Page 73 of These Bonds that Unite Us
He grips each of our shoulders tight before he disappears to check in with the rest of the studio and venue staff. Hopefully, the damage to the fans, the staff, and the venue isn’t terrible. The label will put out an apology statement, and ensure any fans who were injured are taken care of, but my conscience will still say we are to blame.
We stand in the parking lot for way too long. Night is in full swing and the air is growing chillier with each passing hour. Omen is still plastered to my chest. She tried to get down several times, but I just held her tighter. If she isn’t in my arms, I will fucking lose it, and the last thing we need is an alpha on a rampage.
Police and some FCDA agents showed up an hour ago, but they haven’t cleared us to go home yet. Apparently, an anti-designation group related to the church bought tickets to the show and tried to take control of the bar inside. They were attempting to create Molotov cocktails when a fight broke out with venue security. Thankfully, everyone was able to escape with only minor bumps and bruises, and stitches for a few of the venue staff.
An agent approaches us and takes Omen’s statement. Her eyes are drooping and my girl is dead on her feet from all of this mayhem. “So we’re free to go?” I ask, as soon as he’s done talking. My girl needs her nest, and I need to fuck one of my mates silly to shake the rest of this aggression riding my instincts.
The bodyguards assigned to Omen inside of the venue were overly apologetic as they drove us back to Starburgh. The sun is just peeking over the horizon when we pull into the driveway. Omen slept for most of the trip, her head in Nexus’ lap and her feet in Titan’s. Giving up the contact between us was difficult, but I recognize that both of my alpha packmates need to be reassured by her touch too.
Sitting in the back with Callisto gave me the opportunity to check in with him, which he needed. He is still shaken by what happened, but his worry mostly lies in us nearly losing Omen again. It’s complete horse shit that these bastards continue to target her. We need to find a way to make them back off for good. As sad as it is, I doubt having his wife in custody will stop Benjamin Montgomery from coming for our girl. If anything, he’s going to try even harder.
Omen trudges into the house, beelining for her nest. The defeated slump of her shoulders when her phone rings nearly has me snapping the device in half, but it’s Donovan’s name on the screen.
We wait at the entrance to her nest, not wanting to intrude as she talks to the DAU leader. She collapses face-first into her bed, breathing deeply and melting. Joy spreads through me watching her relax when she’s surrounded by our scents. She waves one hand in the air, inviting us to join her.
Donovan’s words are muted, but the tension they create is not. Disgust and anger flow from Omen’s bond into me, amplifying the lingering anger still hidden inside of my heart from earlier. She agrees with something he suggests and ends the call a few moments later.
The nest is quiet as she buries herself deeper into the blankets. Titan kneels over her, his massive hands working the stress from the muscles in her back while she processes everything she just learned.
“What did Donovan say?” I finally ask when my patience starts to run dry.
Omen sighs and pushes to her knees, shooting Titan a grateful smile before turning to look back at all of us. “Jacquelyn isn’t talking, but they found heat inducers on her. The men they captured alongside her were more than willing to talk. They are hired hands, I guess.”
We all hiss out a breath hearing that. This would have been the third time that woman drugged our girl, and it could have been fatal if we hadn’t stopped them. Even with Nexus’ bond to stabilize her rejection, Omen hasn’t recovered enough to physically withstand a heat yet.
“So, after my brother met and rejected your sister,” Omen starts hesitantly, worry evident in her bond. I nod encouragingly, sending her a pulse of reassurance. I no longer hold her responsible for her family’s actions, and I never should have done so before. “He went to Doctor Harrison’s lab and had that madman perform a black market knot removal surgery. It didn’t go as planned, obviously. Ben has been plagued with severe pain to the point of dysfunction ever since. So he is unable to have children, and apparently so is his wife.”
My stomach churns with this information, wondering why it is important. Nexus distracts us all, easing a moment of tenseness as he whispers apologies and promises to his dick tonever treat him so poorly. Omen snorts out a laugh, the stress lines around her eyes lightening a fraction.
“Since neither of them can conceive–and they believe Hannah will win custody of her children–they plan to force me to bond with Adam Pierson’s son. To have a Montgomery-Pierson heir they can mold to take control of the cult after my brother’s eventual death.”
“They what?!” Nexus gasps. Callisto is pale beside Nexus, his face turning a little green.
“Over my dead body,” Titan growls.
Waves of possessive anger snap out of me as I feel the beginning stages of a rampage taking over. No one gets to touch my omega, to breed her, except for us. Fuck, I need to get control of myself before I do something stupid like try to mount Omen and put a fucking baby in her before anyone else can.
“Tee.” I grit out his name, my jaw clenched so hard it hurts. I’m afraid to breathe, let alone move. My control is wire-thin and fraying rapidly. “I’m going to need you to restrain me.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Now Playing: Dancing On Our Graves- VIOLÁ
My brows furrow as I look between the doorway and the rigid alpha. Restrain him? To stop him from going after my brother? My omega urges me to comfort Nebula, but when I start to move closer he uses his bark to stop me.
“Don’t. If you come closer, the fraying control I have over my instincts will snap and I’ll go into a rut.” He bites the words out like it physically pains him to speak.
My teeth sink into my cheek as I struggle to maintain my own hold on my instincts. It’s difficult because my omega swears this is the perfect time to claim our mate. But are we ready for that? To complete the bond he started during my heat spike last week?
I can’t think straight enough to make a decision like that. A cloud hangs around my head, making my thoughts foggy. These men are the tether keeping me from getting lost in the devastation tonight brought into my heart.
My brother’s plan is a level of fucked up I never imagined he would go to. I guess expecting any decency from a man who willingly went to Doctor Harrison to undergo a black market knot removal surgery was a stretch, but to attempt to force me to bond with Senator Pierson’s son so I can bear a Pierson-Montgomery heir is unbelievably disgusting.
“Oh, gorgeous, you are in for a show tonight!” Nexus drawls, distracting me from my darkening thoughts. He edges toward his alpha mate while Callisto slowly scoots behind me on the bed. Cal is careful not to touch me, but he’s close enough I can feel the heat from his body at my back.
Part of me wants to sink against him, but logic reminds me that seeing me with another male–even his mate–could trigger Nebula.
Titan returns a moment later holding several lengths of rope in his massive palms. Realization strikes me, sparking a burst of my perfume and a matching blush. Nebula meant restraint like bondage. Is he really going to let another alpha tie him up?
