Page 60 of Reckless Consequences

“Jinx—”

“Not. Without. Them.” My voice leaves no room for argument. My body tenses, ready to move, to hunt, to find what’s ours. I drop my chin, chest expanding—not challenging Ryker’s leadership but standing firm on this one point. The need to bring our scattered pack together rises like a tide.

His expression shifts as cedar scent spikes with momentary alpha challenge. Our eyes lock longer than necessary—communication happening in tiny shifts of expression. Then he settles into reluctant agreement. “Five minutes. Then we all leave. Together.”

The compromise works for neither of us completely. But it’s right.

Through our bond, I feel Cayenne moving—no longer in one place, heading with purpose through the facility corridors. Away from where the danger registered before. She and Finn are on the move, but not toward us yet. The connection carries urgency but not terror, not the panic of being hunted. Something else drives her—revelation, maybe. Whatever she found in Alexander’s USB has changed her plans.

“They’re mobile,” I tell Ryker, still trying to catch their scent despite the distance. “But not heading our way yet.”

His jaw tightens, decision warring with necessity. “Extraction point. We secure it for their arrival.” His scent shifts—steel strengthening as tactics override alpha instinct.

I don’t like it, but it makes sense. Ryker needs medical attention, and securing our exit improves everyone’s chances. The urge to hunt still burns in my blood, but I bank it beneath practical need. Still, my body stays oriented toward Cayenne’s direction even as we move away.

We navigate maintenance corridors, following Finn’s planned route. The facility rumbles beneath us—normal operations or something worse? I think of Alexander, wondering if he’s kept his cover after helping Cayenne and Finn. His quiet rebellion reminds me of Emma in her final days—refusing to bend despite knowing the cost. The same steel I see in Mona, just wrapped differently.

The comm unit in my ear suddenly crackles to life. “—epeat, all teams evacuate immediately. Facility security compromised. This is not a drill.”

Not Sterling’s voice. Someone else has taken control.

The first explosion comes seconds later—not our charges, something else. The floor shudders beneath us, destruction sending tremors through steel and concrete.

“Secondary systems failing,” the voice continues, clinical and detached. Familiar.

“Mona,” I laugh, recognizing the blend of chaos and precision. Satisfaction rumbles through my chest—pack ally executing her part perfectly.

The announcement continues: “Containment failure in laboratory sections three through seven. Toxic exposure imminent. Evacuation protocols initiated.”

“She’s covering our tracks,” Ryker realizes.

“And creating perfect chaos.” My appreciation for Sterling’s broken omega grows. Like Emma would have done—turning weakness into weapon. I can almost see Mona orchestrating this from Omega Guardian headquarters, arranging candy in patterns while calculating precise system failures.

Through our bond, Cayenne’s presence gains urgency—she and Finn moving faster now, responding to the alarms. Still not directly toward us, but on a path that should eventually meet ours. The connection grows stronger each minute—her fierce energy flowing through our bond like electric current. My skin warms with her approach, ready to mark her when we reunite.

“They’re heading toward extraction,” I tell Ryker. “Different path. Something happened with Alexander—I can feel traces of it through her.” The bond carries recognition and revelation—emotional patterns different from fear or threat.

He nods, processing this. “Quinn’s team?”

I reach through the bond for Theo’s presence. Our omega registers clearly now—closer than before, surrounded by unfamiliar energies. The extraction team and their charges. His dark vanilla scent reaches me before I see him.

“Operational. Northeast quadrant.”

Ryker checks his watch, measuring time against distance and injury. Always the commander, even bleeding. His cedar scent carries pain beneath determination, his face betraying nothing.

We reach the extraction point—a secondary maintenance exit where Quinn’s vehicles should be waiting. Through the pack bond, I feel Theo getting closer. My skin prickles with anticipation, already responding to our omega’s approach despite the neutralizer.

The moment Theo spots us, his eyes widen. “Ryker!” He rushes forward, medical instincts taking over. His scent spikes with concern—vanilla intensifying with protective response. “Sit. Now.”

Ryker obeys reluctantly, letting Theo examine the wound. “Status report.” His cedar scent steadies with proximity to his omega—their pheromones interacting even before treatment begins.

“Six subjects extracted safely.” Theo’s hands move efficiently, applying pressure to Ryker’s shoulder. His omega touch releases healing compounds through his fingertips while his vanilla scent eases alpha pain responses. “Quinn’s team is securing transport. We’re just waiting on?—”

“Cayenne and Finn,” I finish, eyes fixed on the entrance where they should appear. My body thrums with anticipation, muscles tight with readiness. I shift my weight toward their expected arrival, already claiming the space where they’ll be. “They’re close.”

The pack bond vibrates stronger—Cayenne and Finn moving through corridors, getting closer but hitting obstacles. Their path feels erratic, diverted. My skin prickles with awareness of her approaching energy, my scent intensifying with protective anticipation.

“Something’s slowing them down,” I mutter, instinct rising with each second. The beast inside me paces restlessly, desperate to hunt, to find, to protect. My fingers flex repeatedly, nails digging into palms. “I should go after them.”

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