Chapter 19

By the time we made it up to Ethan's family's apartment, Mari had gone into full Omega-mom-mode. Cat was swaddled in a cocoon of blankets with Mari on one side stroking her hair. Nate stood at the kitchen island with a look of concern on his face. His expression was so similar to Mari's, it was easy to see that they were mother and son. Bodhi stood off in the corner of the main living area so he could have eyes on the door but still be close to Cat. Shae had suspected for a while that Bodhi might be harboring some kind of feelings for her best friend, and everything that I'd seen today confirmed that.

As soon as Cat saw Shae, her lips began trembling and tears began sliding down her cheeks. I reluctantly released their hand and Shae flew to their best friend's other side. Mari squeezed Shae's shoulder as she walked into the kitchen to stand with her son, letting the two have their space. Just like when they'd been in the car together, their heads bent close, and Shae began speaking in a low voice to Cat until the tears began to dry up.

Bodhi walked over to me and stood at my side, still unwilling to keep his eyes off the traumatized Omega.

"You good?"

I nodded and he shuffled side to side like he was nervous. It struck me as odd. He and I weren't friends like he was with Theo, or even the way he was with Shae, but I couldn't think of anything that would make him uncomfortable around me.

"It's just that." He cleared his throat before lowering his voice. "I'm used to you being the calm, quiet, funny guy at the barbeques you all have. Even though I heard you were almost in at Drake, alongside Jade. The Alpha that came out downstairs just now? That was… unexpected."

So that was it.

"I haven't had to face someone that I love being hurt in front of me in a long time. Turns out it's like riding a bike. All that training came back, muscle memory or some shit. I don't want to do what you all do, but the day I let someone take Shae from me again is the day I die."

Bodhi turned his focus away from Cat to look at me and I met his eyes. Whatever he saw in my expression must have been enough because he nodded once and then put a fist out for me to bump. An amused huff escaped me as I rapped my knuckles against his and we resumed watching the two friends on the couch.

A forceful knock on the door drew everyone's attention. Bodhi pulled a gun from somewhere and raised it as he advanced toward the door behind me. When I looked through the peephole, I saw two officers that I recognized as the ones Nate had been speaking to earlier. I signaled for Bodhi to put the gun away and opened the door for the police.

They were respectful and took all our statements, careful to not push Cat or Shae too much. When we'd all answered their questions, they started to leave, asking myself, Nate, and Bodhi to walk them out. After going out into the hall, they turned to talk to us with grave expressions on their faces.

"Thank you for coming out here to speak with us. We didn't want to say anything about this in the apartment, as we don't want to upset them further after what they've dealt with today. But it took us so long to get up here because, when we called it in, we were made aware that one of the other victims who had originally been kidnapped with them was abducted a short time ago. It seems like there was a coordinated effort to grab them all around the same time. Only one of the girls was taken though."

Bodhi cursed and Nate scrubbed at his face. I held myself perfectly still to fight the urge to go back into the apartment, slam the door in their face, and pull Shae into my lap.

"Our captain has ordered a patrol car to be stationed outside the residence of each of the victims" homes until further notice."

When Nate spoke next, I saw the proof of all his years as a Senator's son, in his tone and the confident demeanor.

"We appreciate that, officer. Please let us know if there is anything else you need from us."

The soft ding that signaled the arrival of the elevator sounded and our attention shifted to the doors that began to slide open. Before they were far enough apart to see anyone inside, the scent of burned cinnamon rolls hit me. Ethan.

"I swear to god, Theo, if you don't move out of the way your knot isn't getting anywhere near me for months!"

One of the officers made a choking noise and Nate's nose scrunched as Ethan's voice filtered out of the elevator. Just as I, or any overly protective Alpha, would have done, Theo was standing in front of Ethan, assessing the hallway before letting his Omega through.

I met his eyes and I saw some of the tightness bleed from where his jaw was clenched as he moved aside to let Ethan by. Our Omega scowled at him, hustling past, but Theo just shrugged unrepentantly. When Ethan spotted me, his eyes widened in shock, and his fast-paced walk turned into a near sprint until he barreled into my chest with a whine. A smile tugged at my lips as I wrapped my arms around him. Theo's voice was more than a little amused when he spoke.

"Your face is swollen, Miles. He's kind of a mess about it."

Ethan's scowl was back when he lifted his head to face off with his bondmate.

"Don't pretend to use the bond to act like it's all me. You were just as worried."

My brows furrowed as I looked down at him. It wasn't like him to be so snappish. He turned back to me with tears lining his eyes and I tightened my arms around him a bit.

"You're really alright?"

"Yeah, Ethan. I'm fine. I told Shae I'd go see our doctor tomorrow just to be sure though."

He nodded into my chest as he pressed his face back into my shirt for a moment before pulling away and walking right past everyone else in the hall and into the apartment. One of the officers cleared his throat and told us that they'd be in touch about the patrol cars and if they had any further questions. Nate shook their hands before he went back into the apartment, leaving Bodhi, Theo, and I in the hall. As soon as the officers were in the elevator, Theo and I spoke at the same time.

"What patrol cars?"

"Is Ethan okay?"

He answered my question, understanding, as an Alpha, how much I needed the answer.

"Ethan is fine. He had that spike and I think he's got another heat coming, because he's really fucking irritable. What patrol cars?"

Bodhi filled Theo in, because my mind had stalled on the heat comment. I knew Omegas had a few heats a year, but I'd thought there was more time between them. It seemed like his last heat wasn't that long ago. I needed to ask Shae about it.

"Miles?"

Theo was watching me. I hadn't realized Bodhi had walked back into the apartment. I cleared my throat and raised my eyebrows to indicate I was listening.

"Listen, I know you told Ethan you were fine, but level with me. You look like you took a solid hit or two, at the very least. Do you need to see a doctor?"

I shook my head and sighed.

"No, he rang my bell pretty good there at the end. I'm more annoyed it gave the fucker the opening he needed to get away."

I didn't do a good job of stifling my growl at the reminder.

"We'll get them, Miles. Ethan, Cole, and the rest of the nerds are making progress."

My shoulders sagged in relief. I knew the police had been doing their best, but I trusted Ethan and the people at Drake House to get it done faster. Theo gripped the back of his neck and a light blush was creeping across his cheeks.

"You straight, Theo?"

"I hate this awkward shit: I need to ask you something." He huffed, but continued, not quite meeting my eyes. "When I said that thing about Ethan's heat it was like you glitched. I know you are demi and I kind of get what that means but, now that I can feel Ethan, I know how much he's been holding back. I just wanted to see if you are still open to him like that down the road or if that date you all had gave you any clarity?"

I chuckled and he reached out to playfully punch me in the shoulder.

"I'm open to him like that." I repeated his words exaggeratedly to give him shit and he rolled his eyes at me. "But I'm not ready for his heat. I thought those things only happened a few times a year and I… hoped that I would have more time."

Sometimes it felt like the world perceived me as broken or juvenile because I wasn't ready to hop into bed with anyone who was willing—especially as an Alpha when that willing body was an Omega. But my pack had never made me feel like that, and they were making sure I was as comfortable as Ethan. I knew that even Theo's awkward-as-fuck questioning was as much to check in on me as it was for his Omega's sake.

"Did you ever worry that it's all biology fucking with us? Like Trevor said?"

I could see Theo's hackles raise, so I quickly clarified.

"I know Ethan is amazing and I am happy that he's our pack's Omega. It's just throwing me off how quickly this is all happening for me. It took a year for me to start to feel any kind of pull towards Shae, sexually. But with Ethan? It's like my whole courting of Shae, but at quadruple the speed."

Theo hummed and gave me a small nod.

"I wish I could say something to ease your worries. I was skeptical after Shae found him. But then I met him, and his scent hit me and he's so… fuck, everything, that I just knew."

Nodding, I looked off toward the windows at the end of the hall to collect my thoughts.

"At the risk of completely sounding like a lunatic, you know that Trev and I have a little sister right?"

Pretty sure their little sister was mated and older than Ethan, but I nodded.

"She loves romance books. Even as a kid she was always glued to the TV when it was a prince and a princess. Anyway, she fully buys into the scent matches being a fated thing. I used to give her shit about it but, after Ethan? I believe it."

We spent the next hour helping Cat get her things arranged. After the big things were in the room and assembled, she chased us all out to set it up the way she wanted. Focusing on getting Cat settled in had successfully distracted everyone from the attack, until they didn't have a task to focus on, and then the worry and fears drifted back in. Ethan came to sit next to me on the couch, worrying at his bottom lip.

"Are you sure you weren't hurt, Miles? We could go to Drake House and Shae could look you over with all that new equipment?"

I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face.

"I'm sure. You know Alphas heal faster than normal and he only got one good hit in. Plus, Jade said she hasn't hired a doctor yet."

His hands began to twist the corner of one of the many soft blankets on the sectional. Reaching over, I stilled his hands by placing mine over them.

"They caught us off guard, Ethan. We miscalculated how badly they wanted the women like Cat back. It won't happen again."

Ethan nodded, a slight blush darkening his light brown skin. I realized my thumb had been running along the back of his hand and I pulled it away before clearing my throat. Theo came over and plopped down, so he was glued to Ethan's side and tugged his Omega to him. Ethan melted at the contact, the nervous energy bleeding away from him as he settled into Theo. A spark of jealousy lit within me and my brows furrowed. Shae tugged questioningly on our bond and I sent reassurance their way before thinking more about my own feelings. Ethan's eyes had drifted shut and his head leaned on Theo's shoulder as Theo ran his fingers lightly up and down Ethan's arm.

I didn't resent that they'd bonded. I was truly happy for them, that Ethan was officially part of the pack, because he belonged with us. Especially after Theo, the surliest and least prone to romantic tendencies of anyone in our pack, had declared that he believed Ethan was his fated Omega. So why was I feeling so weird about them together?

My train of thought was interrupted as Shae came to sit between Ethan and I, sinking into my side the same way Ethan had sunk into Theo's. They opened their end of the bond more and let me feel their worry and the fear they were hiding. My focus shifted entirely to them and feeding as much of my emotion through the bond as possible. I sent affection, confidence, and the feeling of safety to assure them that we would protect them from any threats. I sent pride to try to convey how amazed I was by them at how they'd been there, again, for Cat. Finally, I tried to convey peace, belonging, and care so they remembered that I would be there to catch them, love them, and support them until my last breath.

Shae sighed and closed their eyes, leaning into my chest, mirroring the way that Ethan was being comforted by Theo. As Shae reached over a hand to Ethan, they threaded their fingers with his—without either of them opening their eyes or separating from Theo or myself. That connection of pack and comfort flowed between the four of us and it was incredible.

It hit me then, that was why I'd been jealous. Ethan was still nervous around me. He was so unsure of his place with me on an instinctual level that my presence didn't comfort him. At least not as easily or as fully as Theo's did or the way Shae was comforted by me. It was something that would be missing until, or if, we bonded. There was a dull ache in my chest resulting from that if. I wanted a bond with Ethan. I wanted to be his Alpha. Someone he could go to for comfort and care. To be there for him when he was scared or worried, the same way he'd been there for me when Shae had been taken. I wanted to support him and share his joy—share his life. Unease crept in, though, when I thought about his heat and the fact that I knew I wasn't in a place where I wanted anything sexual from him right then. Would that companionship, a more platonic bond, be enough for him?

Aubrey had arrived home from school as we'd assembled furniture. She and the rest of the West family moved into the living room with us, the two Omegas cuddling into the other end of the sectional as Nate sat in one of the armchairs. Ethan sat up and looked over to his mom and sister, smiling fondly at them. Sometimes I forgot that, not that long ago, his fathers had forbidden them from seeing each other.

"Ethan, I hate to ask this, after what happened today but, Mom was going to text you?—"

"Nathan."

"What? I?—"

"They have too much to worry about, déjalo."

"Mom, it's okay. What did you need?"

Mari shot her oldest son a chastising look that made the Alpha shrink back into his chair before turning to answer Ethan.

"The Primrose Group has its annual fundraiser tomorrow and I was wondering if you and your Alphas would go in my place. It's not a big deal though. I'll make my excuses."

Ethan's brows furrowed and Shae looked around at the concerned faces of Ethan and his siblings before speaking.

"I don't know that organization. What do they do?"

Nate responded to Shae before Ethan could.

"They help orphans who haven't presented or kids who've been removed from bad homes. Their group homes are more like posh boarding schools and they help the children come into their designations and transition into their adult lives."

"How do you know they are worth your money? A lot of those places treat the kids like shit and pocket the money."

Theo was prevented from saying anything else when his breath huffed out as Ethan's elbow connected with his ribs, but Mari laughed.

"I appreciate your concern, Theo. We know because I helped found the organization, though I have had to remain on the sidelines. The women who run it would never allow a child to be harmed, for they know too well where those children come from and what they have faced." Mari's eyes went a little distant and a very slight tremor went through her before she continued.

"We conduct surprise visits every month, to each facility and inspect different, random aspects each time. I have only found two instances of mistreatment in the last fifteen years and the people responsible left the grounds in police custody."

Theo tipped his head in her direction and she smiled warmly. Ethan's worry was obvious, and his brow was furrowed when he drew his mother's attention with a question.

"Why don't you want to go, Mom?"

Mari looked toward the balcony, her hands curling into themselves in a gesture that was incredibly familiar to everyone in our pack but before she could reply, Aubrey, with a bluntness that put Theo to shame, spoke up.

"The Dads. They cut Nate off from their calendars and from their staff and ambushing her there would be their exact brand of asshole."

"Aubrey."

Mari's tone was all motherly reprimand but Ethan's little sister simply shrugged, unrepentant.

"There's no reason to beat around the bush. Everyone here knows how they treated you. You don't have to be embarrassed about it."

"We'll go, Marisol."

Ethan turned to Theo; brows lifted at the finality of his statement. Theo moved his hand to grip the back of Ethan's neck and squeeze gently.

"We will?"

"Yes. We'll bring Jade too. If your dads make the mistake of showing up, she can throw some money around and flaunt that you're bonded."

That blush was back staining Ethan's cheeks and his sister snickered as his perfume not so subtly began saturating the room. Aubrey cleared her throat, trying to pull the attention from Ethan's perfume and how the color of his neck and cheeks darkened.

"If Jade and Theo are going, can I go too?"

Mari grimaced at her daughter and turned to Nate, who shook his head.

"I can't go with her. I have to help a friend that night. It's important. What about Noah?"

"Aw, come on," Aubrey pouted. "Captain Cautious won't let me have any fun."

Mari gave Aubrey an indulgent, amused smile.

"If you want to go, Noah goes too."

Aubrey grumbled under her breath but agreed. Bodhi came out from where he'd been casually lurking outside Cat's door, in case she needed anything. Theo stood and walked over to him so Ethan slid over to his sister. They began plotting things they could do or say to embarrass their fathers. Mari threw her hands in the air and spoke in exasperated Spanish as she moved back into the kitchen.

"Nate, are you staying here tonight?"

Theo's question drew all our attention.

"I was planning on it but, Bodhi, if you need the guest room, I can go back to my place?"

Bodhi shook his head.

"Stay. I'll take the couch: if that's alright with you all? It might be better to have me, or Daniels, or someone else from our team here overnight until we know more."

We agreed to go back to our house but Shae asked Mari to let them know if Cat needed anything. She gave us all motherly hugs goodbye, lingering longer with Ethan as we made our way out the door.

In the elevator, Shae was giving Theo grief about having to wear a tuxedo and Ethan laughed at his Alpha's discomfort. Their conversation faded as I imagined all of us, as a pack, at an event like that someday. All of us in tuxes or a dress for Jade, laughing and giving each other a hard time, sneaking off to fool around in a dark corner. It was all so close I could almost touch it. We just needed to eliminate this threat and we'd get our chance at a happily ever after.