Page 10 of Follow Your Instincts

“What happened to the one who attacked her?” Lachlan asked. “I’m assuming you couldn’t beat him to a pulp out of some kind of ethical code of conduct?”

“Unfortunately, the best I could do was throw him in a holding cell and book him for assault. But I’m worried the charges won’t stick. A few years ago, an Alpha was acquitted over some kind of “biological imperative” defense. Said he couldn’t control himself around an Omega that had just presented.”

Lachlan clenched his jaw against another growl. I knew Omegas in danger set him off more than the rest of us, given his history.

“Hey, chill,” Ben said and tugged Lachlan into a side hug. “Soren’s going to take care of it.”

Lachlan nodded and sighed, and Ben slowly dropped hisarm from Lachlan’s shoulder.

Lucas sat down across from me. “Are you okay?” he asked.

I shrugged. “I’m fine. Glad I was there to help. Sucks that Carter won’t be able to help me on this robbery case we both picked up today, she seemed to have a good connection with the victim. But that seems pretty… selfish right now.”

We all went quiet.

“Is she hot, though?” Ben finally asked. “She smells really hot.”

I laughed for the first time in hours. “Not that I’m supposed to notice how my female coworkers look, but yes. She’s beautiful.”

“Get to bed, perverts,” Lucas said.

I finished my dinner as the other three filtered out of the kitchen. Lucas and Ben wandered upstairs, Lucas chiding Ben for being insensitive, and Lachlan went back to the living room. After a few minutes, I followed and found him sitting in his favorite chair. The shadows from the lamp shining behind him made the scar across the right side of his mouth look almost menacing.

“You okay?” I said and sat on the couch, facing him.

“Fine,” he snapped. “You don’t need to check in on me. I’m fine.”

“Yep,” I said. “You seem totally fine.”

Lachlan stared at his hands. “It’s just… We’re running out of time to find an Omega.”

“We’ll be fine,” I said. It was true. We didn’t need an Omega to know we all fit together. “Maybe we’ll just have to buy a bigger house to fit in some of Ben’s Beta conquests.”

Lachlan nodded, but he wouldn’t look me in the eyes.

“Sorry for brooding,” he said, and finally looked at me. “Are you alright?”

“I’m good,” I said and stood up. I was exhausted. “You need to get some sleep.”

“You too,” he said, but didn’t move.

I fell into bed with relief. But as soon as I closed my eyes, all I saw was her.

Chapter 4

Maggie

Iwoke up later than usual and felt, physically, almost 100% better than the day before. My headache had cleared, and my joints weren’t hurting. If the inside of my throat didn’t feel like it was coated in sandpaper, I maybe could have convinced myself it was all just some kind of fever dream.

I contemplated taking a bath in that giant tub, but it seemed like too much trouble when I was just going to be putting on the same clothes I’d arrived in. First order of business: getting my stuff from the apartment.

I opened the drapes to my window and looked out on a pretty, manicured garden. Flowers were clustered in tidy beds, and a path led out into a wider lawn that stretched further into a wooded area. It was hard to believe we were still so close to the city.

I heard sounds of life coming from the main part of the house and steeled myself for the day to come.Find a pack, get bonded, get back to my life. I repeated it like a mantra as I left the haven of my room.

I didn’t find anyone in the hallway, so I retraced my steps back to the main building and Steffi’s office.

Her door was cracked, and she looked up, smiling. “Good morning, Maggie. Oh dear, your throat is looking quite bruised.How are you feeling?” She joined me out in the lobby where I’d arrived last night.

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