Page 44 of Defiant Beta

“It’s me,” I say.

There’s a camera pointed at me from above the keypad and intercom. They can work out who ‘me’ is.

The intercom buzzes, and the gate slides smoothly open.

I drive past landscaped gardens and to the imposing modern white mansion in the distance.

No sooner than I’m out of the driver’s seat and slamming the door shut than the front door is swinging open.

A pregnant woman with dark eyes glares at me from the open doorway. “You. I should’ve known you’d only come back when you want something.”

Garrison, a dark-haired man in his mid-thirties with amber eyes, rests his hands on her shoulders and gently squeezes. “Resa? Maybe let the man take a step inside before you unload.”

Garrison Brewster is the alpha owner of Lucas Security.

Her lip curls. “I am merely trying to remind Dexter Pieter of his responsibilities as Head of the Council, something he needs, given he spends so much of his time running away from them.”

If only she knew how right she was.

I walk toward the house, maintaining a neutral expression.

She swings around and strides into the house. She’s about four or five months pregnant. Not heavily so, but she tilts slightly, and Garrison steadies her, presses a lingering kiss on top of the angry omega’s dark hair, and murmurs for her to be careful.

It’s a more tender gesture than I thought I’d ever see from the head of a private security company.

Xavier huffs a laugh and bumps my shoulder. “You make friends everywhere you go, brother.”

Garrison blinks at the mention of "brother," and I give Xavier a warning look to be careful. I respect Garrison because he’s skilled at what he does, but I do not trust him with our secrets. At least, not all of them.

“You have someone you need me to find.” Garrison steps aside to let us into the entryway of their home. “Unfortunately, our priority is on another case. We can get to it when?—”

“Delilah Farrow doesn’t have time. She’s a student—or was a student—at Haven Academy until three alphas tasered her outside of the school gates and likely bundled her into the trunk of their car. A girl who saw them said they looked and sounded wealthy. They might even be the sons of the Asylum members looking for new prey, now that all free heat clinics are being so heavily watched.”

Garrison frowns as he closes the door. “When?”

“Last evening. I thought it was best to leave the matter in the cop’s capable hands until I remembered how incapable those hands can be,” I say.

“This way.” Garrison leads the way through the entryway, past a cozy-looking living room, and toward a short hallway just past the staircase. “We’ll speak in the computer room. Our office has been overtaken by…”

I stop as Garrison continues leading the way.

“Dexter?”

There are days I hate that name, and this is one of them.

Resa, who rightfully resents me for not doing enough for the city, glares at me through the open office doorway. Two men sit at a desk cluttered with papers, takeout containers, and bottles of half-drunk water. Vaughn Potter and Blaine Webb, the other two members of Lucas Security, regard me with open curiosity.

Garrison said he was busy with another case and he wasn’t lying.

I point at the picture of a pretty redhead with big blue eyes pinned to a whiteboard. “Her.”

Garrison walks back to me and bounces his gaze between me and the picture. “What about her?”

“That,” Xavier nudges me aside to enter the room, “Is Delilah Farrow. The missing student from the academy. Why do you have her picture?”

No one speaks for two beats.

“Well, shit. This sounds like it has the potential to be messy,” Vaughn says.

---