“We’re pack,” I reassured him. “Breathe.”
He glared at me but I turned up the radio, singing along though my mind was racing with the possibilities of who would betray the Crows. Luca explained his theories on it being someone close to us all, but that didn’t leave a lot of men.
My father was the suspicious type and we all had our loyal Crows. Not all of them… in fact, not many, interacted with us all regularly.
“Finally,” he breathed out as we approached Widow’s Peak. It was a ghost town this time of night. The only place that had any activity was Club 21. Something we’d have to check out with our omega one of these days.
I just had to make sure our enemies didn’t come bursting through the bubble of safety they’d created here.
My body instantly relaxed as we pulled up behind Aries’s SUV. The house was dark and silent. Not surprising as it neared midnight. She woke up early for her morning run.
Nikolai burst out of the van the moment I put it in park, rushing toward the door. Luca and I followed a bit slower, exhausted thanks to being up for far too long, dealing with the assholes who planned to ambush us, and driving back.
“What’s wrong?” I asked carefully. Nikolai was still standing on the porch, his back to us, unmoving. His muscles were so tense I was shocked he didn’t hurt himself.
“Here.” His voice was dull and hollow.
Since you want to act like we’re not a pack, I secured you a bachelor pad in town. Here’s the address, key is under the mat at your feet.
Sleep well, boys.
“Oh, she was mad,” I whistled low as I handed it to Luca to read. She’d not only locked us out, but moved us across town. “Can you feel her?”
“No,” he admitted. “I closed it down while we dealt with the job, then when I opened it, she was locked down.”
“Don’t worry, boys, I’ll handle this,” I mused, a plan already forming in my mind. “Why don’t you go get comfortable in the van.”
“LIke hell,” Nik growled, ready to fight me now. He was itching for a fight to expel his frustration but he wouldn’t find it with me.
“You’re too close to this and if you rut her again, you could push her further away.” My words hit like I expected, a direct attack that had him flinching. He knew damn well I was right. Honestly, he was lucky he didn’t cause irreparable damage. If they didn’t have a history, he absolutely would have.
“Fine,” he bit out. Luca was already turning away, trusting me implicitly. I waited until they were back in the van before I moved through the shadows around the back of the house.
I’d noticed Aries likes fresh air, and it was one of those nights that a breeze would be necessary to avoid a stuffy house. I generally read people easily but she being our scent match might make that a bit difficult.
The grass under my feet cushioned my steps and I kept my body low enough to not be seen through the windows. I knew better than to assume she had left open her balcony doors, not even bothering to try them.
Her bedroom window was cracked, just a little. Enough to push my fingers into and raise slowly. The window was new enough it didn’t protest the movement, shifting smoothly up enough that I could climb through.
Gripping the frame, I hoisted myself up, peeking through the gauzy curtains to take in her room.
Below the window was a small reading chair. It looked vintage, which might pose a problem, but I wasn’t turning back now.
I’d already committed.
Aries herself was asleep in her bed, a sea of pillows and plush blankets covering her.
With a deep breath, I lifted myself in fully, shifting forward and testing my weight on the chair. It groaned, but if I moved slow enough, it didn’t give me away.
Finally, I sat down in it fully, giving myself a moment to relax after climbing through.
The moonlight spilling through let me see enough to take in her space. Red was prominent in here, from the fabrics to the art. With the white walls, it stood out even more.
She was a minimalist for an omega. There was a bookshelf, her bed, a chair to read in that I currently sat in, and two doors. I assumed one was likely a nest, the other a bathroom.
Her soft, even breaths filled the room. Thank god she wasn’t a light sleeper.
I managed to stand and shrug out of my shoes, jacket, and jeans, leaving me in a boxer and my tee. As I crept closer and peeled back her blanket, a smile split across my face.
