Page 76 of How to Rescue Your Surprise Baby

He shifted into a beetle and flew over the barbed wire wall, circling the compound once. He checked the smaller buildings first, the ones he didn’t have time for during that initial scouting mission. When he was satisfied, Telos flew around the largest building, crawling under a door.

Then he was buzzing down dimly lit hallways, double-checking that the building’s layout was exactly as he remembered.

The east hallway was clear. Telos dropped to the floor and crawled under the door, confirming the prisoners’ identities: several babies, four men—Walren with the short leg, Ivo with the scarred eye, Nat with the missing finger, and Killian who was curled up tight in a ball between his friends. All of them were holding their babies, probably for comfort.

Telos stopped halfway between them and the door, shifting into a baby. He coughed to get their attention.

Ivo blinked. Then he sat upright, his eyes wide. “There’s a baby.”

19

DATE NIGHT (PART 2)

“Of course there’s a baby,”Nat said dryly. “It feels like every time I open my eyes, there’smore.” He turned when Ivo shook his head, though. Nat’s eyebrows shot up when he saw Telos. Then he grabbed Walren and Killian, shaking them awake.

When Telos had all four men looking at him, he wriggled his fingers in a wave. “Hi. You probably remember me, so we don’t need another introduction.”

“That’s really fucking creepy,” Ivo muttered, hugging his baby closer and shuffling away from Telos.

“Just as long as you don’t scream.” Telos patted his ear to make sure his wire was still in place. “Y’all still there? Duke.”

“Here and waiting. What do you have?” came Duke’s tinny voice in his ear.

Telos spoke fast. “Three pairs of guards on the grounds. Last I saw, they were on the north, west, and east sides. Might’ve moved. I thought I saw crates in the smaller buildings. Unsure if they’re weapons. Also, the south building has two sleepingguards. I’ve verified the main building’s floor plan. There are four guards patrolling in here—”

Telos paused, cocking his head to listen. The guards in the building were talking amongst themselves, footsteps heading over.

“Fuck. I think they might’ve heard me.”

“Secure your location, right now.”

Telos released his shift, leaping smoothly to his feet. He shoved his hand into his pouch and slapped down a paper spell in the nearest corner. Then he shifted his nail into a claw, and stabbed his thumb.

He couldn’t wait for the blood to drip. Telos smeared his wound over the paper and grabbed the next spell from his bag, already bloodying it. It went down in the next corner.

The footsteps pounded closer. People yelled.

“Van pulling up to the gates,” Duke said. “We’re coming in.”

Telos sprinted to the third corner of the cell, flinging down another spell sheet. He’d barely made it to the fourth corner when the footsteps skidded to a halt outside his cell. He grabbed the last spell so quickly that it crumpled, rubbing his thumb over it. Then he smacked it onto the concrete floor, right as the door handle squealed.

The barrier snapped into place, a vibration in the air. Then the door pushed inward and budged no further, the kidnapper on the other side swearing violently.

“Pinks’ friends are secure,” Telos said, listening to the background noise of people fighting.

“Good. Secure the other cells,” Duke said. “Crush and Mav are heading in.”

“On it.” Telos was hurrying toward the unlocked door when he caught movement from the corner of his eye.

“Wait,” one of the omegas said. Walren?

Telos turned. “Yes?”

“What’s going on?” Ivo asked, glancing around in panic.

“We’re breaking you out. This is a barrier spell to prevent unwanted entry into your cell.”

“Leave us something to do!” Crush said in his earpiece. “I want to be heroic in front of our dates. Are they cute?”

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