Page 174 of Roulette Rodeo
"Not an actual rodeo," Poppy calls out, already climbing back into the truck. "It's what the locals call the monthly omega gathering at the fairgrounds. Like a farmers market meets social club meets 'let's get drunk and gossip about our alphas.'"
"Sounds thrilling," Rafe says dryly.
"It's actually fun," Red defends, but she's smiling. "I went last month, remember? You guys dropped me off but had to deal with the wild bull running through town.”Oh…we forgot about that.Now the idea of missing it makes me want to go. “They have amazing food, local crafts, and yes, lots of gossip. But also, it's one of the few places omegas can just exist without alphas hovering."
The pointed look she gives us suggests we've been doing our share of hovering.
"Fine," I concede. "But location tracking stays on, and you text if anything seems off."
"Yes, sir," she says with a mock salute that mirrors Malrik's earlier one.
She kisses each of us goodbye—even Rafe, who looks startled but doesn't pull away—then climbs into the truck. Poppy immediately starts talking a mile a minute about something involving someone named Brittany and a scandal with two alphas and a hot tub.
As they drive away, Red waves through the back window, looking happier than she has in days despite everything that just happened.
"We need to talk," Rafe says once the truck disappears around the bend.
"Yeah," I agree, already running through tactical scenarios in my mind. "Marnay's not going to give up."
"He's going to escalate," Corwin adds. "Men like him always do when they don't get what they want."
"He can certainly try," Talon says, cracking his knuckles. "I've been itching for a proper fight."
We head inside, but my mind is already elsewhere. Thinking about contingencies, escape routes, safe houses. All the things I'd stopped considering when we'd settled into this peaceful life.
Because Malrik was right about one thing—Red is bait now. Marnay has shown his hand, made his interest clear. And men like him don't take no for an answer, not when their empire is at stake.
But he's about to learn something that might be the last lesson of his life:we're not the civilized pack he thinks we are.
We're not reformed or domesticated or any of the other lies we tell the good people of Jackknife Ridge.
We're killers, trained in different schools but all graduating with the same degree in violence.
We've just been very, very good at pretending otherwise.
The house feels different without Red in it—quieter, less alive. Duke whines from his bed, clearly missing his favorite person already. I know how he feels. Three months and she's already become essential, the center our pack orbits around even when we're all too stubborn to admit it.
"We need to make some calls," Rafe says, already pulling out his phone. "Reactivate some connections we've let go dormant."
"I'll check our weapons inventory," I offer. "Make sure everything's still operational."
"I'll review the security footage," Corwin adds. "See if Marnay left any surprises."
"And I'll go have a chat with some people in town," Talon says with a grin that promises trouble. "See what the word is about strange visitors asking questions."
We all pause at the door, looking at each other. This is it—the moment we decide whether to maintain our facade of normalcy or embrace what we really are for the sake of keeping Red safe.
It's not even a question.
We move in different directions, each to our assigned task, but our goal is singular. Our purpose united. The look we share before separating says everything without words, cueing that we'll talk more once Red gets back, but the priority now is clear.
Keep Red safe and theirs.
ANGRY BIRDS AND COMPLICATED DYNAMICS
~RED~
The little green pig's smug face taunts me from my phone screen as I adjust my position on the hood of Talon's project car—some vintage muscle car he's been restoring for the past month.
