Page 28 of Packed Up In Vegas

“From the moment you got tangled in your seatbelt.”

Callie laughed quietly and squeezed me in a hug.

“Should we make a promise, you and I?”

“What kind of promise?” she asked.

“I will be your alpha in any way you want me to be. I will do anything I can to support your transition into this new life, but I want you to promise me that you’ll be open to it. I know you’re scared, and you have every reason to be, but you have a secret weapon now. You’re always going to be able to tell what I’m feeling, so even when your anxiety is screaming at you, I want you to check what you’re getting from me. Let the bond show you the truth of whatever situation you’re questioning. We can’t hide from each other. That’s nerve-wracking as hell, but I also kind of like it. I’ve never been able to be that vulnerable with anyone.”

“The anxiety does get pretty screamy.”

“I bet. Tell me what you feel right now coming through the bond.”

I felt the scrunch of her forehead against my skin. “I don’t really know what it is.”

“Good or bad?”

“Good. It’s soft, kind of warm.”

“That would be affection.”

“Well, now I feel dumb for not knowing it.”

Shame bubbled up in the bond and I intended to squash it immediately. “It’s not your fault you don’t recognize it. It doesn’t sound like you’ve experienced much of it in your day-to-day. I fully plan to change that.”

Affection from her flickered, and when I lifted her chin to place a delicate kiss against her lips, it flared along with whispers of lust.

“I know you have no reason to trust me, but the second you put your teeth in me you became mine, and I will always take care of who’s mine. If you can’t trust anything else, trust that.”

She snuggled up against me. “I promise I’ll do my best.”

“That’s all I ask, little dove.”

Ihad never been so scared in my entire fucking life. Waking up to find Callie and Amir both gone, the stench of her panic thick in the air… I didn’t want to think about what could have happened. I didn’t think Amir would hurt her but he was definitely someone who spoke his mind and Callie was so fragile right now. Amir could be tough to handle even when you were totally on your game.

I had immediately called security and they told me Callie was most likely the omega that had burst through the doors a moment ago. Staring out the windows and seeing her race down the road with Amir hot on her heels had plunged my stomach down to my toes. I should’ve done something more, should’ve gone after them, but I had stood frozen at that window watching them through the glass.

Diego had done his best with an inconsolable Kai who had all of Callie’s panic pumping through him from the bond, along with what I’m sure was a hefty dose of guilt that he hadn’t woken up in time to stop her. I couldn’t imagine what either of them were feeling.

The moment I had assured myself that Callie was all right, I let myself sink into my own little pit of despair.

How the fuck was I going to fix this? I had promised everyone I could but I had no actual confidence in my ability.

I dialed the lawyer who handled the shows, trying to figure something out.

“Go for John,” he said, answering the call.

“We have a problem and I’m not entirely sure how big it is yet.”

“Walk me through it,” he ordered.

I told him everything from my first meeting with Callie all the way up to her bolting out of the suite.

John whistled when I finally finished. “The omega bit first?”

“She did, yeah. We have it on video.”

“That might be the only thing that can save your asses if she does try to go after you. My concern would be her blowing up the entire organization. It’s not like we’re operating totally on the up and up.”

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