Kris hangs up just as my phone rings again. No caller ID but I answer it over the handsfree so everyone can hear.
“It always comes in threes, dove,” Lincoln says, rubbing a hand over my jiggling thigh.
“Lennon Vale speaking.”
There’s hardly even a gap. “Lennon, it’s Tilley.”
It’s one of those moments when my stomach drops, because you can’t miss the panic in her voice.
“Tilley, what’s up?”
“Gus hasn’t come home yet. He’s not answering his phone.”
“How long since you heard from him?”
“He was helping Spencer get settled in. He left at seven this morning. You know it’s unusual for him not to call me about one hundred times a day. He was coming with me for my photoshoot today but didn’t show and still hasn’t called.”
“Tilley, you’re going to need to call the police. And whatever you do, please don’t go to their place. And don’t open the door for anyone but Gus. Can you do that?”
Tilley is the sweetest girl. And really is Gus’s forever love.
Valak leans over and whispers in my ear, offering to arrange a local pack to watch over Tilley and help where they can. He grabs a notebook to write down the information so he doesn’t interrupt her talking.
“We’re going to send some people to help, Tilley. But promise me you won’t let anyone in your home.”
She doesn’t answer, and I can hear her panic escalating in her breathing, and silence.
“I’d come straight away, Tilley, but I’ve got a warrant out for my arrest, which kind of hinders my ability to do much.”
“No, no, don’t you come here. Gus has been telling me all the awful things Fez and Frank have been talking about. If anyone needs to be safe, it’s you.”
“I’m glad you called me, Tilley. You call me back anytime.”
“Thank you. Gus always told me I could call you if I was in trouble.”
“I’m glad you did. Okay, I’ve got a name for you. A pack of one alpha and three betas are going to be getting in their car within a few minutes. They live nearby. I’m going to send them your mobile number and ask them to use the code word Beetlejuice.”
“Okay.”
We sign off, and I hand my phone over to Valak for him to coordinate, while I rub my temples trying to keep the tension headache from turning into a blinding migraine. We all knew this would be the likely course of events, still doesn’t make it any easier.
As soon as Valak finishes texting and talking, he takes off his hoodie and puts it on me, then tugs the hood up so I can hide away. His hoodie swims on me, but the rush of his bergamot scent is like the best pain relief in the world, and I sink against the headrest. I wish I was leaning on him, but I got a lecture from him earlier today about needing to keep hands free for fighting.
Gabe swings around in his seat. “Len, I knew you were a fucking little troublemaker the instant I saw you. And look, you just confirmed it, getting a freaking warrant out for your arrest. I’m so fucking proud of you, I’m going to ride your ass hard when we get home tonight.”
Both Lincoln and Valak slap a hand on my thighs as soon as they get a whiff of me.
“Omega,” Noah growls under his breath when the scent hits him too.
No matter how hard I try to switch off my reaction to them, there’s no way I can.
* * *
Morning comes way too soon.My first stop is a long hot shower. I would have had one last night, but it seems my alphas were as freaked out and turned on as I was. Wearing their releases was hot as fuck at the time, now as I wait for the shower to heat, I’m still weirdly turned on. Flaky wasn’t something I ever thought would be what I was into, but it seems my omega side absolutely adores the way we still wear their claims.
Lincoln is the first to join me. And I do not need a loofah when I have him and his huge hands. He washes me from head to toe, adorning me with sweet kisses and soft rumblings in my ear. By the time he’s combing my hair out, while I sit on the edge of the bath, Valak has a cold shower and a quick wank with that tiny tilt of his lips teasing me as much as he did last night.
I barely make it out the door before Gabe pushes my front up against the wall and gives me a wicked kiss good morning on my pussy, laughing like a fiend when he goes to shower after getting a swat on the back of his head from his brother. The fog on his crooked glasses is ridiculously cute.
