Page 49 of Claimed Omega

That morning, we’d made a plan. We had to discover how many guards we were dealing with at Don’s funeral and how best to approach Axel. We had decided to kidnap him sometime during or after the funeral and force him to confess to his crimes, even if we had to record him secretly to get the evidence we needed.

Of course, there were many variables. I’d been freaking out most of the morning, but the guys insisted they’d make this work, and I believed them.

So, here we were, climbing up the stairs in the dimly lit building. I noticed the peeling paint and the broken tiles on the floor. The building appeared to have been abandoned for years. Why had no one bothered to tear it down? The place carried a strange combination of mold and decay, and it made my stomach turn. I tried to take deep breaths, but the air became more suffocating.

My skin crawled, and I kept staring over my shoulder at the shadows, feeling as though someone was watching us. Someone like Axel’s men. The creaking of the floorboards beneath our feet sounded like whispers, and we were intruding on a place where we shouldn’t be.

I sensed Shadow’s eyes on me. “Are you sure about joining us? It’s dangerous, and I don’t want to put you in harm’s way.”

I let out a sigh. “Being left alone is just as dangerous, if not more so.”

Aspen chimed in, trying to reassure me. “We won’t leave you alone. I’ll be right there with you.”

“How about you give me a gun, and I can help,” I responded, my voice measured. I needed my men, but I also had enough of sitting around feeling helpless. No one said anything, but I could tell they were all thinking the same thing. They had all agreed I shouldn’t be armed, and that irritated me because I was a quick learner.

“Fine, then you don’t get to complain about me being here.”

“We know you’re strong and capable, but the stakes are too high to take any risks. We can’t lose you. I also respect your wish if you want to be here.” Viper stepped closer, his tone gentle.

Frustration and fear boiled inside me. The recent events had shaken me, especially after speaking with Frannie and seeing where she’d ended up. I worried about her safety with Axel.

We finally arrived at the tenth floor, huffing and puffing from the climb. The floor revealed itself as a pitiful sight. Broken windows were boarded up with crude pieces of plywood, and large holes in the walls showed the rusted metal skeleton of the building’s structure. Pigeons had taken up residence in the corners of the ceiling, their coos echoing throughout the space.

Shadow made his way to the dark and broken windows and with a flick of his hand, beckoned us to follow. We all peered out, looking across the park at the funeral home in the distance. It was an imposing structure with grandiose architecture and a towering spire that reached for the sky.

The scene below was chaotic, with people milling about and cars parked haphazardly. The funeral procession had yet to arrive, and the tension in the air was palpable around the sterile white building. A small garden in the front provided the only splash of color in an otherwise dreary scene.

I watched in silence. It was a risky move, but I also knew that our time was running out… someone would find us soon enough. So, we had to prove Axel was guilty in the next couple of days, then the bounty on our head would be called off. Otherwise, we’d be forever on the mafia’s hit list.

Like hawks, my three Alphas sharply scanned the area outside, searching for any signs of danger. They had their guns out, long-range weapons from their bags, preparing for the danger out there.

“Two on the roof of the funeral home,” Viper whispered.

“Two more are in the garden,” Aspen murmured.

A shiver rushed down my spine, but I steeled myself, taking a sharp breath and reminding myself that our options were running out. In order to win our freedom, we had no choice but to confront the monster head-on.

Just then, a hearse pulled up, followed by a long line of black cars. More people were arriving to pay their respects to Don, and the road was quickly becoming clogged with traffic.

A figure stepped out of one of the cars, and my heart thundered.

Axel, the asshole, was tall and imposing, dressed all in black, and walked with a confidence that made my blood run cold.

My heart sank, watching Axel and his wife make their way into the funeral home. Anger bubbled inside of me, remembering how he had Frannie living in a hotel room, waiting for him.

Shadow, Aspen, and Viper were all fuming as well. They watched the mourners file into the funeral home, their faces grim and somber.

Viper turned to the others, cold fury in his eyes. “I can take him out from here,” he announced, his hand tightening around his rifle.

Shadow shook his head. “Too many people around. You could hit an innocent bystander.”

“We wait for the right moment,” Aspen added to the discussion. “We don’t get a second chance to do this right.”

Anxiety rippled over me as I turned to watch Axel and his wife, surrounded by guards and snipers, disappear into the funeral home, followed by the other attendees.

“Viper and Aspen will be in a car tracking them once they leave.” Shadow gestured to me. “The two of us will go in a second car behind them, where we’ll pick them up after they run Axel’s car off the road. In the meantime, we’re taking out the guards, so best you stay low and out of sight from the windows.”

My hands trembled as I clenched and unclenched my fists. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves, but I couldn’t shake a feeling of dread. Yet I stared at Shadow with his chiseled jawline and intense gaze, and a flutter in my stomach reminded me just how much I loved him, Viper, and Aspen.

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