Page 127 of Knot All is Crystal
I groan, throwing my head back against the wall. “I know, man, but fuck. My Alpha instincts are riding me hard. Even with the meds in my system. I feel like I’m going to burn through them any minute.”
“Well, at least you’re just being suppressed into a Beta. This Omega shit is no fun. Why do I need to be all crampy and horny to smell like an Omega?” He huffs. “I am not a fan.”
“Who knows? It’s probably just a side effect of the meds. Rebecca did tell me they are very untested.”
“Well, it’ll all be worth it when we blow this place up and let the Hawks come in and overhaul it.” He rests back on the heels of his hands. “You truly have no idea who’s been running and selling the Omegas?”
I grunt and lean against the door. “I mean, I have a couple of ideas, but nothing concrete. Whoever it is is a ghost. I wonder just how much control Kieran has over them.” I scrub my hands on my head. It’s a little stubbly. I haven’t shaved it in a while. “He’s feeling pressure from somewhere. I know we’ve lost some manufacturing lately, but…”
“We?” Atlas asks with a raised brow.
“Force of habit.” I wonder how long it’ll take to break myself out of the enforcer mindset. I’ve been doing it for so long that it feels like a part of me. “Anyways, Kieran overextended himself trying to push into the Asian, Russian, and South American markets simultaneously. He can’t deliver the way things are right now. It makes him sloppy and dangerous.”
Atlas chews on his lower lip. “I’m glad we’re getting the Hawks in here before one of those guys comes in and tries to take it over. I have a feeling they’d be much harder to stop than Kieran Cobb.”
The Hawks do questionably legal things regularly, including drug running, but at least they are passionate about protecting Omegas and fighting trafficking. They’ll take over the Conglomerate, turn Prism into a nightclub that happens to have easy access to drugs, and hopefully destroy the trafficking ring.
If we can figure out who’s over it.
We have to hope we have enough time for all the pieces to fall into place and that we can get them here soon.
“Harvey said the Hawks are getting everything in place. They worry that some of the grunts from the drug side of things will fight them when they try to take control, and that the street-level guys will take off with the product. I didn’t ask how they plan to stop that. Doesn’t matter. I want this over for Queenie.”
“Agreed,” the Beta replies. “So what can I do?”
“You can keep your ears open for mumblings of who is handling these Omegas, and be ready to get these women out of here when you get my signal. Sebastian is supposed to be in the alley to get y’all out.” I push off the door as my phone rings. “Keep your phone on you. I’ll send you the signal when it’s time.”
I step out of the door and answer Kieran’s call.
“Yeah, boss?”
“I need you to go collect someone. Gage Matthews. I’ll text you his address.”
My mouth dries out. Fuck fuck fuck. How does Kieran know that name? “Sure thing,” I say thickly. “What am I to do with him?”
“Bring him to the interrogation room. I’ll meet you there.”
The click of Kieran hanging up happens two seconds after Crystal’s heart-wrenching sob comes through the tinny speaker.
Well, fuck.
* * *
I pullup outside Maverick’s house twenty minutes later. He meets me at the door.
“What’s going on? Why do you need Gage?” His pupils are dilated, and his hands are trembling. I can practically see the anxiety coating his skin like lotion. I don’t know the other Alpha well, but I hate that he’s struggling so much.
I’m anxious, too, but at least I’m close to Crystal. He’s kept across town, probably worrying himself sick.
“Let’s get inside.” I push past him, barely registering what his place looks like. I don’t have a lot of time, and I know the three of them will have a ton of questions.
Emmanuel and Gage are sitting at the kitchen island. The Alpha is clutching a mug of tea that smells strongly of peppermint. Gage is staring blankly ahead, his eyes unseeing.
“This is bad, isn’t it?” he says softly.
“It isn’t good,” I answer honestly. “I have to assume he knows you were in the house. I will be with you the entire time. No matter what he says, I won’t leave you alone with him.”
“You’d blow your cover,” he remarks slowly. There is a resignation in his voice that I am not a fan of. “Crystal takes precedence. If you have to leave me alone to keep her safe, I need your word that you’ll do it.”
