Page 34 of Manny's Surprise Baby
“He didn’t know how to get out. He was terrified. Baxter used drugs to keep the omegas in line. So Pierce was hooked on heroin and too scared to try and leave.”
“Jesus.” I felt sick to my stomach.
“I know. It’s horrible.”
“Fuck. No wonder he hates alphas.” I rubbed my jaw, trying to shake the idea of Pierce being abused from my brain.
“He hates himself for not getting away sooner.”
“No. That’s crazy. Who knows what any of us would do in that situation?” I shook my head. “Jesus.”
“I hear you.”
“But he obviously did eventually escape.”
“He only got out because one of the alphas beat him so bad, Baxter thought he was dead. He dumped his body in the mountains and some—some omegas who… lived up there found him. They nursed him back to health, and that’s where I met him.”
“Up in the mountains?” I frowned.
“Yeah.” His tone seemed emotionless, and he avoided my gaze.
“Where in the mountains?”
“Just a place.”
I scowled. “What’s the big secret about these mountains? Pierce got the same secretive look on his face when he mentioned them.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Yeah, right.” I shook my head. “So did the cops get this Baxter guy?”
“No.”
“What?” I practically screeched. “Why the hell not?”
“By the time Pierce was healed enough to tell his story, Baxter had fled. The one good thing about all of this is those other omegas were rescued too.”
“Sure, but… that’s bullshit that Baxter just got away with it.” Anger rolled through me. I’d have loved to throat punch Baxter in that moment.
“I know. It’s hard for Pierce to accept.”
“Of course.” I scowled. “That asshole is probably doing the same thing to other omegas somewhere else.”
“I hope not.”
“A sick fuck like that doesn’t just turn over a new leaf.” I still felt nauseated at what Pierce had gone through. I rubbed my face. “God, poor Pierce.”
“Yeah.” He winced. “Remember, he’d kill me if he knew I told you any of this.”
“Colin, relax. I’m not planning on telling him I know anything. But I do feel way more understanding about why he might think I could potentially be a fake piece of shit.”
“But you’re not.”
“No. But after you’ve had your trust shaken like that—” I shook my head. “I don’t know how you’d ever get it back.”
“I really hope he gets there. He’s great with kids, and he deserves an alpha and a family of his own.”
“Uh, yeah. Definitely.” My stomach clenched strangely at the idea of him with his own alpha and kids.
