Page 28 of New Year with the Cartel

"What happened?" I asked right away. I needed to know everything, even more than before.

"I lost it. The stress..." Elias's voice cracked, and he paused to collect himself. "He was furious. Not at me, he said, but at whoever or whatever had 'taken' his child. Three people diedbefore he accepted it was just nature. Yeah… he can be like that sometimes, and it's terrifying."

My phone buzzed—a text from Fendwyr asking where I was. I knew he would ask soon.

I quickly replied that I was napping, knowing his men would cover for me rather than admit they'd lost track of me. When it came down to it, they didn't want to disappoint him, and that was scarier than lying.

"But he's my fated mate," I whispered, more to myself than to Elias. "Shouldn't that mean something? Make him different?"

Elias leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table. "Being fated mates doesn’t change who he is. It just means you're destined to deal with his darkness." He sighed. "I once thought that I was his destined one too, but then it turned out I wasn't. I'm so happy for that."

Another text from Fendwyr. He was coming home early. Shit. I had to leave before it was too late.

"I have to go," I stood up in a heartbeat, perhaps too quickly as dizziness hit me. "Thank you for—"

"Be careful," Elias warned, keeping the same tone with me, full of warning. "When I left, he hunted me for weeks. Only stopped because another omega caught his attention. If you run... make sure you run far enough."

I rushed back through careful routes I'd mapped out, making it home just minutes before Fendwyr arrived. As he pulled me into his arms, scenting me possessively, I fought to keep my heart rate steady. I didn't want him to get suspicious. If he found out what I was doing… I didn't even want to think what would happen.

"You smell different," he murmured. "Anxious, like there's something troubling you more than usual."

"Just tired," I lied yet again. The lies just kept piling up with him. "Our baby..."

He hummed, his hand sliding to my stomach. "Rest then. I'll have dinner brought up. You need to eat better."

???

The package arrived three days after I met with Elias. I hadn't ordered anything, so I was curious, to say the least.

No return address, just my name written in elegant script. I knew I shouldn't open it—anything unexpected could be a threat—but something about it called to me. If I got rid of it, I'd still be thinking about it.

Inside, I found a USB drive and a handwritten note: "Thought you might want to know who you're really carrying a child for. Don't worry, it's nothing personal. It's actually very informative -R"

Rodriguez. Though it was just the initial, I knew it was him. He was still out there somewhere and now, apparently, also playing mind games with me.

My hands trembled as I stared at the drive. I should tell Fendwyr, should hand it over unopened. That's what a loyal mate would do. But Elias's words echoed in my mind, and I couldn't shake them away. Suffice it to say that I didn't trust my alpha anymore.

I waited until Fendwyr left for a meeting, then locked myself in our bedroom with my laptop. The drive contained folders, dozens of them, each labeled with an omega's name. Elias's was there, along with others I'd never heard of.

I thought I had been thorough in my search and had found all of Fendwyr's former loves, but it seemed that I hadn't.

There were also medical records, police reports, and surveillance photos. My stomach churned as I scrolled through them. There was Elias, obviously pregnant, being escortedeverywhere by Fendwyr's men. The photo definitely reminded me of my current predicament.

Then, there was another omega, trying to leave the compound, being 'convinced' to stay. The revelation was beyond absurd.

Hospital records documenting stress-induced complications. I'd kind of expected that, but seeing it with my own eyes still surprised me.

"No," I whispered, one hand moving to my stomach. "This is terrible. Just how dangerous is Fendwyr?"

And then, there was more. Video footage showed Fendwyr's reaction after Elias's miscarriage—the cold, methodical way he'd hunted down anyone he thought might be responsible. The bodies he'd left during his pursuit. Just like Elias had said.

My phone buzzed: Fendwyr, checking in. "Everything okay?"

I stared at his message, tears blurring my vision. How many times had he sent similar messages to other omegas? How many times had he claimed it was for their protection while slowly suffocating them? Too many times, I immediately thought to myself.

"Fine," I typed back, the lie bitter on my tongue, as it always was. Lying was easy, but it didn't mean I liked doing it. "Just resting."

The next video showed Elias's escape attempt. The resources Fendwyr had mobilized to find him. The desperate measures Elias had taken to stay hidden. Only the appearance of another omega—the next folder in the sequence—had finally drawn Fendwyr's attention away.

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