16. Titus Cerulean is a Hoot

Chapter 16

Titus Cerulean is a Hoot

Sinclair

T he best view is through a low gap in the hedge, so I’m on my hands and knees on the damp grass looking through it. My alphas are inside the flower garden on the other side. I watch them wait for the Cyans with a fluttering heartbeat.

As if reading my mind, Paisley, crouched next to me, asks in a hushed tone, “Are you nervous?”

“It’s not so much nerves as anticipation.”

She laughs louder than probably intended and claps her hand to her mouth then whispers, “Yeah, I bet you can’t wait to see them beat the shit out of those assholes.”

“Do you think they’ll cry?” I joke, and she giggles.

“God, I hope so—oh my god, is that them?” She bolts to her feet and points into the distance.

At least four men walk in our direction across the vast lawn. I jump up too, and we scurry around the corner of the hedge so they don’t see us. It’s not that we aren’t allowed to be here, but my guys wanted me to stay out of sight.

“Is an Elder with them?” I hear Ecker ask.

“Looks like it.” Titus grunts.

I press my cheek against the roughly shorn leaves to get a look inside the garden. Blue flowers bloom in every quadrant and in the center. The golden animal heads poised on columns like busts gleam in the sun.

Titus’s shoulders are unusually loose. He’s clearly more comfortable preparing to get in a bloody fight than he is in the suit and tie required at the brotherhood nights. Bishop scans the garden like a hawk, as if he’s constantly analyzing and strategizing behind those hazel eyes. And Ecker bounces on the balls of his feet like a kid waiting in line for a roller coaster. He looks way too excited for this.

They couldn’t be more different, but they still share so many of the same traits. The earned confidence with which they hold themselves, the strength they emanate. And the slight air about them that makes you think they might just be completely unhinged.

Unhinged and mine, I think fondly, and both Ecker and Bishop’s heads turn right toward where I’m standing. Bishop tongues his cheek, and Ecker smirks slightly. They must have felt me admiring them, and I feel an equally smitten rush come through our bond.

Titus’s mocking tone gets my attention. “Aww, had to go running to Daddy, didn’t you, Yves?”

I spot the Cyan alphas and Elder entering through the other side of the hedge. Exhilaration races as I hurry back to my original peephole. Paisley follows right next to me.

“You’re not as discreet as you think you are, Cerulean,” the Cyan Elder answers.

Yves’s lip curls and he looks like he’s holding back a mouthful of retorts, biting his tongue in front of his Elder—or hiding behind him.

He’s so goddamn pathetic , I scream internally. Ecker subtly glances my way with a small snort. He must have sensed my annoyance. Bishop nudges him, and he returns his focus to the pack in front of them, fixing his smirk into a scowl.

Titus holds his hands out. “Well, now that everyone’s here, can we get to it?”

Ecker and Bishop fall into fight ready stances on either side of him.

“No. There will be no more of this ridiculous infighting.”

“They attacked our omega!” Ecker shouts and lunges forward. Bishop’s quick to fling his arm out to hold him back.

The Elder lifts his chin. His stork mask looks particularly garish with the sun streaking down the long beak. “You should have protected your omega better,” he says coldly, but you can hear the mocking delight behind it.

Bishop surprises me when he snaps and barks loudly, all composure gone. “Are you fucking serious?”

The smug sneer on every single Cyan alphas’ face makes my blood boil. Paisley squeezes my shoulder as I seethe silently.

“Fine, then just Yves and me,” Titus offers. “One fair fight between pack leaders and we’ll put all this to bed once and for all.”

“No infighting of any kind, between any alphas or packs,” the Elder reiterates.

“This is bullshit.” Ecker shakes his head with a scoff.

“This is final . And just so we’re clear, Miss Sinclair, would you please come out with the Beryll omega?” My stomach drops at the Elder’s demand.

Paisley gives me a nervous look, and I try to reassure her with a confident nod as we stand up.

We walk around the perimeter of the hedge and into the garden. I don’t hide my glare as I pass the Cyans and go stand by my alphas, making sure that Paisley is tucked behind all of us. Ecker slings his arm around my shoulders, and Bishop flanks my other side.

“I hope it was made abundantly clear the day of your ceremony,” the Elder begins. “But in case you’ve forgotten, let me remind you the cost of disobeying the Echelon is paid by your family .” His frigid, evil eyes find mine as he stresses that final word. My heart freezes as my blood instantly chills at his impeccably clear implication. “This is your only warning. After that, consequences will be swift and sure.”

A jagged lump catches in my throat, and I can’t say anything, do anything but nod weakly. My mind is filled with the horrific images of the woman’s tortured body that was hung like a flag our first day here. The burns and cuts that littered her corpse and the agonizing, heart-breaking screams of the male prisoner she was killed to punish.

“Well, I’m glad we could have this conversation.” He chuckles heartlessly. “Now, do enjoy this beautiful, sunny day.” And with that, he turns on his heels and waltzes away, waving his hand for the Cyan alphas to follow.

I’m left feeling like I was doused with ice water. Even Ecker’s warm body holding me feels cold and sterile.

Bishop tries to comfort me. “They’re just trying to scare you—”

I interrupt him with the only thought that matters. “Can we go see her? Right now? Please.”

It feels surreal pulling up to my old apartment building in a town car owned by the Echelon with my three noble alphas.

Seeing the dilapidated siding, trash-strewn parking lot, and barred windows makes me question the reality I’ve been living in. One with a personal attendant, hired drivers, castle-like estates, and sprawling, manicured lawns.

Nerves eat up my insides. What will I say to her? How will I explain these men or where I’ve been? For all she knows, I’ve followed my mother’s footsteps, strung out on Lust Dust and working on my back to earn money for a man.

As soon as the car comes to a stop, I reach for the door handle, deciding stalling will only make things worse. Titus beats me to it, and I quickly withdraw my hand so I don’t hurt him.

“So, um . . .” He clears his throat awkwardly. “If she asks how Mr. Barnes is, just go with it.”

“What?” I ask, bewildered.

“Uh, Mr. Barnes is your, uh . . . employer.” Titus seems embarrassed as he looks at me through one cracked eye, face scrunched.

“Bro, what the hell are you talking about?” Ecker questions, and I’m comforted he’s as equally confused as I am.

“Okay, I sorta checked in on her a while back.”

“Who? My grandma? ” I ask in disbelief.

“Yeah.” He tries to roll his eyes like it’s not a big deal. “It was after the Cyans hinted about something happening to her if they didn’t get answers on who you really were.”

“I thought you went to Opulence?” Bishop leans forward in his seat.

“I did. After.”

My mind is going a mile a minute trying to make sense of this. Nothing is adding up. “So who’s this Barnes?”

“Well, I needed to explain who I was and where you were, and I didn’t quite feel like saying I was a pimp so.” He trails off as if we should be able to piece it together from there.

We all look at him, dumbfounded. He acts all exasperated that he has to spell it out. “ So , I told her your debt had been bought by a wealthy widower to serve as a nanny for his kids. I’m his valet.” He shrugs.

“And who are we supposed to be?” Ecker questions, still sounding just as befuddled as before.

“I don’t know,” Titus scoffs. “His pool boys or some shit.”

“ Nice .” Ecker nods proudly with a chuckle. “I always thought I’d make a hot ass pool boy.”

My hand hovers above the door. I don’t know if I’ve ever knocked on this door. I’ve always had keys, as it was our home, not just hers. My chest squeezes. My home was always wherever she was.

I swallow past the lump in my throat and rap my knuckles on the wood. My heart races as we wait, and I pull up the neck of the hoodie I’m wearing to make sure my burn is covered. Luckily, the ice and alpha hormones I got right after the attack took most of the swelling down, and some strategically placed makeup by Penelope takes care of the light bruising.

I hear the familiar shuffle of her slippers on the other side of the door and emotion wells in my chest.

“I’m comin’, I’m comin’,” she hollers. My vision gets misty at the sound of her voice.

“I can’t do this.” I gasp, but Ecker stops me from turning around.

“You got this, baby girl.” He rubs my shoulder, and my heart trips as we listen to the lock disengaging.

My grandmother’s warm, greeting face shifts to confusion, then her eyes jump wide with realization.

“Oh, my Sinny girl!” She squeals and pulls me across the threshold into a tight bear hug.

I can’t stop the tears that spill in droves at her warm embrace and nostalgic scent. The pilled fabric of her house dress rubs against my cheek, smelling of potpourri and fresh biscuits. She holds me firm and coos, “Shh, shh now. It’s alright, baby. We’re alright.”

When I find the strength to pull away, I sniffle and laugh at the same time. “I just missed you a lot, I guess.”

“Oh, how I missed you too, my love.” She pats my cheek tenderly then turns to the men, placing a hand on Titus’s shoulder. “And Mr. Crocker, it’s so good to see you again. I’m sure you’re laughing all the time with this guy around.”

I feel like I’m in some parallel universe as I flatly agree, “Yeah, he’s a real hoot.”

My grandma outstretches her arms, and now I’m positive this is some alternate reality because Titus warmly accepts her hug with a smile — a smile!

She gives his shoulder a knowing nudge when they let go. “Did you get a chance to take that new elevator, huh? Grinwald, that useless rat, finally did something for once.” She chuckles then bustles toward the kitchen, waving us over. “Now, sit, sit—I’ll put on some tea.”

I’m still frozen to the spot she pulled me into. Overwhelmed, confused, but so fucking happy I think my chest might actually split open.

Bishop takes my hand and whispers, “I like her.”

“Yeah.” My voice cracks, and he pauses to wipe the tear at the corner of my eye with his knuckle. “She’s pretty great.”

While we’re still by the door, I ask quietly, “Why didn’t Titus say anything before?”

He smiles softly. “It’s in the silent things that Titus shows his love.”

Then he gently pulls me toward our family, old and new.