Jaiden just chuckles quietly to himself, putting his hands in his pockets.
“I was tipped off that an incident involving an Omega occurred at your club, Vic. I had to come see it for myself. Especially when this isn’t the only body that has been dumped behind a club this week.”
I nod my head, remembering Olis informing me of what Jaiden had come to him about.
Seems as though the murderer is rearing their head again.
“Over the past few weeks, we have received word from law enforcement about murders. Normally we are informed of when an Omega passes away by causes that appear unnatural so we can follow it up. When the third body was found in similar conditions, we knew that we had to step in.”
Slowly, Jaiden bends down to assess the body closer. Pulling out a pair of gloves from his pocket, he pulls them on before returning his attention to the body.
With a careful hand, similar to that of Valley’s, he pulls back the jacket covering the Omega's torso. He doesn’t say anything, just nods and recovers the jagged words carved into her skin.
“Each of the Omegas murdered had the words ‘mine’ carved into their torsos. Each woman had been raped. Their throats, hips, legs and arms covered in bruises that only could have been given before they were killed.”
I bristle as I take in the information. Jaiden eventually looks up at me after remaining silent for a moment.
“This is the eleventh body we have found.”
I hear Valley gasp behind me. She latches onto my jacket at the confirmation of what I had feared.
That there is a murderer walking the streets of Vadena murdering innocent Omegas.
There is a fucking murderer on my turf.
Something that I refuse to stand for.
Because this? This means fucking war.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The drive back home is eerily quiet. None of us have spoken. Not even small talk. I don’t think any of us could stomach it. Not after what we witnessed.
The image of the murdered Omega is burned into my mind.
While it’s not the first dead body I have been privy to seeing, it doesn’t make it any easier.
Especially now that I know Omegas are being targeted.
Never have I been so grateful that I have kept my true designation hidden from the world.
While the more sane part of my brain knows that I should never have had to stoop to the measures I have, I am thankful that I had the opportunity to give myself a little extra edge of protection.
The thought of not being in this world anymore, to not be able to protect my daughter from the horrors of the world is unthinkable.
Because I have isolated myself so much, who would even take Amity if something was to happen to me?
I know that Luna would jump at the chance to take her. Her unofficial aunty status would be a fierce opponent for any child protection agency.
But would Luna even be able to handle her? Now that we know the inevitable label of her designation, a Beta just isn’t equipped to handle the brutality of an Alpha.
My girl needs a pack.
I know that if I was to say any of that out loud, Vic, Conall and Olis would all assure me that I already have a pack.
Fuck, they have already declared that much. Yet there is still a hesitation in me that can’t just allow myself to agree with them.
It's because they still don’t know the truth.
