Page 77 of Waiting for Fate
“Yeah man, I swear! Last time I got my hands on the stuff that makes you rut like an alpha! I was hard for hours!”
Their laughter echoes around the empty underpass, hiding my feet shifting on the gravel as I follow them. They veer off the path and slipped between two pillars into the woods. Grabbing my phone, I shoot Ridley a text telling him to grab the car and wait nearby, just in case this goes south.
I follow them for several minutes before an old manufacturing plant comes into view. A metal-roofed building sits closest to this edge of the lot. The doors have been removed, leaving the interior open to the elements. Inside, I spy rows of tents and tables holding everything from jewelry and weapons to drugs.
Fucking hell, there is a black market in Silverstone.
A car pulls around the side of the building, so I duck behind an old propane tank. The bold black letters on the side identify it as a police vehicle, but the officers inside aren’t here to shut the place down. They’re here to shop.
Snapping a few pictures with my phone, I slip back into the trees. There’s no point in lingering and risking getting caught here with no backup to pull me out.
Ridley has our van idling at a small pull off up the path from the underpass. I jump into the passenger seat and buckle in. “Get us out of here.”
“What did you find?”
“Proof Silverstone PD are corrupt.”
He whistles, focusing on getting us back to our hotel on the other side of town. I watch the mirrors, noting all the cars pulling onto the road behind us. It’s unlikely anyone noticed me nearby, but it would be reckless to act as if the enemy isn’t aware of our every move.
Back at the hotel, I grab our secure laptop and set up a video call with Porter. It’s late, nearing one in the morning now, but this is urgent. We need backup and a plan to deal with the police presence here.
“Ferguson. Hale,” He greets gruffly, his voice still thick with sleep.
I jump right into it, relaying everything I saw tonight.
“You think this market could lead us to Harrison?”
“It’s likely his drugs are being sold there, which means he is supplying the dealers here.”
Porter hums, moving off camera and rustling around. When he returns a moment later, he’s dressed in professional clothing. “I’ll get a team ready and mobilized within the next few hours. You two lie low and keep your heads down until we get there.”
Ending the call, I sink back into the desk chair and rub my temples. The hunt for Doctor Harrison is tiresome. Having the local police working against us doesn’t make our job here any easier. I just hope this lead pans out.
The sooner we get this bastard in custody, the better. For everyone.
“Get come sleep, Lex. You’re overworking yourself, and I don’t want to take care of your ass when you get sick.”
I scowl at Ridley, ignoring his demand, and opting for a shower instead. With the water washing the sweat and stress from my body, my mind drifts to fantasies of a future I cannot have.
The scent of pineapple and coconut permeates my clothes and brings a smile to my face as I get dressed for work. In the kitchen, Bea’s soft curls bounce as she sings and dances while she makes breakfast. Her tiny shorts hug her ass, leaving her long legs on display. Fates, do I love her legs.
She hears me walk in and turns, smiling brightly. Embodying the nickname Ridley has given her—our very own sunshine to light up the darkest of days. “Good morning, Alpha,” she murmurs, leaning up to press a kiss to my jaw.
I wrap my palm around her throat, feeling the flutter of her pulse and the silvery scar of my bite mark. Pressing my lips to hers, I savor the taste of coffee on her tongue. “Good morning, mate.”
Blinking, I wipe the water from my face and push the wet strands of my hair back. Imagining a life with Bea is a torment I have grown addicted to. Waking up next to her, taking her on dates, building a pack together. I’ve imagined it all a thousand times.
Longing for a lifetime at her side doesn’t make accomplishing that any less dangerous. The lingering effects of the abuse I endured as a child is still too rampant in my nightmares to burden her with a bond to me.
The longer we’re away from Starburgh, the more intense my desire to be with Bea grows. Maybe I need to start seeing the DAU therapist Donovan recommended. She’s worth facing my trauma for.
After we catch this asshole Doctor Harrison and dismantle the breeding ring he’s connected to.
A knock at our hotel door has Ridley and I on alert. Porter’s team won’t arrive until later tonight, and we aren’t expecting company.
Ridley holds the door handle, waiting for me to get into position across the room with my gun ready. When I nod, he inches it open. “Hello, Chief Orelta.”
I stash my gun before Ridley steps back and allows the older man into the room. It’s still within reach from my spot on the bed because I’m not taking any chances with the corrupt cops in this city.
