Page 103 of Faith and Fury

Oh. Slowly, I shake my head.

He relaxes slightly, his muscles rippling as he leans against the couch. “God, I’m beat. Your head alpha sure knows how to work a guy to the bone.”

Everything inside of me hurts at the words. Head alpha. My head alpha.

“Woah, no need to get defensive,” he laughs, making me realize I’ve bared my teeth. “C’mon, kitten, let’s get you set up in the bedroom.”

Maverick offers me his hand. My instinct is not to take it, but even if I could stand on my own, I’m not sure how far I’d get before my knees caved in.

I accept his help, my inner omega preening at how strong he is, how steady, as he leads me into one of the adjoining rooms.

I don’t question whose bed I’m falling onto, or why the blankets are still warm.

As my head hits the pillow, I close my eyes tight enough to see colors.

Tight enough to hold back my tears.

Chapter Forty-Five

Jaxon

No, I almost say, outright. Go fuck yourself. But this mission is about more than Caleb. More than the RDF.

It’s about Faith.

I’d never forgive myself if something went down and I wasn’t there. She’s worked too fucking hard for me to sit this one out.

So here I am, lurking on the corner of Vera and Kirkoswald in my street clothes, waiting for the sun to come up.

If anything rises out of those tunnels, I’ll be ready.

The cops chatter inanely over the radio. I almost snipe at them to keep their mouths shut and their eyes peeled, but what use would that be? I’m paying plenty of attention for the lot of us.

“Jax, come in.”

My blood pressure spikes at the sound of Caleb’s voice. I pick up my radio, my tone hard and feelingless as I respond, “Still in position.”

“I want you to head south. Sirena thinks we need another alpha at the sewer grate on Princeton.”

“Princeton?” That’s ten, fifteen minutes from here. I’ll miss the sunrise completely.

“Take your bike. You’ll make it if you’re—”

“Bike’s too loud,” I snap. “If anyone is coming that way, I’ll just scare them off.”

He hesitates, then answers, maddeningly deadpan, “Guess you’d better run, then.”

Cursing, I put the radio down—not bothering to say anything to the cops on my block before I take off into a sprint.

I know we’ve got dozens of NCPD officers manning the streets, not to mention our own guys, but I can’t shake this certainty that I’m going to be the one to catch them. If the ring guards think they’re slipping past me, no matter where the fuck they crawl out of, they’re dead wrong.

Assuming I get to my new location on time.

Caleb wouldn’t be sending me off if he didn’t have a good reason, that stubborn voice in my head tells me. Loyal to a goddamn fault.

I don’t want to be loyal. I want him to bring my fucking omega back home.

The sky is just starting to light up the sky when I finally reach my mark. There’s only one other officer stationed next to the sewer grate—a young alpha with a low, tight bun—looking nervous. I gesture for her to get back.

---