Page 126 of Power Shift

“That’s where Landon’s been. I called him when I saw my door open and went inside?—”

“You went inside alone when you saw your door was open?” Jasper asks, still scolding but not as ruthless as Ronan.

I try not to waver beneath their worried words and keep strong. If I let them railroad me now, they won’t know where my boundaries are. “Stop ganging up on me, or I won’t tell you anything.”

All four of them keep silent, but it’s Ronan’s chest that won’t stop rumbling. I take the small win and hold back a smile at his protectiveness. It’s not a new development by any means.

“She went up to your parents’ apartment while she waited for me,” Landon says, eyeing the grumbling alpha. “And I don’t think you’re in a position to be growling at anyone, considering you didn’t share that there are a pair of alphas dangerous enough to pose a threat to our omega lurking around.”

To Ronan’s benefit, he doesn’t look taken aback by Landon’s chastising. Sure, his anger isn’t specifically directed at him, but it may as well be. Landon’s like a dog with a scent, and after semi-successfully avoiding his interrogation on the ride here, I knew it was only a matter of time before he brought his questions and suspicions to the rest of the pack.

I do feel guilty for not sharing what happened with Sadie’s alphas with the rest of the pack, but it all happened so fast, and I didn’t think a text was the way to handle it. In a way, I guess this is a blessing.

Landon’s taking care of it now.

I never thought I’d be able to say that after how things were before today.

“I only met the two alphas the other night,” Ronan says before glancing at Jasper. “And I wasn’t the only one who knew.”

Landon’s energy shifts, his scent sharpening. “So, both of you knew and didn’t speak up. You shouldn’t have gone anywhere you thought could have been dangerous without backup. We should have dealt with whatever happened together.”

“Would you have even come if I’d asked? And I didn’t set off to tell Jasper. He was up when I got home the morning after,” Ronan defends himself.

I lift a brow and stare down at him. “You mean after you stayed parked outside of my apartment all night?”

His mouth slants into a smirk, knowing he’s caught. “It wasn’t the first time, and it won’t be the last.”

I don’t know if he means to, but Landon clutches my hand with a python grip, as if he needs my support to continue this conversation.

“I know you don’t think much of me anymore, Ro, but yes, I would have come. You’re my family, and I’d do anything for any one of you, Briar included. Which is also why I’ve asked her to move in with us.”

“What?” Dash guffaws. When I steal a look at him, he’s wide-eyed.

Is it really that surprising? Or is he upset?

Some omegas move in with their scent matches after the first time they meet them. My mom was mated and bonded a week after first scenting her mates.

“That’s the best call you’ve made in months,” Ronan tells Landon, inching forward and dropping his lips to kiss both my knees. His eyes blaze when they meet mine. “You belong here with us. Safe and cared for.”

“Yes, you do,” Jasper adds.

He’s sitting too far away, but the steady warmth of his hand on my back helps with the distance.

Dash doesn’t have a chance to say anything else before Landon’s bringing the conversation back to the break-in. His leadership is shining through right now, and I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t extremely sexy watching him take control of the pack.

“When I was looking inside of Briar’s place, I found a bunch of Harbour of Hope folders open. Most importantly, Sadie’s. It was empty. Now, is there a reason Sadie isn’t with her alphas? And why has Briar been brought into what’s going on with them? I need to know everything that happened the other night and over the last few weeks.”

“Thorne and Sebastian are the only two in the pack, but they’re not her alphas anymore. Not really. She already left them and has filed multiple restraining orders, with the most recent being heavily detailed. They’re not supposed to be within six feet of her, but they’ve been constantly appearing outside of the clinic and as of the other night, trying to get into her house. Our security does a great job of keeping them away while she’s at the clinic, but other than that, we have no jurisdiction,” I explain.

Landon hardly contains a growl. “Which one of them is the father?”

Ronan strokes my legs in soothing movements. “Thorne. He’s the one stirring the shit. When I drove Briar to Sadie’s the other night, it was him who was trying to get inside of her apartment. They’re bonded, and he feels like she still belongs to him.”

“His instincts aren’t going to allow him to pretend his baby doesn’t exist. He won’t leave her alone,” Jasper adds tightly.

Dash clears his throat. “Briar needs to be our focus. Especially if they’re now targeting her.”

We’re pressed so close together that our arms and thighs touch, and when he grows stiff, I feel it. He might doubt our slow-growing bond, but I know it’s there, and every moment we stay this close, it becomes even more apparent. His scent is subtle but delicious. Good enough to eat, really.

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