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I pull him in for a side hug. “I hopeyou knowthat I see the same things in you, brother. Don’t think I didn’t know about your anxiety attacks or the panic you tried so hard to keep hidden. I’m your twin. I saw it all. But I also knew you wouldn’t want my help. The changes I’ve seen in you since we brought our girl home are something I’ve wanted for you for years. You’re so good for each other. She’s like the sun to your rain.”
Our attention snaps over to Blake at the same time when we hear her musical giggle. I look at my twin to see we’re wearing the same goofy smile.
He squeezes my shoulder tight. “I hope we never have to live without her sunshine again,” he whispers.
ChapterTwenty-Two
CROCS AND KIDNAPPERS
Blake
Ilean back against Achilles, trying my absolute hardest to fight the huge yawn trying to break free. Rook, Achilles and I have been shopping for three hours. I’m trying really hard not to act ungrateful but I’m tired, hungry, and I’ve decided I hate shopping. The other Alphas had to stay behind to talk to the detective and I’m a little embarrassed to admit I pouted when we left without them.
Rook is walking around the store looking for something he calls “house shoes”. I have no idea what the heck house shoes are, but he’s clearly on a mission, so I go along with it. Ace and I are sitting on a bench at the front of the store and the longer we sit here, the more I lean on my Beta.
He wraps his arm around my back and pulls me in for an awkward side hug. “You alright, ma jolie fraise? You smell a little stressed,” he murmurs the question into my hair.
I sigh softly, quickly scanning my eyes around to make sure my giant Alpha is out of earshot. “I hate shopping,” I mumble. “I’m so grateful for you guys and it will be nice to have more than a couple of outfits, but I’m starving and sleepy. Aside from London, this is my first trip out in public since I was a kid. I’m just not used to it.”
Understanding shines in his eyes, and he kisses me on the forehead. “Pretty Girl you have to tell us this stuff, okay? I promise Rook won’t be upset if you wanna go home or do something else. Trust me when I say any one of us would do literally anything to make you happy.”
A grin takes over my face. “I love you guys so much. I don’t know what I did to get the best pack in the world, but I’m so grateful,” I say before pecking him on the cheek.
He sends a beaming grin my way. “You stay here, and I’ll go tell Shoppy McShopperson over there it’s time to feed our Omega before she gets hangry.” He winks at me before booping me on the nose and walking away.
I quickly lose sight of him when he rounds the aisle, and he’s gone less than a minute when a man slides onto the bench next to me. I nearly gag as the pungent scent of motor oil and dirt surrounds me, and I belatedly notice he’s sitting much too close for comfort.
Scooting a few inches away, he immediately follows me, making my hackles rise and my anxiety spike. I turn my head, ready to ask him politely to back up, when a piece of damp cloth is suddenly thrust towards my face. I cry out, hoping my men will hear me before anything can happen.
The man rears back and slaps me hard, and I’m familiar enough with the action that I don’t react beyond a small whimper, which seems to make him angry. He brings the cloth to my mouth and snarls his hand in the back of my hair, shoving my head down into his hand. I try to hold my breath, but it only takes a few seconds for the sweet-smelling liquid to permeate my nose, making me lightheaded and dizzy.
“HEY!” I hear a voice bark. “What the fuck are you doing to my Omega?!”
The man in front of me jerks sideways before he releases his hold, sending me tumbling off the bench. My reactions are sluggish and I’m too focused on sucking deep lungfuls of clean air to catch myself, but instead of hitting the floor, I land on a hard chest. I start to thrash, tendrils of panic wrapping around my heart, until I catch the scent of bitter lemons and sugar. Relaxing into Achilles’ arms, I lose the battle to stay conscious and everything goes black.
* * *
Rook
Five Minutes Earlier
I have never in my life enjoyed shopping until today. Lee is the fashion guy in our group, and I just wear whatever I find in my closet. But shopping for my Angel? I could literally do this every day andneverget bored.
Why is there so much cute shit for women? And Jesus, fuck, we haven’t even started shopping for her nest yet!
I’m borderline panicking when a hand lands on my shoulder and I jump, startled.
“Woah there, bro. You okay? You were staring at those Crocs pretty intensely,” Achilles says. Surprise is evident on his face when I whip around to face him. I grab his hand, holding it as I turn panicked eyes his way.
“Lee, we don’t have anything for her nest,” I blurt out. “What if she goes into heat early because of the meds that asshole foster father drugged her with? We don’t have a single thing! What kind of pack are we?” I’m fully panicking now, and he grabs my shoulders, lightly shaking me.
“Get it together,” he hisses quietly, looking around him quickly to make sure Blake isn’t near us. “We are the perfect pack for her. She isn’t supposed to have a heat for another year at least, but you’re right. We don’t know how the drugs will effect that timeline and we should start collecting things for her nest. But right now, our Omega is hungry, tired, and nervous, and I think we better feed her and then get her home for today.”
I feel like a major jackass hearing that. My Omega needs me and I’m over here staring at fucking shoes and sending myself into a spiral over her nest, panicking about what a shitty Alpha I am. I take a deep breath and shake my head to dispel the self-obsessed thoughts and nod at my Beta.
“Let’s go feed our girl, yeah?”
Smiling, he nods at me.
