“You’re alive!” Beau cries, jumping up on unsteady feet, wavering slightly, so I hold onto his arm to keep him upright.
“Beau…” Apollo whispers, voice ragged and rough, staring at the Omega beside me. His eyes narrow like he doesn’t trust what he’s seeing.
“His leverage is our hacker? We’re supposed to believe that's a coincidence?” Kodiak whispers, and my head snaps around so fast my neck cracks as I glare at my boss for the first time ever. I really hope my face says, ‘Shut the fuck up. Expeditiously.’ His eyebrows shoot up, so I think he gets the point at least.
My instincts might not be perfect, but Beau needs us. He’s not here for nefarious reasons. We’re not going to turn our backs on him because of this plot twist.
Apollo takes two steps toward Beau, looking ready to launch at him. Beau flinches, tears filling his sweet blue eyes. The wild Alpha stops when Trev fills the space behind Beau and me, making his stance clear.
I will protect them.
“I’m so glad you’re alive, Apollo. I’m so sorry…so fucking sorry.” Beau sobs, trembling against me. My heart aches for both of them. Two wounded souls.
The Alpha frowns, glancing around the room, seeming to realize just then that it’s filled with other Alphas, and he’s outnumbered.
“You should leave, Dream,” Declan grunts. Checking that Beau’s stable on his feet, I move to leave even though it feels so wrong to abandon him. And Apollo. I can’t help but want to comfort them. I make it one single step when Apollo steps between me and the door without taking his eyes off Beau.
Okay. I guess I’m staying.
Apollo lifts his hand and gestures with one finger for Beau to come closer.
“Not happening,” Trev says as the others start to move in.
“Stop,” I demand, holding my hand up. I’m not the type to tell my bosses what to do, but they’re going to get people hurt if they try to intervene right now. If Apollo was a threat, my instincts would be screaming at me to run.
“Because of you?” Apollo whispers. Beau seems to understand his meaning, because he nods. “I knew.”
Just as quickly as he rushed in here, Apollo bursts through the open office door and disappears around the corner. The second he’s out of sight, the Omega at my side falls.
“Help!”
Trev is already catching his limp body. Thank fuck for Alpha reflexes.
“Fuck, take him to a private room and stay with him until he wakes up. Don’t leave his side, Dream. He’ll need you. Easton, help me track Apollo,” Declan commands, already marching out his office door.
“Yes, Daddy,” Easton purrs, following his Alpha in a hurry.
“Fucking hell, East, read the room!” Kodiak barks after him, hot on his Omega’s heels. Hayden simply shakes his head on his way past.
“He’s fucking unhinged,” Trev grumbles as we head for a private room, Beau cradled in his arms.
“I hope Apollo comes back. I want to help Beau, but I’m worried about both of them,” I admit.
I hate not knowing how to help or what to do to make this better for them both.
Chapter Five
APOLLO
Sometimes I black out. I get so angry or so scared that my mind goes dark.
Seeing Beau again, when I tried so hard to avoid everything to do with him…fuck, it was too much.
When we met, he was already famous. I knew his face, even though I never spent much time watching TV. I’ve known where he was the entire time. The second I got access to the internet again, I found him.
I was held against my will so Beau’s father, Scott, could use me as leverage against Beau. I had to make sure I stayed far away from them both. There’s no way in fuck I’m ever going back alive, but I also can’t turn my back when I know what Beau suffered too. I would’ve found a way to save him, to destroy Scott without taking Beau down with him. I just needed more time.
It’s odd, being free. Something I still haven’t fully adjusted to. It took a month for me to get out of fight or flight in ABO Care. Another month for me to walk around the block without trying to stab random Alphas on the street. Honestly, I’m a littlesurprised that they trust me to work at this point. I wonder if they’ll still let me after last night.
