Page 127 of Claiming Their Omega

The Sheriff and his deputies pull their cars right up on either side of the front porch steps and get out, the deputies standing behind the Sheriff as he knocks on the door.

With Alphas like the McAllisters, you never know what you need to be prepared for.

“When did you put up that security system?” Easton asks as we relax to watch the show. I wish we had some beers and popcorn to really enjoy this.

The McAllisters open the door, Leon and Kyle bunching up behind Travis as usual. The Sheriff says something—we can’t hear from this distance—but it makes Travis look furious.

“When Grace first came to the ranch,” I reply. “I wanted her to be safe.”

I never said anything about it. I was worried I’d sound paranoid. I worry about that a lot. I know that I’m more concerned about something happening to my loved ones than most are, scared that I’ll end up like my father. I hadn’t wanted to open myself up to ribbing. Especially when I hadn’t thought it was a good idea to bring Grace around in the first place.

That’s how we got our proof. I drove into the city and picked up some security equipment once Grace agreed to accept our bid at her presentation. I didn’t mention it to the others, but I went to a local tech store that also had security systems, since I wanted something proper and sturdy. The place offered to send someone out to set it all up for me, but I’m a fan of doing things myself, so I just said I’d follow the instructions and do well on my own.

The man behind the counter gave me a dubious look, like he thought I was going to call him in a tizzy a couple days later begging for help with the damn cameras, but I just ignored him.

I set it all up one morning when I was out milking the cows. Nobody else was up at that hour of the morning. They all let me have my alone time, so it was the perfect cover.

Having the cameras and all be so hidden wasn’t because I thought we’d get some cattle rustlers or anyone else actually on the property. I’d told myself at the time that I was being paranoid. The last thing I’d wanted was my pack mates finding the cameras and teasing me. That was why they’d been so well hidden.

“Well, they sure came in handy,” Hendrix says.

The McAllisters are putting up a hell of a fuss, pointing and yelling. They remind me of cranky toddlers, actually. It’s kind of hilarious. It’s also kind of pathetic, and kind of annoying.

“They don’t look like real threats, do they?” Grace notes, watching as the Sheriff and his deputies take the McAllisters down and handcuff them. “They seem just… ridiculous.” Her nose wrinkles. “In an annoying way.”

“That’s the thing about bullies,” Jesse says. “They’re pathetic and small, beneath. Doesn’t make them any less of a threat, though.”

The McAllisters definitely aren’t a threat anymore. All three of them are shoved into the back of the Sheriff’s car.

My cameras were well-hidden enough that Leon had no idea they were there when he showed up to destroy our barn. And because nobody but me knew about them, and I’d bought them on my own in the city where nobody knew me, there wasn’t a chance for the news about it to slip out.

They do say the only way to keep a secret is to keep it to yourself.

Even though some cameras were damaged by the fire, the footage was still saved to my computer. Leon had no idea that we’d installed anything, so he made no effort to hide as he rolled up in a car, walked up to the barn, poured gasoline everywhere on the hay in the loft and set it on fire.

When we showed it to the Sheriff, he said it was the most open and shut case he’d seen in years.

Hendrix gives a little wave as the Sheriff drives past us with the fuming McAllisters in the back of his car. The deputies follow.

“Do you think it’ll really stick?” Grace asks, a bit nervous.

“Between this footage and the accounts of Grady and the others at the auction?” Jesse smirks. “Yeah, there’s no way they’ll get away with it.”

“The arson charge will stick for Leon for sure,” Hendrix says.

“I don’t know if the other two will go to jail. It all depends. But they’ll be run out of town, that’s for sure.”

“Endangering an Omega like that? Open sabotage?” Easton snorts. “Yeah, there’s no way they’ll survive with their reputations intact even if they manage to stay out of jail. Everyone hates them. I’m sure a lot of folks have been looking for an excuse for years to stop talking to them.”

“They’re bullies,” Jesse says shortly. “They’ve made enemies of just about everyone. Even people they haven’t deliberately crossed—people wonder if they’ll be targeted next.”

“Or they just don’t want people like that around,” Grace adds, her tone brimming with anger. “If I heard they did this to one of my neighbors I wouldn’t want to invite them to my next barbecue, that’s for sure.”

I grin at her. She’s so fired up, it’s absolutely adorable. I’m glad that she didn’t run into Leon. He’s sadistic, in my humble fucking opinion, and I don’t want him anywhere near Grace.

But I get the feeling she would’ve loved to tackle him and beat the shit out of him. That’s our Grace.

And she really is our Grace now. No more pretending. No more hiding our hearts. She’s ours, just like we’re hers, the way we really always have been.

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