“I believe we already bat for the same team,” Ro replied, tongue in cheek.
“He’s got you there.” Zander snickered.
Nix let out a chuckle, but his friend wasn't deterred by his glib response. “No, really, we would love to have you.” Nix's eyes on him were serious.
He let out a sigh. “I don't know, man... maybe, but even if I did, my family was happy when I got out of the 'bullets flying at my head' business... We all know even those will kill us.”
“I hear that,” Maddox nodded, “but this time we pick what kind of prey we hunt, you know. Way less danger.”
Ronin let out another sigh. “Maybe. I know after this setting up shit between packs, I gotta find something to do. It’s not all that exciting, and I'm pretty sure Rick only sent me 'cause he saw I was getting restless.”
Robbie came back with their beers, and Ro stopped talking as he passed them out. Ronin immediately took a sip from his.
“I’ll be back with your food in a moment,” Robbie said, before leaving.
“I did enjoy the tagalong, though.” He grinned at his friends. “Thanks for inviting me.”
“Anytime,” Maddox said. “Really… any time, brother.”
Ronin nodded, acknowledging Maddox’s words. He realized he had some thinking to do. Since he’d gotten back, he worked with Roman at his construction company, helped out at the firehouse in town, and he’d even pitched in on the pack farm for a while. It was time he decided whathewanted to do.
Ro was about to take another sip of beer, but then his phone started to ring and vibrate in his pocket. He cringed as he shifted to the side to get it out. He saw right away that it was Rick calling.
“Well, it was nice knowing you,” Ronin muttered to the guys, then answered the call.
“Hey, big bro. I’m sorry. I can explain. I didn’t mean to miss the meeting tonight. It just sort of happened. I’m so sorry. Are you mad? You're mad, aren't you?” He knew he was rambling, but he figured if he got it all out, Rick would be less inclined to bite his head off.
“Ronin… quiet down,” Rick ordered. “I’m not calling about that. That can wait, but wewillget back to you skipping out on it later.”
Ronin frowned. Okay, so that was the last thing he’d expected Rick to say. “Um… okay. What’s up?”
“I have Rome here,” Rick said.
“Hey, Ro.” His twin's voice came on the line.
“Rome. What’s up? What's going on?” Ronin asked. All the mens’ eyes fell on him immediately.
“Remember Devon?” Rome began.
“Of course I remember my twin’s mate,” Ronin interrupted his brother. “Is he okay?” He couldn’t help the note of panic in his voice… If anything happened to his brother’s mate… Ro shut his eyes tightly. He refused to even imagine what would happen to Roman if he lost Devon.
“Everything is fine... perfect, actually.” There was almost a reverence in Roman’s voice that Ro had never heard before.
Ro released a breath he hadn't even realized he was holding. “So what's up?”
“After Dev and I mated, I found out some things, Ro.” His brother took a deep breath, and he could tell Roman was trying to calm himself down. “I need your help.”
“Anything, Rome. You know this,” He reminded his brother.
“I know.” Roman sighed deeply and began telling him about everything his mate had gone through, and about the Alpha that had put him through it. How the Alpha was also holding other omegas hostage and selling them like they were cattle.
He heard a bottle break and looked up to see Nix had actually squeezed the bottle in his hands so hard that he broke it.
“What do you need me to do?” Ronin asked. He was barely holding it together. He couldn't imagine how Roman had felt hearing what his mate had been through—or Devon. Ronin couldn't wait to get his hands on this Anton person.
“We can't leave those omegas there to suffer, and Devon is terrified that Anton is still looking for him. For the past month we’ve been mated, he’s woken up at night screaming.” Ronin didn't need to see Roman to know how affected he was by that.
“We need to shut the bastard down,”—it was Rick who spoke that time—“and rescue the omegas he still has.”
