Page 16 of Nothing is Free

The closer we get to the woman, the smaller she becomes and the older I realize she is. She looks like my one of my father’s abuelas; golden olive skin, a stern round face, her hands are wrinkled and aged, the skin almost translucent. Her hair is pulled back in a tight silver bun and she looks up at us with wise, tired, light brown eyes. The dress she wears I can only guess is a uniform of sorts by the pocket watch attached to the side pocket at her hip.

“How can I help you, sirs?” She offers us a tight smile, quickly looking over her shoulders before turning her attention back to us.

“We are here to speak to the Stuarts, our mate’s parents,” Avion says, returning the smile and letting his French accent weigh heavy on his words.

The older woman squints, blinking in confusion as if she trying to recall if she’s ever met us before. She clasps her hands together in that professional way people do when they are about to be polite, yet turn you away, then finally says, “I’ve met all the Stuart daughters’ mates, and you two are not among them.” She narrows her eyes and studies us. “I think you need to leave. I’m sorry, but you have the wrong house,” she says quickly, looking over her shoulderonce more at the sound of a name being called in the distance.

“Marie. Do we have guest?” A high-pitched feminine voice calls out from somewhere in the house.

Having no desire to disrespect the older woman I speak before Avion can say anything further. If I have learned anything in this life, it’s that the help always know the truth and are willing to divulge said truths when you treat them with kindness. I know Avion will make demands, but I know better. I quickly say, “Freeya. We are Freeya’s Alphas. She’s missing, we need to talk to her parents so we can find?—”

“Marie?” The woman flinches at the sound of what I assume is her name as a woman who looks like an older, yet crueler version of our mate comes into view. The older woman’s eyes grow wide, looking between Avion and I as if she wants to say something but she quickly shuffles away from the door. Standing beside a woman I can only assume is Freeya’s mother, Marie clears her throat.

“These Alphas seek an audience. They are Miss Freeya’s pack.” I can hear a little pride behind the older woman’s words, and I immediately warm to her. Mrs. Stuart’s face goes still as stone. But Avion doesn’t give her a chance to speak. He does what he does best, smiles and gets what he wants.

“Avion Savoy.” He holds out his hand and waits for Freeya’s mother to respond in kind. I want to roll my eyes as she seems to melt at the sound of his voice. A little bit of Alpha purr and French decadence and she practically floats toward him.

“Cadence. Cadence Stuart.” She holds out her hand and Avion sandwiches it between his two big ones and smiles.

“It’s a pleasure, Mrs. Stuart. I wish we were here to meet you officially. I would have loved to meet you under differentcircumstances, but I need the help of yourself and your Alphas,” he says, feigning ignorance, omitting the fact that we know that Freeya was rejected by her family. We will let them hang themselves all on their own.

“Ah. . .my. . .daugh— Freeya?” She gives us a worried glance, eyes shifting left and right. So obvious, I want to call her out for being so predictable. As if she’s debating whether to tell us Freeya doesn’t exist but falters because she can’t deny it. “Please, come in.” Cadence turns on her heels, literally, and beckons us to follow. Avion and I watch her walk away, gesturing for Marie to go ahead of us but she refuses, reaching for the front door and holding it open as if her life depends on it.

“Please.” She inclines her head, tilting it in the direction of Freeya’s mother and Avion steps over the threshold and into the house. I follow, but not before I turn to Marie and mouth, ‘Thank you’. She offers me a warm, genuine smile, then closes the door behind us. I can feel her eyes on us as we move down a long hallway, the sound of Cadence’s heels hitting the dark hardwood floor echoes off the cavernous walls and vaulted ceiling above us. Family pictures line the walls on either side of us. I catch glimpses of little girls in dresses, smiling for the camera, of older versions of those woman with men surrounding each one in other frames. There’s no warmth, no playfulness that you would normally expect to see in family photos, this feels like a trophy wall, museum-like in its function. A way to show each visitor the family’s achievements more than anything else. Avion and I don’t pause to get a better look, although, I am curious to stop and examine each one. I don’t see Freeya anywhere. We easily keep pace with Cadence. The hallway opens up to a round atrium with more hallways leading off in different directions. A round ornate rug covers the floor with a circularwhite marble table sitting in the center. A crystal vase sits on top of the table with an arrangement of long-stemmed white, pink, and yellow roses.

Cadence stops at a set of double doors off to the left of us and pauses. The sound of male voices can be heard from the inside, and I can only guess that these men are my Cariñas fathers.

“I will tell my Alphas you’re here. Give me one moment.” She holds up her hand to stop us from following then slides one of the doors open and slips inside.

As soon as the door closes, Avion rounds on me, stepping close he whispers. “Did you notice there isn’t one picture of Free on that wall?” He raises a brow and shakes his head; the look of disgust on his face, eyes narrowing, lips pulled down in a frown, lets me know exactly how he feels about it. I mirror his sentiments. I noticed it as well.

“I saw,” I reply. I suddenly get the feeling that maybe this trip is futile. Maybe they have written her off completely and have no clue of her whereabouts, or anything to do with her abduction. “What if this is pointless, Avi? They obviously don’t give a shit about our girl. We just got here, and I don’t want to hear a damn thing they have to say. I think we should leave.”

“I disagree,” he says just as the doors slide open and three older men and Freeya’s mother await us on the other side.

The tallest of the men steps forward. He has a muscular build, much larger than the other Alphas in the room. He is dressed casually, and his hair is shaved but you can see the gray at the temples. Dark brown skin and chocolate brown eyes so much like my Cariñas, my heart clenches in my chest. This Alpha is her biological father.

Avion steps up to the Alpha, eyes locked, he holds out his hand. “Avion Savoy, this is my pack mate, Victor. We’re twoof your daughter’s mates,” he says, wasting no time in our introduction. He waits for the other Alpha to respond in kind but the men around us all frown. One of the Alpha’s hands clench into fists at his sides, his entire demeanor is aggressive. Sensing his own pack mate’s clear agitation with our presence, the man I assume is Free’s father, gives him a challenging look. The tension, for a second, makes my own hackles rise, but just when I think the two men are going to fight it out right here in front of us, the smaller Alpha drops his head and pulls Cadence into his chest. Well, that was interesting.

“Bastian Stuart.” Freeya’s father shakes Avion’s hand then steps away. “I’m sorry, but we haven’t seen or heard from my daughter in years.” He looks over to Cadence then continues. “You say you’re looking for her?” he asks. I watch them all with interest as they wait for Avion’s reply. I don’t know if it’s a lack of manners, but it isn’t lost on me that they haven’t invited us to join them inside the sitting room. Looks like they want to get rid of us as fast as they can. Not suspicious at all. Avion’s right, they know something.

“Yes, she was taken from a Gala almost two weeks ago. We came here with the hope you might know anything that can help us with our search. We know the Alpha who took her was an Alpha she used to know, a Damyn?—”

“Harrington. Damyn Harrington,” Cadence says, interrupting Avion. Her hand reaches up to grasp the pearl necklace at her neck nervously. She clears her throat, her Alphas cut her a scathing look, but she remains poised and calm, unaffected by their stares. She may be their Omega, but it is clear who’s selling this farce of a story. “He’s dead; terrible car accident.” She sighs, and I want to clap at the show of her sadness. “Freeya would have been mated to him and his pack if she hadn’t presented as a Beta.” She waves her dainty handin the air in a throw away gesture. Practically spitting out the word Beta with so much disdain—I’ve never wanted to act aggressively toward a woman until now. “Shameful really, the entire situation.”

I growl low in my throat at her words. I know I shouldn’t react but damn her. She’s lying and insulting my girl at the same time. But before I can say anything, Avion holds up his hand to stop me.

“It’s clear we’ve wasted your time. But before we leave you to your afternoon, I will say this. Your daughter is an exceptional, successful woman. Not that any of you can take credit for who she’s become. You should be singing her praises and proud of who she is, what she’s become, no matter her designation. Beta or not, she is our mate, whom we love and care for, and protect at any cost. Unfortunately, I’ve wasted my time here, but my resources are far-reaching. When I find out that you were involved in her kidnapping, I will make you pay.” Avion’s threat hits home, all pretense has dropped from his voice as he stares Bastian and his pack down.

“You can’t come in my home and attempt to chall?—”

“Oh, I’m not challenging you, old man. Let’s not get too ahead of yourself. You wouldn’t survive it.” He shrugs nonchalantly, waving his hand in the air as if the Alpha before him is an irritating fly. “You are my mate’s father after all. I don’t think she’d be happy if I killed you. You see, because despite the way you treated her, I know my mate cares. Not that I think you deserve it, any of you.” He looks to Cadence pointedly, making her Alphas bristle, closing rank around her. Okay, yep, this is escalating faster than I expected. Avion sneers, stepping into Bastian’s personal space, towering over the big Alpha. Avion is taller, toned, and leaner than the older Alpha, and I know for a fact, he’s morelethal. My brother has no problem throwing down when he needs to. Dez would be proud. But I don’t want him to ruin that pretty suit of his, so I step up beside him, slightly putting myself between the two men.

Holding up my hands in surrender, I say, “Thank you for your time. We came here for help, and you’ve offered us nothing. I shouldn’t be surprised, most parents in my experience are disappointing at best. Your children are not commodities to be brokered. Your daughters’ pictures in the hallway. . .” I point over my shoulder with my thumb. “Feel like advertisements instead of images of warmth, love of a well-cared for family. So, I’m glad you threw Freeya away.” Cadence gasps in offense but I turn my own glare on her in challenge. I wish she would attempt to deny anything else today.

“We don’t have anything else to say. Like Bastian said, we haven’t seen or heard from her in years. She is no longer part of our family. Why would we know anything about her anymore?” The shorter Alpha bites out, and I can sense Avion is about to snap. His anger pulses through our bond, a beast beating its chest eagerly waiting to lash out and defend our mate.

He straightens instead and steps away, letting his mask of aloofness slide back into place. “We’ll make our way out. Thank you for your time.” He turns and storms away, not giving Freeya’s parents a chance to say anything else. I back away, saluting the waste of spaces they are and turn to follow him. As we reach the front door, Marie appears out of nowhere, eyes wild, shifting anxious glances back the way we came. I approach her slowly, not wanting to scare the poor woman. She looks ready to run.

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