Page 44 of All That We Keep
"You're going to die," I growl, increasing the pressure on his throat. "Slowly."
Ward's eyes start to bulge when I hear the distinctive sound of multiple guns being cocked behind me. I don't release my grip, but I'm aware enough to register that the room has suddenly filled with police officers.
"Stand down!" someone shouts, but the command barely penetrates the killing rage that's driving me forward.
It takes three officers to physically pull me off Ward's unconscious form, their combined strength barely enough to break my hold around his throat. I fight them every step of the way, my Alpha instincts screaming at me to finish what I started.
"Luther, stop!" Blake's voice cuts through the chaos, and finally something breaks through the red haze. "The babies - Luca needs you!"
I stop struggling against the officers holding me, my head clearing enough to take in the full scene. Ward is crumpled against the wall, breathing but barely conscious, his face a battered mess. Grayson is sitting on the floor clutching his wounded arm, and Luca is still pressed against the far wall, his eyes wide with shock at the violence he just witnessed.
The Chief of Police steps into the room, his expression a mixture of confusion and anger as he surveys the destruction. "What the fuck is going on here?"
"Ward was about to take Luca," I say, my voice still rough with rage. "He's the buyer that Hudson was working for, the corrupt police connection that's been enabling this entire trafficking operation."
The Chief's face hardens. "That's not possible. Ward is one of my best detectives and one of the only ones that wasn’t part of that corrupt bullshit with Hudson. There's no way he would be involved in something like that."
"Then explain why he had a gun to my Alpha's head," I snap. "Explain why he was demanding Luca come with him because he 'paid for him.' Explain why he showed up at a house he wasn't called to within minutes of Hudson's attack." I fist my bloody hands at my sides, willing my anger to stay put lest I end back up in jail when my pack needs me.
"We're still investigating all of that," the Chief says evasively. "Right now, I need you all to get back home. We have several questions because we heard there was an intruder at your residence. Hudson has been transported to a high security hospital and is currently in a coma. He’s expected to make a recovery but how he was able to slip past the officers holding him not once but twice is now part of a larger investigation.”
I hold back my laughter, knowing full well that my contact in the FBI is also looking into that bullshit.
Grayson pushes himself to his feet, wincing at the movement. "I was protecting my Omega when a man broke into my house and threatened my mate and unborn children. Any court in the country would call that justified."
"Yeah, we're not sure about all of that," one of the other officers says dismissively.
Before anyone can respond, Luca makes a sound that immediately captures all of our attention. It's a gasp of shock and pain that cuts through all the tension in the room. "Hey, I think the babies are coming right now," Luca says, his voice tight with pain as he looks down at himself in shock. "I think my water just broke."
Blake rushes over to Luca immediately, his hands fluttering over our Omega's distended belly. "We have to go!" Blake says urgently. "The babies are coming now!"
My protective instincts surge into overdrive, every other concern fading in the face of this new priority. My pack needs me, my children are about to be born, and nothing else matters beyond getting Luca to safety.
"Move," I command the officers still holding me, and something in my voice makes them step back immediately.
Grayson and Maceo fall into formation beside me as we create a protective circle around Blake and Luca. We move as one unit toward the exit, our pack dynamics clicking into place despite the chaos surrounding us.
"You still have a lot of questions to answer," one of the officers calls after us.
"That's going to have to wait," I throw back over my shoulder. "Our babies are on the way."
The drive to the hospital is a blur as Blake holds Luca against him in the backseat, Grayson on the other side as Luca grips Blake's hand so hard I'm surprised he doesn't break fingers. The contractions wash over him in increasingly frequent waves, Luca’s face contorted in pain. We spent a little time preparing for this moment but it fell into the background more recently with everything else.
"Breathe, cupcake," Blake murmurs, his voice gentle despite his own obvious panic. "Just breathe through it."
"How far apart are they now?" I ask, weaving through traffic.
"Maybe two minutes," Maceo says from the passenger seat, timing the contractions on his phone. "We need to get there fast."
I can hear Luca's breathing becoming more labored, punctuated by soft sounds of pain that make me feel helpless. This should be a joyful moment, the arrival of our children, but instead it's been tainted by violence and fear. A police car follows us to the hospital, the officer apparently determined to continue his investigation despite the circumstances. I file that information away for later consideration but the only thing that matters is Luca.
The emergency room staff takes one look at Luca's condition and immediately springs into action. Blake and Maceo help cart him into one of the delivery rooms while I position myself at the door, my body language making it clear that no one unwelcome is getting past me.
The officer who followed us tries to approach, pulling out a notepad with obvious intent to continue his questioning.
"Not now," I say firmly, blocking his path. "My Omega is in labor with my children. Whatever questions you have can wait." The officer opens his mouth again but I just snarl at him before waving down one of the nurses. “He’s not allowed inside. He’s not pack and he’s not family.” She throws me a timid nod as I slip into the room and shut the door behind us, all of us holding on for the arrival of James and Samuel.
The next few hours pass as we encourage Luca to push, staying beside him, holding his hand, Blake nearly climbing onto the bed as Luca won’t release his hand. One of the nurses finally pulls Grayson away to bandage up his arm and the cut on his head, thankfully all surface wounds. I’m more thankful that Hudson is alive because it’s one less investigation hanging over our pack. Unfortunately, it also means one more issue to deal with later.
