Chapter Six
Cannon
We were betting everything on Tyrone’s dream. He had been right about us being a sleuth. My bear had roared as he got out of his truck, recognizing the brother in him.
I’d thought of how this all happened since he arrived. His dreams. Meeting us. Knowing where our omega was.
I chalked up all kinds of reasons of how this was possible. Cosmic. Fate. The universe smiling down on us for some reason.
In the end, it didn’t matter. We had a sleuth, and we were here to get our omega.
The suit I wore was icky.
“Stop fidgeting.” Felix elbowed me in the ribs. All of our aggression and tension faded in an instant once Tyrone arrived. We fell in sync with each other the way packs dreamed of.
“Where is she?” I asked Tyrone, ignoring Felix. He was squirming more than me.
“I don’t know. I had a dream with blips of time. I can’t see through walls.”
Smart-ass.
“Let’s take our seats,” I said right as a man in a tux, with a mic in his hand, announced that the auction was set to begin. That was when the real nerves set in. Despite Tyrone’s dream and knowing this female was our omega, we didn’t know how in the hell we were going to pull this off.
The man next to me…his tux probably cost more than Felix made in a year, and the key fob to his luxury vehicle was plated in gold.
Our combined life savings was pocket change to these people.
But there was no way in hell I would let them leave with our omega. No lack of explanation could make me question Tyrone’s dreams. Felix trusted him. My bear trusted him. I pushed the doubts aside and focused on the disgusting display in front of me.
Omegas on auction.
Females who were meant to be treasured and cared for were being paraded like cattle on the block.
The first omega came up. She was a slight thing. Heart-shaped face. Dressed in only a slip of a dress that was almost falling off of her body. There were handprints on her arms and shoulders, and she had a black eye.
I wasn’t a crying man, but the sight of her tried that resolve.
Another one came out, in no better shape than the first one. They both went for more money than we had. Six and seven times more money than we had. We weren’t talking pennies.
They escorted the next female by the hand. She lifted her arm to shield her face from the bright spotlights intended, probably, to make the women look less tired and pale.
It didn’t work.
“That’s her,” Tyrone said, leaning over.
“Are you sure?” Felix leaned forward as well. “You said she had longer hair.”
“They must’ve cut it. It’s her. I’d know those green eyes anywhere.” Tyrone stood up and stared at the female.
She was gorgeous, even in this state. Big green eyes that made her look like she was from another world. She was entirely too thin. But that wasn’t what had my full attention.
It was the bruises on her arms and the raging, red handprint on her face.
The tears that streamed down those cheeks.
My bear growled inside me, so loudly that I put my hands over my ears thinking the sound came from somewhere else.
“It’s her,” I confirmed. I didn’t have the intuitive dreams Tyrone did. I couldn’t smell her or confirm we were scent matches. None of that.
But my animal knew. That beast inside me that had only been slightly compliant for the few days since Tyrone arrived was now begging me to go get our female—our omega.
Tuck her into my embrace. Take her to our den where she would be cared for, fed, loved, and adored the rest of her existence.
And if someone, anyone, tried to hurt her, I’d claw their fucking eyes out, and that would be just the beginning.
She was getting a lot of oohs and aahs from the fuckers around us.
“Do something,” I begged Tyrone. If he didn’t, I would, and there would only be four people alive when I was done. My bear’s anger was at a level I’d never known before. Rightfully so, given this was our mate.
“Tell us your name, sweetheart.”
The omega’s shoulders drew inward and she clasped her hands together. She didn’t speak. The man leaned down and whispered something to her. Something that made her shiver. “My name is everyone’s name. In dreams, you can have all kinds of names.”
Several alphas exchanged glances, including the two next to me.
Felix spoke up. “Either she’s doing it on purpose to deter alphas, or they hurt her, mentally.”
“She’s up for auction, Felix. Of course she’s hurt mentally,” I said.
“You know what I mean. More than situational.”
As I watched her fumble over question after question, I realized how fragile our mate really was.
Anything could happen.
But one way or another, we were taking her home. The only problem now?
Whether or not we were worthy of her. I’d failed my pack before. I’d run with my tail between my legs. Who would want an alpha like me?
I watched our mate scan the audience with squinted eyes. Then her gaze landed on Tyrone, and all the stress left her face. Her shoulders relaxed. She unclasped her hands. She let out a breath.
Yeah, she knew we were here for her. We were all on the same page. Now to make this happen.