“Are you sure you shouldn’t help get Raney back?” I ask them both.
Nigel is sweet, he nods. “They’ll get her. I wouldn’t ever get between a pack of Alphas and their Omega.”
Dale’s answer is targeted more personal, but it works. “I’m not getting paid to watch her.”
Instead of getting offended, I pull up my feet and hide in the corner, wrapped in Nigel’s jacket before opening my senses, trying to push through my bond with Dominic that I’m safe. Until I remember my phone.
Digging through my bag, my phone has missed calls and texts from them but also from Heidi. I’ll call her back in a second.
Hendrix answers on the first ring. And immediately I feel better just hearing his voice. “Are you okay?”
“I think so. Scared and worried, but okay,” I admit, closing my eyes and taking a few deep, slow breaths.
“Nigel has given us an update. What can we do to help?”
“I just want to go back to Unity.”
“Of course, sweetheart. We weren’t sure what you wanted to do, so I had everything arranged to accommodate both scenarios. There’s a charter waiting for you at the airport, ready to bring you home. You’re safe with Nigel and Dale, and as soon as you are ready for us, you let us know. Okay?”
I take a steadying breath to stop my small freak out. Hearing once again they are providing me the tools, waiting for me to decide, is taking a little while to sink in. I’m forever grateful they keep referring to me as part of the process andnot making decisions about me. Hendrix doesn’t rush me for an answer either, and it comes eventually. “Sounds perfect. Thank you.”
“You don’t need to thank me, Simona, this is what we were born to do. In case you haven’t noticed though, we kind of like you, and are able to provide.”
I laugh quietly at Hendrix being sweet. “I know. And I appreciate it. Are they okay? I wish you were here.”
“We are all fine.Wewill be with you as soon as you are ready for us.”
“I’d like that.”
“Such a good girl.” He says, his voice dipping low intimately.
Strangely, I know he’s smiling while he’s speaking. And I really like the way it makes me feel. “You go, sweetheart. We’re thinking about you. I hope you get through to your girlfriends, and they’re safe. If you need anything, and I mean anything, you let me know. Or Rye or Dom.”
“I will.” I go to hang up but stop because after today there’s things I want to say. “You all make me incredibly happy, Hendrix. I hope you each know that.”
“You just made three Alphas feel like they won the mega-lottery.”
“Good.” And this time when I go to hangup, I do. Feeling much lighter.
I dial Heidi next. She picks up on the first ring. “Simona? Can you believe what happened? Everything is only sinking in now. Honestly, I know we spoke but I’m sure I was in shock. What did we say?”
“It was pretty crazy. I think we all just said things like, are you okay? I’m okay. Love you, I’m calling Tris. Or something like that.”
Heidi hums, but the sound wavers with panic. In the nextinstant it’s like taking the cork out of a shaken bottle of champagne and everything explodes out of her. “Oh my god, Sim, it was horrible. Everything was crazy. I didn’t know where you guys were. I was so scared; I was helping some guy but the next thing I can properly remember is being in the car. I had a massive fight with Ayden. I just wanted to be with you guys. I wanted to help them get Raney.” A sob interrupts her offloading.
I don’t interrupt or interject because Heidi needs to let the control go, and to simply allow the build-up of rush to happen. It will be hard for her. I won’t let her go through it alone, but I also know she will be better for it.
“Poor Raney is going to be devastated and Koz is going to be homicidal. What if they don’t get her back in time. I couldn’t cope not having each of you with me. All this is happening at the worst time. And now I sound selfish turning this into a me thing when my best friend just got fucking abducted, and my other best friends vanished before I could triple check for myself they were okay!”
I must scent stressed because Dale starts driving fast.
On the other end of the phone, I hear Heidi breakdown, and my heart aches for her. I hate that she is suffering and alone. Her cries are loud and ugly. I give her the space but also let her know I’m here. “If I was with you, Heidi, I’d give you the biggest cuddle in the world. And I’d be crying with you. We are all okay. Slightly messed up after what happened today, but we need to remember everyone is safe. You know that, don’t you? I’m fine. I’m already on my way back to Unity. Tristan is apparently doing the same. I've had updates from a few people, texts too, but everything is a bit jumbled up in my head so I couldn't say who said what. It's okay you can't remember what happened, we were all very scared and stressed. As soon as she and I are together, we can Facetime you.”
Through the phone, I hear a shudder and another softer wail.
“Raney’s pack will do everything in their power to get her back. Then they will look after our girl for us. They’ll make sure she gets the very best attention.” I take a slow and deliberately loud inhale, hoping she’ll follow suit and calm down. “We’re going to be okay. I promise.”
I hate Heidi going back to her big empty house, and a life full of assholes. I focus on infusing as much peace as I can into our phone call. Trying to help her rebalance after she finally purged. “The four of us are much stronger and we are more than capable of what the world keeps throwing our way. And one day, we’ll look back on today as the day everything changed.”
