Page 90 of Who We Were

With a parting kiss to my forehead, my beta and his pack members walk out my front door. I sigh, and Vincent tugs on my hair a little. "No. No sad tears. Not after that handsome man begged you not to."

"Handsome, huh?" I tease, snuggling into his side.

"And sexy," he adds. His rumbling laughter and gentle arm tickles carry me off into a heavy nap.

As I ride the lazy river of slumber, a craving enters my dream on a float of ice cream.Maybe he will read my mind and I'll wake up to some chocolate ice cream.

"Sleep, little love, and your dreams will come true."

60

PAUL

What was once just a worry has now become a country wide fucking emergency. My desk is nowhere near the only one with stacks of missing persons cases. I'm not a detective, but the monsters who threatened these omegas are in my caseload, making this partially my issue.

Seventeen omegas, men and women, boys and girls, all missing. Some snatched from the exits of the rehab facilities, others from the comfort of their new lives.

Comfort!Everything this abused designation deserves has been stripped from them once again. Only a few of the missing omegas are new cases, proving that these traffickers are widening their target radius.

Not only are the academy omegas who have only experienced freedom for a year being kidnapped, but they are grabbing any omega left vulnerable to the world.

Nebraska, Missouri, and Kentucky. This group of traffickers is heading our way. The clock is ticking, and they’re getting ballsier if they are headed right for the OPS headquarters.

Everyone near the east coast is on high alert, news finally releasing to keep your loved ones close and omegas protected, as this new threat wreaks havoc through our states. Many of us are working overtime these days because of it.

My office door slams open, the hinges protesting my colleague’s panic. "Arison!" No other words are spoken. His wide frantic eyes and the manilla envelope he holds tells me everything I need to know.

We're out of time.

I have my daughter on speed dial, ringing her over and over again, begging for her to answer. I pray to anything and anyone who might give two shits about a dad who loves his little girl and swore to never let anything happen to her ever again.

I just found her.

Please don't take her from me again.

"Pick up the phone, Amaya!" I roar, tapping her name over and over again.

Please, please, please!

"Your call has been forwarded to an automated voicemail."

61

VINCENT

Amaya's sweet tooth and sleepy ramblings give me the perfect excuse to get her my first courting gift. Traditionally, I should have been showering her with thembeforeI bonded her, but staying close was more important than gifts.

Our fresh bond doesn't want me to leave my mate’s side, but her little snores and our tether making me practically drool for ice cream tells me how much she wants the treat.

"Amaya," I whisper, tickling the arch of her nose until she stirs and blinks sleepily at me. "Do you want me to run out real quick and get you ice cream?"

She frowns. "You're leaving?"

"Only if you want me to. We ate all the ice cream Sam bought during your heat and it's late enough that I'm pretty sure they're asleep."

Her mouth twists like she's biting her cheek, but I let her think about it. I have more input now to her needs than I ever did before, but it's ultimately her choice.

After some thought, Amaya nods. "You'll be back soon?"

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