“This year was a trial run,” Harriett goes on, her voice neutral like she’s giving a lecture. “The Olympic Committee won’t let omegas compete after Raven went into heat and trapped a pack of curlers just before their gold medal game. I made sure to leak video of them all leaving the gala like cavemen, her bodyguard throwing her over his shoulder in a verynotprofessional way. Got a great shot of Raven all sweaty with her eyes heat glazed, too.”
My fists curl, jaw clicking. I saw that picture. Raven won’t be the only one having to play damage control.
Ryker lets out an impressed whistle, and Harriett smiles.
“Damn, wish I’d thought of that myself,” Ana says.
The conversation continues, but that’s all I needed to hear. I hit dial, and my call immediately connects to Olympic authorities. Even if they can’t use this recording as evidence in court, it should be enough to get both women barred from the Olympics. Hopefully it’ll ruin their careers too. Maybe I’ll have to do a little strategic video leaking myself to make sure of it.
Good fucking riddance.
62
RAVEN
As soon as I hear the door, I jump up off the couch and run into Foster’s arms. He’s been gone most of the day. “Where were you?”
“Just dealing with something.” He kisses my temple sweetly, and my insides melt.
“I missed you,” I whisper, just for him.
“Didn’t our pack take care of you,principessa?” He looks over my shoulder at the rest of the guys. “Do I need to punish them?”
I giggle, a girlish sound I’m not used to making. “I think some of them might like that.”
“Hell yeah,” Vann says, hopping off the couch and shaking his backside. “Spank me, big guy. Spank me real hard.”
Everyone laughs except Tanner, who’s staring at his phone screen with wide eyes. He looks up at Foster and holds up the device. “Did you have something to do with this?”
I take the phone from him and stare at the screen as avideo plays. It’s a newscast, but what I’m seeing doesn’t make any sense. The sound is off, so I fumble with the phone to turn up the volume.
“You don’t want to see that,cucciola.” Foster tries to take the phone from me, but I jerk it away.
My shaking fingers figure out the sound, and the news anchor’s voice fills the air.
“In breaking news, Harriett Davis, publicist for Olympic figure skater Raven Novak, has been taken into custody today on allegations of suppressant tampering. Woman’s Olympic Figure Skating coach Ana Dubinsky has also been taken in for questioning.”
“Harriett did it?” My voice squeaks, throat tightening.
“Let me see that,” Orion says.
Foster plucks the phone from my hand and tosses it to Orion before wrapping me in a warm hug. His hold is like a balm for my nervous system. My racing breaths slow. The tears that threatened my eyes don’t fall.
“Shit,” Orion says, watching the screen with the volume turned so low it’s barely a murmur.
Vann and Rhodes crowd close to Orion, looking over his shoulder.
“Woah,” Rhodes says at the same time as Vann says, “Fuck.”
I stay in Foster’s arms. How could I ever have trusted either of them?
“You took care of it?” Tanner asks.
“Yeah. The authorities took them both in for questioning.”
“Good.” Tanner holds the other man’s gaze, sizing him up, shoulder’s back, expression serious. “Thanks for taking care of our omega,Pack Alpha.”
The room goes suddenly still. No one breathes as the two men stare at each other. Foster gives Tanner a curt, masculine nod. And that’s that. Nothing else needs to be said, because we all agree. Foster’s the obvious choice for pack lead, and I don’t think any of us will have any trouble submitting to the strong, protective alpha.
