“I should have tried harder to be close to Hatton,” I say, desperately trying not to cry.
“He adores you.” Icarus drags me into a one-armed hug that I fucking need, stroking my hair. “Hero worships, actually. Don’t go thinking that it wasyourjob to save him more than you did.”
“Curse of the big sister.”
“I thought that it was the curse of being an Alpha.” Icarus’ lips twitch. “How about we both make a promise not to shoulder every responsibility, up to and including whether each pack member has every Christmas wish magically fulfilled, and focus on pulling off the most daring heist this state has ever seen?”
“How unambitious of you,” I tease.
“You know me.” Icarus draws back, adjusting his tie. “I’m only a simple general manager in a hotel, after all.”
I snort. “And you’re also a comedian.”
“You’re the one with the best lines, Sweet Sin. I’m more like a magician.” Icarus reaches into the dinosaur bag with a flourish like he’s about to pull out a white rabbit.
My heartbeat races.
Instead, he pulls an iPad out just enough for me to see the edge of it.
Hurriedly, I shove at his arm, forcing him to drop the device back into the bag.
“What are you doing?” I hiss. Fear races through me. “You know that you’re not meant to have that here. Did you steal it? If Maya discovers you wandering around with an electronic device, she won’t just leave you with a few bruises.”
“Worried for me? Don’t worry, if she opens this and finds it’s not filled with diapers, I’m sure that she’ll be more furious about the safe cracking kit or possibly, the stolen impression of her fingerprint.”
“Stop it. This is serious.”
“Also, worth it.”
I stare at Icarus, as he throws my own motto back at me.
Icarus’ eyes are creased at the side with laughter.
I reach up, tapping him on the nose. “Proof that Alphas are trainable.”
“If they spend long enough around you, even a saint Alpha would end up throwing away his halo and deciding that the fallen have much more fun. Your pampered, sheltered brother, you see, isn’t such a good Omegaas your mom believes. Hatton made a deep fake on that iPad of her face. It will override the final security measure. It seems that your dad and papa have become close to Hatton secretly over the last few years. They have been working together on plans to rescue Bird and you, including on breaking through the safe.”
I’m shivering, and it’s not because of the cold.
My parents and my younger brother have been risking everything, including being turned into Rejs or being abandoned just like Bird and me, to help us.
I should have known.
I should have fucking known.
When a tear slips down my cheek, I don’t wipe it away because it’s not one of sadness but a happiness that I didn’t know I was still capable of feeling.
Of family lost and now found again.
“Now, I’m ready,” I whisper. “I’m fucking ready to do this.”
Icarus nods determinedly, before his expression becomes more grim. “I have one more thing. Hatton passed me a note.”
Adrenaline surges me. “Who from?”
“Your dad.”
I can’t hold back the choked off sound.
