Selfishly, he looked forward to having his days back. And his nights with Ronan. He crossed his fingers for at least one more breeding heat. Perhaps a little beta brother for Zayne and the twins. He’d love any gender, of course. He just wanted another piece of him and Ronan.
Teal knew he gambled with fate by not taking suppressants before the Bannon case went to High Court. All signs pointed to his heat arriving soon. But after speaking with the doctor, he felt he’d made the right decision. He had to live his life. And if worse came to worst, he wasn’t the only lawyer at his firm who could argue the case.
Everyone at Schulman, Carson & Associates knew they were part of something important. The tribunal would dominate headlines and set precedents that would affect state policies for decades to come. Even Mikel had been less of a dick last week, preparing evidence packets for Teal and only grumbling a few times about being an omega’s “errand boy.”
Yesterday, Mr. Schulman ordered Teal to take a long weekend. His bosses wanted him fresh for High Court and there was nothing more he could do from his desk. Everything was ready. Documents filed and witnesses prepared. Security for Dayson and Teal, outlines for press releases, and contingencies for any surprises the state might throw at them.
It felt odd being home during the day on a Friday. Niall had taken Zayne to drop the boys off at school and run errands, leaving Teal with the house to himself. He turned on the TV for background noise, making sure to stay away from the news.
The unit next door was also quiet. He’d seen Dale and Abe leave a few days ago. They’d hitched a small trailer to their SUV, so Teal figured they’d gone on a longer trip. He assumed Sorcha was home, although Teal hadn’t seen him since the barbeque six days ago.
Restless, Teal opened the fridge. He glanced at the contents without truly looking before shutting it again. He wondered if he should check on Sorcha. Niall wouldn’t be back for a few hours, and Ronan had left early for the job site. Perhaps he could ask Sorcha to go to a movie. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d done something as mundane as go to a movie.
Teal frowned. No. He couldn’t go out anywhere. Every person within a hundred-mile radius was buzzing about High Court. As much as it pained him to admit it, it wasn’t safe for him to go out without Ronan or other security.
He decided to ask Sorcha to hang out at the duplex. Teal would love to see any new projects Sorcha was working on. A morningwith the vibrant young omega would certainly help ease Teal’s nerves.
Teal went outside and walked the ten steps to the neighboring unit and rang the doorbell. When Sorcha didn’t answer, he knocked. Still nothing.
Hmm. Why wasn’t he answering? Teal was sure Sorcha hadn’t gone with his uncles. And Sorcha had no reason to avoid him. They’d parted on great terms after the barbeque, with Sorcha agreeing to come to dinner soon. Teal just hadn’t had a chance to make good on that invite since he’d been so busy.
Maybe Sorcha had walked somewhere? Or was sleeping in? Both were fair assumptions, but Teal’s mind rejected them.
A knot of dread formed in Teal’s stomach.
He thought about how quiet the unit next door had been over the past few days. Not a bump against the wall or a curtain fluttering in the window to signal Sorcha’s presence. It hadn’t occurred to him to worry, but as he continued knocking with no reply, his head swam with the suspicion something was wrong.
Teal walked down the porch steps and put an ear to Dale and Abe’s garage door. Nothing. He returned to his own unit and walked through to the backyard. The other omega wasn’t outside.
His instincts screamed at him.
Something was definitely wrong.
Teal pulled out his phone to call Sorcha, grateful they’d exchanged numbers Saturday. He cursed as he tripped over the boys’ kid-sized patio chairs.
That’s when his eye caught on something strange.
Gazing up at the back of Dale and Abe’s house, he noticed an entire window on the second floor covered with plywood. From the outside.What the fuck?
Why had the betas boarded up a window? They hadn’t mentioned a maintenance issue to Ronan or Teal. Was thatSorcha’s room? He lifted the phone in his hand and pulled up Sorcha’s number. The call connected but went to voice mail.
Teal’s heart sped up. He tried again. Still no answer.
After running through the house, Teal found himself back on the other unit’s porch. Banging on the door, he shouted, “Sorcha! Are you in there!? Sorcha!”
Silence.
Teal ran his hand roughly through his hair, pacing back and forth.
After a moment of indecision, he raced back into his unit and ran to the drawer where they kept the spare keys to the rental side of the building. The duplex was an investment they’d made as newlyweds immediately out of college. In all their years of owning it, neither he nor Ronan had ever barged into their tenants’ home uninvited.
Until now.
Turning the key in the lock of Dale and Abe’s door, Teal called out, “Sorcha?”
Teal ventured carefully inside and saw that the house appeared untouched, the living room perfectly put together. No indents in the couch cushions or mugs on the coffee table to show a recent occupant. He peeked into the kitchen. No dishes in the sink or lingering smells of cooked food. Maybe Sorchahadleft with his uncles, and they’d boarded up the window for some legitimate reason.
Except that easy explanation didn’t sit right. His gut churned with apprehension.
