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Twenty-Four
Kian
Syn and Ripley leave bright and early the next morning, despite all our reservations about letting Ripley out of our sights. She’ll be with Syn, so it’s not like she’s alone, but it doesn’t make us any less anxious, unfortunately. She’s more than capable of keeping our omega safe, but with this recent development in Ripley’s life, we’re all on edge. We did all agree that the likelihood of whoever this is following her all the way to where they’re going seems slim. Not to say it couldn’t happen, but we’re choosing to be optimistic right now.
At first, we’re all fine when they leave. Probably because we’re all busy with work and aren’t at home to really notice they’re gone. It’s not until later that night, when we’re all home from work or whatever we had to do today, that even I see how badly we miss them both. River is morose, wallowing in his nest, alone, and buried under a pile of blankets. Nico is broody and cooking way more than he should from worrying. Knight looks like he barely slept last night; his normally tame curls are completely wild today, like he’s been tugging on them. He keeps pacing while he makes phone call after phone call and gets more and more agitated the more people he talks to.
I decide to leave him to it and not bother him for the time being. I know he’s trying to get some of his hacker buddies to see if they can find anything with the little details we have. It’s not much, and I doubt they will find anything, but you never know.
“Will you stop cooking? We’re not going to be able to eat all of this before it goes bad.” I sigh in frustration when I step into the kitchen.
I sit at the island and put my head in a hand as I look at Nico. He looks like he barely slept last night himself. Seeing him so stressed is new. Ripley came along and wrapped us around her finger almost immediately, but Nico was the most surprising of us all. He’s been exclusively with River since he came along, which has never been an issue. To see him falling in love with someone else is nice.
Nico gives a little growl of annoyance. “It’s the only thing keeping my mind busy.”
Another sigh. “They’re going to be fine. Syn wouldn’t let a single hair on that woman’s head get hurt, and you know it.”
Finally, he stops, resting his arms on the counter and hanging his head. “I hate she kept this from us until now. What if River hadn’t been with her? Or worse; what if they’d both been taken?”
I can see the panic in his eyes as he stares at me. He’s spiraling, immersing himself in what-ifs, and that will do no one any good. I snap at him, something I don’t think I’ve ever done in all the years we’ve known each other. But he’s got to get his head on straight.
“Nico, there is no point in what ifs. They’re both safe. And now that we know, we can be cautious. Hopefully find the bastard or who he’s working for before anything else can happen. But she needs us to be her support. Can’t be that if one of her posts is falling apart!” I huff in annoyance when I’ve said my peace.
Nico looks at me stricken, and normally I’d feel sheepish about my outburst, but dammit, I’m just as worried. I also know that all of us falling apart won’t do any damn good.
Right now, Ripley is with Syn, and there’s no reason to think whoever this is will follow. So, for these next few days, we need to take the time to calm ourselves and figure out what to do.
I suddenly realize that I’m just as protective of the beautiful omega as I am of River. Holding back while I watched her form relationships with the others had been difficult. I just... didn’t know if she wanted me. Those insecurities from Chelsea were still there, and a female omega coming in worried me. Chelsea always showed favoritism to Nico and Knight, but with Syn and me, well, we got put on the back burner as she tried to break us apart. Despite seeing how happy Ripley made River, and subsequently everybody else, I still had those lingering doubts floating around.
Then she kissed me. She teased me. Demanded I stop hiding. And at that moment, she felt inevitable. Meant to be all of ours. Mine.
Maybe it should have been obvious to me way sooner. That she’d want us all. That she’s nothing like Chelsea. Ripley is kind and loving. Sassy. I smirk to myself as I think of how smart her mouth can get.
“You’re right,” Nico grates out, pulling me from my inner thoughts. “They’re fine. Ripley is safe.” He closes his eyes and breathes, his shoulders relaxing slowly.
When I see he’s calmer, I nod my head. “Why don’t you go cuddle our other omega? He’s being quite pouty with Ripley being gone. I’m sure he’d love a good snuggle with one of his alphas,” I suggest with a raised brow.
Maybe it would distract both of them. Nico from his constant worrying, and River from being so upset over Ripley being away from him for the first time. Should have known he’d be upset with her being gone. Even though he’s the one that suggested to Syn that she take Ripley.
Nico looks around the kitchen at the mess he’s made and looks indecisive. “I’ll clean it up. Go.” I shoo him out, and he hesitates for only a second before he listens, heading off to the nest.
Once he’s out of the way, I start cleaning, losing myself in the monotony of the simple actions of washing the dishes and wiping the counters down. I let my mind wander as I clean the mess he made. Unsurprisingly, it leads right to Ripley.
The way her lips felt pressed against mine. How she felt pressed against me when we lay together in my bed last night. I can’t wait to kiss her again the minute she gets home. Maybe I’ll sneak away with her early one morning for a hike. I know she’s not a morning person, but I also know she won’t pass up a chance to go exploring. I can get her away and take her to some of my favorite spots. Kiss her silly and spend time with just us for once.
Ripley is exactly what we all needed. She’s carefree, loving, and thoughtful. The more I think about her, the more I realize I should have figured it out sooner that she’s nothing like Chelsea. Chelsea was vapid and, to be frank, a royal bitch. She gave all of her time to Knight and Nico and showed disgust toward Syn. Me, she really just ignored. She had no desire for a beta, which is fine, but she treated me like I wasn’t even there when we’d visit her, or she’d visit us.
Months were wasted on someone who we thought could be the one in the beginning, because she was very good at hiding how she felt about Syn and me at first. Until she got the lady balls to ask Knight and Nico to get rid of us. I can still remember how devastated I’d felt when I’d heard her whispering to them that she only wanted them and that she had no use for a beta or a female alpha. But then I remember how Knight pushed her away from him and growled at her that they’d never throw us away. I fell even more in love with him then. Nico was right behind him in those sentiments. He might not be in relationships with anyone but River and now Ripley, but we are family.
“Hey.” I turn at Knight’s gravelly voice behind me.
He sounds exhausted and frustrated. I wipe my hands off on the towel hanging from the oven door before going to sit by him at the island. One hand clutches mine when I get close, while the other cradles his head, and he sighs.
“Nothing?” I ask softly.
“Not one godsdamned thing. I still have a few more guys looking for someone with the alpha’s description from River, but if he’s not in the system, then we’re sitting ducks until he shows up again. If he does. Once he sees that she’s never alone without one of us outside of this house, maybe he’ll back off. I don’t know, Kian. This is so fucked.”
He puffs out his cheeks and blows out an exasperated breath. He’s right. It is fucked. We’re going to have to be vigilant. The man may have done nothing at this point, but that’s not to say he couldn’t escalate. I think he will. There’s no way it’s a coincidence that she saw him again a few towns over after being followed for a morning around here. He’s watching her. I don’t know why, other than she was an unbonded omega, but she isn’t anymore. Not since she and River marked each other. But an omega bite won’t deter an alpha; I don’t think. Especially one that is clearly not a good alpha.
