Chapter Forty-Five

Jaxon

No, I almost say, outright. Go fuck yourself. But this mission is about more than Caleb. More than the RDF.

It's about Faith.

I'd never forgive myself if something went down and I wasn't there. She's worked too fucking hard for me to sit this one out.

So here I am, lurking on the corner of Vera and Kirkoswald in my street clothes, waiting for the sun to come up.

If anything rises out of those tunnels, I'll be ready.

The cops chatter inanely over the radio. I almost snipe at them to keep their mouths shut and their eyes peeled, but what use would that be? I'm paying plenty of attention for the lot of us.

" Jax, come in ."

My blood pressure spikes at the sound of Caleb's voice. I pick up my radio, my tone hard and feelingless as I respond, "Still in position."

" I want you to head south. Sirena thinks we need another alpha at the sewer grate on Princeton."

"Princeton?" That's ten, fifteen minutes from here. I'll miss the sunrise completely.

" Take your bike. You'll make it if you're—"

"Bike's too loud," I snap. "If anyone is coming that way, I'll just scare them off."

He hesitates, then answers, maddeningly deadpan, "Guess you'd better run, then ."

Cursing, I put the radio down—not bothering to say anything to the cops on my block before I take off into a sprint.

I know we've got dozens of NCPD officers manning the streets, not to mention our own guys, but I can't shake this certainty that I'm going to be the one to catch them. If the ring guards think they're slipping past me, no matter where the fuck they crawl out of, they're dead wrong.

Assuming I get to my new location on time.

Caleb wouldn't be sending me off if he didn't have a good reason , that stubborn voice in my head tells me. Loyal to a goddamn fault.

I don't want to be loyal. I want him to bring my fucking omega back home.

The sky is just starting to light up the sky when I finally reach my mark. There's only one other officer stationed next to the sewer grate—a young alpha with a low, tight bun—looking nervous. I gesture for her to get back.

We stand on opposite sides of the street, our backs pressed to shop windows, eyeballing the grate.

"Come on out, motherfuckers," I mutter. "I dare you."

The streets are still quiet—no walks of shame, no joggers, no shopkeepers. Sunlight glints off the glass buildings. Then, just when I think I can't take the waiting game any longer—

" Suspect sighted on Columbus Boulevard. Officers in pursuit."

I spring to attention, even though Columbus is miles from here. Thirty minutes north—ten if I had my bike.

North. My blood boils. Fucking north .

I take off running the way I came. No-one shouts at me to keep my post—who'd give a damn? We know where the ring guards are coming from. Nothing matters now except that we catch them.

Sweating, breathing hard, I finally reach my bike. Another voice sounds over the radio as I hop on—this one female.

"Officer … down. Requesting urgent back-up ."

"Fuck," I snarl.

The streets blur with speed as I join the pursuit. I can't hear what's being spoken on the radio anymore. Then again, I'm not listening.

Seeing a flashing police car, I come to a screeching halt on Columbus. The bike thuds to the cement as I run forward, approaching two officers apprehending a bearded guy in tattered clothes.

Immediately I can tell something is wrong.

"RDF," I say, flashing my badge. "What's going on here?"

That's when I get a better look at the guy. One of the officers has him pinned face-first to the car while the other cuffs him, reading his rights. He's … older than I'd expect, for a guard. Skinnier, too.

Suddenly my radio goes off, Caleb's voice commanding my attention. " Jaxon, I said report !"

Fuck. I pick up the receiver. "I'm here."

" Where the fuck is ‘here'?"

I swallow, my throat dry as sandpaper. "I heard about the suspect on Columbus, so I—"

" I put you on Princeton. Who gave you permission to leave your post ?"

Heat rolls over me, though I can't tell if it's anger or embarrassment.

"I—" I clench my jaw. "Someone requested back-up."

" That's right— your partner. Who you left, stranded, at your post."

I freeze. "What the hell are you talking about?"

The line rattles, like Caleb is on the move. " Two suspects came up the sewer grate, both armed. They fired twice—at least, that's what we heard over the radio."

"Fuck." I feel sick. "I—did she—" My ears are ringing. "Did she catch them?"

His voice is hard and unforgiving as he tells me, "She's down, Jaxon. Medics are on the way."

It takes all my strength not to let my knees buckle in front of these two NCPD officers, both of whom keep shooting me strange looks as they arrest this … random guy. Probably homeless. Definitely a rogue.

But not one of the rogues we're looking for.

"Listen," I whisper, "I screwed up. I just thought—"

" I told you Sirena wanted the extra cover on Princeton. She had a gut feeling you'd see some action." Caleb takes a breath. " And she was right ."

Of course she was right. Sirena's intel is always right. I know that, and yet somehow I didn't care. It wasn't about her. It was about my inner alpha, who—in my twisted animal brain—wanted to do whatever it took to prove myself to Faith.

To bring her back to me.

I growl at the NCPD officers to put their weapons away. This poor homeless rogue—an omega, now I'm getting a closer look—has been through enough.

"Take him to RDF's headquarters," I order. "If he's been in the tunnels, I want to know what he's seen."

Thankfully neither of them seem to detect the waver in my voice. They lower the rogue into the backseat.

It's only as they drive away that I'm forced to grasp the enormity of what I've done. Disobeying my captain's orders. Getting an officer hurt, or worse. Not to mention squandering what was our best—maybe only —shot to follow the guards back to their hide-out.

" Jaxon, " Caleb's voice only just reaches me through the radio. " Head back to HQ. I'll meet you there ."

It's all I can do to croak back, "Understood."

I'd like to say the only thing on my mind as I stumble back to my bike is the officer on Princeton. Praying to every god that she'll be okay.

But I can't stop imagining how I'll break the news to Faith.

If there are any words powerful enough to make her forgive me.