“Not that I don’t love the passion, but what’s wrong?” I say.
Brooks eyes Sage as she cackles at something Riley does, then turns his back to her and pulls me further into the kitchen away from them.
“I ran into her ex and brother today,” he says, voice low.
Alarm shoots through me and the hair on the back of my next stands on end. I try to contain any obvious reaction, not wanting to alert Sage or Riley just yet.
“And?” It comes out so cold I nearly flinch, but Brooks’ guilty look doesn’t give me time to reflect on my own reactions.
“And… They scented her on me.”
“What?” I hiss through clenched teeth, fire burning through my veins. “How is that possible?”
“They recognized me.” He pulls at his long hair, nearly tugging the messy bun right out as he paces. He continues to whisper, anxiety starting to roll off him in waves of bitter patchouli. “Came right up to me while I was working and smelled her on me. Then demanded ‘their’ omega back.”
A growl punches out of me, but Brooks shoves his body into mine, forcing me to cut it off.
“Keep it together,” he says, voice low. “I don’t want to freak Sage out.”
“We’re going to tell her,” I counter, pinning him with a hard look. “She has a right to know.”
“I—” He spears both hands into his hair and tugs, twisting around. “Fuck,” he whispers.
I suck in a slow breath, attempting to slow my racing heart and keep a level head. “What happened after that?”
“They questioned me, and I played it off like I didn’t know what they were talking about. Said I used calming lavender soap or some shit, then her brother said it smelled different than her anyway.”
“Okay, well that’s good, right?”
He shakes his head. “The ex wasn’t convinced. I don’t trust him.”
“We can’t let anything happen to her. To either of them, because you know Riley will want to help—whatever we decide to do,” I say, glancing at the entwined couple on the couch as my heart lurches with a desperate need to protect them.
“We won’t,” Brooks says, cupping my cheek in his calloused palm. “We’ll keep her safe. We’ll keep them both safe, whatever we need to do.”
I search his eyes, seeing the same resolute determination in him that I feel within myself.
“Okay,” I say, pacing through the kitchen. “Okay, we need to tell them so we can all be on the lookout. And be there for her if she needs support.”
I settle on one side of Sage, and Brooks sits opposite next to Riley.
“Can you pause?” I ask, and Riley nods, hitting a button that stops the game.
“What’s going on?” he asks, eyes darting between us.
Sage nuzzles into me, then leans over Riley to reach Brooks.
“I missed you today,” she says, throwing her arms around him and nuzzling into his chest.
But then her entire body stiffens, her scent spikes with bitter fear, and she pulls away from him with wide eyes.
“Brooks?” she says, her voice shaky.
My purr starts up in my chest automatically, and Sage leans back into me as all color drains from Brooks’ normally sun-tanned face.
“What’s going on?” she whispers. “Why do you smell like Josh?” Her voice cracks on his name and my heart feels like breaks right along with it.
Chapter Fifty-Six
