Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

GAbrIEL

I feel like a damn spy right now. Auggie told me all about how Shaw, one of the members of the Minnesota Irish mafia, is now in Chicago under the guise of discussing border issues. Corbin, his boss, and Tommy have always had a good working relationship together, but Arthur's stunt won't reflect well on him.

"Augustine, please tell me you aren't brewing an inter-mob war," I mutter as I sit next to him in his truck.

Auggie snorts in amusement, though this could get really ugly very quickly. My man isn't above fighting dirty for the people he loves, and after our conversation earlier with his knot deep in my ass, I'm willing to admit that it should always have been Cerenity, Augustine, and me.

I'm a stubborn dick, but at least I can admit it… eventually.

"Please don't be dramatic, baby," Augustine says as he drives to a restaurant that I know often acts as a front for the Irish. Tommy has his fingers in many different financial markets, and while the gym is a functional place for his fighters, he still does a lot of non-legitimate business through it.

This restaurant is also one of those places. His aunt runs the restaurant, makes a good living from it, but has zero issues closing the place down whenever Tommy needs it. Loyalty and family are important to us all.

Unfortunately, mine is conflicted because I owe so much to the Irish mafia, Tommy, and Jasper, but my heart is riding me hard today.

I exist outside of all the mafia shit, because I'm a fighter that works in the illegal rings, but I still manage to keep my ear to the ground. I know way more information than I should, so my continued health comes from the fact that I file it all away and keep my mouth shut.

I have no interest in selling out the family that gave me a chance at a better life, even if I am in this car to see if Tommy will lead us back to Cerenity. I only pay attention in case something bad is about to happen.

Or to keep my pulse on things when someone important disappears. Cere or my sister are probably the only ones I would do this for.

"Shaw is going to find out what Tommy is planning, while we bug his truck, so we can follow him home," Augustine explains. "This shit ends today. The closer we get to Cere's heat, the worse she's going to feel. Her anxiety is going to be high as it is with all the shit going on."

"I don't think Cerenity is the only twitchy one," I notice. "You two have been connected since the day you met, and you're her safe place to land."

"You know I'm losing my mind," Auggie mutters, placing his hand on mine. "Cere had the shit show of last night, and now she's somewhere she doesn't know. Omegas need structure. The girl has a certain way she needs to do everything."

Augustine always teases her about this, but it's true. Even the curtains in their apartment are open the same way so they all match, and the books in the bookcase are set up by author and size. Cerenity has a touch of obsessiveness that I don't understand.

The reality is I don't know her outside of my connection to Auggie.

I need to change that.

"I know you are," I say, picking up the thread of the conversation again. I'm too damn stuck in my head right now. "I wish I understood why Tommy and Jasper are acting like this."

"That's exactly why I called Wren," Augustine explains as he pulls into a busy parking lot across from the restaurant. His sun-kissed brown hair is sticking up a bit from how many times he has raked his hands through it, and it's adorable. Unfortunately, it also speaks volumes about how jittery he is.

"What's your endgame here, baby?" I ask him. "We follow them back after you figure out what they want with Cerenity, and then…"

"I just got a new grill on the truck, did you know that?" he asks in return, making my brow furrow. I know he didn't sleep much, but I'm pretty sure he may be losing it. "I plan to ram through whatever gate he may have his house behind and find my girl. Anything less is unacceptable."

"You and your damn white horse," I murmur, though my lips twitch.

"It's a black truck," he grunts. "I have no doubts that if she could, Cerenity would save her fucking self. Since she can't, I'm just going to assist a little bit and then let her go to town on Tommy and Jasper. I have permission to punch Wren's brother, I doubt she'd care if Cere beat the tar out of him."

"So teamwork, not sweeping in to save her," I amend, chuckling. Of course he would know her well enough to know that she would hate the idea of someone having to protect her.

God, he really does get her.

"Absolutely not. She would hate that," Auggie confirms, squeezing my hand before putting the truck in park.

Together, we watch as a large man in a white-buttoned down shirt tucked into a pair of dark jeans with suspenders walks into the restaurant surrounded by two other hard men. One is tall with blond, short hair and wide shoulders, while the other has dark hair in a man bun and they all have facial hair.

Eyes wide as I watch them, I glance at Augustine. I didn't have much time during the fundraiser to mingle since I was fighting for the charity event, so I don't recognize them.

"The one with the rolled up white shirt sleeves is Shaw," Augustine says, hearing the unvoiced question. "The blond is Everest, while the one with the longer dark hair is Ambrose. They were Corbin's enforcers for years, but they're slowly transitioning out of the role. That information isn't widely shared, so it should stay between us."

I nod as I listen, my eyes back on the parking lot as they disappear. They look like the kind of men who would laugh as they killed you. Fuck, am I glad they're on our side, because they're scary.

A few minutes later, Tommy's truck pulls into the restaurant's parking lot, making my heart beat harder as I watch him and Jasper get out.

"Just breathe, baby. We're fine," Augustine reminds me as we watch. "Shaw is going to keep me looped into the important parts of the conversation, so I know where we stand. I want to know where their intentions lie if they're keeping Cere. I really hope I'm wrong with what my current theory is."

Auggie's strong jaw ticks as he grinds his teeth. The entire drive here, I've been wondering the same thing. Jasper and Tommy don't really date, because they're both too busy. I've never seen either with a girlfriend, though I'm sure they've found a quick fuck here or there over the years that I've known them.

To my understanding, alphas only react this way to an omega for one reason, and if I'm right, then this is going to complicate things. I may end up being the only voice of reason here.

Lucky me.

"I hope we're both wrong," I sigh. Augustine undoes his seatbelt after a moment, the alphas inside of the restaurant now.

"No use being frozen into indecisiveness," he mutters as he picks up an AirTag. "Please stay here."

"Augustine," I growl in warning, knowing it's a lost cause as he pops a kiss on my lips before climbing out of the vehicle.

Walking nonchalantly across the street, he keeps his head on a swivel as he moves.

"Fuck a duck," I grunt, rubbing my temples. My man thinks he's fucking James Bond right now, and while I love watching his tight ass walk away, he's about to give me indigestion.

"Come on, please hurry and don't fucking get caught."

Blowing out a breath, I drop my head back on the headrest because he can't hear me muttering to myself as he goes off on his mission. It sounds dismissive, but he's making me insane.

I know why he's doing all of this, but my heart is in my throat right now.

Tommy and Jasper aren't the kind of people we should get on the wrong side of.

Auggie ducks down as he hits a certain point in the parking lot between two cars to hide as he moves around to where Tommy's truck is. I watch as he hides the AirTag on the inside of the truck bed. It's not a bad place to put it because the mob boss won't think to check for one, since this is his territory.

It's incredibly ballsy to tag his truck here, especially since no one is supposed to know about this meeting.

It's also exactly the reason why Augustine figured it would work. My alpha is a genius, sometimes too much for his own good. Adjusting my hardening cock as Auggie makes his way back, his hands in his pockets as he ambles along, I roll my eyes because he does a very good job of playing at being innocent.

"Consider me impressed," I murmur as he climbs back into the truck.

Smirking, he leans over to kiss my lips before he closes the door behind himself.

"Thank you, but I swear I was worried I'd get caught the entire time," he says as color floods his cheeks. God, that's adorable.

"I think that's karma for taking years off my life," I grunt. "Holy shit, I'm just glad that part is over."

Getting comfortable, Augustine pulls out his phone to check it. Shaking his head, his eyes are pulled back to the restaurant.

"I hope they're going back to his house or wherever they may have her. I'd rather think Cere is with them than?—"

"I don't think she's at an auction house," I tell him. "Knowing Jasper and Tommy, if they felt some kind of connection to Cerenity, they'd have her close by."

"God, what are the chances that they're also…"

"We're not manifesting that shit," I mutter. "Shut that adorable mouth."

"Hmmm, it's kind of hot when you get all bossy," he teases me.

I'm glad he thinks so, because I'm not typically this way.

"I belong firmly underneath you, so don't get all excited," I say with a chuckle.

Auggie snorts in amusement, and we prepare to wait. The restaurant is off the corner of a strip mall, with a few of the stores keeping busy foot traffic. However, due to where the mom and pop restaurant is located, it's still fairly isolated. Auggie was lucky that he was able to walk at an angle, using the few cars around as cover to place the tracker.

Fuck, so much of this requires luck. I'm not comfortable with any of it, but nothing else was working. Being slightly underhanded and stalking is our next step. Thankfully, Shaw and the guys who walked into the restaurant are on our side.

When Augustine looks back down at his phone, there's a look of relief, and I see Jasper and Tommy starting to walk out.

"Oh fuck," Auggie mutters, and I have to force my eyes from closing. I know that tone. It can't be good news.

Turning the phone toward me, I lean over so I can read the texts.

Shaw: Tommy told us that Cerenity is Jasper and his scent match, and they are keeping her with them to get to know her.

"Goddamnit, she's not a puppy," I groan. "Are they fucking dense?"

Augustine simply sighs, and I scroll down to read the rest.

Shaw: Their alpha instincts are riding them hard, and they refuse to see reason. They're both one step away from a full rut. Tommy said that Cerenity is still pretty shaken up about Arthur's bash and grab. I think there needs to be a voice of reason between those alphas. Neither are thinking with their big head.

Snorting, I have to admit that I think he's right.

"So I guess we're following them to see where it takes us," I say.

Auggie is already nodding as he puts the vehicle into drive, handing me the phone to hold onto. Making sure they have enough room not to feel tailed, he follows them through the roads.

"You know, I don't have a problem with sharing Cere," he says softly as he drives. "She's got this huge heart and personality, it makes perfect sense to me that she would have multiple scent matches. My issue is that they baldly lied to my face while I was losing my fucking mind."

"I barely know the little omega, and I know she's got to be hating this," I rumble.

"Her structure is in shambles, and she has no control. Cere will be spiraling," Auggie murmurs softly. "I'm glad she's somewhere safe, but I hate where she is. I feel like a hypocrite."

My lips twitch as we weave through the roads, eyes rising as I see that we're pulling into Jasper's apartment complex. Augustine does a good job of keeping a low profile as he keeps going, turning and following his phone app that I pull up to be able to track them.

"It'll get interesting from here," Auggie says, voicing my concerns. "Let's see how well this AirTag works."

Without letting him see, I cross my fingers, hoping we can finally find Cerenity.

TOMMY

My fingers tap on the table as I look across it at Shaw. We've been discussing the events that happened in Minneapolis to trace Cerenity's steps. I haven't gotten to the point where I tell them about how Arthur threw her into the garbage outside of the gym, and I don't know if I should.

I'm not playing coy outside of that because he has a bead on the pulse point on his city and territory, to do anything but be as honest as possible would be rude. He simply smirks as he crosses his thick arms, eyebrow raised as he lets me process his words.

"I'm not interested in a fight over territory," I say slowly. "We've always lived relatively peacefully, moving in and out of each other's cities as work permits. I can't imagine having that change due to a fuck up on my part."

I was too busy to pay attention to what Arthur was saying, and I still have a large measure of guilt over it. I could have stopped Cerenity's night of terror, but on the other hand, she's exactly where she needs to be now.

"That may be true," Shaw murmurs, "however we still have a missing omega and an alpha who came into my city and fucked shit up."

"Well, if it makes a difference, Arthur is dead," Jasper drawls. "We killed him a few hours ago."

The restaurant we're at is completely empty, a luxury I recognize and don't mind paying for. My aunt slipped out the back entrance once we came in and locked the door, flipping over the ‘closed' sign as she went. Aunt Meryl is a smart, hard woman who understands my life is dangerous and I need safe places to have conversations.

I'll leave her five hundred dollars on the bar when I leave for the privilege. It's not a hardship, and I know my aunt needs it for her grandkids. Let her spoil them on my dime, it'll make her happy.

"That's correct," I confirm as Shaw's shrewd eyes glance at me. Everest and Ambrose simply stare at me impassively. If I was a softer man it would be intimidating, but I'm not, so I ignore it.

"The pig squealed as we chased him down, and then fed him to his brethren."

Everest's lips twitch in amusement at my words, but I know I'm still playing a dangerous game. Cerenity is friends with their omega, and this could still have serious repercussions.

"That's nothing less than he deserves," Shaw says. "What about the other people that hurt Cerenity, Tommy?"

"My men are rounding them up and disposing of them as we speak," I say. David is very capable of doing this, so I didn't need to give much direction. There will be a blanket execution along the old guard.

Shaw doesn't need to know any of this though, so I press my lips together to hold back the information overload. "Let's just say that the pigs in the countryside will be eating very well today. Arthur had a group of men who were taking their orders from him instead of me."

"I'm well aware of what it's like to have to clean house," Shaw grunts. "It's a long and arduous process, and one I don't envy you. If that's all taken care of, then the last thing on my list is the girl. Was she sold?"

The only person who shows any emotion to that is Jasper, and it's more in the form of shifting his weight with a grimace. The auctions are a point of contention for him, and we'll need to visit Clara soon about her business practices.

I would love to shut down her place entirely, but the omega sex trade is too lucrative for others to be able to do that.

Another place will just pop up that hides their location from us, and it'll be harder to help when we need to step in. I'm glad I don't need to go visit Ophelia in Minnesota, because her ties with Rock Dresmond would present an issue.

She's also not dumb enough to sell anyone that may have important people looking for her. No, Ophelia makes certain to research every person who walks through her doors.

Clara, on the other hand, I'm sure only denied taking Cerenity because she was beaten up.

"No, she wasn't," I grunt. I can't stay close mouthed for too much longer, because Shaw is a human lie detector. It's why I've been so careful with my words, but it won't work. I need to tell him the truth, at least some form of it.

"I have the omega in a safe place."

"Tommy, you know that's not going to fly," Shaw says, cracking his tattooed knuckles. "The girl is important to my pack and my omegas. She's under our protection, and her life is in Minnesota. You can't just give me some half assed comment like that. What the fuck does ‘safe' mean to a man like you?"

Struggling to remain impassive, I bring up the handcuffed omega in my mind. Yeah, I guess I can see his point. Cerenity is ‘safe' because I know her every movement, which isn't what a normal person thinks it to mean.

Shaw is probably right to ask. I'm a fucked up, possessive mafia man who just found his mate. I'm not about to give that up anytime soon.

"It means she's mine," I growl, surprising myself.

"Fuck," Jasper whispers, merely voicing the berating I'm giving myself in my mind.

"How exactly is she yours?" Ambrose rumbles, leaning forward. I know he's the deadliest of the three, and I need to tread carefully. Fuck it, I'm going to come clean.

"It's complicated," I grunt. "There's more than just the car wreck in the intersection and his joyride through several states. Arthur beat Cerenity up along with his friends, and then tried to sell her to the madam of an auction. Clara told them the omega wasn't worth it, and sent them on their way. Cerenity was barely able to get away without being raped, so Arthur decided that he was tired of playing and tossed her into the dumpster outside of the gym. I have a feeling he may have been high at the time, because I doubt he'd shit where he eats otherwise."

"They tied her arms behind her back, and threw her inside covered in blood for the rats," Jasper continues. "I was there late with Tommy, and the screaming brought us out."

The alphas simply stare at us to keep going, making me growl under my breath.

"Jasper pulled her out, and she was covered in blood, cum, and garbage, so we didn't recognize her until much later," I explain. "Augustine, her business partner asked to speak to us with one of our fighters, which is when things began to click into place."

"Fuck, this is a mess," Shaw sighs. "There's typically only one reason you'd say she's yours, and I'm going to need you to spell it out for me. I've never had any issues with you, but you're about to cause a mess. Cerenity is protected, a friend to my pack. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"She's my scent match," I tell him. "Look, my sister patched her up while I've been cleaning up Arthur's mess and my organization. I didn't have any idea until she was screaming at me about leaving and I was finally able to smell her."

"So you're just going to hide her away from the world?" Shaw asks. "She has a business and a home that's not here. Not to mention that you're the kidnapper here."

"What's a little kidnapping between scent matches?" Jasper jokes with a shrug. "Augustine has had her for years, I want to get to know my scent match."

"This asshole too?" Everest asks with a snort. "This is fucking priceless. I can't wait to tell your sister."

"She'll love that," Jasper mutters. "Look, Cerenity has either been asleep or threatening to hit us with frying pans. I haven't had a chance to talk to her."

"I love how fiery she is," Ambrose says softly. He's usually the quiet one, so my eyes snap over to him. The alpha is playing with a knife that I know wasn't anywhere near him. He's like a fucking ninja, and there's always a weapon somewhere on his person.

"Cerenity is a pretty private person, but I know she's very close to Augustine. You're not going to be able to keep him from her. He will burn down the world for her. If you try, I'll look the other way when he butchers the two of you."

"He doesn't seem like he's capable of it," I say thickly, thinking back to the panicked alpha.

"Just because he's not a made man, doesn't mean he's incapable of protecting the woman he loves," Shaw says seriously. "Don't push him or keep her from him. He's got to be losing his fucking mind."

A sinking feeling that not everything may be as it seems runs through me as I look across the table at the Pack Mohan alphas. I feel as if I'm being set up, and I'm grateful no one knows where I live outside of my sister, otherwise I may be coming home to an ambush.

"I'll take that into advisement," I grunt. We need to go. I'm starting to feel twitchy, and I need to text my sister to go check on the girl.

Goddamnit, maybe leaving her handcuffed to my bed was the wrong move. The look in her eyes as she screamed was not just from anger. I'm just screwing up all over the place.

"Is there anything else?" Jasper asks, picking up on my unspoken cues. We've been friends for so long, we don't even have to speak at times.

"Pay attention to your instincts," Ambrose rasps suddenly. "Denying yourself and your omega what you need is the number one way to fuck up. I don't know Cerenity's story and neither do you, but the first thing you need to do is figure out what she needs."

"Biology may say you belong together, but you can still fuck it all up," Shaw adds. I don't know their story with their new omega, but I know some of Wren's story. The world isn't safe for omegas, which is why I immediately agreed to the fundraiser Jasper asked me to provide fighters for.

I don't really know anything about Cerenity, and I need to take their advice. First, I need to get her out of those fucking handcuffs. I'm already mucking this all up.

"Alright," I say, nodding. "Looks like I have some things to do then."

Standing, the other alphas follow my cue as I begin to walk toward the door. Shaw glances at his phone and sends off a text with a small frown, though he notes my side glance.

"Flynn wanted to know if I'd be back for a late dinner," he says with a small shrug. "I told him not to hold it just in case the traffic is bad."

"I can't believe you drove all the way out for this," I mutter as I pull out my aunt's money and make sure I put it on the bar for her.

I actually can believe it, though, so I'm lying through my teeth. A missing omega is enough to send up a million red flags for people who care, and Pack Mohan takes their loyalties seriously.

"You know you're full of shit right now, right?" Shaw says, barking out a laugh. "Cerenity is worth driving six hours to investigate what the fuck happened to her. His sister also gave us permission to slap some sense into you and Jasper, so please keep pushing. I'm bored after the long drive and could use the workout."

God save me from omegas who only seem cute and tiny.

I don't like how transparent I seem, so I nod because he's right. Cerenity has made a life for herself, security measures to stay safe, and it still all failed. I can't imagine if she hadn't ended up in my dumpster. That image alone is enough to make me shiver.

As we step out of the restaurant, my aunt waits outside with a few bags of groceries for the restaurant and her employees.

"Thank you, Auntie, for the quiet space," I tell her as I bend down to kiss her cheek.

"Bah, anything for you," she says, blushing.

"Do you have everything you need?" I ask, eying the bags in her hands.

"Yes, yes. I want to try a new dessert for the dinner rush," she says with a shrug. You'd think this restaurant didn't get any traffic with how isolated it is right now, but dinner is really where families and friends come to spend time together.

"I'm sure it'll be wonderful," I say warmly. The alphas beside me seem amused, but my business with them has concluded, and I don't get to see my aunt as much as I'd like.

I was also an ass last night to my sister, so I'll need to apologize to her. My instincts to protect Cerenity were riding me hard, which should have been the only proof I needed to know she was mine.

I'm a stubborn ass and have to have proof of things, which is why I kept waiting for her scent to flow over me.

Ugh, Marie is going to hold this over me forever. I know I scared her.

"Don't be a stranger," Aunt Meryl says with a smirk before she walks into the restaurant with her employees.

"You do have a sweet side," Everest teases me. "I'm not sure if that's a good thing, or if Cerenity is going to rip you apart."

The alphas laugh as they leave Jasper and I to walk to my truck.

"I think that went as well as could have been expected," Jasper snarks as he gets into the truck beside me.

Rolling my eyes because while he's right, it didn't exactly go well either, I pull out my phone to text my sister.

Hey, I have a favor to ask.

There are text bubbles for a moment but no words, which makes me huff in impatience.

"Are all sisters this much of a pain in the ass?" I ask, dropping my head back in annoyance.

"Fuck yeah they are," Jasper says with a grin. "As someone who just got her back, I wouldn't trade it for anything though."

"Heard," I grunt. "I fucked up and need to apologize to her after I ask her to get Cerenity out of those handcuffs."

"I've felt like shit since we left the house," Jasper admits. "I get that she was freaking out, but we may have handled it badly."

"I think that's going to be our mantra, unfortunately. Like I said, I don't fucking know anything about omegas," I tell him. "My sister lived with my mom for most of her life when my parents divorced, so I'm clueless."

"I'm just as bad," Jasper says with a shrug. "I just know she doesn't feel safe, based on the way she was swinging her new favorite weapon."

"We have our work cut out for us," I mutter. "It'll be worth it, our first conversation after telling her we were her scent matches probably shouldn't be chained to my bed."

Jasper shakes his head as he laughs, and my lips twitch because this entire situation is a bit insane.

My phone finally buzzes, and my eyes are drawn down to it.

Marie: Did my cunt-faced brother let his hostage go?

"Fuck me," I groan.

"You're not my type, Tommy," Jasper says with a grin as he closes his eyes next to me. He was up early today, and has to be dragging ass.

"Love you too," I grunt, but he's already beginning to snore.

About that, can you go by my house and unlock the handcuffs on the tiny omega for me?

I wince as I see the text bubbles, knowing that her sharp tongue is going to have a field day.

Marie: Are you fucking kidding me right now?! No, of course you're not. Do you need your little sister to clean up any more messes?

That wasn't as bad as it could have been… I don't really trust it though.

I'll keep you posted in case I need you to wipe my ass, Nurse Marie.

I'm an overgrown child, but she brings it out of me. I have a long list of errands I need to do before I get home, so I need Marie to do this for me. She's quiet for a long period again, making me sigh as I drive to Jasper's apartment, so he can pick up more clothes.

He had one of his fighters drop his SUV off here so he wouldn't have to worry about it, and I have to say it was a good choice, so I don't have to drive back to the gym to get it.

"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty," I tease Jasper, nudging him. He startles awake, making me flinch out of the way when his arms flail around. "Jesus, it's just me. We're here."

"Fuck," he groans as he rubs his eyes. "I don't think I should be driving. I'm going to get my shit and come back to your truck."

On second thought, Jasper does look wrecked.

"See you in a bit," I acknowledge with a smirk as he drags himself out.

Checking my phone again, I see an alert at my gate and my sister's middle finger raised high in a text. I should have known she'd help me, even if just for Cerenity.

Thanks little sis.

Marie: I hope she murders you in your sleep, big bro.

God, family is just grand, isn't it?