Page 158 of Night Call


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“You wanted hysteria,” Pember said, tucking Ru tight against his back.

Maya snapped forward, both hands balled into fists at her side. “Yes, I wanted them scared! I wanted them fucking terrified to go out at night. I wanted them to think twice before they snatch omega kids from the fucking care system, before they hurt us, abuse us, treat us like fucking objects! I wanted them paralysed with fear.” Something flickered across her eyes, the dark brown of her irises turning amber. Her wolf. Her fucking wolf was about to burst out.

Letting out a long breath, Maya flexed her neck and let her face relax.

“To what end, May?” Pember said, clenching his teeth. “To—what—end? Look who you’re hurting. Look at Ru, for God's sake. He trusted you.” Ru whimpered at the sound of his name.

Maya’s gaze slid to him, expression turning hard. “Do you know how many rape kits I’ve processed over the last five years, Pem? One hundred? Two hundred? Hm?”

Shaking his head, Pember slowly stepped to the left. There was a path between Maya and the door, but it would put Ru within grabbing reach. “I-I don’t know, Maya. I don’t?—”

“Try twothousand,” she growled. “You think Ru’s is a sad story? His is one of so many. So you’re damned right I’m angry. And now my anger will be buried with their bodies forever.”

Her words bounced off the walls, making the metal hand dryer vibrate. The earpiece crackled, Caitlin’s broken words buzzing in his ear. “Inter-fer-ence… com-ing… three… minutes.”Pember fought the urge to press his finger to his ear.

Maya straightened, tipping her chin up in an expression that looked close to vindication.

Pember glanced up at the ceiling, trying to remember Caitlin’s instructions. “What about Sal? And Leo? Where do they factor into all this? Don’t tell me you met them at clinics too?”

“No,” another voice sounded from behind the door. It was Sal. She smiled as she slipped into the bathroom, arms winding around Maya’s waist. They kissed before pressing their foreheads together. “They’re coming,” she whispered. “I left Leo downstairs.”

Maya nodded and kissed her hands. Pressing her lips together, Sal tugged at her top. A fading red welt marred the crook of her shoulder, and Pember’s jaw dropped.

“A bite,” he said, covering his mouth. “You were bitten by an alpha?”

Sal grimaced and smoothed down her clothing. “Yep. Robert fucking Green, solicitor, school governor, paragon of family values. Fucking philanderer that thought he was God’s gift to omegas.”

Pember’s fingers twitched, and he flinched when one of the toilet’s automatic flushing mechanisms went off. He used the distraction to inch closer to the door, but Maya and Sal stood their ground. “He had a family, Sal. A wife, children.”

Sal grinned. “I know. Twins, Teddy and Ava. Both alphas, like their daddy. He showed me a picture of them right before he fucking bit me on a work night out. Do you know what it’s like to be bitten by force?”

Pember shook his head.

“It destroys your ability to think. Makes you believe you want the alpha that did it. Makes you go into heat even when you don’t want it. Makes your scent gland smell like shit to your actual mate.” Sal’s mouth trembled and tears welled in her eyes.

Maya pulled her close, nuzzling her neck.

“Why didn’t you report it to the police? Forcing a bite on someone, i-it’s illegal, Sal. He would have gone to prison.”

Sal barked out a laugh. “And how fucking long would I have had to wait to remove the bite? It’sstilldown to the alpha’s discretion whether the bite is removed. Do you really think he’d have signed the papers whilst sitting in a jail cell?”

“N-no, but killing him?” Pember’s nose wrinkled as he glanced at her plaster cast. “Did you even fall off your bike or is that all for show?”

Sal grinned. “Nah. That fucker did it the night we killed him. It turns out taking down a fully grown alpha without sedating him first is a fucking challenge. But we did it.” She smiled, squeezing Maya’s shoulder. “Right, baby?”

Maya nodded. “You can thank your fuck buddy, Pem. Didn’t expect him to follow up with Maginty, so we had to stop usingour little cocktail of drugs. Poetic, don’t you think? Using love dust to control them, just like they controlled all the omega children in the trafficking ring. Fucking genius, but I’ll give DS Big Balls Blake points for that one.”

Pember ground his teeth, he wouldnotbe drawn in. He took a breath. “And Leo?”

Maya shrugged. “Met him at a screening clinic. He’s a sex worker, goes once a month. Zayne promised him the world. Knotted him, knocked him up, dumped him when he realised his family would never approve.”

Pember’s mind was reeling. Just like with the bite, the impregnating alpha would have to sign the papers for the termination. But if the alpha were to die, and the only remaining parent was the omega… they’d have to allow it.

Maya scoffed. “Our society’s backwards, Pem. They say we have rights, that we’re on equal footing with the alphas and betas, but are we really? Sure, sigmas and omegas can have careers, houses, certain protections under law, but how can any of that fucking matter when we still don’t even have autonomy over our own bodies?”

“And what about Samantha?” Pember yelled, unable to contain his anger. “Did she have fucking autonomy when you killed her? When you bound her, put a bag over her head and slit her throat? Didshehave control then?”

Maya grimaced as she toed the grimy bathroom tiles. “Sam was…” When she looked up, her eyes were shining. “Samantha was always sticking her fucking nose where it didn’t belong.”