I’m almost at the door when Vera and Luca come barrelling out, nearly knocking me over, but I quickly wrap my arms around them. They smell like fire, since their pheromones are still masked, no matter how hard I try to get even a whiff of their scents. But they’re out safe.
They’re out!
“Let’s get out of here.” I don’t care that it’s not easy to walk with both of them pulled against me so closely, I’m not letting them go any time soon. Not now. Not after tonight. And it seems like Vera and Luca feel the same as they hold onto me tightly.
There are hands on our backs as we’re guided to the next alley over, our first fallback point, out of the way of most danger.
Then, a voice next to us and over the earpiece at the same time, Miles. “Everyone is out. The building is empty. We can pull back.” He squeezes my shoulder as I’ve still got my arms around Vera and Luca, and smiles, his eyes soft. “Let’s go home.”
“You heard him. Time to get out.” Derrick’s voice sounds exhausted but relieved over the earpiece. “Leave nothing behind. Meet up at the assigned locations.”
I jolt as an explosion goes off somewhere in the direction of the brothel and I pull my mates closer. Moments later, there are two more, and we’re being herded further away, to the next fallback location.
When Vera and Luca still haven’t really moved and haven’t said anything, I stop, looking down at my two sweet mates, my heart heavy. Something is wrong.
Vera is holding Luca tightly against her, her face set in worry.
Then I remember that she was basically dragging him out of the building before, even though she’s significantly shorter than him. Why didn’t I check on him sooner?!
I stop, which means everyone around us stops too, since they put us in the middle of the group, for our protection.
“Luca?” I tip his chin up, making him look up at me, but that’s not much better. He’s breathing, he seems to be aware enough to walk and follow simple guidance, but his eyes seem far away and he’s not looking at any of us, staring into nothing. He’s caught up in his head again. Fuck.
Vera looks up at me, tears in her eyes. “He’s not doing well. When we were leaving, he…” She shakes her head as she wraps her arms around him, like he might get through to him with touch.
“Maybe it helps if...” I flood my pheromones around us. I know I shouldn’t do it yet, we’re not out of danger, but nothing else seems to get through to him. But even as I do it, I know it’s no use. He’s not showing any signs that he’s aware what’s going on.
“We need to get him out of here. He needs to get to real safety.” Vera tries to take a step back, but the moment she does, Luca’s hand shoots out and holds onto her tightly, not letting her go. Then I realise that I can’t move away either, as he’s also tightly holding onto me.
“Let’s get everyone out of here.” Caleb steps next to us and carefully tugs on Luca’s hands, trying to let him let go of Vera and me. “You did well.” His voice rumbles, soothing. “You were brave and did so well.”
That seems to make Luca relax some and as soon as he’s let go of us, Caleb lifts him up and starts carrying him. The tall Alpha keeps up the low rumbling in his chest, keeps up the soothing sound, the only thing that Luca seems to notice right now.
We follow Derrick and Miles as they start walking. Our vans are waiting a couple of minutes away, but the tension is already starting to leave my body.
I know it’s not over yet, not by far, but our part is. Our part here is done.
A gunshot in one of the nearby alleys makes me freeze in place, just like Vera and Caleb. The people from Mathew’s team immediately surround us, creating a wall.
That’s not supposed to happen. That’s not supposed to happen at all.
It’s supposed to be over. There should be no more gunshots!
“Jorge?” Caleb’s voice is quiet as he slowly turns to me. “Can you hold him?” He carefully loosens Luca’s grip on him, which seems to take much longer than he wants to.
“Luca?” I try to make my voice sound as relaxing and as comforting as possible. “Luca? I’m here.” That seems to make him notice me and he holds onto me instead.
The guy is in a very bad place, very, very bad. I have no idea what he’s seen inside, or what burning down this place might have done to him. But it’s clear that it’s messing with his head a lot.
“Where are you—?” But as I refocus on Caleb, he’s already sneaking away, Vera at his side, Miles nearby, towards the sound of the gunshot.
Oh, for fuck’s sake!
That’s what the team is for, to check stuff out...
This isn’t part of our job anymore.
But I know that’s selfish.
