Chapter 40

Chapter Forty

CASEY

I don't know whether or not I'm grateful to be a beta right now or pissed about it. Everything about me, from my smaller build to my scent and quieter growl, is drowned out by Ronan, Lucas, and Elliott. Not to mention two of the three agents in this tank of a vehicle are alphas.

Elliott had a few moments of calm a minute ago before all hell broke loose. His eyes were closed and his face relaxed with a small smile. I wanted to ask so damn bad what he was doing, but refused to interrupt whatever it was. I'm sure he made contact with Freya.

I've been too afraid to tug on mine and Freya's minuscule tether for fear of overwhelming my omega. We all felt the moment she hit her head, but without our bond being complete, it hasn't left a lasting headache like I can tell it's doing to the others.

"They've stopped! Slow down, shit!"

Remy's dad ignores the panicked screeches of the agent beside him. If anything, I'm pretty sure Mr. Peters accelerates. I'm so focused on his white knuckled grip with the windshield wipers whipping across the windshield that I don't notice Elliott lunging for me.

Crushed to my alpha's chest, my grunt is muffled and my back spasms as it slams into the truck wall behind me. Curse words bubble up my throat, but before I can unleash them, Elliott has my cheeks in his large hands.

"Are you okay?" he breathes. "You weren't paying attention. You could have been seriously hurt!"

I almost snap, because no, that hurt like a bitch , then reality beyond his firm chest comes into focus.

The manic as fuck driving has stopped, but a new form of chaos has taken its place. Elliott may have prevented me from flying across the car when Mr. Peters slammed on the brakes, but he can't erase the view beyond the rainy windshield.

"Stay in the car. That's an order!"

"LIKE FUCK!" Ronan roars in response to Mr. Peter's order.

The two agents in the back with us are gathering their weapons when Remy's dad whirls around on my pack alpha and threatens, "Don't make me leave one of my agents here to guard you when your mate needs the manpower more."

Ronan grits his teeth but finally manages to spit words out. "We'll stay. For now."

Shocked that he really gave into the demand, I can't help but glare at him. Our mate is out there, on her fucking knees, with a gun pointed at the back of her head, and we're just gonna sit in the truck?!

Shouts and roaring wind blast through the doors when the two agents sitting in the back with us jump out. One makes eye contact, the one who said something about us being dehydrated. The man narrows his eyes, but leaves the door open before hustling behind the rest of his team to the front of the car.

"Why did he do that?" I whisper, my adrenaline making me feel like I'm going to be sick.

"Who fucking cares? Let's go," Lucas hisses, bumbling over our knees toward the door as he frantically tries to escape only for his big brother to grab him by the back of the neck and push him down.

"Hold on," Ronan mumbles, nodding toward Remy, his mom, and two other agents hopping out of their vehicle behind us.

The four of them split, Remy and one of his guys crouching low and taking off into the brush beside the cars. His mom and the other man walk, guns drawn, to the small clearing my girl is currently being held at gunpoint in.

"Okay, go," Ronan whispers, nodding toward the open doorway.

I move to hop out, but am halted by a protective rumble from Elliott. I wait for my alpha to hop down before I follow. The squelch of the mud makes me cringe, hoping it wasn't as loud as it felt.

Thank fuck OPS gave us boots and shit when we left that fucking clinic.

Elliott grabs the back of my borrowed shirt and drags me to the side of the van. Lucas and Ronan follow suit, the four of us inching our way to the front of the truck with our backs pressed to the drenched metal.

I'm just about to peek around Elliott, when a voice far too close for comfort says, "What's the plan?"

"Shit!" Lucas grunts, jolting harder than the rest of us when Beckett and Nick show up beside him.

Frowning at the muddy duo, I inhale, ready to say what the fuck , but something more concerning rings out through the woods.

"Bring me the mates, or I'll shoot. I have enough omegas stashed places you'll never find. Don't test me. These whores are replaceable. You've only saved a fraction of them today. Bring the mates or they die," Ken demands, voice thick with barely restrained rage and craziness leaking from every word.

Fuck, the other cars had omegas in them?!

A revelation for another time.

As one, the seven of us, two packs bonded by trauma and our fierce women, step into view of the man who deserves no less than a slow death.

Our girls are on their knees when they come into view. Their eyes widen and mouths pop open in surprise like it was rehearsed.

Then Beckett chokes and seizes beside me, only held in place by Nick as his teeth gnash and his alpha makes his muscles ripple as he looks between his mate and mine.

The hairs on my arms lift when I see Freya's pupils shrink to pinpoints and her spine snaps straight in response to the blonde man's reaction. Like a fucking predator, my omega's head cocks and her nostrils flare.

"Freya," Ronan says hesitantly, hands up in surrender, but I'm not sure if it's in response to the guns behind our girl or because of the obvious shift in our mate.

"KNEEL!" Ken roars, water and spit spraying from his vile mouth.

I see the moment Freya completely gives in to her instincts, but I'm too late to stop what happens next. My girl finally accepting her omega nature should be one of celebration, and yet, only carnage follows.

As usual, her mates are useless in protecting her.