"And we'll pay it." There’s no hesitation in my choice because I don't care what it costs. If this Omega is everything Dustin says she is, if she's the missing piece we didn't know we were looking for, then no price is too high. "Whatever they want, we'll give it to them."
"She's a little older." Dustin settles back in his seat, his thumb stroking over my knuckles. "Late 20s, early 30s? Most Omegas get claimed younger. I wonder why no one's taken her yet."
"Maybe she was waiting for us." The thought feels right as soon as I say it even if I know it’s not true. I can’t imagine the horrors she’s experienced in a place likeHarmony. It’s one of the few Omega centers that holds onto Omegas until they’re mated, regardless of their age. "Tell me more about her."
Dustin lights up, his whole face transforming despite the bruising. "She's about a head and half shorter than me and has all these gorgeous curves that I wanted to spend hours exploring. Her hair was in a braid but they’re individually braided, I think. There was some white in there too, like highlights? I don’t know but it was perfect.” Dustin continues to ramble, his entire face alight with excitement. The anger from earlier is gone, completely replaced with the determination that we’re going to rescue her from her present hell. “She was wearing this simple green dress but even in that she was stunning. God, Kade, I want to dress her. You know? Make sure she has everything. There’s that little shop...” He trails off, his nose scrunching up and even as an Alpha, he’s fucking adorable. Dustin abruptly changes direction. “And her eyes, Kade. When she looked at me, it felt like she could see right through all my bullshit straight to everything underneath."
I navigate through traffic, pushing the speed limit as much as I dare. Every mile between us and home feels like too many. "What did you talk about?"
"The horses." Dustin laughs softly. "She said she'd never been that close to them before. That they were beautiful. There was this longing in her voice when she talked about freedom. Like it's something she dreams about but doesn't think she'll ever have." A somber emotion trickles through the bond, dragging my attention to his face for a few seconds before focusing back on the road.
"She'll have it." It’s a promise I intend to keep. "If she wants us, if she chooses to come home with us, she'll have all the freedom she can handle."
"I kissed her in a public parking lot after knowing her for five minutes." Dustin shakes his head, obviously confused by his own enthusiasm, but he's still smiling. "I've never done anything like that before. Never lost control like that. But I couldn't help it. Being near her felt like breathing after holding my breath for years."
I know the feeling. When I met Dustin, it was like something clicking into place that I didn't know was missing. The recognition was instant. My Alpha. My mate. Mine. If this Solana makes him feel even a fraction of what he makes me feel, then she's already ours. We just have to convince her of that.
And convince Harmony House to let her go.
The ranch comes into view as I turn onto our long driveway, acres of land stretching out in every direction, the house sitting at the center of it all. This is what we can offer her. Space and safety and the kind of freedom that Harmony House will never provide.
I park the truck near the barn and turn to Dustin, a wicked smile playing on my lips. He returns it, waiting for my command as he always does in moments like this, in moments where I’m fully in charge and he submits beneath my touch. "Inside." I lean across the console and kiss him again. "Now."
Chapter five
Dustin
My body screams at me with every step toward the coffee pot. I'm wearing nothing but boxers, love bites covering my neck and shoulders and chest, a few bruises darkening along my ribs where Kade gripped me hard enough to leave marks. Last night wasn't just about connecting. It was about control. Kade needed to feel it, needed to work out the rage and frustration of not being able to hunt down the guard who hit me. And I needed to stop thinking about the beautiful Omega I wouldn't be able to bring home until we found a plan.
This morning, everything’s changed.
I even called Stefan over to see if he had any helpful information or connections. My stepbrother knows people. He works angles I don't always understand, but he gets results when it matters.
The coffee pot sits on the counter, half full and still warm. It’s good enough as I pour myself a cup, savoring the bitter smell when it fills my nose. My muscles protest the movement, soreness radiating through my shoulders and lower back. Worth it, though. Every second of last night was worth it.
I turn around to find Kade sitting at the kitchen table without his shirt on, grinning up at me with that satisfied smirk that says he knows exactly how wrecked I am. I throw him a middle finger and take a long drink of coffee. "Don't look so pleased with yourself," I mutter.
"Can't help it." Kade leans back in his chair, all casual confidence. "You look good like this."
"I look like I got mauled."
"Exactly."
I hiss at him but there’s no heat behind it. Kade can maul my ass any time he likes and I’d probably ask for a second round. But maybe tomorrow? Getting knotted with that man’s dick isnotfor the weak.
My attention turns to the mass of paperwork scattered across the table, evidence of my need to find a way back to Solana. We've been researching for the better part of the last two hours, laptops open on the table, notebooks filled with scribbled information, hoping anything will help us figure out how one rescues an Omega from Harmony House.
We haven't found much other than the fact that the process is hush-hush and we’ll be shelling out thousands if not tens of thousands. It's not that we don't have the money. Between the ranch and our other... less-than-legal business ventures, we can afford it. But there's something deeply wrong about having to pay that much just to give an Omega her freedom.
The front door opens and Stefan walks in looking worse than I feel. His eyes are bloodshot, dark circles sitting heavy underneath them. His clothes are rumpled and his hair is sticking up in different directions. He looks between Kade and me, takes in the state of us, and laughs.
"Looks like you two had fun last night."
"If you mean that my Alpha used me like a rag doll to feel better, sure." I take another drink of coffee, watching my stepbrother over the rim of the cup.
Stefan crosses to the counter and steals my coffee right out of my hands. "So she's the real deal? That Omega?"
I nod. I said a few words to Stefan this morning when I called, trying to see if he could come over, mentioning that we met someone at the races and needed help. He agreed without asking too many questions, which is unusual for him. "Before we get into it all, what's going on? Why does it look like you didn't sleep a wink?"
