Page 28 of Unhinged
“She smashed my damn nose in and took off. So yeah, this ain’t the fairytale version.”
I glance around the room, meeting every set of eyes I can. “She’s out there. Scared. Pissed. Guarded. And she’s got a kid with her—a boy, maybe eight or nine.”
My chest aches saying that out loud. Not just for her. For him. For the fact I didn’t protect them better when I had the chance.
I nod to Acid, who clicks something on his laptop and turns it toward the table.
“This is her,” I say, pointing to the grainy still pulled from Kenny’s surveillance. Her hair’s wild, her eyes sharp. She looks like she could kill someone and cry about it in the same breath.
I take a beat. Swallow hard.
“Name’s Brydgett. Her son’s name is Judge.” My voice tightens. “They’re ours. That means we’re officially claiming her as our Ol’ Lady—no maybes, no bullshit. She’s Kismet. And once she’s back here, and we’ve groveled like slugs, we’ll see if she stays. But for now, we ride like she’s already wearing our patch.”
A few low growls of approval. Someone mutters"Fuck yeah."
I clear my throat. “Hit the streets, boys. I want my omega back here where she belongs. She’s one of us now, even if she doesn’t know it yet. And we’ve got some serious making up to do.”
The brothers rise in a slow wave—boots scraping, cuts shifting. No questions now. No doubts.
Nitro still looks conflicted, but he gives me a nod as he passes. Not forgiveness. Not yet. But respect. I’ll take it.
As the room empties, I stay standing. The gavel’s still in my hand. My nose throbs. And my chest?
My chest feels hollow and full all at once.
Come back, Omega. Please. Let us get this right.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
BRYDGETT
I keep my hand wrapped around Judge's as we move through the alley, the weight of the day pressing down on me, thick and suffocating. The city hums with life behind us, but it feels miles away. I can’t focus on anything but the path ahead—the need to stay one step ahead of the Renegades. The need to get to the storage unit. To get to Ike. My body aches, craving the safety of my alphas.
No. Not mine. Just… alphas.Ones who could protect me.
It's a visceral pull, deep in my bones—like my soul knows their strength and the way they could make us feel safe. But I can’t fall for that again. Not after everything. You let your guard down with an alpha, and it ends with you damaged beyond repair.
The thought of it makes my heart race, the rhythm of it thundering in my chest. My core tingles with that dangerous, familiar heat, and I can feel it—slick and needy—my body betraying me. It's too much, too close, and I can't let myself forget what that kind of power does to me.
I glance down at Judge, his face a mix of innocence and worry. His small fingers grip mine, and I feel his pulse, steady and warm. He’s the only thing keeping me tethered to this life. To the hope that, someday, we’ll be able to outrun the ghosts of our past. And now Gears and his brothers.
I don’t look back. Not at our apartment, not at the alley, not at anything that might trace our steps. We have to be ghosts now—quiet, elusive, shadows in the dark.
We round the corner, keeping low, blending into the night. The plan is simple: get to the storage unit, get my car, and head to Ike’s place. He’ll let us crash there for a while. But first, we need to get there without anyone seeing us.
Every step feels too loud in the silence between us. Every breath I take is calculated, controlled. Judge’s grip on my hand tightens, and I glance down at him again. His eyes are wide, alert. He’s too smart for his age, and I hate that he’s already learned the rules of survival. But I won’t let him become like me—not if I can help it.
We keep moving through the streets, staying in the shadows, the edges of the light. The weight of the duffle bag on my shoulder is a reminder of everything I’ve lost, and everything I still have to protect. My hands itch for the comfort of the weapons I’ve hidden under the seat of my car. I need to feel them there. A sense of security in a life that offers none.
Every so often, I glance over my shoulder, scanning for any sign of them. The Renegades. Acid, Gears, and Arrow. I know they’re out there, hunting me. I can almost feel them, their eyes on my back, their presence heavy in the air. But I don’t stop. I can’t. Not while Judge is by my side. Not while there’s still a chance to escape.
We reach the street where the storage unit is located; the lights flickering in the distance. The place is isolated, tucked away behind an old warehouse that’s seen better days. Theperfect place for a car that doesn’t belong in the world I’m trying to leave behind.
I squeeze Judge’s hand one more time, pulling him into the shadows between two buildings. We wait for a moment, my pulse pounding in my ears. I can feel the quiet hum of the city, the low buzz of life happening just out of reach, but it all feels miles away. I pull the keys from my pocket, the cold metal biting against my fingers. This is the part I’ve been dreading. The part where I can’t be sure if I’m safe.
I take a deep breath, holding it for a moment before letting it go. We step out into the street, keeping to the edges, my eyes flicking back and forth like a hunted animal.
The storage unit comes into view, and I let out a slow breath. We’re almost there. I can almost feel the weight of the past few days lifting off my shoulders, but the moment I open that door, the real work begins.
