Page 70 of Omega on Fire

Ihaven't slept this hard in years. I didn't have the greatest upbringing. Abusive parents who only cared for me when it benefitted them. As their only son to designate as an Alpha, they had plans for me, but like Moses, I too, chose the military route to escape familial obligations. Let's just say, it is the cause of a many sleepless nights, that and the shit I've seen overseas, my mind doesn't exactly shut down easily. But these past few days with Charlotte I've been sleeping like a goddamn baby. Which is why when her agonized scream tears through the penthouse I'm out of the bed in the nest with my gun in hand before I'm even fully conscious.

Beaux and Josiah are already in motion, both similarly armed and alert as we rush towardCharlotte's room. The door's already open, and we find her clutching her phone like it's a lifeline, her entire body trembling. Moses stands nearby wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist.

Of course, Moses beat us to her, always the quiet one with perfect timing. Sneaky fucker managed some alone time with our girl. Ours. God, I love the sound of that. I thought my pack was complete, but now it really feels that way. Which is why all I want to do is fix whatever has caused her so much pain.

Charlotte turns, eyes wide with shock as Moses absently helps her into a robe, he's pulled off her bed. We all stand around half-dressed but instantly alert and ready to react to whatever has happened. My Alpha instincts are screaming at me to eliminate whatever threat has her scent spiking with distress.

"What happened?" I demand, scanning the room for threats even though I know the danger isn't here.

Charlotte's voice cracks as she looks up at me. "Senator Blaine has Brookes." Her words hang in the air like a death sentence. She collapses on the edge of her bed and doubles over, head in her hands as she tries to breathe.

Joker rushes from the room without a word. I know my Beta well enough to know he's already in problem-solving mode.

"How the hell did he get to him?" I run a hand over my face, trying to process. "I thought Brookes had been assigned a security team of Betas?" I say to the room, my mind already calculating how many people I'll need to kill over this security breach. No, Brookes is not my responsibility, but he's important to Charlotte, therefore, some heads will fucking roll for sure.

Joker returns with clothes in tow for Moses, then sits on the floor at Charlotte's feet, laptop resting on his lap. His fingers fly across the keyboard with practiced precision.

"I'm tapping into Brookes' modeling agency computer database to get his shooting schedule," he explains, his eyes never leaving the screen. "From there I can find out where he was last seen and—got it. Yesterday Brookes was at a shoot for an ad campaign here in New York."

Charlotte's head snaps up. "I didn't know. I didn't even know he was here. I—I hadn't talked to him because of my heat." Her scent turns acrid with guilt. "Oh God. I'm a terrible friend."

"Charlotte you can't?—"

"Here we are." Joker points to his screen. "From the camera feeds in the venue it looks like Brookes was separated from his security detail by his makeupartist or someone posing as his makeup artist. The woman took Brookes to a side exit, and they snatched him before his team could register his disappearance."

"Fuck," Beaux says from the door, and I echo his sentiment because it's becoming clear that Senator Blaine has played us all.

"He had Brookes before the gala," I mutter, the realization hitting me like a freight train. "He had Brookes before he ever looked Charlotte in the eye. That entire conversation was a performance. Smoke and fucking mirrors while Brookes was already in chains"

"He was toying with me!" Charlotte shouts, anger flaring in her scent now, mixing with the fear and guilt. She stands suddenly, pacing the room like a caged animal. "That smug bastard knew exactly what he was doing. He had Brookes when he was threatening me that things wouldn't end the way I wanted. Ha, I guess he was right."

I move to her, grabbing her shoulders to steady her. "This is not your fault," I say, forcing her to look me in the eyes. "And we will get him back."

Moses steps closer, now dressed in the clothes Josiah brought him. "This is what we do, Charlotte," he says, his voice steady and sure. "Finding people,extracting them from dangerous situations. It's our specialty."

"We won't rest until we do," Beaux adds, his eyes darkening with the promise of violence. I recognize that look. It's the one that earned him his call sign. Motley. Because he's a fucking mess when he gets like this, but goddamn if he isn't effective.

Charlotte is beside herself, tears streaming down her face. "You don't understand. I’m all the family he has. We survived together. If anything happens to him—" She tries to breathe but panics instead, her chest heaving with rapid, shallow breaths.

I pull her against me, pressing her ear to my chest. "Match my breathing, Omega," I command, using my Alpha tone just enough to cut through her panic. "In and out. Slow and steady."

I feel her struggle to obey, her fingers digging into my bare skin as she tries to anchor herself.

"Joker, I need everything you can get on Brookes' security detail," I say over her head. "Names, backgrounds, who hired them, everything. Someone was compromised."

"Already on it," he responds, his fingers a blur on the keyboard.

"Beaux, get your ass dressed. I need you to contact our network. See who might have eyes on anyunusual activity around the Senator. Especially any properties not in his name."

"Copy that," Beaux says, already moving toward the door.

"Moses," I continue, "call Dez. We might need additional manpower, and he owes us anyway."

Moses nods, pulling out his phone.

Charlotte pulls back just enough to look up at me, her eyes red-rimmed but more focused now. "What can I do?" she asks, and fuck if that doesn't make my chest tighten. Even in her fear she wants to help.

"You can start by staying calm. I need you to be focused and ready to go when the time comes. In the meantime, we train and prepare," I say, leading her to sit on the edge of the bed again. "Blaine took Brookes for a reason. He wants to silence you. You had him running scared the moment we found you, baby. So, you get ready to make him pay."

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