Chapter 24

Driving onto the Kelly estate is intense as I look around the brilliantly lit trees and gardens. Shaw is driving as usual, and I’m sitting in the backseat, holding onto Wren’s hand. I know her brother is supposed to meet us at the door, but we didn’t tell her this yet. While they’ve spoken a few times on the phone, they’re still figuring things out.

“This place is made for parties,” she says in a hushed tone.

“The Kelly pack’s had this estate for years,” Shaw says as he follows the other cars in front of him. The sunlight is long gone now that it’s nine at night, and the headlights from the other cars are bothering my eyes. “The families typically use the Kelly’s home for parties because it’s easy to contain, their security is top notch, and the Kelly’s don’t care.”

“I would care,” Wren frets as she looks around at the cars in front and behind her. “Having so many people in my home would give me anxiety.”

“The Kelly’s don’t have an omega,” I tell her gently. “They’re in their mid thirties, and have been so busy working, they swear they’re uninterested. I think that’s bullshit, but that’s me.”

“He’s right,” Everest says. “When they were kids, there was a daughter of another mafia family, and they were thick as thieves. The two families were hopeful the girl would be an omega… maybe even their scent match.”

I look away, because the end of this story has always made me sad.

“What happened?” Wren asks, her voice raspy and low. My girl is smart, she knows it’s not good.

“She was kidnapped off the street when she went to the mall with her friends,” Shaw rasps. “They were fourteen, and their parents let them go because they had guards with her.”

“Bad things still happen,” I whisper, almost without meaning to.

“Shit,” Wren mutters. “I wish there was something we could do to keep this from happening. I feel so small and insignificant when I think of how many omegas get hurt.”

“We don’t know if she was an omega,” I tell her gently. “She hadn’t presented yet. It was her friend’s birthday, and she wanted to do something normal. The guys never got over it, I think. They feel that if they’d been allowed to go with her, she wouldn’t have been taken.”

Wren blows out a breath, and I know this feels really close to home for her. Opening my mouth to soothe her, I don’t have a chance to because we’re pulling up to the house.

“Please stick together tonight,” Shaw says as he parks the SUV. “Mingle, play nice, but don’t overshare.”

Nodding, the doors are opened by the Valet, and I slip from the vehicle so I can help Wren out. No one but myself or pack will touch her tonight. My skin is already beginning to crawl from being here, especially after telling the story of how Quinn was kidnapped from a busy mall.

The Kelly’s never got over it, and Quinn’s parents were devastated. They’re going to be here tonight too, funny enough.

Walking together as a unit, we move toward the stairs, and Wren startles as her brother walks out of the shadows to join us. My lips twitch because the bastard is enjoying his entrance as he scowls at us.

“This party is awfully ostentatious,” Jasper grumbles as he walks up the steps with us.

“Yes, because the British mafia enjoys their pubs and underground fighting rings instead of fancy parties,” Shaw teases him.

Wren watches them interact with each other with wide eyes. It’s hard to remember we’re all friends when we erected a wall around her two short weeks ago.

“Exactly,” Jas scoffs, making me cover up my chuckle.

“Are you playing guard today?” Wren asks before we arrive at the front door. Damn, there are too many fucking steps.

“I’m not playing at anything, little sis,” Jasper says with a smirk. “I’m your shadow tonight. You’re not going to make things easy in that get up, are you?”

Frowning, I kick her brother’s leg hard, enjoying the curse he emits as the door opens. Shaw squeezes Wren’s hand, shaking his head at her to tell her that Jasper is full of shit. She looks beautiful, and while she’ll garner a lot of stares, it won’t be due to something she can change. God, the sibling sniping is ridiculous right now.

“Pack Mohan and…?”

“Jasper Rivers,” he grunts. “I am acting as Pack Mohan’s guard for their omegas while they’re working tonight.”

“Very well,” the man at the door says with the nod. “Please come in, so that I can have you checked for weapons. As their guard, you may keep a weapon or two, so you may perform your duties.”

Thank fuck.

The alphas are patted down, while they ignore Wren and I completely. I have a knife strapped to my calf, just in case I need it. While I really hope it won’t be needed, I do know how to inflict damage.

“Have a good night gentlemen, and miss,” the door man says with a nod to Wren as he and the security guards, who patted everyone down, step away. There’s a huge basket filled with weapons that’s put in the coat check room with our pack name on it, which makes me internally roll my eyes.

“Here we go,” Shaw grunts as we walk. Wren and I are put in the middle as we move through the giant house, and my nose prickles from the scent dampeners. I can always tell when a room has them. My body can feel the otherness in the air, as if it’s annoyed by it.

My eyes take in the glittering dresses from the mafia wives and girlfriends as they chatter, some of them more dangerous than others. Their alphas chat between themselves, some business, other times pleasure. It doesn’t change the fact that I can feel their eyes pass over Wren and I as we walk by.

The next hour is excruciating as we make nice and chat inanely in the large ballroom while drinks pour freely. The ballroom has black and gold wallpaper, chandeliers, and a few scattered tables.

We’re not meant to be comfortable as we move from group to group to talk, so we don’t even bother. This event is about being noticed and seeing others.

It’s a stupid mafia power move, even though they’re attempting to squash a feud between brothers.

“Excuse me, can I have your attention please,” Patrick Ryan roars from the front of the room. Our hosts tonight, Pack Kelly, have been mysteriously absent most of the night, but now I see them on the outskirts of the room. They appear to be bored and unaffected by the party, which I’m sure they probably don’t give two shits about mafia drama.

The din of chatter in the room dulls as everyone turns to face him.

“We’ve gathered here today for several reasons,” Patrick says, flanked by his wife. She”s wearing a red dress, her bleach-blonde hair in an old Hollywood curled style. “The first one is because it has been too long since we’ve all been together for any reason. It’s important to remember the reason why peace amongst us is so important. Chaos and violence within our own communities leads to the death of our loved ones, and that’s unacceptable.”

The man is not pulling punches, and I scowl into Wren’s shoulder as I wrap my arm around her waist. Breathing her in helps me school my expression, again the picture of grace with no fucks to give. It makes for a decent poker face when I need it.

“Crowson and Corbin Murphy, please come join me,” Patrick says, his tone brooking no argument. He raised four alpha sons, I’m sure he’s used to dealing with bullshit like this.

Crowson flanks our right as he passes us, turning to look at Wren for longer than he has a reason to, as his nostrils flare. My alphas growl at his attention, making him flinch as he moves faster away from us. I wonder why he was staring at her, and decide I’m definitely following Wren everywhere tonight.

Even the bathroom if it comes to it.

“Tonight, we are going to find a way to help these two brothers move past their hurt,” Patrick says, as if he’s a fucking therapist. “We will be using the ballroom for this, and all alphas who will be helping in this discussion are asked to stay behind.”

“If you’re like myself, and have no use for the men’s talk, we will be exiting into the garden and sitting areas, while they work through this,” Patrick’s wife says.

Shaw snorts under his breath, turning his back on them both as he faces us.

“The garden is an area we can still see you for the most part. It’s a nice night, I think you two should take in some air,” he says with a smirk.

Wren nods, understanding his words, while Jasper frowns as he looks around.

“Does everyone think they’re going to kumbaya and magically figure this shit out?” he asks in a low tone.

“Apparently,” Everest grunts. “I’m just here to be the muscle tonight.”

“Same,” Amb mutters. “As long as no one shoots or stabs each other, it’ll be considered a success by me.”

“Just throw them in the ring and let them beat it out of each other. I feel as if that’s a better use of energy, rather than this excuse of a party,” Jasper says, nodding toward the French doors that are currently opening to lead to the garden. “Let’s head out then.”

Even though I agree with him, I say nothing, placing my hand on Wren’s back as we walk toward the door. Neither of us say goodbye to our alphas, because they’re already in work mode, the light in their eyes fading to nothing as they watch the crowd.

Wren’s paperwork declaring to be our omega went through this morning, which gives us a modicum of protection. My eyes still catch Crowson ogling Wren’s ass as he texts someone on his phone, making my fingers twitchy. I may not enjoy engaging in violence, but I won’t hesitate to throw the alpha to someone who will happily make him wish he was never born.

Once outside, it’s as if Wren draws people to her like a light in the darkness.

“Head high, Wren,” Jasper grunts beside her. “No hiding tonight. I know you’ve perfected a mask in times you’ve needed it.”

Blinking at his astuteness, I glance at Wren as she draws up all five-foot-four of herself in heels and smiles. It’s not a real one, but more of a detached look for the public eye, and it gives me a glimpse at what her life was like as a captive omega.

“I see Pack Mohan has a new omega,” Jodi Ryan says as she steps in front of us. Jasper stares her down by Wren’s side, ensuring she keeps their distance. “Where did they find you? I’m surprised Flynn hasn’t scratched your eyes out yet.”

Swallowing back a groan because while she’s a pain in the ass, she’s not dangerous to us, I wrap my arm around Wren’s waist to pull her closer to me. She allows it, snuggling into my body. I’m glad she’s leading with her own instincts, because this is definitely a time to let her cute little omega flag fly.

I want to scent mark her badly, but I also don’t want to fuck up her makeup, so I simply tilt her face up, so that I can brush my lips against hers.

“Why would I scratch her eyes out when Wren is mine?” I ask, keeping eye contact with Jodi at all times. “I claimed her before my alphas, pulled to her in a way I can’t quite explain. She’s Shaw’s scent match, and completes our pack in a way we didn’t know we needed.”

Jodi’s eyes widen as she realizes this is a fated match, and not anything she can make fun of. Some things, even in mafia circles, are considered sacred.

“I had no idea,” she breathes. “I guess congratulations to you all are in order. Is it all official? You know how some of the unbonded alphas are here.”

Fucking Neanderthals, she means.

“Yes, ma’am,” I say politely. “Everything was confirmed this morning. Wren Rivers is part of Pack Mohan.”

“Wonderful,” Jodi says with a wide smile. “Things are already a bit difficult right now, I’d hate to have to gut an alpha who decided to touch what doesn’t belong to him.”

Twitching the high slit in her dress to the side, she shows us the knife strapped to it before allowing it to drop. Squeezing Wren’s hands gently, she says, “Welcome to the family, dear. May I suggest some hand to hand combat lessons? Your pack is very well versed in all that.”

Wren nods in surprise as Jodi gives her a beautiful smile and moves on.

“They really didn’t check any of the omegas upon entrance to this shindig,” Jas says with a snort. “Some of these women are deadlier than the mob bosses, sis.”

Jasper’s words are thankfully low enough that no one hears, because I’m not sure we want to overshare about that here. While Jasper’s boss has business dealings with some of the mafia bosses here, I’m sure he has enemies as well.

“God, they’ll let anyone in here, won’t they?” a girl sighs heavily as she stomps over to us. Her peppery scent tickles my nose, making me want to sneeze. There’s also a really odd undertone of mustard to her, which is just unfortunate. I also can’t remember her name, but I believe she’s Jodi’s daughter.

Yes, the Ryan’s were blessed with a daughter who is a pain in the ass and kind of terrible.

“Can we help you?” Jasper asks, sounding bored. “If not, I think you should probably move on.”

“I have the same right to be here as anyone else. Besides, a new omega is something to be asked about, especially when a pack already has one,” she says, rolling her eyes.

“Didn’t your mother ever teach you any manners?” Wren asks, lips twitching. She does appear a lot like Jodi with her blonde hair, except her mother is prettier. “Since I just met her and she’s lovely, I’m going to have to say she didn’t. Pity.”

Jasper hides a smile, and I have to admit that Wren sounds like a high society debutante who is currently smelling bullshit.

“Excuse me?! How dare you speak to me like that?—”

The girl is turning a really worrying shade of red when a tall, blonde omega comes up behind her, pressing something into her back. “Reagan, I will cut you and then tell your mama you deserved it,” she growls.

Of course Jodi’s daughter would be named Reagan. It’s like giving her a prissy name from the damn get-go. Poor girl never had a chance.

“Aisling,” Reagan whines. “You’re hurting me.”

“Good. Get the fuck out, and stop bugging people,” Aisling grunts.

Pulling away, Reagan stomps away, and my eyes widen as I watch Aisling put away a huge knife down the sheath between her breasts. Smart, and not somewhere any of the security here would want to search.

“Hi, I’m Aisling,” she says with a grin, making my lips twitch at her friendly demeanor. It’s so different from earlier, it’s amusing.

“Wren,” my omega says with a small smile. God, she’s so damn cute. I don’t remember ever having met Aisling before.

“I’m Flynn,” I introduce myself. “I don’t think we’ve ever met before.”

“That’s a long story,” she admits, wrinkling her nose. She smells like sugar cookies, and I find it doesn’t bother me to be in the same space as her. It’s kind of soothing. “My mom is Beatrice Reynolds, and she may have had a little affair with Cian Sullivan. He found out after my mom passed away, and he decided he wanted to get to know me.”

“Wow,” Jasper says. That was a lot of information, but it explains why I haven’t met her before.

“Are you two getting along?” Wren asks sweetly. Knowing her struggles with her family, I squeeze her waist, loving how she melts into me easily.

“Yes and no,” Aisling says with a laugh. “I didn’t grow up in this life, so some of the rules are hard for me to understand and follow. I’m just glad the families in these packs don’t work in sex trafficking.”

“It’s barbaric,” Wren grunts. “Hearing how many omegas fall into this or kidnapping makes me feel helpless.”

Aisling stares at her for a moment, biting her lip. “Do you mean that? I don’t know you well enough to know if you do or not.”

“Wren doesn’t say what she doesn’t mean,” Jasper growls. My omega reaches out to touch his arm as if soothing him before giving Aisling her full attention.

“I mean it. Why?” Wren asks.

Aisling blows out a breath as she drops her hands to her sides, smoothing her black dress. “There’s so few resources for omegas, and I want to change that. My mother died when I was sixteen and I didn’t know what to do. I got kicked out of our apartment when they found out she had passed away in her sleep, and I ended up living on the streets for a month. None of the shelters would take me because I was an omega,” she explains.

“Shit,” I breathe. Again, I’ve lived a very sheltered life because my parents wanted to keep me safe. When I hear these stories, it hurts my heart, and makes me want to find ways to fix it.

“I was living in Minneapolis when this happened in the spring, but it was still really fucking cold. My mother knew she was dying, and refused treatment because we couldn’t afford it. She wrote my father a letter to tell him I was his daughter without telling me,” Aisling continues. “Unfortunately, the letter was hidden by his wife, while I froze my ass off on the streets.”

Cian Sullivan married a beta, and never had children that I know of. I sort of remember Shaw talking about a fall out between them a few months ago, which would make her…

“Aisling, would it be really ignorant to ask how old you are?” I ask, wincing.

“I’m eighteen, and my dad found me almost two years after my mom died. In fact, just a few months ago” she says with a sigh. “I found a job, changed and showered in public bathrooms, and eventually made enough money to get an apartment with a couple of people during those two years. I can’t even call them friends, but we managed to co-exist.”

Asking her anything else is insensitive and none of my damn business, so I simply nod.

“What happened to the wife?” Wren asks softly, shaking her head. “What a terrible person to hide such an important letter.”

“I don’t think I would have let the bitch live,” Jas said softly. “That kind of betrayal…”

“My dad hasn’t ever outright said he killed her, but he’s a hard man,” Aisling says. “I went through a lot during that time, none of it pretty. If you’re serious about helping other omegas, I have some ideas on how to do that.”

Wren’s eyes light up, and I know she’s found what she’s always been meant to do. Wren has been trying to figure out what her aptitude test scores mean for her as far as finding a job, but this is so much better.

“What kind of ideas?” Jasper asks protectively. “Wren has been through a lot, this life is dangerous enough as it is, Aisling.”

Wren glances at her brother in surprise, rolling her eyes.

“Jasper, really,” she mutters. “I am interested in hearing more, though.”

“Safe places for omegas to stay, starting with Minnesota,” Aisling says immediately. “A non-profit that is funded to help runaways so they can start over, and somewhere for omegas with children in the case that their alphas are abusive.”

I feel my own growl as I think about this. She has a good point. There are alphas who twist the alpha-omega relationship.

“We need aptitude tests geared toward omegas to help them find jobs and careers, too,” Wren says immediately. “I would really love to see resources for mental health too.”

“Yes!” Aisling says, nodding wildly. “I’ve been looking for grief counseling and there’s nothing available for us. It’s disgusting.”

“Did we just go into business together?” Wren teases her with a grin.

“Yes!” Aisling throws herself at Wren, almost bowling her over. Thankfully, I’m still holding her, so I keep them both upright.

Jasper snickers as he looks over at me, while I roll my eyes. I’m not used to squealing women, and don’t know what to do with Aisling. Wren is glowing with excitement as she hugs Aisling back though, and she’s laughing. If this makes her happy, I’ll do anything to make it happen.

I also very much doubt that our alphas will deny her this.

“Why don’t you give me your number, Aisling, and I’ll make sure you guys can connect,” I tell her, pulling out my phone as she steps away from us. “Wren doesn’t have a phone yet.”

“God, I don’t think I’d know how to use one,” Wren mutters under her breath.

Aisling looks at Wren oddly for a moment before looking at me, her green eyes assessing. “I feel as if there’s a story there, but it’s none of my business. I also want you to know that we just became best friends, so if these yahoos are assholes to you, I want to know.”

I grin because damn, I really like her.

“I can assure you that I worship the ground my omega walks on,” I say. “I also want your number to be correctly programmed in here, so I should probably do it.

“That’s fair,” Aisling says with a nod, rattling off her number.

“I’m texting you so you have my information as well,” I say, my fingers moving quickly over the keyboard before I tuck it back into my pocket.

“I’ll call you tomorrow, Wren,” Aisling says with a grin. “I told Dad about this, but it’s such an immense project for an eighteen year old.”

“Age is just a number,” Wren says with a shrug. “I’m twenty, so we’re pretty evenly matched there. We’ll have something few other people who have ever thought about doing this have.”

“What’s that?” Aisling asks.

“Experience at being an omega with the odds stacked against them who still had to figure shit out,” she says. “An organization like this doesn’t work if it’s not someone like us, and instead becomes a group of individuals who think they know better than us.”

“Agreed,” Aisling says passionately. “God, I’m so excited I came over here. Other than the fact that I got to scare the shit out of Reagan. She’s kind of a pain in the ass. Oh! I have to go. Someone is waving me over. Chat soon!”

We watch as she rushes over to someone who is, in fact, waving her over.

“I really like her,” Wren murmurs.

“Surprisingly, so do I,” Jas admits. “You’re in a unique position to do incredible things. It may as well be with a firecracker like that.”

God, they’re probably going to get up to so much shit as they shake up our society. I can’t fucking wait to see it happen.