I paused, glancing around at the milling uniformed men. There were about six of them in here, plus the ones who’d left to go check downstairs. And the ones who were dead.
“Everyone in this room is getting fired or demoted. If you’ve committed a crime, we’ll find it. If you’re cheating on your spouse, they’re going to know about it by the time we’re through. No one in my pack will be happy until all of you are ruined, because you’re the reason our omega isn’t safe with us and is instead being carted around by criminals in the middle of her fucking heat.”
My threat settled like a blanket over the room. Even the scuffing of shoes across the floor went silent for a moment as each of these cops realized just how fucked they were.
Then the cop in charge cursed, gesturing to me. “Uncuff him.”
“But sir—”
The complaint of one man was cut off by another bringing over the keys. I stood from the couch and turned, breathing out in relief when I once again had use of my hands.
Old memories were receding piece by piece—all the better. I didn’t have time for them right now. If my vision was tinged dusky orange, I wouldn’t be stable enough to help her. I couldn’t risk something like what happened with the stabbing. The closer I was tothat night, the more likely that was to happen, however accidentally.
“Thank you,” I said as politely as possible.
Then, I strode for the front door, sliding on shoes and grabbing Kiara’s phone and knife on the way. No one stopped me, and I wasn’t sure if it was because of the threats or my aura snapping around me, showing my rage.
I didn’t stop until I was in the lobby, free from the gazes of the men who’d fucked up royally.
I opened Kiara’s phone, seeing the texts she’d been so upset about. They were listed as from Leighton, but were really from Tobias. They told her to come home, so I had to hope that’s where they were.
Mercury sprinted through the glass doors of the building into the lobby, his eyes widening when he saw me. He barrelled into me, grabbing my biceps to steady himself as I planted my feet. “Where is she?” he asked, breathless.
“Gone.”
His head dropped to my chest with a curse. He was panting as he tried to catch his breath. I ran my hand across the top of his head, flattening down some of his frizzy burgundy locks.
“Is Soren going to…?”
“Yes. Fuck, yes, but it wasn’t supposed to be both of them. He needs time to get things together. Fuck. We were supposed to keep her safe, but I didn’t think about Tobias having an inside man in the New Oxford police.”
I didn’t ask how he knew about the police. Soren was known for having information, so it wouldn’t be a shock to hear the details had come from him.
Besides, that wasn’t what mattered.
His help was what mattered. If he was going to work around the law to get Leighton and Kiara back to us, then we had a chance.
“Is Dash in the car?” I asked.
Mercury nodded against me. I gently pushed him away, leaning in to brush a soft kiss to his lips.
“Let’s go then, baby. I’d rather not be here to get arrested again. We’re going to go get ready so we can get our packmates back, OK?”
He nodded again. With the frantic energy of his entrance gone, his posture was slumped. I draped my arm across his shoulders as we walked out into the orange glow of sunrise, colours complementing the car Dash was impatiently waiting in the driver’s seat of.
This was the same pack we’d started with—but we were all different now. Changed for the better, because of two women we desperately needed back.
“There’s stuff waiting for us at the Dirt with Dash studio,” Dash said, slamming his foot on the gas before the back door was fully closed behind us. “We need to get them back. Soren better pull through, because if not…”
He trailed off, but we were all aware.
We were at the point of going in guns blazing, but none of us were especially good with guns.
FIFTY-SEVEN
LEIGHTON
The moment Tobias opened the door, I caught her scent.
