Page 66 of Crave

I rushed in front of him, holding the Beta’s wrist gently like he was a naughty toddler. “I’d stop. I will not allow you to hit this Omega.” He still strained against my hold, like he would have a chance to break free. I gave him a look of pity. “I could snap your wrist with the tiniest bit of pressure. Sometimes I don’t know my own strength. I’d strongly suggest, as a doctor, that you stop struggling.” My voice was cool and professional, but my eyes must have said something else, because the man blanched.

“You misunderstand, Doctor. I was just going to stroke his hair. He’s my baby, after all.”

I nodded, like I could relate at all with this piece of shit. “Indeed. Unfortunately, it is time for the Omega’s check-up, so I’m going to have to insist he comes with me. Have a great evening.” I hustled Quinn away, resisting the urge to pick him up and run with him all the way back home. Instead, I took him to the clinic a half a block over.

I breathed a sigh of relief that there was no one there waiting for me, and moved him gently through the front door, slamming it closed behind us. Locking it, I pushed him into my office, then closed that door too.

Finally, now I was sure he was safe, I gripped his shoulders as I inspected him for injuries. He looked up at me with eyes that were too wide, his complexion pale, and I realized his fingers were shaking where they clung to my shirt. I folded him up in my arms and held him tightly against me. His warm body slowly thawed my cooler one, and I ignored the ache in my fangs at the pounding of his heart.

“I’m so sorry, Quinn. Sorry that they didn’t see that your true worth has no dollar value.” I kissed the top of his head, trying to give him the reassurance Susannah would give him if she was here. “Susannah knows your worth. We all do. I won’t let them hurt you again.”

He shook his head from side to side, not unburying his face from my neck, though. “They haven’t had the ability to hurt me in so long, but they still managed to get at me through Susannah. I hate them so much.”

I ran my fingers through his hair, gently scraping my nails on his scalp until he purred softly. “I hate them too. Want me to eat them? They’d probably taste rotten, but anything tastes good with enough tomato sauce.”

He laughed softly as he pressed away from my chest. “Thank you, Tanner.”

I stroked my fingers across the frown creases in his forehead. I wasn’t sure what came over me, but I leaned forward and kissed him. It wasn’t deep or passionate, barely a brush of my lips, but when he sighed contentedly, my lips curled. Something in my chest settled at the small sound of happiness.

“You never have to thank me, my Omega. I want you to be happy, and I intend to make that happen, despite your cunt parents and the rest of this town. I’m not just in this Pack for Susannah. You’re mine too. ”

His eyes got shiny, and he nodded, leaning his forehead back onto my chest. I hugged him, whispering promises I fully intended to keep forever.

39

JERICHO

Ifelt like a person in a sensory deprivation tank. Without the constant presence of Bowie at my side—and in my head—the world was too quiet. Too still. Too lonely. I missed him like I’d miss a limb. Sure, he wasn’t always beside me before, but we’d never been separated for long stretches of time before.

On the other hand, as his brother, I was so happy that he’d get to experience a little bit of life without it filtering through me first. I was happy that Susannah had someone with her as she entered her third day in lock-up, since they were still gathering the “witness” from wherever he was holed up.

Merrick and Murphy were alternating between extreme rage and hopelessness, but had thrown themselves into fixing up what I referred to as the Packhouse. I couldn’t soothe them, not really. The only person who even eased their anger and guilt a little was Quinn, and he was a mess.

Tanner had told me about Quinn’s parents and their threats, and I’d made a mental note to get Bowie to sneak into their house and fuck with them. Go full sleep-paralysis demon every night when they tried to rest.

With a slight shift in the energy around me, Bowie appeared, scaring the ever-loving shit out of me. “Fuck!”

It’s been, like, two days, and already you’re used to being without me? I’m crushed, brother.

Something inside me relaxed at the sound of his voice in my head. “I’m not used to you being so fucking sneaky, asshole.” I wanted to hug him. “How’s Susannah?”

The smirk on Bowie’s face dropped.She’s comfortable, but she misses her Pack. She gets more desolate every day.

“Having you there doesn’t help?”

He shrugged.It does. But it's not the same as a warm body around you, you know?His head flopped back, and he stared at the ceiling. I’m not sure if my balls can explode, seeing as they don’t exist, but the ache I feel when I hold her body to mine is torture. I’ve never felt anything like it.

I snorted. “Welcome to the dick-swinging world, brother. Doesn’t it feel good?”

Indescribable. The pure bliss on his face made all the loneliness worth it. He was so happy, happier than I’d ever seen him.

He shook himself from his thoughts.Any advancements on getting her out?

I let out a low growl. “They’re dragging their feet, or dragging this witness back slowly, but they promise it’ll be done by the end of the week. Tomorrow isn’t soon enough for me.”

And Quinn?

Another sigh wracked my body. “He feels guilty, and he misses her. He wants her back.”

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