28. Jack

Chapter 28

Jack

L ightning fast, I'm next to Lily, dragging her back from the open doorway to step out into the garden, ready to protect her with my life, but I stop and let out a laugh that I'm not ashamed to admit brings tears to my eyes.

"What is it?" Sam asks, pushing past Lily, whose eyes are wide from shock, but I can see the smile tugging at her lips as well.

"Well, well, well," I say, crossing my arms and staring at the idiot alpha stuck on top of the five-foot guard cactus. "What do we have here?"

Sam lets out a guffaw as Nigel glares down at us from his most undignified position of having a cactus stuck on his arse. "Oh, yes. Now that's just made my fucking day."

"You're the fireman," I say, clapping him on the shoulder. "Rescue him."

"Oh no," Sam says. "Not a fucking chance. He can stay there as far as I'm concerned."

Max joins us with a fierce frown. "Someone want to tell me who this idiot is and why he's stuck on top of a cactus monster?"

Lily finally lets out a snicker, which turns to a snort, which ends up with her bent over double as I'm sure her initial fear turns to hysteria. Turning my back on Nigel as he struggles to get back over the fence gate that he has clearly climbed over in an attempt to trespass, I go to her and take her elbow, leading her to the counter at the back of the shop. She's still giggling, and it's a fucking adorable sight that makes my heart thump like crazy.

"Are you okay?" I ask, my thumb brushing over her elbow lightly.

"Yes, just... Nigel." She shakes her head, trying to regain composure. "Fuck. What if Emily had still been here," she whispers, turning serious.

"She's not, and he clearly has no idea where she is," I murmur. "She's safe, and so are you. Giant cactus for the win."

She nods, and I turn to Max, who is hovering nearby. "Someone want to get me up to speed? Is this a help him off the cactus situation or helping him back over the fence from whence he came with a foot up his arse?"

"The latter," I growl. "This prick is bad news."

The protective flash in Max's eyes tells me all I need to know. He is on board with Lily being our mate, even if he hasn't said the words out loud yet.

Max steps forward, his eyes blazing with that familiar intensity. "Right, well, let's get him back over the fence then."

Sam cracks his knuckles, his grin wide and mischievous. "With pleasure."

I move to block Lily's view of Nigel, who is still flailing on the cactus like a stranded fish. "Stay here, love," I whisper to her. "We'll handle this."

She nods.

Max and Sam stride towards Nigel with purpose, and I follow close behind. The idiot alpha finally stops struggling, realising that his position has gone from ridiculous to dire.

"Come on then, mate," Max says with a smirk. "Up you go." Without another word, he grabs Nigel by one leg and Sam takes the other. "Ready?" Max asks Sam.

"You have no idea."

"On three?"

"Nah, just shove him over."

Chuckling, they lift him off the cactus and up, right over the gate.

Nigel yelps as he hits the ground. "Fucking dicks," he hisses.

Moving the cactus out of the way, I open the gate and glare down at him in the heaped position he landed in.

"Save it, Nigel," Sam cuts him off, leaning down so that their faces are only inches apart. "You've got two choices: fuck off quietly or get kicked down the pavement with my foot up your arse."

Nigel's eyes flicker between us, clearly weighing his options. Finally, he mutters something under his breath and clambers to his feet.

"Good choice," I call after him as he scampers off.

Stepping back inside the garden, we close the gate, and Sam moves the cactus back into position. "Good cactus. You've earned your stripes." He pats the prickles gently, and I shake my head.

"Nigel?" Max growls. "Nigel West?"

"No clue. You know this tool?"

"He called me earlier about some omega named Emily. He said you two…" He jabs me and Sam in the chest, "… were holding her against her will."

"What?" I yell, my rage on fire and scaring Lily when she steps back outside. "He fucking said what?"

"That's what he said," Max says. "So who the fuck is Emily, and who the fuck is he?"

"He went to our prime with lies?" Sam bellows and turns back to the gate. "I'm going to kick his fucking arse so hard, he will end up in next month, never mind next week!"

"Wait," I say, grabbing Sam by his collar and halting his enraged progress. "Let him go. We need to fill Max in." I look over at Lily, whose face has gone pale. "About everything."