79. Chapter Seventy-Eight

Chapter Seventy-Eight

Lana

I lose my breath and see stars twinkling above me when I come on Brooke’s hand. It’s the second time since we started to claim each other that I almost pass out.

Sucking in a breath, I close my eyes. “That felt so …”

“So?” she asks, as she removes her hand.

“Perfect,” I admit, as she squeezes into the small space beside me.

She curls up, half against me, half on me, and it’s so warm and I’m so relaxed that I’m ready to go to sleep. Then I open my eyes and look at her, and I can’t believe this finally happened.

“The first time I saw you, I was worried I was drooling.”

She laughs, opening her eyes. “The first time I saw you, all I could think was “yum”. To be fair, I’d already heard your voice so much that I knew I was going to want you.”

“My voice?” I ask, not believing it.

There’s nothing special about my voice.

“You have this warmth in your voice when you talk. It’s really sexy to listen to.”

“I’ll have to take your word for that.”

“I’ve really missed you,” she says.

“I really missed you, too. I’m sorry I couldn’t …”

“It’s okay. I get it. Really. You didn’t want to end up a part of my pack, and now we know why. It makes sense. You deserve your own pack, Lana. You’re amazing. Taking on this academy … I don’t think I could have done that. It’s literally insane, but you did it, and you’re making real changes. I’m so damn proud of you.”

She sits up, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. “Ugh. I knew I would cry.”

Getting up, she holds out her hand and helps me to sit.

“Do you want your clothes?” she asks. “I get like this when I don’t eat often enough, so we should order some food before I’m bawling like a baby.”

I stand up, and I get her dress while she wipes her eyes, clearly trying not to ruin her makeup.

“Here,” I tell her. “You’re the Omega. I’m supposed to be looking after you.”

She smiles. “You know that’s not how I roll.”

“I don’t care. You’re my mate now, and I’ll make sure you get fed when you need food.”

She pulls the dress back on. “If you say so, boss.”

I put my clothes on, and I pick my phone up from the counter to call the kitchen.

“What do you feel like eating?” I ask, getting a crazy hard craving for cherries and cream.

“Oh, I don’t know. Chicken salad and ice cream. Something like that.”

I nod as I make the call, ordering two chicken salads and two portions of vanilla ice cream. I ask for a portion of cherries as well, because I can’t not now that I’m craving them so badly.

I put the phone down and go to the door.

“I’d better tell John we’re having dinner delivered.”

Brooke nods. “Can’t forget that. We don’t want to worry anyone.”

I unlock the door and step into the hall. The guard is just turning, pacing back toward me.

“Hey, John,” I call out, not wanting to stray too far from the doorway. “We’re having dinner delivered soon, just so you know.”

“Great,” he says. “I’ll watch out for it.”

“Thanks.” I step back inside and close and lock the door. “Done.”

I move back over to the couch where Brooke is sitting on the side we didn’t get damp with our claiming. She’s stopped crying, and she hasn’t smudged her makeup one little bit.

“You know, when I was stuck in this room, before I met my pack and escaped, you were the only light I had in my life,” Brooke admits. “You were always so nice to me. You were one of my only real friends. You even helped Kellan get into the academy when the rules were crazy tight. I love you so much, Lana. I don’t think you even know how much.”

I put my arms around her. “I let Kellan in because I knew he was a good guy, and I knew he’d get you out of here. This place, or your father, one of those two or both of them were going to kill you. I couldn’t let that happen. I love you too damn much.”

My shoulder gets damp with her tears when she starts to cry again.

“I’m so sorry,” she says as she straightens and wipes her eyes. “I’m happy. I couldn’t be happier.”

“It’s okay to cry,” I tell her. “Sometimes it’s what we need.”

She nods. “It’s this place, too. I’m okay with it now, but some part of me still thinks of it like it was. When I was stuck here, and I didn’t think I’d get out without having to marry some asshole my father picked for me.”

“I get it. It’s fucking awful what the academy used to do to Omegas.”

“I’m glad you’re changing it. This place needs you.”

“I think it needs more than me,” I admit. “Actually, it kind of needs you.”

She blinks at me. “Sorry, what? Was that some kind of job offer? Because I’m …”

“I know you don’t need a job. I just … I have to give a speech on Friday. I think it would be good for the Omegas to hear from you, too. You got out of here. You’re an Omega, and you met your true mates when you left. I think that’s the kind of story they need to hear.”

Why the hell didn’t I think of it before?

It’s perfect.

Brooke nods slowly. “I’d like to help. I think you’re right. They should hear from someone who’s been where they are. It might be the only way to help them understand.”

“Thank you so much. I was so stuck with that speech.”

She smiles. “That’s only because you worry way too much.”

“You’re probably right.”

“Do you want to watch some crappy hump day TV?” she asks, leaning forward and picking up the remote.

“That sounds perfect.”

I haven’t watched TV in God knows how long.

It’ll be nice to switch my brain off for a while.

The knock on the door comes halfway through the first reality TV show we put on.

Alpha Island is trash TV at its finest.

I stand up. “I’ll get it. Just let me know if that surfer douche Alpha-hole does anything dumb while I’m gone.”

I walk over to the door, smoothing my clothes down as I go.

Checking out the peephole, I see it’s Marianne with a food tray.

I unlock the door and open it wide.

She smiles. “I’ve got chicken salads and ice cream. Where do you want them?”

“I can take the tray,” I tell her, reaching for it.

“No, sorry. I’m under strict instructions to bring the tray back. We’re low on trays.”

I step back and let her in. “The table will be fine.”

“If you’re watching TV I’ll put it on the coffee table,” she says.

“Okay, sure,” I murmur, watching her put it down.

Brooke shrugs at me.

We can both tell Marianne’s acting slightly weird, but it doesn’t seem sinister.

At least not until she grabs Brooke’s arm and yanks her to the ground.

“Marianne!” I cry out, rushing forward.

The petite girl has a steak knife in her hand, and she’s got it pointed at Brooke’s throat.

“Don’t fucking move,” she hisses.

I go still, petrified that Brooke’s about to be stabbed.

“Please,” I start, holding my hands up. “Whatever this is about …”

She laughs. “Like you don’t know.”

“I don’t. So, tell me. Please. I need to know.”

I also need to know why John didn’t run in here the second I yelled out her name, but I’ll have to deal with that later since he’s still not in the room.

“You think you can waltz into Geraldine’s job and just start changing all the rules? Are you fucking mental? Do you not understand the shitstorm you’ve created? The rich rule the world. They’ll always rule. You’re nobody. You’re worth nothing. You can’t change a damn thing!”

“Why do I feel like I’m speaking to Warren Corvina?”

“So, you do know,” she sneers. “Good for you. But it’s not going to save either of you. I’m going to kill you, and I’ll kill everyone else I can get my hands on before someone comes along and puts a bullet in me. You know what that’s going to show the world? It’s gonna show them that you failed. That change is bad, and we’d best all go back to the way things were before something else terrible happens.”

Fuck. This girl isn’t just brainwashed.

It’s almost like she is Warren Corvina.

I glance at Brooke.

She looks pissed as hell, but she’s stuck in a position she can’t move from without risking death.

It’s up to me to end this, and I don’t have any tricks up my sleeve.

“Let her go, and I’ll do whatever you want.”

“Lana!” Brooke hisses.

The Marianne puppet rolls her eyes. “Fuck that! This little bitch put me in prison. I’ll put her in the ground if it’s the last thing I do.”

My hands clench into fists.

If I want that knife away from Brooke, I’m going to have to take it from Marianne.

I move forward and Marianne presses the blade tighter to Brooke’s throat.

“I told you.” She growls. “Don’t fucking move.”

“If you’re going to kill me, do it,” I goad her, waving my arms, trying to get her focus off Brooke.

She stares me down, and then she lifts the hand with the knife, and punches Brooke in the head.

The sound the impact makes is so loud I feel sick to my stomach.

Marianne smiles as she points the knife at me. “Now, you get to die.”

She rushes toward me, and I get ready to fend her off.

The crack of a gunshot is followed by another, and another.

I hear the sound, and then I see Marianne being thrown backwards like a ragdoll by the bullets as they tear into her limbs. She screams as she crashes down at the back of the couch.

I dart to Brooke, terrified of what I’m going to find.

When I hear her sigh, it’s the sweetest sound ever.

“Brooke, are you okay?” I look at her head, but I can’t see any blood.

“When did my asshole father change gender?” She groans. “My head hurts, but I think I’m okay.”

I look up, ready to thank a security guard.

I find myself looking at Pete with a gun.

“We realized Marianne could be the ninth name when Owen went to pick up food and she was acting weird. Are you okay?” he asks, concern in his gaze.

Ezra and Kellan appear behind him in the doorway.

When Kellan sees Brooke is hurt, he rushes to her side.

“What happened?”

“You’ll never believe it,” Brooke tells him.

“I’m a doctor,” Ezra tells her. “Let’s get you checked out in the medical wing.”

“What about her?” Brooke asks. “Is she dead?”

“No. I just shattered an elbow and a kneecap. Hurts like fuck, but she’ll live.”

“Good,” I murmur. “Because she’s not the one who tried to kill us.”

Pete frowns at me. “She’s not? Do I have to shoot someone else?”

“No. I’m guessing Warren’s back in his body in his cell by now,” I tell him.

“Yeah,” Brooke agrees. “That was definitely him. I’ve seen him reading weird books before. I didn’t think astral projection was real, but I do now.”

“That’s terrifying,” Kellan mutters.

“Yeah. Okay, let’s get Brooke to the medical wing. We can send someone up to get Marianne before she goes into shock or something.”

I leave Brooke with Kellan to go take the knife out of Marianne’s hand.

I put it in the sink, and then I pick my keys and phone off the counter before I slip back into my shoes. It’s been a pretty wild night, but everyone survived.

“What happened to the security guard?” I ask as I usher everyone out of the room.

“He’s passed out,” Pete says. “I don’t know what she used, but we should get him to the medical wing, too.”

“Okay,” I tell him. “We’ll get the doctors on call to organize that. Let’s just make sure Brooke doesn’t have a head injury.”

We head down the hall and down the stairs.