Page 6 of Captive Omega

"Looks like.” I nod toward the tall hedges at the bottom of the garden. “How are the security cameras working out?”

After Byron’s son Lawrence abducted Everleigh from this garden, Rune had us look over their security, find any gaps and plug them.

We settled on discreet cameras we buried along the back garden hedges, pairing them with motion sensors that would send a ping to their cell phones and mine if anyone triggered them.

Someone might breach the garden, but they couldn’t do it without one of us knowing all about it. And more importantly, seeing exactly who it is. A good first step in tracking them.

“No one would know where they were, even if they were looking right at them,” Rune says.

“That’s the point.” I point my chin at the building. “It’s too close to the back hedge. Someone could throw something over it and set it on fire.”

Rune stares at me. “I’m aware I know next to nothing about security, but don’t you think you’re being a touch paranoid?”

“It’s my business to be paranoid,” I deadpan.

His face breaks out in a grin, and he tilts his head to scrutinize the hedge. “You think we should move it?”

I don’t want to imagine the cost of moving a building contractors just put up, but Rune looks like he’s waiting for me to give the sign to tear it down and start over.

“Will anyone live in it?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “Everleigh’s mom hasn’t visited since she moved back in, and anytime Everleigh broaches the subject, Olive changes it. Everleigh needs a place to visit her mom, and her mom needs somewhere that doesn’t smell like alphas where she feels safe.”

The location makes perfect sense now. It’s as far away from the house as you can build something while still being on their property.

“The cameras and motion sensors should be enough. I can have Frost stop by and fit a sprinkler system to the roof.”

He likes side projects, and he’ll appreciate a taste of Nancy’s cooking.

Rune claps my arm, and we turn to the house. “Sounds like a plan. Y’all still need to come for dinner. Bring everyone.”

Here it comes…

“I’ll ask the others,” I say diplomatically.

Rune levels me a loaded look as he stops at the door. “Tell Blaine none of us give a shit about his scars. No one will stare at him here.”

“I’ll do that,” I lie, quietly relieved Rune isn’t pushing the issue as much as I thought he would.

Rune pulls the door open and the scent of savory cooking wafts toward us. “We’re having a movie night if you want to stick around?”

“Just because you no longer have a company to run doesn’t mean I don’t,” I quip, fishing my car keys out of my pocket.

Rune grimaces. “We’re busier now than we ever were running our investment business. Since Dexter Pieter ordered inspections for all free heat clinics in the city, we’re not going to be able to build new Ever Safe locations fast enough. The inspections will scare off omegas or he’ll start closing them down and they won’t have anywhere to go. Anywhere safe.”

And that’s the whole point of Ever Safe. A safe place for omegas where no alphas—not even its alpha owners—will step one foot inside. It’s why Vaughn, my beta packmate, is the one running day-to-day operations in the downtown location.

I glance at my watch. “I better go. We’re having a meeting tonight and Vaughn has been dodging them.”

He walks me through the entryway and to the front door, where we say our goodbyes. As I pass the kitchen, Everleigh is sitting on the edge of a counter laughing with Cian and Kylian.

Scent matched mates. A rare, precious thing for an alpha and omega to celebrate.

A long time ago, I thought it was something I wanted. Then all the certain things in my life crumbled to dust and I no longer had time to waste dreaming of something that might never happen.

So I let my hopes and dreams die.

I pull my cell phone from my pocket and dial.

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