Chapter 28 Before #3 - Connor
The last two weeks have been amazing. Thea is taking a well-deserved break from working after quitting her job. We haven’t received anything from her stalker since she quit. The relief at it being over is strong.
I’m finishing up work for the day when I get a call from Thea. “Hey Sweetness.”
All I hear on the other end is her crying. Is she hurt? “Thea? What’s wrong? Talk to me,” I rush out, the anxiety bleeding through.
Through her crying she says, “He sent a letter.” That’s all she’s able to get out.
I don’t need her to specify who. Leaving work as fast as I can and rushing home, it’s not long until I’m barreling into our apartment.
As if he’s going to be there waiting. I don’t see her anywhere.
If she’s this upset there’s only one place she’d be.
As I head to the nest I can hear the sounds of her cries.
Each one feels like it’s breaking my heart.
I open the door, eyes immediately drawn to where’s she’s lying, curled in on herself.
“Thea?” I say as I enter her nest.
When she sees me she nearly throws herself at me, gripping me tightly as I sit us back down.
She’s still crying. Whatever is in this letter scared her, badly.
I work up a purr for her. It takes every ounce of control I have to do it.
I’m furious this bastard sent something to our home.
I need to read the letter and call the police, but comforting my omega is most important in this moment.
“He found us,” Thea whispers as if he can hear us. “Connor, he…the things he said.” Tears once again fill her eyes.
I readjust us so she’s sitting firmly in my lap, still clinging to me, not that I mind.
Moving my hand up and down her back to help soothe her even a little, I say firmly, “I’m here, nothing will happen to you as long as I’m with you.
I promise.” Though the realization that I can’t be with her all the time hits me hard.
This is when having a pack would come in handy.
We stay like that for another half hour before she calms down. “Sweetness?”
She lets out a sound of acknowledgment. “I’m going to go read the letter and then call the police. Where is it?”
Her body tenses, so I work my purr up again to help her relax. “The couch,” she says softly. “I don’t want to be alone.”
“Okay, I’ll go grab it and be right back.” I move to get up but she tightens her grip around me.
“No,” she nearly yells, “I don’t want it in the nest.”
“Can you come with me?” I ask and she nods against my chest. We move to get up, her hand gripping mine so tight.
Entering the living room, I see a letter and an opened envelope on one of the cushions.
Grabbing it, I sit us down. Thea is still in panic mode; she’s no longer crying but her body is shaking.
It’s only amping up my anger. I maneuver us so she’s sitting with me similarly to how it was in the nest. This time her face near my neck, taking big breaths of my scent that is calming her.
In this position I can hold up the letter to read and she won’t see it. Small mercies.
Every line I read makes my blood boil more than I thought possible.
Thea is picking up on it as she lets out a whimper at one point, snapping me out of a spiral.
He starts the letter waxing on about how he misses her, then in the middle he’s clearly pissed she left her place of work.
By the end he’s talking about how this is better anyways for them to talk and he gives disgusting specifics on how he wants their reunion to be.
The urge to rip this letter up is so strong.
The fact it’s our only evidence is all that stays my hand.
Pulling out my phone, I type a quick message to the group chat with my parents, telling them we got a letter and are calling the police.
Shortly I hear the notifications go off with their replies but I can’t read them yet.
Moving Thea so she’s sitting on the cushion next to us, I get up and take pictures of the letter and envelope for our records.
I’m not sure if the police will take them or not but I know we will need our own copy since this doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon.
Calling the police is quick and now we wait.
I return to the couch and comfort Thea. I’m not surprised she’s so upset.
She’s terrified, really. That only adds to my frustration.
I don’t know how to ease her fear. I’m scared too.
How do you deal with something like this?
The police have been here for half an hour already and act like they’d rather be anywhere else.
I was already on edge with everything that happened and this is nearly pushing me over.
Suddenly the front door opens and a breath of relief escapes me at seeing my dad, James, walk in.
I fill him in quickly on what I’ve gone over with the officers.
The one who’s talked the most, Officer Morgan, says again, “There isn’t much we can do. We’ll file the report and pass it along to a detective but without any inclination of who this could be from it’s just a nasty letter.”
The effort to restrain a growl is insane. Thankfully my beta dad is here with a slightly calmer head. “Can we have this detective’s information you plan to pass it along to so we can follow up with them, especially if anything else is received?” he asks.
The two officers glance at each other, clearly not wanting to do just that. The other officer who hasn’t spoken much says, “She’s an unbonded omega, what do you expect? Of course she’s going to get attention from alphas.”
That’s it, that’s what breaks through my restraint, a deep growl emanates from me, causing said officer to put his hand on his weapon at his side. He doesn’t pull it out but the threat is there.
“Easy.” My dad says more to me than anyone else. “The name and number please?” he asks Officer Morgan again, who relents. Once we have the information they leave quickly.
As soon as the door is shut I let out a yell of frustration, causing Thea to flinch. Fuck.
“Thea? Let’s go pack a bag, you guys are going to stay with us for a couple days.
” My dad ignores my outburst. She hasn’t said anything this whole time, clearly lost in her own head.
Silently, she gets up and lets my dad lead her to the bedroom to pack.
I glance at the letter now on the coffee table, my anger building again.
I need to calm down. Thea needs me. A little while later they both return with two bags packed.
My dad gives me a look that says everything I already know.
She’s not okay.
We’re finally lying in bed. I love my parents, but they went a little overboard tonight. Thea isn’t a baby to be handled with kid gloves. She’s strong. She’s processing today and tomorrow the fiery omega I love will be back. All the anger I’ve felt today will be nothing to the anger she’ll have.
I hold her from behind, our bodies connected nearly everywhere. I kiss her cheek. “Sweetness, we’re going to get through this. I promise.”
“What if he takes me away from you?” she asks, her voice sounding so broken.
“I won’t let that happen. We’ll be bonded soon, in less than two months, we’ll be connected as close as we possibly can be. Who knows, you might get sick of me once we’re bonded,” I tease, trying to lighten what’s been a dark day.
Turning so she’s facing me, a small smile ghosts across her lips. “Not possible,” she says as she wraps her arms around me. I settle my head atop hers. We’re both letting each other’s scent calm us down. Home. She’s all I need in this life. I won’t let this bastard get to her.