Page 135 of Faith and Fury

“I heard something upstairs,” one of them says. He gestures for a couple guys to follow him, and I tag along—nodding at Jaxon to keep looking around down here.

We storm up the stairs. Kick down all the doors. So far, no-one has shown themselves.

That’s when I hear it, too.

Whimpering.

I push in front of the SWAT guys, opening the final door myself—right at the end of the hall. Presumably a bedroom.

I don’t know what I’m expecting to find.

But it’s not this.

Three female omegas, wearing nothing but their underwear, huddle together in the back corner. They each have a tag on their ankles, blinking red.

“Weapons down,” I bark. The SWAT guys behind me hesitate for a moment before obeying.

“Hey …” Slowly, I inch forward, my hands up. “It’s going to be okay. I’m with the Rogue Defense Force—we’re here to help.”

The omegas try to cover themselves, wrapping their arms around their chests.

Lowly, I snap over my shoulder, “Get some blankets. Hurry.”

Someone dashes off. I stay where I am, not wanting to scare the omegas further.

“My name’s Caleb,” I tell them. “What about yours?”

One of them—with long brown hair and wary eyes—shifts in front of her friends, shielding them. “I’m Vera.” Her face darkens. “But he calls me Alice.”

“He?”

“The old fuck,” one of the other omegas, small and fierce, snarls. “He owns this house.” She grits her teeth. “And us.”

Suddenly it all makes sense. This alpha who bid on Faith—he’s bought rogues from the ring before. Hell, he’s probably been doing it for years, if he already has three locked away in his mansion.

Axe’s words ring in my head. He’s got a vested interest in making sure the ringleaders don’t get arrested.

I should hold back. These poor omegas have been through enough … but I can’t help myself. Not when I imagine Faith’s fate being anything like this.

“What can you tell me about him?” I press, gently. Someone hands me a heap of blankets, and I offer them to the omegas, seeing them relax slightly as they cover up. “Duke Cunningham.”

Vera shudders. “What do you want to know?”

Suddenly Jaxon comes barging in. “Caleb!” he gasps. Then, seeing the omegas, he stops. “Woah. What’s—?”

“Everything clear?” I cut him off.

“Uh …” he looks at the omegas again, concerned. “We found an underground bunker, but it’s been cleared out. Recently.” His voice deepens. “I scented Faith.”

My heart stops. Faith. She was here.

“I guess Micah knew what he was talking about,” I mutter, then turn back to the omegas. “I’m sorry to ask—I promise we’ll get you somewhere safe soon—but this is urgent. Do you know where Duke could’ve gone? Any other properties he’s talked about? Any big plans?”

The omegas look between each other. I see in that moment how pale they are, like the only light they’ve seen in months—maybe years—is the light coming into this house. Already, I make a mental note of all the health checks they need. What kind of rehab might work best.

And how to make sure Duke Cunningham spends the rest of his life behind bars.

Quietly, Vera says, “I can think of a place.”

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