Page 28 of Bound By Pain
News stations camp outside, reporting on the rescue of so many missing Alphas and Omegas. Thankfully, my face is unknown, so I can slip by them without being hounded for updates. I’ll leave all the publicity to Porter and the FCDA’s press secretary.
Security calls Porter when I arrive at the building. Since the Eternals kidnapped me off the streets, any form of identification I had on hand is now missing. I don’t have my personal ID or agency badge to verify who I am.
“Did you have the tech team invalidate my ID?” I ask Porter when he escorts me inside.
“As soon as we realized you were missing, yes.” He grunts and waves me through a second door, leading into a small office. “But you don’t have to worry about it being misused, because it was mixed in with the evidence Ferguson secured.”
Letting out a relieved breath, I take one of the empty seats. Losing your government-issued identification is risky. Whoever finds it can’t use it to access government buildings, but theycanuse it to impersonate you and commit crimes. Which is a terrifying thought. I do not want anyone using my name or likeness to harm others.
“First, I owe you an apology,” Porter says as he sits across from me. He leans his elbows on his knees and meets my eyes. “It took too long for the agency to realize you were missing. If the follow-up to your temporary suspension had occurred on schedule, we may have been able to track you down sooner.”
Blowing out a breath, I admit it isn’t entirely his fault. I share the blame for acting recklessly and getting taken.
“Even so, I’m sorry.”
“Let’s just move on. I would like to get back to the hospital before my Omega wakes.”
With a nod, he dives right in. He has me recount the night I was kidnapped and everything I can remember afterward. It’s obvious some of what he hears makes him uncomfortable, but he doesn’t comment until I get to the day Bea arrived.
“Fates, Creed! I do not understand how you could maintain control of your Alpha after that.”
“Sheer willpower. If Marcus figured out who she was to me, what they did to her would have been a thousand times worse.” Honestly, after seeing them toss her back in that cage, blood-soaked and missing her scent glands, I don’t know if it wouldn’t have been better to fight for her earlier.
Shaking my head, I rid myself of those thoughts. We can’t rewind time, so I have to accept that I did all I could in those moments to get us both out alive.
When the debrief winds down, someone knocks on the door. Porter gets up to open it, so I take a moment to stretch my legs. I’m feeling a little jittery after sitting for so long. A remnant of being caged for a long period. My mind doesn’t like this stretch of inactivity.
Donovan Griffith, one of the DAU’s leaders, walks in, with Lex following behind him. I raise an eyebrow at my friend, but he just gives me a bland look and remains silent. McBroody has returned, apparently.
“Mister Barrett,” Donovan greets, offering me a hand to shake before claiming one of the spare seats.
“You both share a Fated connection to Miss Powell, correct?” Porter asks, aiming his question at Lex.
“Yeah.”
“And you intend to claim her as your Omega?” Donovan speaks this time, glancing at us with narrowed eyes.
“She’s mine,” I tell him.
Lex is quiet for several seconds before he jerks his head. I’m oddly relieved to know he isn’t running from our mate. She’s been through enough. She doesn’t need one of her Alphas being an asshole to her.
“To continue this conversation, it will go on record that you are announcing your intention to bond with her.” Porter’s serious expression raises the hair on my arms, my instinctspushing to the surface as my inner Alpha senses something is wrong.
CHAPTER 16
“That’s fine with me,”Creed says immediately, then turns to look at me.
I fucking hate this. Having Ridley up my ass about accepting my connection to Bea was annoying enough; now I have to deal with him, too. They will not accept my reasons, no matter how valid they may be.
But I also know I can’t walk away from Bea again. Feeling her pain, knowing she was hurting and alone, that I wasn’t there, it’s wrecked me. Battered the wall I built between us until it’s one hit away from crumbling.
“I understand.”
Porter nods, side-eyeing me as he slides a folder onto the coffee table between us.
“Bea is being… difficult,” Donovan admits. There is a fondness in his eyes that tells of the closeness between them. With her family working for the DAU, she’s been raised in the organization. I know the older Alpha views her as somewhat of a granddaughter. A view she shares.
“She’s refusing to allow her doctors to explain the depth of her injuries. Instead, she asked her mother to bear that weight. Shelby has spoken with the staff and is ready to convey everything to Bea when she is ready. Until then, as her Alphas, we feel it is imperative that you know what happened. There are serious risks involved, and consequences we won’t know until after her body has healed.”
