Page 9 of Going Down Smooth: Part Two

When they release me, I can barely keep my eyes open as they all begin to kiss and lick the spots they claimed as theirs. Trey’s is between my neck and shoulder, Nate’s on the wrist of my right hand, Lox and Knight both chose to bite my inner thigh, one on either side. “So fucking beautiful, Mercy. You’re ours now, baby,” Knight croons as he kisses his bite, sending delicious chills up my spine. All I can do is smile, high on the feeling of sensing their emotions for the first time.

My eyes close as they continue to tend to my bites. My final thought as sleep claims me once more is that my pack is complete.

My pack.

Mine forever.

SIX

NATE

Christopher did not disappoint us. His arrival at the hospital the next day is met with a barrage of questions from the press about Mercy’s well-being and the status of her health, which, of course, he knows nothing about. We kept everything about Mercy’s condition under wraps thanks to Heath, who seems to be getting on better with Lox as the days pass.

I watch the live stream from the multiple media sources who have set up shop outside the hospital for the past three days. Mercy has made headlines all over the world. Little did we know, our girl is making serious waves with taking over her father’s business. With the new legislations and Omega-friendly cities and towns sprouting up all over the place, it is a welcome change to see progress being made.

As I watch with rapt attention from my phone beside Mercy’s bedside, we listen with disgust to Christopher as he attempts to set back the movement of change. I hate the man. Considering he was a major figure in both Knight’s and my life, I used to have respect for him. My parents never bought into his rhetoric on our societal structure and its relation to “God’s word”, so it’s safe to say we never drank the brainwashing juice. When our parents died, the foundation of our own ideals had already been laid, so it was easy to ignore his prejudices, until now. Until he tried to kill my mate. Until he crossed the fucking line.

Turn it up, please.Mercy places the notepad in front of my screen blocking my view. I smile and turn the volume up on my phone so she can hear better. I stand from the chair I’m sitting in, and she beckons me with her chin, gesturing for me to sit beside her. I carefully help her slide over to make room for me on the bed, mindful of her injuries as we both settle back onto her pillows. I catch her wrist and plant a kiss on the mark I put there. Her body shudders in response as I lap at the bite with a swipe of my tongue to further the healing.

“I applaud my daughter’s efforts and my support for her will continue as she recovers. She is exceptional for sure. But if the burning down of Smooth Bourbon tells us anything, it’s that the world is not ready for such a drastic change in our society’s structure. The majority of our cultural beliefs revolve around the protection of Omegas, and there are a lot of people out there willing to do anything to protect the old ways. I hope no one intentionally meant to do my daughter harm and that this was a mere accident, but I will leave the investigations to the police. I will say this, you ask us to accept the changes, yet there are those who would counter and ask that those who seek this change respect our wishes for things to remain the same. The choice, should of course, be to their discretion.” Christopher’s voice booms down the mic as a sea of hands shoots into the air to question him further.

He stands there in his pristine, navy-blue double-breasted suit, golden crucifix cufflinks gleaming in the morning sunlight, with Mercy’s mother, Seneca, and father, Edward behind him. It’s clear by the way Edward tucks Seneca under his arm protectively that they want nothing to do with the spectacle before them. Without Benjamin as a dominant Alpha, it is evident Christopher is loving his newfound control of their pack. Does he not understand that his own Omega is uncomfortable and wants nothing more than to be by Mercy’s side? Can he not feel her emotions, or is he ignoring them?

“What a dick,” Trey says from the other side of Mercy’s bed as he watches from his own phone. We opted not to turn on the massive flatscreen TVin the room out of sheer principle, plus Lox is grinding his teeth so hard from the couch he might tear the thing off the wall in outrage. . .the grip on his own phone is telling.

“So, you think an Omega can’t hold a position of leadership or power?” a random reporter asks from the crowd.

Christopher clears his throat and looks into the camera, as if he can see us watching him. “I’m saying that an Omega needs to understand their limitations. They need to understand their Alphas are there to protect them, nurture, and give them security in the home. It’s not the other way around. We all know biologically an Omega is meant to be cherished for what they can bring to the pack. . .the future, their family.” He smiles as another reporter chimes in before any other hands go up.

“You say you support your daughter, but your words contradict that. What is it, pastor? You either believe in change for all designations or you’re of the mind that oppression, forced marriages, and animal-like captivity of a human being should remain the same.” The camera zooms in on the reporter who is openly sneering at Christopher. I recognize her from the national news, Charlotte Matthews, an Omega who staunchly advocates openly for Omegas rights.

Christopher frowns at her accusation but he doesn’t falter. If there’s any sign her question makes him uncomfortable, he doesn’t show it. But we all know it has. His grip on the podium has tightened and his jaw flexes as he forces a smile. “Ms. Matthews, I assure you that change is not easy. There are those in our society who don’t see the world as you do. This is a highly polarizing topic in the world, and it’s important for me as a community leader to listen to the majority. My daughter, due to her nature, has always been an exception to the rule, therefore she should not be made the poster Omega for your little movement.” He smirks, and you can almost feel the tension in the crowd as the reporters scramble to process what he is trying to say. Of course, he is speaking of Mercy’s late presentation, as if that somehow made her different biologically, as if she is lesser. Mercy flinches beside me, and it only makes me murderous. I’ve never felt the need to inflict violence on a person, it’s not in my nature. But the driving urge to protect Merce makes me irrationally bloodthirsty.

“But that’s where you’re wrong. Mercy Smooth is the perfect example a lot of Omegas seek to emulate. She is a woman in a position of power, an Omega with a voice. One who can make changes in her community and the world,” Charlotte argues with her own knowing smirk of satisfaction.

“Power is relative, Ms. Matthews, it is fleeting and easily taken.” Christopher smiles a toothy grin, wide and predatorial. “Now, as for your other claims,” he turns ignoring all the other questions shouted at him and gestures to Seneca. “Does my beautiful Omega look oppressed to you? I can promise you that our mating was not forced, and she goes where she pleases. So, again I say, nothing is wrong with the way things are. Why go against what God already deems righteous? Now, if you can all excuse me, my daughter is waiting.” Christopher turns and leaves the mic, leaving the reporters shouting after him as he storms through the doors of the hospital.

“Is he serious? He’s delusional!” Trey says in anger and frustration at the debacle we just witnessed.

“Obviously,” Knight replies then looks up from his own phone as he moves away from the door he was leaning protectively against. “Are we all ready for this?” he asks, eyes creased in concern, more for Mercy than the rest of us.

Mercy shoves my phone away, chest heaving in anger as she struggles with her notepad beside me.I DON’T WANT HIM HERE!!

“None of us want him here, baby. We need him to believe we don’t suspect him in any way. So, we will play the game. We will let him show us his cards, because he will. But he won’t come near you,” Knight says with sure certainty. He’s right. We need to pretend that we are none the wiser, but it still makes me bristle that we can’t hurt him here and now. I don’t want to play the long game, I want our retribution to be swift, brutal, and satisfyingly lethal.

Mercy frowns, then nods her head in agreement. I’m sure if she could speak beyond a hoarse whisper, we would be privy to more than a few phrases on pieces of paper. I bet she is practically screaming internally. Physically, he won’t get near her, but his words are enough, sinking into her psyche like poison. The man is toxic, and he hides it with fake smiles and his bible. Again, I wonder how their pack ever survived with three completely different Alphas from the start.

“Well, he’s predictable, and it will serve us well in the long run. Just because we didn’t see the lawyers, it doesn’t mean they aren’t here. Christopher is doing exactly what we thought he would. So, we have an idea of what will happen next at least,” Knight says reassuringly.

“Mouse, look at me.” Lox stands and crosses the room until he leans over me to get to Mercy. “We got you. We are right here.” He points to his heart, and she relaxes in my hold. “So, whatever he has to say, let his words fly and land flat, baby. His words, his actions, they don’t mean shit. Remember you are in control. You know why?” He arches a brow at his question as he waits for her response.

Lox’s lips turn up in a smirk as Mercy mouths,Why?

“Because we see him, songbird. We are not in the dark about his intentions, and that gives us one hell of an advantage,” Trey answers before Lox can reply. Lox glances at Trey and points at him in approval. For so long our pack acted independently of each other, yes, we lived and worked together, brothers, but we were aimless. Finally, after all these years we are working as a unit, feeling, anticipating, and acting on one accord. All for her.

“Exactly—”

A knock on the door interrupts Lox’s words and Knight gives Mercy a nod of encouragement before he turns to open the door. I can feel us all mentally bracing for impact. I press a kiss to Mercy’s temple, easing off the bed to stand beside her, mirroring Trey on the opposite side, like we’re two watchful sentries.

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