40
Caito
I ’m sitting at my desk deep in the underbelly beneath Raven when my open laptop blares a call request on Zoom. I jab my finger down on the accept button, but I school my features so I didn’t let the asshole on the other line know just how irritated I really am.
Fucker has kept me waiting for three goddamned days.
“War.” My tone is whiskey smooth, all of the tension from the last several days hidden deep beneath the bottoms of my booted feet.
The older alpha arches a dark brow at me, piercing onyx eyes practically glittering from the other side of the screen. “Archer. Calling to beg if I have a fight free for you tomorrow night?”
I roll my eyes, playing the cool act I’ve fucking perfected since I could toddle around on two legs for the first time. “I’m calling in that favor you owe me.”
Something flares in Warrick Arson’s gaze, but he plays it off quickly enough.
He knows how to shield, just as I do. We didn’t make it through the circles we grew up in just to let a little bit of insult ruffle our feathers.
“Now, Caito. Is that how you greet an old friend? We haven’t spoken in ten years.
Where did you end up? Hopefully not some back alley fight ring.
You know you’re more talented than that. ”
I grit my teeth, and the corner of War’s lips twitch. Perceptive fucker. “We aren’t friends, Warrick. This is just another transaction. Help me out with this one thing, and I’ll consider your debt paid.”
I half expect him to snarl and snap orders at me like he used to, but he surprises me when he sits back in his chair and steeples his fingers in front of him, elbows on the armrests.
“You wound me, Caito. I thought we were tighter than that.” He hesitates, reaching up to scratch at a spot on his chin. “What is it you need?”
Fuckin’ finally, we are getting somewhere. I’ve thought about how I want to propose this for the last few days, so I dive right in. “Harlan Erossi. Do you know him?”
“Aye. I’ve heard of him. Can’t say he’s my friend.”
“Do you know that he’s running a joint illegal omega trafficking ring with Sterling Reighn?” I arch a brow, and that’s when I know I have Warrick in the bag.
He snarls, the sound not at all nice. “Tell me you’re fucking joking.”
“I wish I was.”
“Is that the favor? Take them both out?” War grins like a kid in a candy shop, but then his face falls like he’s actually upset when I shake my head.
“I really fucking wish. If I could, I’d do it myself.
I… found my omega. She was one of the omegas trafficked by Reighn.
Sold off to Erossi.” I pause, careful with how much I share.
It’s not my story to tell, and War doesn’t need to know the dirty details to give me what I need.
“I just need enough proof to bring the bastards down. There’s two bounties out on my omega that I need taken care of as well. ”
I reach for my phone and tap away at it until I send off the details regarding the bounty and the hit. I hear War’s phone chime, and he scrolls through it for a silent few minutes, a muscle in his jaw ticking. If there is one thing Warrick Arson and his pack hate, it’s omega dealers and abusers.
He doesn’t hesitate again. “You don’t need to call in the debt for this, Caito. However, I’ll be sending Fraser for back up. I know where Harlan does a lot of his operations. I’ll head to Fairvale Arbor with Cash and Salem to dig up that information you need.”
“I don’t need you to send that asshole here for anything. My pack can protect our omega without him.”
War shrugs. “Even so. Utilize him. You know how he gets when it comes to matters like this.” I can feel a muscle in my jaw tick at the reminder. If anyone had reason to hate underground omega trafficking rings, it’s Fraser Arson.
“Fine.” I say through clenched teeth. “I’ll put him to work.” War smiles, and it makes my fucking skin crawl. He’s one scary motherfucker that I never like to admit gets under my skin. I’m Caito fucking Archer. No one affects me the way Warrick Arson does.
It’s why I’ve been so hesitant to call in this damn favor in the first place.
I hate it, but I need Warrick’s connections. He knows people even scarier than him, some of which work for him. He’ll be able to get me the information we need to put Harlan away. We can force him to reject the bond with Scarlett, and then we can finally be a complete pack.
I’d still like nothing more than to kill the fucking asshole, but this is how it needs to be. I can’t ignore my pack’s logic. If I make a move against him and things go sideways, it will make stuff worse for Scarlett and my pack. I can be level-headed about this.
“We’ll be in touch. Expect Fraser by Sunday morning.
” The call disconnects before I can change my mind and argue.
Wren’s going to be fucking pissed that we’ll have to find a place for Fraser to set up and do his thing.
He won’t like having a strange alpha knowing so much about our situation, but this is the best I can offer.
Our pack lead’s connections through his dead old man aren’t doing us any favors.
Sometimes it’s worth it to dig up the corpses of your past.
Especially if it means you can keep those who matter most safe.
A knock sounds on the closed vault door, and Lark pokes his head in. I arch a brow at him, but then I note the lines bracketing his face. Rising to my feet, I growl, “Scarlett?”
His lips thin. “Apollo took her back to her apartment to pack up some things. The roommate convinced her to have a girls night. Here. They’re dancing upstairs, and Wren is on a fucking war path. Just wanted to warn you in case he calls-”
Just then, my phone lets out a shrill ring, and I curse underneath my breath. Fucking Apollo. He doesn’t know how to tell our omega no. Apparently doesn’t fucking matter if her life is in danger or anything. I pull the device out and grimace when I see it is, in fact, Wren.
“Lark’s already told me. I’m on my way upstairs.” I march around my desk to join my pack brother as we trudge towards the elevators like we’re being marched towards the gallows. That’s what it feels like, anyway.
I also hate telling my omega no.
But she can’t fucking be here in a crowded club with a goddamned hit out on her. The hell was Apollo thinking?
“Tell that fucking asshole to answer his damn phone. I’m going to bloody his fucking face for this.
” Wren is a snarling beast snapping orders down the line.
He’s currently an hour away upstate having an urgent meeting with one of his stand-in CEO’s for his father’s company, or what’s left of it, anyway.
Still cleaning up messes his father made before the bastard croaked two years ago.
“I’ll relay the message, but I’ll make sure Lark gives him a good wallop in the meantime.” I hang up then, not wanting to listen to him rant any more. I’m going to have to hold back from pummeling Apollo the moment I see him myself.
“Thanks for that.” Lark grumbles, but I ignore him. Lark always likes playing peacekeeper and never wants to step on anyone’s toes, but I know what he sometimes gets up to in his free time.
The guy is a closet psycho.
Especially when it comes to the pack or our omega.
“How the fuck does this happen? Is he fucking dense?” I growl, irritation making my skin itch something fierce.
Lark chuckles. “I think he had a doe-eyed omega batting her lashes at him and begging him to let her go out with her friend one last time before she goes on lock down. Raven is the safest place she can be as far as girls night venues go, honestly.”
My teeth are still grinding together the moment the elevator doors slide open to reveal Raven in all its glory.
I pause when I take in the crowd, and then I groan.
“It’s fucking masquerade night? How did I forget about this?
How the fuck are we supposed to find our omega when Apollo isn’t answering his phone?
” Anxiety is picking at my careful control.
“Gus was manning the main floor when I got here and said that they were close to the bar. Apollo wanted to be near the exit, just in case.” Lark begins to lead us in the direction of the main floor bar, and my irritation only spikes higher the more I have to push off drunk fucks when they stumble or accidentally grind into me.
I have to snarl at one particularly handsy beta who thinks it’s a good idea to cup my balls to get my attention.
I shove her so hard that she damn near flies across the dance floor.
No one is allowed to touch me except my omega.
We finally reach the bar after what feels like an eternity, and I’m already scanning the crowd around it.
When I find Apollo leaning against the wall next to the swinging door that leads behind the bar, my teeth grind.
I don’t even alert Lark. I stalk towards him, and the moment he sees me, he winces and straightens his posture.
He still doesn’t anticipate the punch I aim at his face. My knuckles slam against his cheek, and he stumbles back against the wall. Lark clamps a hand down on my forearm to stop me from swinging again, but he doesn’t need to. I only wanted one good punch.
“What the fuck, Caito!” Apollo snaps, glaring over at me, but he doesn’t move to retaliate. Smart man.
“Where the fuck is she? Are you truly that big of a fool, Apollo? Why the fuck would you bring her here?”
“Calm the hell down, asshole. Kate begged her to go out one last time before she’s holed up in the penthouse. Raven is one of the only places in this entire city where it’s safe for her. And I’m fucking watching her. I can keep my omega safe without your input.”
I grit my teeth, clenching and unclenching my fist to relieve some of the ache in my knuckles from delivering a solid punch to my pack mate’s face. “You better come up with a different excuse when Wren gets his hands on you. If you think I’m pissed, that’s fucking nothing. Now, where is she? ”
Apollo glares at me, but there’s at least a little apprehension in his eyes now at the mention of Wren.
“I offered to get the girls into a VIP lounge upstairs, but they wanted to dance down here on the main floor. They’re right-” He moves his attention across the crowd, and then he freezes, and I know something is wrong immediately. “What the fuck?”
I follow his line of sight where I spot the roommate right away, but Scarlett is nowhere to be seen.
I’m already moving towards her before Apollo can say another word, and the moment I get close, I have an iron grip on her arm.
I’m prepared when she lashes out, whirling around with her fist already swinging.
I catch it easily in my palm, flexing my fingers over hers so she knows not to so much as flinch a muscle again.
The moment her eyes connect with mine, she relaxes, but only marginally.
I can tell she doesn’t trust me, but right now I don’t really give a flying fuck.
“Where is my omega?” I demand, and she scrunches up her nose.
She’s got her long, dark hair twisted back from her face with pins, but I can still see her ice blue eyes sparking malice behind her black velvet mask.
Her red painted lips peel back in a sneer, and then she yanks herself away from me, but she doesn’t go far. Smart omega. “She went off with some alpha named Ant. He asked her if she’d be willing to sing a set with them. She seemed excited about it.” Kate shrugs, and I see fucking red.
I whirl around and spear Apollo with a sinister glare.
“He has no right approaching her like that, let alone asking that of her.” I don’t give him a chance to respond.
I’m already stalking through the crowd again, heading towards the side of the stage.
I’ll fucking teach that sorry excuse of an alpha to never approach my omega again.
Just before I can make it halfway to my destination, the lights above dim and the curtain on the stage begins to pull back.
My feet freeze to the floor, and I feel my entire world tip on its axis.
Lark and Apollo come to a stop beside me as we watch the curtain reveal our omega, center stage, dressed to fucking kill in a floor length crimson cocktail dress that sparkles like a supernova under the lights that flare to life above her.
She has a matching satin mask tied around her head that conceals half of her face from view, but I’d know it was her even in the damn dark.
I’m just about to step forward again to snatch her off that stage when the band begins to thrum behind her. Then she opens her mouth and begins to sing, and I forget all about my need to have her safe in my arms.
She sings my damn siren song and I know I’m done for.