Page 28 of Escalating Alpha

“I believe you. I do. My adopted mother is already meeting with the council to get answers and try to figure out what is really going on. But this is very, very real.” I thought of something and swallowed loudly. “Apparently, the head of the council is sending one of the vampires he personally turned—someone seriously old to protect me and my son. That kind of real.”

I was glad when Lewis and Niall both gave me a thumbs-up that it was a good plan, Lewis already texting.

“You’ve closed the gaps on this location?” the CIA director checked.

“Yeah, not ethical, but we put sensors up there and—we’re covered. Also, the elder is putting up magic. I don’t know. I’m a bit buried too and waiting for the next fucked case for me to handle. Every time they say someone took a plea deal in the DeKalb case I do a cartwheel; otherwise, I would have been testifying for a decade.”

“That shit gave me nightmares and I officially put in my calendar to take my kids out for ice cream and something fun once a month. I never—nightmares.”

I snorted. “You didn’t see the physical state the people were in. I have all the nightmares too.”

“I swear to you that I won’t give the president what I should, and I will get with this councilman to help more than get information. You’re needed, Thomas, and anyone who goes after a fucking baby should burn.”

He already had but might as well use it for more. I thanked him and hung up, blowing out a slow breath. I met Niall’s gaze. “Tell your former master that our ledger is clean as long as henever disrespects me or mine again. We all make missteps in power plays to keep ours safe. I’m understanding, but he should never take that for weakness.”

“I think he understands that given who called him for the first time ever to ask he help you,” Niall said with a dark chuckle.

Good.

“Mama!” Topher said loudly, getting that he could now.

I went right for him with a chuckle. I kissed all over his face and sent him images but also said it out loud for the others. “Your dad has to leave tonight, so get some time with him and I’ll come for bathtime, okay?”

“Mama!” he giggled which I took as his agreement. “Okay, Mama!”

Okay, apparently, he learned that now too. It was in baby, but we all knew what he meant.

Dain moved his hand to my arm to stop me from turning away and slid it to hold my hand. “I called Queen Laila and asked for help.”

“You already told me. We have the archers now,” I muttered and pulled away.

“We’ll head out,” Lewis said, reading the room. “I’ll let you know if there are any updates, but we’ll be working in the party room.”

I thanked them and went back to my food, noting that Maya escaped while she could too.

“I asked for help for me,” Dain clarified as he sat next to me with Topher on his lap. “I asked for someone who could deprogram my noble instincts and—”

“I can’t hear this, Dain,” I whispered. “I don’t really get why you have to go to DC early but I trust you. Thank you for handling this.” I scrubbed my hand over my face.

“What? I feel your sadness and—why do you feel guilt?”

“Because I’m thinking something mean,” I mumbled. I was going to swallow what else I was going to say, but then I thought better of it. “I don’t think deprogramming or anything else will actually help at this point. You can feeleverything, Dain. Even more with our bond. But you never felt my disappointment? Orannoyance?Hell, my actual disgust at all the kale or—”

“It’s overwhelming a lot,” he interrupted. “You know this. You know this with your own power and—it’s also not all your feeling. Sometimes I’m so busy trying to block things like you do so you don’t hold things against people—I tried so hard to provide for you and it never seemed enough. It hurt me. I never understood that—”

“Because you didn’t fucking listen and then I just seemed ungrateful. I get it. There are women all over the world who would swoon at their husband having chefs meal prep for them and take care of all of that. But yourwifeis someone who grew up without any fucking choices. I grew up being a chore and burden—an item to be checked off lists.

“Andthenyou ignore everything I’ve said but listen to all themenaround you. After all the sexism I’ve dealt with—deal with all the damn time. Were you just trying to like hit every hot button of mine and see if I’d finally beat you in sparring? Was that the goal or—”

“I’m sorry,” he rasped, trying to hold my hand. “Part of that was my jealousy that Brian always—”

“Yeah, gets away with so much. But you’re making the same mistake he does.” I met his gaze and didn’t hide my anger. “Not listening to me. I told you to leave earlier and I told you now that I can’t hear this. I’m glad you’re ready or finally willing to fix what’s wrong here, but I’ve been trying for a while and I’m exhausted. With a lot.”

“Please, please, don’t give up on us,” he begged as he stood. “I’ll figure out a way to…”

I bobbed my head, wanting to make a snide comment about having fun finishing that statement. “We’re bondedforever, Dain. What’s there to give up on? It is what it is.” I swallowed a sigh when he didn’t leave. “Have a safe trip.”

I let out a slow breath of relief when he did go and focused on my food. The coverage of what was going on was unreal. People were protesting all over the place—Chicago was actually up in arms about it all since I was from here. It was nice to see and completely unexpected given how much people loved to hate on me.

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