29. REID

Chapter twenty-nine

REID

Just one text from Zana. An angry paragraph but it’s everything I need.

That contract is null and void. Why didn’t you tell me that you didn’t sign it? Baby, you’re not legally bound to a contract that someone forged. Get out of that house. I’m giving you an hour before I bust through that goddamn door.

That was nearly thirty minutes ago as I slept in for the first time in my life in this house. There hasn’t been one knock on the door disturbing my peace but I know it’s only a matter of time before someone tries something.

I didn’t say anything because everyone around me would suffer.

Then you’re an idiot because I already told you that I’d burn down the world for you. I already barged my way into that house before. Get out here so I can bond you for real. Your Omega needs you. I need you.

My chest constricts with the fierceness of her statement, the fading bond on my lip reflecting her emotions. It gives me the confidence to step outside the room and head to the kitchen for coffee. Jackson and Lyle sit at the kitchen table, mugs in hand, watching me with a mixture of disdain and hatred. They haven’t said a word since I came back two days ago and honestly? I’m loving it.

They’re pissed—I can feel it in the way their jaws tighten, their knuckles go white around their mugs—but they can’t touch me. Not now. Not with the investigation hanging over their heads. It’s like walking around with an invisible shield and I’m milking it for all it’s worth. Knowing that I have less than thirty minutes before Zana bursts in here makes it easier.

I’m tempted to wait thirty- one minutes just to see her in all her glory like the last time she rescued me but I won’t risk her safety for my amusement.

I keep to myself as much as possible, but I can’t help but notice Hailey’s absence. She’s been keeping her distance, but not for lack of trying. Every time I’ve seen her, she’s been dripping with this nauseating performance of affection—apologies and wide eyes and bullshit lines about how much she’s always loved me. If I didn’t know better, I’d almost believe her. Almost.

The sound of soft footsteps pulls me out of my thoughts and I glance over my shoulder just in time to see Hailey saunter into the kitchen, her Omega sweetness turned up to an almost unbearable level. Her eyes light up when she sees me and I have to fight the urge to roll mine.

“Reid,” she purrs, her voice soft and full of fake warmth. “Are you making breakfast? That’s so thoughtful of you.”

“I wasn’t,” I say with a shrug, pouring a healthy serving of coffee into my own mug. “But if you ask really nicely, I might be inclined to find something more than whatever is in the fridge. Have you guys been eating well without me?” I’ve done my best to be sparse, staying in my room for long stretches and eating at odd times.

They’ve had to fend for themselves for the past two days even though I’m here and hearing the sighs of frustration and Hailey’s unamused squeals have been music to my ears. Even more so that not one of them has tried to retrieve me to fix everything. I know it’s the investigation hanging over their heads but I’ll take it.

Lyle’s jaw tightens, but he doesn’t say anything. Jackson just sips his coffee, his eyes narrowing slightly as he watches me. I grin to myself, enjoying the little cracks forming in their stoic facades. Hailey moves closer, her smile widening as she reaches out to touch my arm. I stiffen but don’t pull away. Not yet. Let her think she’s winning.

“Reid, I’ve been meaning to talk to you,” she begins, her voice dripping with faux sincerity. “I know things have been... strained between us, but I want you to know how much I care about you. I always have.”

I snort, shaking my head as I step away from her touch. “Save it, Hailey. You don’t care about me. You care about what I can do for you. This charade is getting old.”

Her face falls, the act slipping for a moment before she recovers. “That’s not true,” she insists, her voice trembling just enough to seem believable. “I’ve always loved you, Reid. I just didn’t know how to show it.” I think her Alphas are actually eating this shit up, confused by the way I’m pulling away when every pack Beta just wants to be officially part of the pack.

I laugh, a loud, bitter sound that echoes through the kitchen. Jackson and Lyle both look up, their expressions carefully neutral, but I can see the tension in their shoulders. They want to step in, to shut me down, but they can’t. They also don’t know who’s right in this situation because Hailey has never once shown me an ounce of affection before.

“Loved me?” I spit, turning to face Hailey fully. “That’s rich. If you loved me, you wouldn’t have been okay with your Alphas locking me in a closet-sized room. You wouldn’t have treated me like your personal servant. You wouldn’t have stood by while your Alphas beat me down every chance they got.”

“Reid—”

“Don’t,” I snap, my voice sharp enough to cut her off. “Don’t stand there and pretend like the past three months didn’t happen. I don’t want your apologies. I don’t want your lies. It’s too late for that. You’re only doing this because, in some twisted way, you thought you claimed me but guess what? I already have a pack and it’s not you. ”

The room falls silent, the weight of my words hanging in the air. Hailey looks like she’s about to cry, but I don’t care. Not anymore.

I grab my coffee and leave the kitchen, needing space, but I don’t get far before I hear her hurried footsteps behind me. I sigh, stopping in the hallway and turning to face her. “Hailey, don’t—”

“I’m trying to fix this!” she says, her voice rising as she steps closer. “Why won’t you just let me—”

“Fix this?” I laugh again, shaking my head. “You can’t fix this. You can’t undo the damage you’ve done.”

Her expression hardens and suddenly the sweetness is gone, replaced by something sharper. Her rotating emotions are fun to watch when they’re directed at someone else. Apparently, she hasn’t gotten the memo like her Alphas did regarding not rocking the boat during the investigation. “You think you’re so untouchable now, don’t you?” she hisses, stepping closer until we’re almost nose to nose. “But I’m still the Omega of this pack and you’re still mine.”

The laugh that escapes me this time is cold, harsh. “Yours?” I say, slamming her back against the wall, not hard enough to hurt but enough to make my point. Her eyes widen in shock and I lean in, my voice low and dangerous. “If you wanted me to be yours, you should’ve started with respect. You should’ve started with love. But you didn’t. And now? Now all I have for you is hate.”

Hailey bursts into my room like she owns the place—which, technically, she does. But I’ll be damned if I let her act like she owns me. Not anymore. Her heels click against the hardwood floor, each step sharper than the last as she storms toward me, her face twisted with fury.

"You don’t get to walk away from me!" she shouts, her voice grating and shrill. "You are mine, Reid. You always have been."

I don’t even bother standing up. I’m sitting on the edge of my bed, my elbows resting on my knees, watching her with a mix of exhaustion and irritation. I’ve got twenty minutes before Zana finds her way in here and this is the last scene I want her to witness. "Oh, spare me the theatrics, Hailey," I say, my tone dry. "I was never yours. I was your employee at best. At worst? Your fucking servant."

She flinches like I slapped her, but it doesn’t last long. Her face hardens, and her lips pull into a sneer. "Don’t act like you’re better than this, Reid. Better than me. You wouldn’t survive without us. Without me."

"Survive? Hailey, I wasn’t surviving here. I was suffocating. You made sure of that. And now that I’ve had a taste of what it’s like to actually live, you think you can reel me back in with... what? More lies? More control?"

Her jaw tightens, her eyes flashing with something dangerous. "You’re not leaving," she hisses, taking a step closer. "I don’t care what you think you’ve found out there. You’re mine and no one else is allowed to have you."

"Why?" I ask, throwing my hands up in exasperation. "Why is this such a big deal to you? You could have any pack Beta you want. Hell, find one who actually wants to be your mate. Why me? Why this?"

"Because you’re mine!" she shouts, her voice cracking. "No one else gets to touch you, Reid. No one else gets to have you. Especially not some pathetic Omega. I smelled him on you, you know. That sweet, disgusting scent. That’s not going to happen again."

Her words hit like a slap, but not because they hurt me. No, they’re laughable, ridiculous in the worst way. I shake my head, a sharp, humorless laugh escaping my lips. "And if I don’t want you, Hailey? What then?"

"Everyone wants me," she snaps, her eyes narrowing, her posture stiffening.

"Not me," I say, the words laced with venom. "You’re the last person I’d ever want, Hailey. Because as I told you—I found my mate."

Her face goes pale for a split second before it twists into rage. Her fists clench at her sides and for a moment, I wonder if she’s going to hit me. Instead, her eyes well up with tears—tears that I know are fake—and she opens her mouth, letting out a blood-curdling scream.

"Help!" she cries, her voice echoing through the house. "Jackson! Lyle! Help me!"

I stay perfectly still, my expression blank as the sound of heavy footsteps thunders down the hall. It doesn’t take long before both Alphas burst into the room, their faces a mix of confusion and anger. Hailey immediately runs to them, throwing herself at Jackson like she’s the damsel in some twisted fairy tale.

"He—he tried to touch me," she sobs, burying her face in his chest. "I told him no, but he wouldn’t listen!"

For a moment, the room is silent. I expect Jackson’s fist to come flying at my face or Lyle’s boot to connect with my ribs, but neither of them moves. They just stand there, looking between Hailey and me like they’re trying to piece together a puzzle that doesn’t fit.

And that hesitation? It’s all I need.

I lean back on the bed, crossing my arms over my chest as a slow, smug smile spreads across my face. "What’s the matter, Alpha?" I ask, my tone dripping with mockery. "You’re not going to punch me in the face? Stomp on my ribs? Isn’t that what you do best?"

Jackson’s jaw tightens, but he doesn’t move. Lyle shifts uncomfortably, his eyes darting between me and Hailey again. For the first time, they don’t seem so sure of themselves.

"Why don’t you just admit it?" I continue, my voice calm but cutting. "You don’t believe her. You know she’s lying. You’ve always known, haven’t you? But it was easier to blame me. Easier to hurt me than to deal with the fact that your precious Omega is a manipulative little liar."

"Shut your mouth," Jackson growls, but there’s no heat behind it. No conviction.

I stand slowly, wincing as the pain in my side flares up. "Or what ?" I challenge, taking a step closer. "What are you going to do, Jackson? Hit me? Go ahead. Try. But we both know you can’t. Not while the investigation is still open."

His fists clench at his sides, but he doesn’t move. Lyle looks like he wants to disappear. Hailey, for her part, is still clinging to Jackson, her crocodile tears drying up as she realizes her act isn’t working.

"This isn’t over," she snaps, her voice shaking with fury. "You’re still mine, Reid. You’ll always be mine."

I laugh again, shaking my head as I grab my bag and sling it over my shoulder. It has everything I call mine stuffed in there since I won’t be returning. "Keep telling yourself that, Hailey. Maybe one day you’ll even believe it."

With that, I push past them. Jackson watches me leave before depositing Hailey in Lyle’s arms and moving after me. "What’s it going to take?" he asks finally, his voice quiet but firm.

I pretend I don’t understand, stopping feet from the door. I have a bombshell in my back pocket—using the forged contract as a weapon as a last resort. Zana says she’s got me, that it won’t affect her and Ethan. "What’s what going to take?"

"You know what I mean, Reid," he says, his tone sharpening. "What’s it going to take for you to tell the investigators that nothing is wrong here? We can’t afford this heat right now."

And there it is. The desperation. The crack in his Alpha armor. I can’t help it—I laugh. A short, sharp bark of a laugh that has Jackson’s eyes narrowing dangerously.

"You’re kidding, right?" I say, my voice full of mockery as I turn to face him. "You think this is something we can just negotiate? Like, oh sure, Alpha , let’s sweep everything under the rug, and I’ll tell them you’re the fucking model pack. That’s not happening."

"Reid," he starts, leaning forward slightly and I flinch before I can stop myself. It’s instinct. Muscle memory from all the times he’s gotten too close, too aggressive. He notices it, of course, and something flashes in his eyes—guilt, maybe, or just annoyance.

I don’t care.

"The time for negotiation is long past," I state, keeping my voice steady even though my heart is racing. "Hailey’s bullshit acting isn’t going to save you. She doesn’t love me and guess what? I don’t love her either. You and Lyle? You’ve done enough to make sure I don’t answer to you. Not now, not ever again." Zana’s confidence is thrumming through me, emboldening me.

I can’t wait till she bonds me for real so I can show off her bite.

Jackson’s lips press into a thin line, and for a moment, he looks like he might argue. But then he rests back against the counter, his eyes narrowing. "What do you want, then? What would it take for you to keep your mouth shut?"

"The only thing I want is to leave. Let me walk out of here. Don’t send those crack-ass police after me. Don’t try to drag me back. Just let me go until the investigation is over. And then, we dissolve this contract. Amicably."

Jackson doesn’t answer right away. He’s studying me, his Alpha mind working overtime to figure out if I’m bluffing. "I don’t believe you," he says finally, his voice low and dangerous. "I don’t believe you’ll keep your mouth shut."

I snort, shaking my head. "You really should have made sure of that before my fucking mother signed the contract."

That gets him. His eyes widen slightly, the mask of control slipping for just a second. "What are you talking about?"

"You didn’t know?" I ask, my tone dripping with mock surprise. "Oh, Jackson. I didn’t even sign that fucking thing. My mother did. Forged my signature and everything. So go ahead, keep threatening me. Keep trying to control me. But just know that this whole house of cards you’ve built? It’s one gust of wind away from collapsing."

For the first time, Jackson looks genuinely rattled. He opens his mouth to say something, but I cut him off. "I’m done talking. I think this is when people say goodbye, right? I hope we don’t see each other again.” Then I swing open the front door and step out onto the first step.

Zana is leaning against the car, her face scrunched up, her expression only loosening when she meets my gaze. She really was about to come save me, wasn’t she? My Alpha was. My Alpha.