Time to Strike
forty-four
*ROSEA*
My head is spinning.
It has been ever since yesterday, when Martin and Rory called us to a meeting and told us everything… All the things Martin found out during his last night out. And all the dark secrets Rory was holding onto.
Now, a day later, my mind is still struggling with accepting it all.
Forest’s hand touches my stomach as I lie nestled against him. He keeps his warm hand on me, never letting me go. His touch is so grounding and comforting. “How are you feeling, my love?”
“I don’t know,” I admit honestly. “It was a lot. The last couple of days. Having Clemmens try to abduct me, finding Rory…”
“Then Martin’s new discoveries.”
“I can’t believe Jordan would sink that low,” I say before letting out a deep sigh. “No, you know what, I can believe it. It makes it so much worse.” I pause. “And then the other thing Rory told me.”
He turns over now, pulling me into his arms. “I am so sorry, Rose.”
“I shouldn’t even be surprised; actually, again, I am not surprised.
Still…” I pause. My throat feels dry from just thinking about the what-ifs.
What if I had seen through Jordan sooner?
What if Dad had seen through him sooner?
What if any of us had listened to Rory? What if Clemmens hadn’t double-crossed us?
What if…?
I feel tears trickling down my cheeks. Forest just keeps holding me, his warm hands brushing over my back.
Rationally, I know it’s not that simple. Jordan would have never accepted my rejection. He would have tormented me and my family in other ways. Maybe the outcome would have been equally bad, maybe not so bad, or maybe a lot worse. I don’t know. I can’t turn back time.
Yet sometimes, I still think of how life could have been. My parents could still be alive. Rory wouldn’t have lost years of his life. He was such a sunny guy once, and now he is distanced and distrustful and traumatized.
And I could have been happy with them all.
But then, I wouldn’t have met Forest.
“The only good thing is that I met you,” I whisper.
“It’s the same for me,” he says quietly.
“You are everything, Rose. And I mean it when I say that I would have completely drowned without you. Everything that’s happened during the last couple of weeks, all the things we’ve changed, are thanks to you.
I was only able to break out of my chains because of you.
You are not just a consolation prize to me. You are a gift from the goddess.”
I look up, resting my chin on his chest. I must look ridiculous. Puffy-eyed and tired, yet he looks at me so fondly. Reaching out his hand, he brushes his fingers through my hair. “I consider myself lucky to have met you. I still can’t believe I received a second chance in love.”
He smiles at me. “Honestly, considering the shit we went through, we deserve each other.”
“I like that thought,” I say, reaching out my hand to touch his cheek. Forest pulls me into a kiss, a gentle, warm kiss that makes something in my chest flutter. If we weren’t needed at breakfast, I am sure we would have spent the day here in bed.
But, unfortunately, we still have Harry and Jordan to deal with.
Forest must have similar thoughts because he groans in annoyance. “I hate that we need to get up.”
“I know.” I stretch slightly. “But we can’t leave the guys hanging.”
“To imagine that Martin outsmarted Jordan. That recording is priceless. I wish we could have heard more of his ass-kissing,” Forest chuckles. “Seriously, he did so well.”
“I can’t believe he convinced Jordan that Clemmens had the hots for me,” I say, chuckling as well.
“Yeah, that was funny. Martin really handled Jordan well.”
“He played into his ego,” I say. “He said exactly what Jordan wanted to hear. I think a couple of years ago, Jordan would have been more cautious, but all the money and power have gone to his head. I truly believe he thinks he is invincible. Martin’s admiration feels natural to him because he can’t imagine anyone not admiring him. ”
“He seems to have a particular hatred towards me.”
“You being Martin’s alpha certainly plays a part in why he wants him at his side so badly,” I say. “But not because you are weak. It’s more like you are a thorn in Jordan’s side.”
“Plus, I have you,” he says.
“That too. Jordan disposed of me, but it doesn’t mean he wants someone else to play with his toy.”
“I will never forgive him for how he treated you,” Forest says, his voice dark.
“Never. And if I find out that my father is actually on the list of his top customers, if he is exploiting those poor women as well, I won’t forgive him either.
You know, deep inside I already know… The talk Martin had with Jordan, the things Jordan said, how much he wants Dad to join him again; my father was in on it. ”
“Yes,” I say quietly. “At least Donna only gambled.”
“Do you think Mom knew?”
“About the trafficking?”
He nods.
“I am not sure,” I say honestly. “Maybe she did. After all, she was in on the conspiracy to kill your fated mate. I wouldn’t put it past her.
However, I don’t know if she would have supported a whole trafficking ring.
Your mother is vile and vain, but not stupid.
She’d have known that your father could have sold her to the brothel as well. She values her life.”
He nods tentatively. “There is no love between them,” he says. “I am sure now, that he must have constantly cheated on her, and she knows she doesn’t mean much to him. I just hope she truly didn’t know. At least one of my parents…” he pauses. “The last couple of days really brought forward a lot.”
“Yes, thanks to the work of our friends. I am glad now that we filled them in on everything.”
“Martin is the perfect beta,” Forest says. “He is smart, calculated and thinks things through. He is not a shoot-from-the-hip guy, not impulsive. Yet he can spring into action if needed.”
“Tell him,” I say. “He will be happy to hear your praise.”
“You think so?”
“You are his alpha. He will be over the moon to hear your approval.”
“It’s weird,” he admits.
“To have him admire you?”
“To have anyone admire me,” he says. “Whenever I think about it, I feel a little off, like I am just an imposter, posing as an alpha.”
“You are an alpha. The respect and admiration of your ranked members, the fact the elders have acknowledged you, the way that, one by one, the pack members have begun following you, are all proof of it. You are a leader.”
He stays quiet for a while before tightening his embrace. “I am only half a leader,” he says. “And that’s fine. Together with you, I am a whole leader and alpha. I am aware that I have a lot of shortcomings which you even out.”
My heart makes a leap at his words, at the fact that he sees me as his partner, not just as his mate, his actual partner. “Isn’t it like that with all alphas and their lunas?” I ask.
He smiles. “I think it’s how it should be. Tristan was great before he met his mate, but afterward, he turned into a fantastic alpha. I like the thought of that,” he admits. “Of us being awesome together.”
“Me too.” I gently tap his arm. “Now come, we are expected at breakfast.”
Forest and I manage to be the first to breakfast. Griffin arrives shortly afterward, and then, to my surprise, Rory and Martin appear together. I don’t know how these two suddenly get along so well, but I am happy that they seem to.
“Nervous about today?” Griffin asks Martin.
“Not really,” he says. “I am more anxious about tomorrow.”
“So, what’s the plan for today?” Rory asks.
“I am taking over one of the shifts today and will guard Harry,” Martin explains, “Forest’s father. I am going to slip a note to him.”
“Do you think he will buy it?” I ask.
“Honestly, I am not sure,” Martin admits. “I did manage to manipulate him a little, but I also helped Forest, and he knows that.”
“He might think you are doing it because you have to,” I point out.
“That’s what I am hoping for. Also, Jordan officially believes the bullshit I spouted, so I don’t see why Harry wouldn’t.”
I look at Forest. “He is your father. What do you think?”
“Hard to say, but I think chances are high he is going to buy it, mainly because he really wants to. I’ll bet he hates to be locked up and will take any chance to get back at me. The easiest way to do that is through Jordan. And he will need to believe in Martin to be in any way successful.”
He sounds detached when he talks about his father, and I get it. It must be so hard to deal with this kind of betrayal within his own family. I am sure Forest loved his parents and wanted their approval while growing up, only to realize he would never receive it.
“My strategy is to pretend I deliberately pushed for Lissa and Donna to be exposed, instead of him,” Martin says. “You know, as a diversionary tactic.”
“That’s not bad,” Griffin says, surprised. “Besides, when Donna’s gambling was revealed, he managed to sneak away. You can make it look like you kept him out of it on purpose.”
Rory, who was quiet up to now, tilts his head. “You are a surprisingly smart man,” he says.
I know he means it as a compliment, but the way he worded it makes me wince a little.
To my surprise, Martin just grins. “What was that about your foot and mouth?”
Rory snorts. “I meant it as a compliment.”
“Yeah, I know. You really need to practice that a little more.”
“In my defense, my social interactions are rusty,” Rory sighs. “But seriously, you are quite cunning, Martin, and I mean that in a good way.”
“I agree,” Forest says. “Good job, Martin. You outdid yourself. You have the perfect skills for a beta. Funny how my parents chose you for me, probably to have me even more under their control, but they ended up making the perfect choice for me.”
Martin looks flustered at all the praise, muttering something under his breath.
“Just accept the compliment,” Griffin says with a grin.
“I am not used to being the center of attraction,” Martin admits.
“Really? I love having all the attention on me,” Griffin grins.
Forest chuckles. “Yeah, we know, Griffin.”
“I just get awkward,” Martin admits.
“I get it,” Rory says. “But Griffin is right; don’t be too modest. You deserve the praise.”
“Maybe save it until tomorrow night,” Martin says.
“We are prepared,” Forest tells him. “I have talked to Alpha Leonard and Dr. Francis, and they will organize everything we need for tomorrow.”
“Even the cameras?” I ask.
He nods. “I think Leonard feels guilty.”
Rory and I exchange a glance. While I can’t read his mind, I can still guess what he is thinking. And I think the same. “Our path is plastered with people who just stayed out of it and didn’t want to get involved,” Rory mutters.
“Yes,” I say quietly. “But at least they are helping now.”
“A bit late if you ask me,” Rory says.
I nod tentatively. “Yet, we can really use their help. Leonard helped us massively with Clemmens already, and let’s not forget that he is taking a risk for his own pack by doing that. And he used his contacts to get all the little gadgets Forest and I have asked for.”
“You always have to be the voice of reason, huh?” Rory sighs. “But you are right.”
“Once we have dealt with Jordan, nothing stops us from having a second chance in life,” I tell him.
Rory looks at me thoughtfully, his gaze wandering from my face to my neck. “I guess if you found the right man for you, maybe I will be lucky, too.”
Griffin nudges him gently. “No harm in trying, man.”
While he distracts Rory in conversation, I turn to Martin again. “Will you be alright?” I ask.
“I am as prepared as I can be,” Martin promises. “I am a bit nervous about tomorrow, but… Alpha Forest and Griffin said they would have my back—”
“We will,” Forest assures him. “We’ll be close by, in case anything happens to you.”
“Yes,” I nod. “But will you be alright?”
Martin looks at me for a moment before turning his eyes away. “I… try not to think about it.”
“Don’t shove it aside too much. You have seen the trafficking ring, and you couldn’t intervene and help anyone. I am sure that was incredibly hard.”
“Rose is right,” Forest says. “It’ll have done something to you. You can talk to me, or Rose, anytime. I am sure Griffin would be there to listen, too, or even Rory. He knows Jordan’s darker sides.”
At the mention of their names, the other two turn around. They must be piecing together what we talked about, because Griffin nods readily. “I’ll be there for you, Martin. We are buddies after all.”
Rory brushes through his beard. “Anytime,” he says now. “Besides, you can wake me up at midnight and I would happily shit-talk Jordan, or better yet, seek him out and punch him in his pathetic face.”
At that, we all chuckle. “The line’s long,” I say.
“For real.” Griffin shakes his head. “A lot of people despise him.”
“We saw that at the gala,” Forest agrees. “Alright, guys, let’s get this over with. It’s time to get back at Jordan and Harry.”