37. Mine

Three Days After Heat, Eight Days Since Kidnapping

While I was having my meltdown, Cy had scoured the security tapes, and Odie had gotten in contact with Gerard. Everything was set into motion within hours, but since then, we had been at a standstill.

Lucinda had vanished. Apparently, she had disappeared well before this, and Gerard didn't do shit about it. He felt horrible and blamed himself, and I made sure he knew I also blamed him now. This wouldn't have happened if he had just believed Ellie from the beginning.

His sister was a piece of shit, and it was time he accepted it.

I didn't mention that without everything that happened and Oliver attacking me, we wouldn't know we were mates, but that was an entirely different issue that I was ignoring. We were focused on Ellie.

We had moved to Gerard's mansion, and I had poked around the place, including all their old bedrooms. Sometimes I needed to take my mind off the present, and it helped. The entire place was on lockdown. More often than not, Gerard was near me, by threat of death from his daughter and adoptive daughter. He would be able to control any Alpha that came near us, and Oliver could handle any Beta as well.

I was the weak link, but no one liked my idea of getting a relic. I'd like one that matched Oliver's extra healing, and a sharp set of teeth to rip someone's throat out sounded great.

I was surprised that Odie and Cy let him near me, but since Gerard was now on our side, they weren't stupid enough to kill him just yet. Cy glared him down every time they were in a room together, and I knew the day would come that he'd get what was coming, but for now, he stayed in the background.

Cy and Odie were in and out, doing what they did best and trying to find any noise about Vaila, Ellie, or Lucinda, as well as any information about auctions. The thought of Ellie being sold to someone made me nauseous, and the thought of what might have already happened to her didn't help.

It was all disgusting, and I made them promise that I'd get to smash someone's face in. It was the least they could do.

With them in and out, I was able to heal a little. I flinched a little if they touched me without getting my attention first, and I refused to be in bed with them, but I only had nightmares on the first night, so I'd call it a win.

Another trusted Witch had been brought in to sort out what Vaila had done, and according to him, although the suppressors were a lie, everything else was active. The birth control was in effect still, and the curse and bad luck I had been living with were truly gone. It was hard to believe, and truthfully, I refused to accept it all without time proving his words were true. They had trusted Vaila, a long time family friend, and she betrayed them. How were we supposed to trust a random Witch pulled out of nowhere?

I told them all as much. I demanded a pregnancy test, which would pick up a pregnancy in a few weeks, and simply had to wait and see if someone else died to prove the curse was gone or not. It was morbid and anxiety inducing. They were all confident enough that they refused to leave me for too long, but if they died…

I shook my head as I sat in the library, hiding from Gerard and his guard dog. Gerard tried being friendly too much instead of being the statue he was meant to be. He had dropped everything to help in the search and rescue, but as far as I knew, he wasn't doing anything useful besides watching me. I was sick of it.

I wanted to be out there, helping, but I was trapped again. They kept trading one prison for another. For a few days, the cabin felt like home, but that was tainted, and I didn't want to go back. This place was slightly better, but it was slowly becoming a hell hole I would dig myself out of at some point.

"You're going to have to get a better hiding place." Gerard came around the bookshelf and looked at where I was sitting on the floor with a Kindle in my lap and a notebook next to me. I flipped him off and went back to reading.

"What can I do?" He had asked a variation of this a few times now, wanting to know what he could do to fix the wedge between us and the one he had created between himself and his kids.

I had given him various answers from stop being a dick and get a fucking brain, but nothing seemed to get through. From how his kids acted, I didn't think the relationships were so far gone, but he'd have to put in a lot of work to get them to a good place. Step one would probably be quitting as head bitch to the council and stop pressuring Ellie into taking his place, but what did I know?

"You know them better than I do, Mine. When you're ready to help me, I'll be waiting." Again, I had given him a head start and laid it out there, but he wasn't understanding.

I stood up and held out my hand, signaling for him to wait. I grabbed my notebook and got started on a rant.

First off, fuck you.

Second, believe your kids and actually care about them and what they want. Ellie might not want this life, and you need to buck up and accept it instead of being a cunty overbearing bitch. K?

Third, they all want a relationship with you, but this job and your behavior are shit. Quit. Spend time with them. Listen to them. Get to know them on their terms. You're an adult. Act like it instead of a snobby brat who is the bitch of the council.

Fourth, again, fuck you.

Fifth, reread the third one, and let it sink in. You ruined the relationships. The job made it a million times worse. Your inability to stand up to the council and your subservience to them has gotten you and all of us into this mess. Leave it behind when we find Ellie. Enough is enough.

Finally, we will never be good. We may be cordial because I'm their mate, but there is nothing you can do to fix what you have broken in me. I lost my life, my arm, and so many other little pieces because you didn't believe Ellie and continued to put your fuckhead of a sister on a pedestal. Be kind, and I will be kind. Be a nuisance and continue on this path, and your chances with them will be gone. We both know they will pick me and stay by my side. If I don't want to come here to brown-nose you, neither will they.

I shoved the notebook at him and left the room. The only place he wouldn't come into was my new room. It wasn't as comfortable as my nest, but again, that one was ruined, and I would be decorating a new one wherever we ended up.

I really shouldn't be such a snobby ass, demanding we move, but I didn't actually care. They'd do it for me, and I'd let them.

"Mine," Oliver said as I passed him in the hall.

I also flipped him off. Honestly, I felt more for him than Gerard. I shouldn't. I should be begging Cy to kill him now and forget about my safety, but unlike his boss, I saw emotion in his eyes. A twinge of sadness flashed through them when he looked at me, and that was enough for me to question what really happened that night.

With all the other bullshit that had happened, I wouldn't doubt that the ring also made him subservient to Gerard. If that was the case, Gerard had more blame on him than I thought.

One day, I'd ask Oliver about it. I'd want to get him alone, of course, which would be difficult, but maybe I'd manage it before Cy sliced his head off.

Of course that would mean I'd want Gerard's head, but I didn't want to push them too much. I was selfish to an extent and most definitely an asshole, but I knew the line. I toed it constantly, but I also knew I'd regret having them do that to their own father, no matter how much he deserved it.

I made it to my room, opened the door, then slammed it behind me. It felt good to let a little aggression out. Sex was off the table, I couldn't scream into a pillow, and the thought of punching a punching bag instead of someone's face added to the frustration. The need to be out there doing something grew, but I would never get to do it.

I longed for Cy and Odie, but I wasn't ready yet. I wanted to hug them and bury my face in their necks, breathing them in, but at the same time, it made me nervous and sweaty.

It had only been about thirty minutes since I came to my room when there was a knock on the door. I didn't bother playing games of knock this many times… I simply threw open the door and hoped for the best.

Standing just outside my door was Odie. I gave a small wave and smile but made no movements toward her. We had all had a talk, and they knew to let me make the moves, so I knew she'd stay put until then.

"We have a lead. Cy and I are heading out to see if it pans out." The other part of the deal was I would give them a goodbye kiss, just a small peck, each time they left just in case something happened to them. I happily obliged because, like I said, I wasn't a complete garbage Human.

I nodded and stepped forward, pressing up on my tiptoes.

"Not here. Will you come with me to see Cy? She's waiting out front."

I pressed my heels back to the floor and shrugged. There wasn't a reason to say no, so I walked beside her down the hall.

"How have you been?" She had been gone since this morning, and although Cy had been on the property, I hadn't seen her yet.

Again, I shrugged, having forgotten to grab a notebook. I should start working on one handed sign language, but who had the time?

"I heard you laid into Gerard." Oh good, she knew about that. "He deserved it. I read the note. I agree with everything you said, and you're right, we would choose you. You've been far better to us than he has."

I stopped and scoffed. The hell I have. I knew I was causing them pain, and it had only been chaos since I got here. First, I intruded, then we moved on to the silent treatment, finding out I'm their mate and missing an arm, the whole heat thing, and lots of other little things I'm forgetting. Not to mention right now where I was not letting them even get close to me on a normal basis.

How the fuck was I treating them better?

I tossed my hand in the air and looked at her like she was crazy.

"Even with everything that's happened, it's still better. I know you know a little about how we grew up, but trust me. I'd choose this over reliving that. At least you communicate. I don't have to dig into what you say. You just say it, and that's that. I don't have to worry about what's going on in your head. If I ask, you tell me, but more often than not, I don't have to ask. Sometimes I also just know." I assumed that had to do with being mated and whatever bond thingy was between us now. I wished I could see inside her head and get a better read on the situation, but that was apparently asking too much.

I rubbed my hand down my face and stomped my foot before flying into half-assed signing that barely made sense to me.

"I didn't catch any of that, but your facial expressions were enough. I know you don't believe me. I wouldn't believe me either, but I'm telling the truth. Remember when you said you knew you could trust me? I need you to tap into that." I cocked my head and rolled my eyes.

"We'll work on it. I want that trust back."

I sighed, feeling the truth in those words at the very least. I also wanted to find it again, but I didn't know when I would.

We started walking again and eventually made it outside to where Cy was waiting with a few other people, who I was told were part of their old team. They all worked well together, so it made sense that they'd get the band back together.

"Mine! Lovely to see you today," Sloane called out. He was another Alpha, but he seemed different. Maybe that was because he was outgoing where the other two I'd met were recluses.

I waved at him and their other teammates who were a Beta and an Omega. Leona, the Beta, and Iker, the Omega, helped with stealth work alongside Odie. Sloane helped Cy with tech and weapons. Of course, they were all trained to kill and take down as many people as possible and all that, but I found the split interesting.

"Come to say goodbye?" That sounded so final coming from Cy's lips, but I nodded and went to her.

I repeated the motions from before, letting her place a soft kiss on my lips, then I moved to Odie, and she did the same. In no time, they were all piling into an SUV and driving off to do who knew what to get back Ellie.

It was time she was brought home, but what condition would she be in?