Page 45 of All That We Keep
Hopefully, maximum security will actually mean something this time.
I glance at the clock, watching it strike two in the morning just as the first cry hits the air, followed quickly by a second. The most beautiful sound in the world, the sound of my children announcing their arrival.
"They're here," I breathe, my knees nearly buckling with relief.
We stay a few feet away, letting Luca and Blake enjoy their first moment with their babies, signaling our first step into our new lives. It’s a moment of joy in the darkness that I’m all too happy to have. Blake waves us over, my gaze falling onto the two squirming bundles.
“They’re beautiful. God, I’m so proud of both of you bringing these wonderful bundles into this world. We're going to do everything we can to protect them." I press a kiss to each of their heads, four kisses in total before moving toward the couch, my resolve returning.
There’s only one step left.
Taking down Ward.
26
Grayson
We’re still at the hospital a few hours later under the behest of the doctor, making sure everybody's getting properly checked out after the chaos of the last few hours. My arm is wrapped up in clean white bandages where Ward's bullet grazed me, and the doctors checked out the head injury I got during my fight with Hudson. Thankfully it's just scratches and bruising - nothing that won't heal in a few days.
The hospital room feels like a sanctuary after everything we've been through. Blake is curled up against Luca in the narrow hospital bed, both of them exhausted but glowing with contentment as they watch over James and Samuel in their little wheeled crib beside the bed. The babies are sleeping peacefully, their tiny chests rising and falling in perfect synchronization. I can already tell they’re going to be trouble with their full heads of hair and piercing gray-blue eyes.
Luther, Maceo, and I have claimed the small couch in the corner of the room, spreading documents across the coffee table as we try to piece together everything that's happened. The TV is on low volume, providing background noise as we work through the legal implications of Ward's warrant out for his arrest and Hudson's near death experience.
My body aches from the fights, but there's a deep satisfaction in knowing that our pack is finally safe. Both immediate threats - Hudson and Ward - have been neutralized, and our babies are healthy and perfect. After months of living in fear, we can finally breathe.Kind of.
"Look at this," Maceo says, pointing to the television screen where a breaking news banner scrolls across the bottom. "Live coverage from the Hearthstone gala last night." It’s almost four in the morning at this point but no one’s been tired enough to sleep, all of us running on leftover adrenaline.
We all turn our attention to the screen, where a reporter is standing outside the same mansion they fled from hours ago. Police cars and ambulances line the circular driveway, their flashing lights painting the stone facade in alternating red and blue.
"Was it as extravagant as it looks?" I ask, gesturing toward the footage of the mansion's elaborate architecture and manicured grounds.
Maceo snorts softly. "Yeah, disgustingly so. The kind of wealth that makes you feel dirty just by being in the same room with it."
We share a quiet laugh, but our amusement dies quickly as the reporter begins explaining what investigators discovered at the scene. The camera pans across police tape and evidence markers, creating a stark contrast to the elegant party atmosphere that was there just hours ago.
"This is a developing story," the reporter continues, "but we're hearing from sources that someone found a trap door leading toa basement area that wasn't on any of the architectural plans for this property."
My blood runs cold as the implications hit me. "Wait, what the fuck?"
The reporter's next words confirm my worst fears. "Five battered Omegas were rescued from the basement, all individuals who had supposedly been placed with new packs through Hearthstone Omega Center over the past week. Instead, they appear to have been held captive in conditions that investigators are describing as horrific."
"Jesus Christ," I breathe, running my good hand through my hair. "You mentioned that Kai said they were missing but I had no idea Ward would have been holding onto them."
Maceo leans forward, his expression grim as he watches the coverage. "I thought something was weird about that place from the moment we walked in. The bathroom had a trap door, like it was built to capture or at least to continue whatever the fuck Hearthstone was doing. Hearthstone might have been closing down but I think Ward might have been preparing to become the middleman to other buyers.”
"I hope that bastard rots in jail," I growl out as I lean back against the cushions, groaning as they support my tired muscles. "The fact that he was still holding Omegas captive even while this investigation was going on, while he was supposed to be serving and protecting the public - I hate everything about it."
The betrayal cuts deep because Ward wasn't just a corrupt cop taking bribes or looking the other way. He was actively participating in trafficking, using his position and authority to facilitate the abuse of vulnerable people. The badge and uniform that should have represented protection became tools of predation.
"The investigation is ongoing," the reporter continues, "but sources tell us that Detective Elliott Ward has a warrantout in connection with these crimes, along with several other individuals whose identities haven't been released pending formal charges."
Relief floods through me at the confirmation that everyone now knows who Ward truly is. After everything he put our pack through, after the terror he caused Luca and the violence he inflicted on all of us, knowing the world is on alert is a relief. Once he’s finally behind bars, it’ll feel like heaven.
Luther stands up from the couch, his phone buzzing with an incoming call. "Right now, our primary focus is making sure our new babies are protected at all costs," he says, glancing toward where Blake and Luca are resting with James and Samuel.
His protective instincts are in overdrive, and I can see the calculation in his eyes as he processes everything we've learned. Ward's warrant doesn't automatically mean the corruption ends with him - there could be other officers involved, other people in positions of authority who were complicit in the trafficking operation.
"I’m going to the house to make sure it's all cleaned up," Luther continues, his voice taking on that commanding tone that brooks no argument. "I know the investigation isn't over, and I know they'll have lots of questions for us, but until Luca and Blake are comfortable, no one steps foot in that house. Not a police officer, not a detective, nobody except us."
