”
Then she turns on her heel and marches away, leaving behind the scent of authority and a trail of whispers. The criminal Nexus officials hauled off in cuffs don’t matter anymore. They’re nothing but a fading nightmare.
I glance at my Alphas, their faces mirror my own shock and relief. Ryker’s hand gently squeezes mine, while Dane’s fingers lace with my other hand, firm and secure. Liam stands close enough that I can feel the heat radiating from his body.
Suddenly, they’re hugging me and I’m in the middle and it’s wonderful.
And for the first time, I let myself celebrate that I’ve found freedom and happiness.
“Fuck, I can’t believe it’s over,” Liam mutters, scrubbing a hand through his hair. “So what did those three fuckers do?” he asks, nodding toward the scene that’s rapidly becoming part of our past.
“They work for Nexus like you, don’t they?” His voice is gruff.
Martha winces at his question, her face momentarily crumpling like she’s tasted something sour, but then she’s all business again, the perfect Nexus officer. “We discovered they’re criminals. Worked for Nexus but did their own thing on the side of the black market. Probably would’ve sold you and the other missing Omegas there for a hefty profit.” Her gaze flicks to mine, sharp and assessing. “Don’t worry, they’re going to jail and Nexus will probably sue their asses too.”
“I knew it,” Dane says. “That pushy bastard kept reminding me of a weasel.”
Liam snorts, a grunt of approval escaping him. He looks down at me, and there’s pride in his eyes—pride and something more tender that makes my knees weak, and wish all four of us were alone.
Ryker’s arm tightens around me. Dane’s heat presses on my other side, and Liam rubs my lower back.
I’m theirs. They’re mine. And together, we’re unbreakable.