Chapter 22

Staring at my computer screen as I check my emails, my heart flip flops as I see Wren’s results for her aptitude test. It’s a test that was initially created to help people understand their next steps when they have a life change, which makes it perfect for Wren.

I hope.

Standing, I pick up my laptop to take it to her, as I think she should see the results first. As my legs cross the expanse of the house to walk upstairs, my lips twitch as I think about how I watched her disappear up here to read in her swing.

“Why are you carting your computer up here?” Everest asks, stepping out of our bedroom in a towel. He just got out of the shower after a long run, and looks delicious.

“Wren’s results from her test came in,” I explain to him. “I want her to be the first to see it, so I’m taking it to her.”

“Is she in her nest still?” Everest asks, looking up as if he can see her.

“Yep, she’s been hanging out there the last few days. I’m happy she’s getting comfortable there. I just want her to have everything she deserves,” I confess.

I also am obsessed with keeping my family safe lately too, and have been checking our cameras more often. I replaced the damn fence that Jasper jumped over, mostly because his damn voice wouldn’t stop taunting me in my head.

There’s this odd feeling growing inside of me, making me feel twitchy, but I don’t know what it’s trying to tell me.

Stretching out my neck, I sigh. I can’t even force a smile onto my lips, because I can’t fake anything with my pack.

“We’re trying to help her get everything she deserves,” Everest rumbles calmly. For someone who is so happy go lucky, he’s very aware of my emotions as well. “Look, I can feel your tension from here, did the boss say something to you? He’s been trying to help find Trey, but the fucker isn’t coming up anywhere.”

“Nah,” I grunt. “I don’t know why I feel like this, but it’s been a couple of days since we’ve killed anyone, so it could be as simple as an itch. However, Corbin did mention the families are trying to draw up a truce in an attempt to squash the Murphy situation. Crowson is getting even bolder recently, and they don’t want it spilling over into other territories.”

“Fuck, I know losing an omega can make an alpha insane, but this is insane. Corbin is going to have to put his brother down soon at this rate,” Everest grunts.

“A problem for another day,” I sigh. “Crowson also is in hiding, which is fucking wonderful. We may need to light some fires of our own to get him to come up for air.”

Everest nods knowingly as I pass him to continue up the stairs. There’s been rumblings that Crowson may be hiding in Canada, and jumping the border when he needs to.

Unfortunately, I also heard from one of my sources that he may be linking up with the sex trade rings for steady cash flow to fund his vendetta. This alone makes my blood boil and will sign his death warrant.

Corbin and his men are involved in a lot of shit, but we draw the line at selling people.

Finally on the third floor, I idly think about installing an elevator in this house, and then shelve the idea. Maybe when we have babies to fill the house I’ll actually do it, so we can get around faster.

Fuck, where did that idea come from? It’s something I find myself wanting now that we have a female omega. I desperately need her to come to terms with some of her trauma first, and remove anyone in her life who has hurt her. I would gut her parents myself if they weren’t already dead.

Blowing out a breath, I force myself to think zen thoughts, so I won’t worry Wren when I enter her nest. Knocking on the door, I smile when I hear her sweet voice tell me to come in.

“Hey, Sweetness,” I murmur as I open the door and step inside. Wren’s curtains are open today, but only on the side of the room she’s on as she reads in her swing.

“Hi, Alpha,” she says with a smile as she looks over at me. She”s in a good mood, her cheeks flushed, making me wonder what she’s reading. Walking over to her, I smirk as I see the cover of her book. There’s a huge man chest on it, undoubtedly one of the books she recently bought online.

It’s one of the only things she’ll let us buy her.

“Is the book good?” I tease her, dropping a kiss on her lips. At her nod, I carefully put the laptop in her lap. “Your results are back from your test. I didn’t look, so you’re the first one to see them. Want me to stay while you read it?”

“Yes… please!” Wren says almost as an afterthought as she wiggles to sit up. Grabbing a pillow, I place it behind her back, smiling at her grateful look. “Ah, where do I click? God, I feel so behind on technology.”

“You’ll get the hang of it,” I remind her, showing her how to use the mouse to open the email and then the link.

I watch as she begins to read the document, and I lean over her to follow along. Wrinkling my nose, I realize it’s written in a complicated format, making me roll my eyes. I hate when documents don’t just state things.

“Help,” she mutters. “Why is this hard to read? Ugh, I feel so dumb right now.”

“Nonsense. I was just thinking about how some self important prick must have written it,” I tell her. “Let’s see what this all actually means.”

My eyes skim the details, humming as I read.

“This says that you’re very logical and intelligent, and would work well picking apart people’s arguments. You’re also adept at finding things others miss, so they are suggesting some kind of investigative work,” I murmur. “The document also says that you have a great imagination, and would thrive in an environment with limited people working nearby.”

Giggling, my omega rolls her eyes. “We need a test like this that are specifically designed for omegas, Shaw. I can’t work like a normal person,” she scoffs.

It’s sad that she’s right. Even if Trey was dead, we still have enemies, and she will always be a beautiful omega that people will covet. I wish life were more fair, but it isn’t.

“I’m not complaining, by the way,” Wren says, slipping her small hand in mind. “I was just thinking that I can’t be the only one in this position. I’ll have to think about how I can fix this.”

God I love her.There”s been more fight in her lately, and I love seeing it.

“I love you, too, Alpha,” she says sweetly as if I said the words, making me huff out a laugh. “Can you teach me how to use one of these?”

“Yes,” I say immediately, dropping to my knees to show her. “How would you like your first lesson now?”

Wren’s smile is bright and happy, and I promise myself I’ll do anything in my power to keep her that way. Life isn’t perfect for made men, but I’ll do my best for her.

I’m scowling as I stomp into the house after going to see Corbin. Usually, Shaw goes to meetings as the human lie detector, but our boss needed someone who would be intimidating. I had just finished interrogating a low level grunt who was hiding secrets from the boss, but it was all innocuous shit.

Corbin is getting a bit paranoid lately, though I don’t blame him. The rat was let loose, but I was a bit messy, so I stood behind the boss during the meeting while covered in blood. It may be a little theatrical, but the Irish mob boss of Minnesota likes to make his point once. He’s a little impatient that way.

Thankfully, I won’t scare anyone now that I scrubbed my skin down before coming home, but I’m in a shit mood after receiving an invitation that we can’t refuse. The fancy paper is clutched in my fist as I shut the door behind me and lock it. I’m starving, and it’s seven at night.

“Amb? Why do you look like you’re more keyed up than when you left?” Shaw asks, frowning.

Blowing out a breath doesn’t help either when I do it, so I rock my neck from side to side to help with the tension.

Fuck, this is going to suck. “We have a problem,” I grumble. “Family meeting, omegas too. They have to come to this party, too.”

“Party?” he growls. As Shaw inhales deeply, he closes his eyes to tell Everest and Flynn that they’re needed. Wren doesn’t understand the bond well enough to know what Shaw would want, and I’m sure one of them is with her now.

“They’re on the way,” he grunts, opening his dark eyes. It”s nerve wracking to see his normally whiskey-brown eyes now ringed with hazel. I want more than anything to be bonded to Wren, but drew my line in the sand.

I’m too damn stubborn to back down now, and I truly want to experience a heat with her. Our omega deserves to be cherished and adored. I guess I feel as if Wren’s ability to have a heat with us means she’ll accept that she belongs with us.

Maybe it’s silly, but I’ve overheard her say that she never wants to have a heat again, and it kills me to know it’s because of us. We failed her.

“Your emotions are spiraling, baby,” Shaw says, throwing his arm over my shoulders to guide me toward the living room. “Whatever it is, we’ll get through it together as we always do.”

I can hear feet on the stairs as I walk away from them, and I nod at his words. I’m not looking forward to this conversation at all.

“What’s going on?” Everest asks as we’re settling on the couches. Flynn and Wren appear behind them, looking curious as they trail down the stairs into the sunken living room space.

“I was Corbin”s intimidation during a meeting,” I begin. “Shaw usually goes to them, but this time he asked me to step in after a particularly grueling torture session.”

Wren’s eyes widen but she doesn’t ask questions, while the rest of my pack frowns. It’s not something Corbin typically does, because he likes to keep my existence in the same place that the boogeyman lives: a fictional entity that’s spoken of in whispers. Shaw, Everest, and I together are deadly, but I’m typically his favorite person to pull information from traitors.

“Kieran will be very careful about the secrets he keeps from Corbin, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up in his office the next time he cheats on his wife or pisses on the street when he’s drunk,” I tell them, rolling my eyes. “I was covered in blood, but the boss had me stand in the meeting regardless and stare down the men there.”

“Corbin is becoming a paranoid fucker,” Shaw grunts. “What else has you so upset?”

“The Irish families want to have a party to force Corbin and his brother to come to a truce,” I mutter. “We are to attend as Pack Mohan, with our omegas. There’s no way to go with only Flynn, Corbin forbid it.”

“What the fuck,” Everest says, shaking his head. “While Corbin doesn’t make money from auctions, some of the families do. How the fuck do we make this safe enough for them to attend?”

Shaw growls under his breath, beginning to see why I’m so angry.

“What else?” he asks. It seems like there’s always something else, isn’t there?

“At some point, Corbin told me we’ll be separated from our omegas at the party, because we’ll need to be witnesses when he and his brother sign this agreement. Honestly, I think the families feel the tension and this may be an excuse just to slaughter Crowson for all the shit he’s been pulling,” I explain.

“What’s happening?” Wren asks, confused.

“Okay, let’s back up here,” Everest agrees. “Corbin and Crowson are brothers, and up until a few years ago, they were bonded to the same omega. Hillary died three years ago, when a rival of ours kidnapped and killed her. Crowson was a lawyer, but now uses his knowledge of the law to evade prosecution as he fucks with his brother.”

“The issue is that he’s not just messing with Corbin’s business, but also his allies,” I explain.

“The other Irish mob families are worried,” Shaw sighs. “Fuck, I’ve been nervous this was going to happen. I haven’t wanted to kill Crowson because he’s Corbin’s blood, but there may not be any other way through this.”

“Corbin thinks we may be able to make a grab for him, or force him to break the agreement so we can execute him,” I say. “It’s finally come to that. It’s unfortunate, but if Crowson continues to escalate things, the families will turn on Corbin. We can’t afford that kind of backlash.”

We’re his men, and our loyalty will never lie with anyone else, which means that we will be exterminated with Corbin. There’s no way our omegas will survive that. It’s another reason I can’t bond with Wren yet.

The loss of a mate can make alphas go mad, but some omegas kill themselves from the grief. I’ll do anything I can so that she and Flynn can keep Everest and Shaw.

“Ambrose!” Shaw snaps at me, making me blink as I look over at him. “Whatever you’re thinking about, stop immediately. Every one of us is important, we do not sacrifice each other. Is that understood?”

“Yes, alpha,” I mumble. Flynn and Wren’s stricken looks make me stare at the ground in shame. I don’t know if they know the full extent of my dark thoughts, but I have no business thinking them to begin with.

“Things may get bumpy the next few weeks here, guys. The party is in four days. Here are the details.”

Careful to keep my eyes on Shaw, I shove the slightly crumpled invitation at him. “It’s black tie, and the invitation is set to Pack Mohan,” I grunt.

Shaw reads the invite aloud from the invitation, scowling at the words.

“The Irish Families have decided to bring everyone together for an urgent meeting.

Please bring your packs to this event. Failure to do so will result in grave repercussions.

Date: Friday, June 14th 2024 at 9:00 pm

Attire: Black Tie

Note: This is a neutral space. Any infighting will result in death.”

“That’s lovely,”Shaw grumbles. “Jodi Ryan no doubt drafted this up for her husband.”

“No doubt,” I agree. Patrick Ryan isn’t known for his niceties, but his wife’s dick is almost as big as his, and makes up for it in spades. God, I can only hope she’s nice to Wren. Which reminds me…

“While we haven’t officially submitted paperwork to have Wren recognized as a pack member, we may want to before the party. Corbin reminded me of this before I left tonight.”

“What would it mean to have paperwork submitted?” Wren asks, making us shift our attention to her. I wasn’t ignoring her, but instead struggling to get my emotions under control. I’m completely locked down when my eyes meet hers to answer.

“It means the world would recognize you as our omega through the Healthy Pack Organization,” I tell her. “There’s a certain measure of security afforded to omegas in a pack, but at the same time?—”

“Our lives are dangerous,” Everest mutters. “If you’re being forced to attend events as our omega anyway, we may as well submit the paperwork. What do you think, Wren?”

“So romantic, shitheads,” Flynn grunts. “The paperwork, regardless of the bonds in our pack, tells the world we recognize you as ours, Darling. Would you like that?”

Wren gives him the most precious smile, which makes me rub my chest. It chafes that I’m holding myself back for so many reasons, and I won’t be able to spend much more time in this room before I have to leave. Fuck, maybe I need a run. I’m fighting my instincts again, which didn’t go well the last time I did that.

“I would,” Wren says. “So what is the protocol as a mafia pack’s omega?”

Her teasing makes me bark out a laugh, to which her scent sweetens with happiness. God, I really do love this girl.

“Most alphas would tell you to be sweet and meek, but that won’t work at a party like this,” Flynn says. “Be the little badass you are with us without being disrespectful.”

“Yep,” Shaw nods. “The families want to know we can handle our own, and that includes our mates. We need to find a killer dress for you, Sweetness.”

“Be on guard,” Everest cautions. “We may be pulled away, but that doesn’t mean you two can’t stay together. Flynn, I know you hate weapons, but I’m going to insist you carry a knife.”

Our omega makes a face but nods. “The joys of belonging to a big, bad mafia pack,” he says with a chuckle. “The party may not be for any good reasons, but we can go and make sure we’re as safe as possible, guys. I remember how level headed and nice Crowson was when Hillary was alive. It’s unfortunate that her death has twisted him so much.”

“Yes, it is. We have a plan,” I say, standing. Sighing, I look at Wren, thinking about how we need to pick up some makeup along with a dress. “The mates at this thing will probably be wearing makeup like it’s war paint, Wren. I’m realizing we need to order some, but I don’t know the first thing about it.”

Shaw hides a smile behind his hand, though his mirth doesn’t travel to his eyes. We’re all worried, even if we aren’t showing it right now.

“Funnily enough, I don’t either,” Wren teases me. “I’ll do a little research on it on Shaw’s computer, I guess once I know what dress I’m wearing. I’ve never worn makeup before.”

Trey wanted her to be a little girl for as long as possible. Yeah, he’s a dead man once we can find him.

“This is when I wish we knew people who could help you with shit like this,” Shaw grunts as he stands.

“I’m a smart little omega,” Wren teases him with a wink, surprising me. “I’ll figure it out. For now, I think I need a snack.”

“Any cravings?” Flynn asks, standing with her. Somehow, the idea of cravings makes me think of pregnancy, which means I definitely need to get the fuck out of here.

“I’m going to change real fast and go for a run. Save me whatever you decide to make?” I tell them as I start moving toward the stairs.

“Peanut butter and banana sandwiches. Are those any good? I read about it in a book and now I’m intrigued,” she admits.

Climbing the stairs, I glance over as I walk. “They’re delicious fried,” I tell her. “Those are totally crave worthy.”

“Mmm. I’m in,” Flynn says. Shaw and Everest agree, and I begin to lengthen my stride.

“Save me one!” I call out as I run upstairs to change into a pair of gym shorts and tennis shoes. Five minutes later, I’m out the door with my water bottle and keys, so I can lock the house back up.

I know Shaw or Everest or even Flynn would go running with me, but I just need to move. Locking down my side of the bond, I begin running down the lit path we have for just this reason as the sun begins to set. There are so many thoughts racing through my mind, none of them good.

What if something happens to me and I never bond with Wren? She’ll survive me dying, but Flynn would suffer. On the other hand, he would have my best friends to get him through.

What if the party isn’t safe for either of them and they’re hurt?

“What ifs” pound through my thoughts with every breath, punctuating each footstep until it’s everywhere. The full weight of the next few days is weighing heavily on me, and all I can remind myself is that we’ll get through this.

There’s no other option.