Chapter 25
Elodie
We told the female lynx that we agreed with the clowder’s assessment that it was a kidnapping, and we’d let the council know. After we told her it was evidence for the council, she didn’t ask a single question about the mangled piece of metal we carried out with us. She silently escorted us back to the SUV, and that was that.
I felt slightly guilty about the little white lie, but for all I knew, that was where it would end up if Valens gave it to Lucien.
We were halfway to the next kidnapping victim’s home when my phone rang. Galyna’s name flashed across the screen, and I nearly shuddered with relief that it wasn’t the head priestess, checking up on our progress.
She wasn’t a bad leader at all, but having her looking over my shoulder… It made me anxious. And I fucking hated feeling anxious. I’d left all that behind in my childhood.
“What’s up, buttercup?” I answered the phone flippantly, earning a curious look from Valens.
“Official business, I’m afraid. Just wanted to give you a heads-up. Reed’s sounding the alarm with the high alpha right now. A news story just broke on PackNet that the ODL has confirmed they’re actively hunting two omegas.”
My brain filled with nothing but static as I tried to process the implications of what she’d just said.
“Wait,twoomegas?”
“Two omegas,” she repeated grimly.
“You think they can sense Poppy already? Leigh’s getting close to her due date, but I thought the ODL only cameafterthe birth?” Panic made my heart speed, my fingers clutched the armrest. I needed to get back, get to Leigh.
How could she run if they were already able to track the baby? Oh, Goddess, what if she’d alreadyleftand was alone with nobody for protection except Gael?
“I don’t know. It would normally be highly unusual for them to be able to sense her months before birth, but we’ve also never had an omega with Brielle’s powers affecting an omega in utero, in living memory, at least. Maybe ever. Brielle’s powers could be amplifying Poppy’s.”
“What are we going to do?”
There was a beat of unnerving silence from my usually proactive partner. “I don’t know. The report was vague. It didn’t give locations or say they were planning an attack. For all we know, it could be a bluff.”
A bluff? “Wouldn’t that look really bad on the Defense Leagueandthe council when it turned out to be fake news?”
Galyna sighed wearily. “Sure, if itwasfake news. But they’ve been chasing Bri for weeks, and they got close once. Theyknowthere’s at least one. My guess is that they’re trying to cause a panic to flush her out. If one omega is bad, two is worse.”
“Lyna, what about the information you shared with me? Is thereanychance the stone is the source of the second signature?”
Valens turned a wide-eyed stare on me as I let the clue slip right in front of him. I wanted to feel bad about it, but damn it, I didn’t. The packdeserved to knoweverything we did.
My wolf stayed silent on the matter, which I took as approval. He was our mate, after all. If she trusted his claim, she had to trust him with the rest.
Maybe it was time that I started to trust him too. Even if it was terrifying.
“I don’t think so. If anything, I think it’s Poppy. We need to separate Leigh and Brielle, stat. I’m sure Marciana’s already on it, though. I got the report that they arrived last night.”
“That they did.” I’d kept Marciana’s late-night visit to myself, andthatI felt a little guilty about. Galyna was my best friend, and every step I took toward Valens felt like a step that left her further and further behind.
It hurt like hell, and I wasn’t ready.
I cleared my throat, trying to drop the unpleasant emotions just as quickly. “You’re right, I’m sure Marciana and the others have Leigh and the baby safe too. Does Lucien still want us to go investigate the other disappearance, or do we have new orders?”
“Hold on, I’ll ask. He just got off the phone with Kane.”
The line went dead for a minute, and Valens dropped his hand over mine on the center console, weaving our fingers together and gently forcing me to release my death grip on the leather upholstery. “It’s going to be okay. Whatever happens, it’s all going to be okay.”
I wanted to believe that so damn badly. It just felt like everything in the whole supernatural world was working against us.
“El?”
