“Stop talking,” I snap. “Forget I asked. I’m the district attorney. Don’t incriminate yourself to me. I know your sister taught you better.”
“I gotta help her,” he mumbles. “She needs me.”
My pulse spikes. “What’s wrong with Ava?” I demand.
“She’s sick,” he says thickly. “Real sick. I was so scared. Teo helped, but what if it happened again? Mom is in the air still.”
I have no idea what he’s talking about, but I know enough. I glance down at him, calculating if I could carry him. I’m strong, but he’s easily six-three and built like he’s carved from marble. Not an ideal situation.
I frown. “Come on,” I say grimly. “If she needs help, we need to move faster.”
He nods and staggers forward, leaning heavily into me. We make it a block. Then another. Every second feels too slow.
Finally, Ava’s building comes into view. Relief hits hard and fast. I guide him toward the back entrance, suddenly thankful she gave me the service elevator code during one of our many secret visits. Dragging a bleeding man through the lobby would probably get more attention than I’d prefer at the moment, thank you very much.
I punch in thecode that’ll take us straight to Ava’s floor. In the light of the elevator, I can get a better look at Jack. He’s paler than I’d like, and he already has one hell of a goose egg forming. But I’m pretty sure I learned in some first aid class that swelling out is better than dipping in on head injuries. I think I remember that Jack is married to somebody in health care? Hopefully I can find his phone and call them after I figure out what’s going on with Ava.
The elevator dings, and the doors slide open. I adjust Jack, and we step off.
A man steps toward Jack, talking fast and panicked, but the words don’t register. Instead, I’m busy feeling like I got hit by a freight train at full speed. The hallway outside the elevator smells like an orange dreamsicle factory exploded. And my alpha recognizes it for what it is immediately. An omega in heat.Myomega in heat.
“Somebody tell me what the fuck is going on. Right now,” I bark.
The sound of it startles me almost as much as everyone else. I’ve never used an alpha bark in my life. I didn’t even know I could. Yet the command snaps through the space, and both of the beta men react.
Jack starts mumbling, but the man removing him from my arms looks at me earnestly. I think he might be the partner of Jack’s I was remembering, but my brain is currently a bit fuzzy.
“Ava is in heat,” he says quickly. “When I left to grab food, she was asleep in the nest, and Jack was in the living room. When I got back, neither of them were here. Both their phones were. That’s all I know.”
“What do you mean, she’s gone?” I demand, shoving past him into the apartment as if he might be lying to me.
The scent intensifies with every step. Sweet and rich, deeper than I’ve ever scented her before. If I thought I was obsessed with it before, I’m a goner now. Valentino runs to me, weaving between my legs. I’d normally pet her, but I step over her this time, earning a disgruntled howl for my betrayal.
“Ava!” I yell, even though I have no real reason to doubt what Jack’s husband just told me. There’s no answer. I spin back to him and Jack. “Did you check with Tony? If she went somewhere, he would have driven her.”
“Tried but it went straight to voicemail,” Mateo says, settling Jack onto a stool and flicking on his phone flashlight to inspect the gash on his head. “I left Shelby a message telling her to call me back ASAP. I was about to head downstairs and ask the front desk when you all got off the elevator. I don’t mean to be rude, but are you Mark? And why does my husband have a head wound?”
I rake a hand through my hair, pacing. My skin feels too tight, my body buzzing with a violent need to move, to hunt, to find my mate.
The word hits me with equal parts horror and absolute certainty.She’s my mate.
“Hey,” thesmaller man snaps, sharp enough to cut through the fog. “I need you with us. I know you’re on the verge of an alpha breakdown or something, but my husband is bleeding.”
I force my attention back to him. “Yes. I’m Mark. I don’t know exactly what happened. I found him behind a dumpster about three blocks over. It looked like a police raid was happening nearby.”
He goes pale. “The suppressant raid?”
“Mateo,” Jack mumbles. “I was just trying to help.”
I hold up a hand immediately. “Stop!” I point to myself. “Manhattan DA. Remember?” Why are they so determined to incriminate themselves??
Mateo exhales and nods, then softens as he turns back to Jack. “How’d you hit your head, baby?”
“I was running,” Jack slurs. “Tried to dodge a gross puddle. Tripped. Overcorrected. Dumpster won.”
Mateo mutters under his breath and starts cleaning the wound. I turn back toward the apartment, fists clenched. “Where would Ava have gone?”
“I don’t know,” Mateo admits. “I really didn’t think she was in any condition to leave. After the seizure earlier—” He cuts himself off, glancing at Jack.
