Page 18 of Stalemate

It’s a lifeline in the anarchy of Pacific City…and a reminder that even if we’re in Echo Beach, we’re at home together.

We weave through the crowd, their bodies a sea of desperation and desire. The bar is a few blocks away, a place where the shadows don’t whisper secrets you wish you could forget. We push through the door, the sound of glass clinking and low murmurs greeting us.

“Oberon,” she says, her voice slicing through the hum around us, “we need to talk about Cassie.”

“Alright, spill it,” I prompt as we claim two stools at the far end, away from prying eyes and ears that are always listening.

Aisling takes a deep breath. “That girl…it was fucked up—and I think she got got by the same people who hurt you, who dosed you with that…that stuff. She talked about the hospital… if you can even call it that.” Disgust colors her words, a bitter taste that I know too well.

“And?”

“I heard some people whispering about it in the club, and it’s come up a couple other times too—around Nero Rossi, and the Eclipse as a whole,” she says. “You know anything about eros?”

“I’ve heard the name a couple times,” I reply with a frown. “Vance Solace asked me about it…and Rook mentioned it, too. Do you think…”

She finished my sentence for me, nodding. “Yeah…I think it’s what they dosed you with, too. Casse said it amplifies heats, makes ruts nearly unbearable. It’s like they’re trying to crank up what the Great Mutation started.”

I lean in closer, the heat from her body a stark reminder of why we fight, why we claw for every inch in this twisted world. “Did she say anything about who’s behind it?”

“Only rumors,” Aisling admits, frustration lacing her words. “Some guy with a tree inked on his face—part of the same cult we saw signs of in what was left of Dreamland. I would think it was all whispers, but after what we saw…”

She trails off, and I groan and run my hand over my face.

“Typical,” I mutter. The underbelly of Pacific City thrives on such whispers, half-truths that lead to full-blown wars.

“Hey,” she says softly, her hand reaching out to squeeze my arm. “We’ll figure it out. For Cassie, for all of them. We’re going to get my friends, and then…”

She doesn’t need to finish her thought. She keeps saying we’ll leave once we find the Dreamland omegas, we’ll get out of town.

But now there’s Cassie.

And countless other people who have been trafficked into Echo Beach.

Her resolve ignites something within me—a fierce protectiveness, a vow to rip apart anyone who harms her or our kind. Aisling isn’t just some omega; she’s the Queen of this concrete chessboard, moving pieces in a game that’s far too real.

And more than that, she’s mine.

“Damn right, we will.” My words are a promise, one I intend to keep. For her, for the city, for whatever semblance of humanity we have left.

As Aisling and I wait in the muted tension of the bar, the door swings open, and Roman strides in. He’s a presence that commands attention, a storm ready to break over the city’s fragile calm. With a tilt of his head, he signals us to a booth tucked away in the corner.

“Vega, Aisling,” Roman greets us, his voice a low rumble. He slides into the booth, clasping his hands. “Sorry it took me so long to get here—got held up talking to the bouncers about my guests. Guess they had questions.”

Aisling stiffens. “Do they…”

“They don’t know who you are,” Roman says. “Look like those tats gave you a whole new scent signature—as far as anyone is concerned, you’re in the wind or packed up. They don’t know you’re still in Pacific City.”

Aisling swallows hard, nodding. A waitress comes by and brings us three beers, and we all go silent while we wait for privacy once again.

“Yeah, I didn’t know so many people knew about me and my escape from Dreamland,” Aisling says quietly. “Cassie mentioned it, and I’m…shit, I didn’t want a high profile.”

Roman chuckles. “Yeah…you’re a bit of a folk hero, aren’t you? Stargazer…like a damn superhero or something.”

“As far as anyone else is concerned, Stargazer is a myth,” Oberon cuts in. “We don’t want this spreading around. We’re taking enough heat as it is.”

“Yeah, I get that,” Roman says. “Not gonna stop the city’s omegas from talking, though. They all want you to save them…and Caius Rossi is real fuckin’ embarrassed that he let you get away.”

“So you know about me, you know about this drug, and there’s something going on with the Rossi brothers,“ Aisling says. “Why do I feel like you know more than you’re letting on?”

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