Page 49 of Bonds and Beasts

Between their more frequent confrontations and my own recurring heat spikes, I have a nagging suspicion about what's coming next.

As we pile into the car, I decide to bring it up. "So, I spoke with Dr. Hollis and she said my hormone spikes indicate that I'll probably go into heat in the next week or two." Every alpha is completely focused on me now. Bello sits next to me with his hand on my thigh and Easton and Dean are both directly across from me with intense expressions. I keep going before I lose my nerve. "I know you said you wanted to be with me during my heat, but I didn't know if you wanted to discuss anything else…" I trail off. It's as close as I'm going to get to asking the real question.

"Adison," Bello says my name, drawing my attention, "In case we haven't made it clear, we would formally like to request to bite and bond you at the end of your first official heat. Please, will you do us the honor of becoming our pack omega?"

I look at the others.

"I want to be with you forever, Sweetheart. Please know that," Easton says with a hint of desperation in his voice. I look to Dean.

"Fuck, please," is all he says, but it makes me smile.

"Yes," I say.

Nervous fluttering fills my stomach, but I also feel sure. They are my mates, and I am their omega.

Dean

My beautiful Sweet Girl is thriving. She comes with us to the shooting location every day now. Everyone knows her. Everyone greets her. Last night she made cookies to bring for the crew and they devoured them.

She plays with Colt most afternoons, and she and Lisa catch up on Lisa's lunch break from her job at the shop in town. My director even knows her and calls her “Princess” unironically. As in, "Why don't you bring Princess for the wrap dinner next week?" We assured her that we would.

Everyone working on the set appreciates her because she's constantly lending a hand in wardrobe to get people ready, or in makeup when brushes need to be cleaned. We told her she didn't need to do these things. That she didn't have to stay with us if she wanted to do something else. The days and hours are long on set. But she insists she loves it, and I love watching her.

"This is for you." One of the locals hired as an assistant walks up to me, hands me an envelope, and moves on to his next task. I open it to find a note saying my pack’s shoot has been moved to another location further up the beach, citing better lighting. I really don't care. This is our last day of shooting and I'm excited to be done and start my new life with Adison.

The new location means only a few people. It's a small beach that butts up against a bluff. Fine.

Later in the afternoon, I walk to the new location. When I arrive, I find Easton and Bello and no one else. No equipment, no sound crew, no director. Not even a camera operator.

"Did we get the time wrong?" I ask.

Easton shakes his head. "No, this is what the note I had said."

My phone rings. It's a local number that I show to Bello.

"I didn't bring my phone down," Bello says and shrugs at the number, so I answer it, putting it on speaker so the others can hear.

"This is Dean Halloway," I say.

"Hello, Mr. Halloway. This is Mr. Sullivan. I was hired by your pack to investigate the threats against your new omega."

"Right," Bello says. "Did you find something?"

"Yes, that's what I'm calling about. I wanted to let you know I've traced where the threats were coming from."

Every hair on the back of my neck rises. I start walking before I even register what I'm doing. Bello and Easton don't stop me. They both look braced, shoulders tense, fists clenched. I just want to get back to Adison. The reminder of the danger has my heart racing. We've left her with the crew and our body guards. The set has its own security so we didn’t feel the need to bring them with us. She should be safe.

"After looking into phone records, flights, and contacts, especially with the aggrieved party, Mr. Clocks, it all led back to one person. Your agent—Lumi. I believe that's her only name. The threats have been coming from her. I have several photos of her near the manor."

I stumble and almost stop. Bello brushes past me, almost running toward the tents where we'd left Adison.

"What do you mean you have photos of her near the manor?" I'm almost shouting as I run. "She's in LA."

"She isn't anymore. She boarded a flight and landed in your area about a week and a half ago."

A week and a half. Exactly when we met Adison and Clocks was arrested. Fuck.

I'm back in the production area in moments. Bello and Easton converge on me from different directions.