Page 42 of Pack Coffey

They come over to me, shining a light in my eyes.

Moving to Morton, they feel for a pulse.

A voice a recognize is arguing with someone outside.

Someone is fighting.

I'm being placed in handcuffs.

So many people have gathered outside.

Faces that I'm supposed to know.

In the back of the police car.

Pictures and more pictures.

An officer asking me questions.

A room with three grey walls and a window.

My bloody hands.

BANKS

We're sitting around playing cards while we wait for a call, hoping that one never comes. I've already beat most of the guys out of their money. The only two players left are my packmate and Aurelia. She always has a point to prove like she's so much better than us. Sometimes, it's nice to push her buttons. I'm about to steal the rest of her cash too when the radio goes off.

It's for a domestic disturbance on a familiar street. I ignore it since our girl is with Lawrence on campus. Another call goes out a few seconds later for a welfare check at the same address. I lock eyes with Keaton, and we jump out of our seats and take off running.

I snatch his keys out of his hand since he's already on the phone. I jump and slide across the hood of his truck not waiting to walk around. Our buddies on shift chase us to the door yelling and asking what's going on. No time to explain. It's a false alarm. It's not her address.

I keep repeating the mantra as I hear Keaton talking to Saint. No doubt, the alpha is in his car with his lights and sirens blaring at this point.

I repeat the mantra. Keaton calls Lawrence just to confirm that we're overreacting.

Only, she's not with him. He said she texted saying she got sick and went home, which is where he's headed now.

"GODDAMN IT!" I yell, punching the wheel as I punch the gas at the same time. We fishtail around a corner, and I stomp the gas again.

Keaton texts Henry to let him know that something might be happening. Even if it's nothing I'd be a mad motherfucker if someone didn't tell me.

It takes us a third of the time to get to her house, but my rage gets the best of me as I see police cars already outside. Slamming the truck to a stop, I shove it in park before takingoff at a dead sprint across the yard. Saint is yelling at an officer. Another one starts yelling at me as I cross the yellow tape. I punch him in the mouth and get tackled to the ground by a different one. I'm fighting them as they lead her out in handcuffs.

Our girl is covered from head to toe in blood and they've gotherin handcuffs putting her in the back of a squad car. Her eyes are wide and her face ashen. I call her name until I'm hoarse, but she doesn't even look at me.

Saint stalks over and pushes the officer holding me down off my back. "Chill the fuck out, dude. She's fine."

"You're not, though," the officer I punched says, coming up and slapping his own cuffs on me and leading me to the back of a different car.

The rest of our pack shows up before we're driven to the station, but it's not like they can do anything for either one of us.

I'm in the slammer for only a few hours before Saint comes in with the sheriff. The latter shakes his head at me. "You're being granted this one warning because you're a decorated member of our society, and we have come to understand that it was your omega that was attacked. Don't let it happen again."

"Yessir," I tell him as he unlocks the door, but I've already turned my attention to Saint. "How is she? Is she hurt?"

Saint shakes his head. "She's not hurt, but she's in shock. They're not letting anyone in to see her until they've gotten her statement, but she's not speaking. I'm not even sure she's in there right now."

"Fuck," I growl.

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