Page 50 of Wild Omegas
Damien smirks and disappears behind the dart-throwing booth as Carson and Brooks turn their heads to follow my line of sight. But Damien is already gone by the time they’re asking where he is.
I point to the booth. “There, he went behind it.”
Carson moves to get up. “We should go after him now.”
Brooks reaches over me to hold Carson in place. “No. If anything, we need to both walk away from Josie and leave her here to draw him out.”
“He’ll wonder where we went,” Carson argues. “We know he’s here, let’s move on it.”
Brooks sits back—a clear indication he wants Carson to, too. “He won’t wonder. He’ll know we went after him. So let’s give it a few minutes and we can leave one at a time.”
Carsons’s eyes narrow. I have to admit I’m feeling the same. “I know I agreed to this plan, but now that we’re here I can’t say I’m behind the idea of leaving Josie here alone for that alpha to grab her.”
“He won’t get far,” Brooks says cooly.
I wish I had Brooks’s confidence. “What if he or his people have screwed with something in the competition?” I have noidea what that could even be. Would it be possible for him to have riled up the bulls and made things more dangerous or something?
“We have back-up for a reason,” Brooks reminds us, although it does nothing to ease my nerves. “We have to trust in them.”
Carson’s eyes narrow. “How can you be so calm about this?”
Brooks’s free hand balls into a fist. “I’m not, but I’m also trusting the team out there who are dedicated to keeping Josie safe and arresting Damien. I know that might be hard for you, Carson, as someone used to being in charge, but I assure you that this is how it works, and it succeeds.”
Carson bites his cheek. His jaw locks hard. I can see where Brooks is coming from but I’m more inclined to panic like Carson, especially when Brooks gets up to leave.
“Where are you going?” Carson growls.
“To get some popcorn,” Brooks answers. “Want some?”
Is he actually going for popcorn or to start hunting down Damien? Maybe not being sure is the point. Maybe if Damien watches Brooks leave to attend to something as innocuous as snacks he’ll be less likely to see the arrest coming.
All eyes on us is less eyes on the undercover cops in attendance.
I finally see where Brooks is coming from and try to calm down. The itchy tape holding a wire against my skin underneath my shirt is also a fair reminder. We’ve planned for this. “It’s okay, Carson. Let him.”
Carson relents but only at my words. Brooks gives us a nod and heads back down toward the festival area with the game booths and food stalls.
Carson’s arm around me doesn’t leave for even a second. “I only want you to stay safe, that’s all.”
I tuck my head under his chin. “I know, and I love you for it. But we have to trust Brooks, too. We’re being watched by plenty of people here to protect us all.”
“Yeah.”
Carson settles for a bit and we watch another thirty minutes of competition before realizing Brooks never returned. It sends anxiety clawing at my insides and it’s hard to ignore. This gut feeling that something is wrong.
“Brooks should have been back by now,” I say.
Carson shoots a glance toward the food stalls where Brooks—or Damien, for that matter—should have been. “Agreed.” His brow creases deeply with worry. “We could go investigate.”
My stomach twists into knots because what I want to say and what I need to say are two vastly different things. “You should go investigate. I’ll stay here to watch Luke. I think he’s on next.” I look over to check and, sure enough, I can see his hat-covered head bobbing around behind the high fencing of the bull-riding ready area.
Carson’s eyes darken. “Josie.”
I straighten away from him. “This is the plan, Carson. Go look for Brooks. Law enforcement is keeping an eye on me. Go.”
Carson looks anything but okay with this, but hedidagree to the plan. The other alphas in our pack are currently acting according to that plan. So, finally, he relents. “Stay here where they can see you.”
I nod. “I will. Find Brooks and make sure he’s okay.”
