Page 79 of Waiting for Fate
“Motherfucker!” Creed bellows, dropping his weapon to hold his head.
This is a shit show. Not only did he go off script, we’re sitting blind out here if anyone else escaped the raid. “Let’s go. We need to check in with the others.”
He’s quiet as we trace our way back to the barn. Ridley raises a brow when we appear in the tree line, lowering his weapon when he realizes it is us.
“Barrett, you’re benched.” Catalco, the team leader for the FCDA raid, spits as we approach their group. One of their trucks is open and filled with captured vendors, including the two Silverstone cops. At least we didn’t lose all our leads in this mess.
“Man, for an alpha who just discovered he has a Fate matched omega, you seem to have a death wish,” another agent comments dryly. “I wouldn’t be chasing ghosts if I had a mate waiting for me.”
I glance at Creed but remain silent. There isn’t room for me to comment when I’m in the same situation. Running is what we do best. Joining the military was just another way to escape the pasts that haunt us.
Ridley and I leave Creed to deal with his boss, focusing on looking for clues in the barn. Another larger truck arrives, with more agents piling out. They all have gloves on and begin to catalog the weapons, stolen goods, and drugs inside.
“Over here.” Peterson flags us down, pointing to a bag being held up by one of their crime scene techs. “Looks like the same pills that alpha in Silverstone had on him.”
“Let’s hope one of those assholes outside has another lead for us to follow,” I grunt. “Or these drugs tell us where Harrison is getting his supplies from.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
THE HOTEL ROOMdoor slams as I stalk outside. I’m not really pissed at Catalco or Porter. What happened at the raid this morning was my fault. I said I wouldn’t let my personal issues with Marcus affect my judgment, only to end up chasing after him as soon as I realized he was at the drug market.
And he got away. Again.
As a result, I’ve been temporarily suspended from my FCDA duties. Fucking benched from the hunt for the breeding ring because I can’t get my shit together. Leaning against the exterior wall of the hotel, I stare up at the gray sky.
Questions left unanswered still haunt me, even years later. All my memories of my parents show me how happy they were. How in love. Yet the day I buried them both, this kid showed up proving that their happiness might not have been as bone deep as I always imagined.
Why had my father slept with Marcus’ mother?
According to her—not that I trust that sketchy omega—they were Fate matched mates. They met when my dad was out for drinks with a business partner, and the pull between them was too strong to ignore.
If I didn’t know his mother had pulled similar stunts with other alphas, I would believe her. The pull between Fate matched mates is designed to urge our bodies to bond.
Something I hadn’t realized until a few weeks ago. The most intense stomach pain had taken me to the nearby urgent care, where I learned it was phantom pain from a Fated connection to an omega who was experiencing heat symptoms. Somewhere out there, I have a Fate matched mate of my own.
One day I might find them, but I can’t focus on my personal life when my half-brother is still tied up with a breeding ring that kidnaps more victims every day.
If only Porter understood why I have to be involved in this case. I might not have known about Marcus’ existence until he was a teenager, but he still shares my blood. Carries my pack name. Letting him go unchecked as he tarnishes the legacy my father created is unacceptable.
Pushing off the wall, I head deeper into Silverstone. Lex warned me the police force here are complicit in the drug trafficking ongoing in the city, so I turn down a side street as soon as I notice a cruiser headed my way.
Traffic is heavy in the late evening with families headed home from dinner and after school events. The sidewalks are crowded, allowing me to blend in when the cops pass by. Getting caught up in their drama is the last thing I need when I’m already on Porter’s shit list.
I wander the city for a few hours to cool off, trying to reason with myself. This isn’t optimal, but it is for the best. At this rate, I’ll end up getting myself or someone else hurt in my quest for justice against Marcus.
Turning a corner, I’m knocked to the pavement when a fist slams into my face. Blood gushes from my nose, but I ignore it as I roll to the side to escape my attacker. Bodies are everywhere, surrounding me as I push to my feet. There are too many of them and I had to relinquish my gun to Catalco this morning. Another blow to my temple takes my knees out from beneath me and unconsciousness welcomes me before I hit the ground.
I wake up slowly, head throbbing from the hits I took earlier. My arms are tied behind my back, and my legs are bound, leaving me defenseless. The way I shift tells me I’m in the trunk of a car. I search for something to use to loosen the ropes binding me, but come away empty-handed. Whoever has kidnapped me cleared their trunk before tossing me inside.
Straining, I try to hear any sounds from the front of the vehicle, but the low thud of music drowns out whatever my captors are saying. At this point, Catalco will assume I took off back to New York because I am pissed he benched me. Which means no one will be looking for me for a few weeks. Fates, this is a disaster.
The car slows to a stop, and the music shuts off. I hear someone smack their hand on the outside of the car. We must have arrived at our destination.
They pop the trunk, blinding me with the sudden light. Hands grip my arms, dragging me out. I blink to clear my vision and take in my surroundings. We’re in an industrial garage with a grated elevator.
When we step inside, I drop my weight, trying to throw off the men carrying me, but my attempt is unsuccessful. They grunt and adjust their stances, tightening their grips. A gun presses against my side, silently threatening me to ensure my compliance.
Rattling fills the air as the elevator moves down a floor. As we jerk to a stop, screaming in the distance catches my attention. The man guiding us just smirks as he walks down the hallway.
