Page 27 of Shades of Scars

Caito

Arms crossed over my chest, I tap my fingers against the underside of my forearm—the only outward sign of my impatience—while staring down the two assholes that have been interrogating me for the past two hours. My seemingly blase attitude has only served to piss them off more.

Considering it’stheirpack mate’s deaths we’re discussing.

Carson Wright, our favorite take-no-bullshit lawyer, leans forward in the seat beside me, pinning the detectives with a withering glare. “I think you’ve wasted enough of my client’s time, gentlemen. This is a simple case of second hand self defense. The ‘victims’ in question were spotted by multiple witnesses attacking my client’s omega. There’s nothing else to discuss.” Carson is my favorite because he knows how to hold his own against assholes like these guys.

A muscle ticks in Peterson’s jaw as he struggles to hold back the rage that’s clearly been boiling underneath his tough guy exterior during this entire bullshit interview. “Mr. Archer has admitted that they aren’t even bonded. Tell me why an unbonded alpha would stake claim to an omega that doesn’t belong to him.”

I narrow my eyes at the fucking prick. “She’s my scent match, and we just met. Just because she doesn’t bare my mark, doesn’tmean she’s not mine. I didn’t admit that for you to take a dig at the relationship dynamics between my omega and me.”

Peterson shakes his head, and I don’t at all like the smirk curling the corners of his lips. “Mr. Archer, we aren’t stupid. You don’t think we don’t keep track of all unbonded and bonded omegas that reside in Black Tide Valley? We’ve been aware of Miss Reighn from the moment she stepped foot in the city. I think you know she doesn’t belong to you.”

His words make me stiffen at the implication in them. “My omega’s past is her own. It doesn’t matter what filthy miscreant put their hands and mark on her body. Would you care to go into detail how exactly you know she’s ‘bonded’.”

Masters looks slightly confused when he glances at his partner’s face, but Peterson doesn’t take his eyes off of me. “I have it on good authority that she’s happily bonded, and trust me, you don’t want to overstep, Mr. Archer.”

Interest piqued, I finally dropped my arms from my chest and leaned forward. “Do you think I’m afraid of whoever it is you’ve allied yourself with? Tell me, Peterson, is it not against the law to bond an omega against his or her will? I’m sure if you want to go down this road with me, I would love nothing more than to have it included in the record that my omega was not only bonded against her will, but also held-”

“Enough,” Peterson growls like the good little boy he really is. “That won’t be necessary.” He bares his teeth at me, but I just smirk at him. He knows just as well as I do that he’ll never get anywhere with that kind of questioning unless he’s willing to throw his entire case against me away.

“So, what will it be, gentlemen? Will you take my advice, or do you wish to press criminal charges against my client?” Carson, taps his pen against the empty legal pad that he got out just for show.

Peterson looks pissed as hell. “We still need to get a statement from Miss Reighn-”

“No. I gave you everything you need for an open and shut case, including the five other witnesses that saw what happened.” My voice is firm, unyielding.

“Do you want to push me, Mr. Archer? I can notify some friends of mine that would beveryinterested in learning the goings on of a particularbondedomega. All I need from her is a statement.”

Fury is a wicked strike through my heart and I grit my teeth to stop myself from saying something I’ll truly regret. “You can speak to my omega, but you will do so in Mr. Wright’s office. Friday morning. And Masters will perform the interview. Those are my terms. Trust me, Peterson, you don’t want to push me, either.”

I can tell that he doesn’t like it, but I can also see he realizes he doesn’t have a choice. Now that he’s threatened my omega, he’ll be wise not to push it. I have no problem taking her away from this godforsaken city. I fucking meant it when I said no one will ever lay a hand on her again without her permission.

“Very well, Mr. Archer. This Friday at ten a.m. at the offices of your legal counsel. Don’t be late. You are excused.” He says that like he thinks I couldn’t have gotten up and walked out of here whenever I wanted.

I leave without looking back.

* * *

Wren’s in a foul mood when I step out of the police station, and I can’t for the life of me see why, considering he smells like he’s been cozying up to our omega. Lucky bastard. “What’s with the scowl? One would argue that you don’t have any right looking that angry when you smell like sex and one incredibly, delectableomega.” I say as I slip into the passenger seat of his favorite Audi RS7.

He white knuckles the steering wheel while he pulls out of the side parking lot and guns it in the direction of the penthouse. “Whoa, slow down there, Wrenly James. Take me back to watch over our omega, or pull over the damn car so I can start walking there.” I narrow my eyes at the side of his face, but the prick won’t even look over at me while he ignores my order.

“Apollo has it covered.” He says that like it’s the end all be all, and he can get totally fucked if he thinks I’ll stand for that. I reach for the door handle and lock simultaneously, and he curses and slams his hand down on the gear shift. “You need to report on your interview, and I need a goddamn drink.”

Dammit. Now the morose fuck has me curious as to why he looks like someone just pissed all over his favorite pair of silk pajama pants. He has weird tastes like that. “Are you going to tell me what has your panties in a twist? It’s barely noon. You never drink before noon. Tell me what happened. It clearly involves my omega.” I settle back in my seat, and he gives me a cross look out of the corner of his eye, but otherwise keeps his attention firmly on the road.

“Ours. She’s our fucking omega.” He growls like I give a fuck about the proper use of terms and shit. I just cross my arms over my chest and give him a rather unimpressed look. Thankfully, we only live about seven minutes from the police station, and we make it in under five with how aggressive Wren’s being.

He doesn’t say anything as he gets out of the car, stalking across the underground lot with single-minded focus. I tell myself that I’m only following him because he owes me an explanation. If something happened with Scarlett, I want to know about it.

And if it’s something negative and if it turns out he had anything to do with it, then I’ll need to figure out how I’m goingto hide his dead body after I snap him in half like a fucking toothpick.

I’m silent as a wraith, staying behind him the entire way up to our penthouse. We owned the entire building, but we avoided the floor beneath ours on account that we don’t want to have our asses handed to us by Raven. I’m one ruthless bastard, but when it comes to my best friend’s scary as hell alpha sister, that’s a whole other can of wormsnoneof us want toeveropen.

Wren doesn’t even like dealing with her, and he’s supposedly her favorite. Her words, not mine. Which is weird because I’m wholly convinced she hates everyone.

Especially her younger brother.