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A sigh leaves the alpha's lips. He looks between the three of us. “I understand, and I am sorry, but I can’t release Ben into your custody without the paperwork. Presenting a full year before the expected first age of eleven and in a way that resulted in injury for others means we must treat this like a Feral Assessment case. I’m aware the father has signed away his rights, which means he’ll need to come with me and the officer.”
Ben’s cries tick up, shaking his whole body. “Please don’t let them take me. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”
Officer Cliff opens the door with a loud bang. “Time’s up.”
He stomps into the room, all unrelenting authority, and grabs Ben roughly by the arm, dragging him from me. Ben clings to me and I hold on, wishing I had a magic wand to make this right. Reid moves to step in, but the social worker’s bark rings through the room.
“That is enough. The child goes with me and the officer to the station. We will be in touch. I suggest you get your paperwork in order.” He looks at the officer. “And you, keep it professional. He’s an alpha, not a criminal. Act like it.”
I feel Reid tense, a growl rumbling from his chest. He puts his arms around me, and my heart shatters into jagged, broken glass as Officer Cliff and the social worker escort our son from the room.
“I will fix this, Cammie. I promise I will get him back,” he vows. “I swear I will fix this.”
Chapter 30
Reid
My eyes track Ben as the social worker stops at the squad car to speak to Officer Cliff. Through the back window, I see Finn lean out the open door to speak to Ben, his arms pulled awkwardly behind his back as he tries to comfort our son. His bond is full of worry, but he doesn’t feel an ounce of remorse for sitting back there. In fact, he’s entirely too pleased with himself for a thirty-four-year-old man sitting in cuffs.
A wave of gratitude hits me for my bad-ass omega mate. He loves so fiercely that I shouldn’t be surprised. I would have handled it—my alpha instincts are still dialed past ten and demanding I pound both those assholes into the ground—but then I’d be in the back of that car, and we’d be that much further from solving this shit. Like it or not, this is a problem that requires an alpha.
Cliff rests his hand on the top of his squad car, talking to the social worker for a moment before the balding alpha walks away with Ben and they slip into a nearby car. Cliff’s eyes land on mine, his alpha flashing.
I nod in recognition of the challenge. This slick asshole thinks he won. He’s had too long to go unchecked. He’s threatened my family and hurt my mates and my son. I will have this scum’s job and his reputation. He’s lucky it’s not going to be his life.
Cammie turns away from the scene, her face crumpling. I pull her closer, my purr sparking to life and trying to ease some of her heartache. The squad car drives away, the social worker’s car right behind him, and she trembles as we watch them pass.
She doesn’t deserve this. Ben either.
The rattling of her breath sounds loud between us as she steps back and looks up at me. “I know you wanted a bonding ceremony with pretty flowers and a nice dress. And I’m sorry.” Her voice cracks on the apology.
I try to pull her closer, but she shakes me off.
“I’m so sorry for all of this. But I need you, Reid. I need…” Her hiccupped sob pierces straight down to my marrow. This time, the words are a whispered plea so quiet it almost isn’t audible, yet I feel the words vibrate in my soul. “I can’t let them take Ben. Not for good.”
Her eyes are pleading, so vulnerable that it wrecks me to see how much she needs me. I never wanted her to beg for my claim, not like this. Not desperate. Not apologizing and pleading. I wanted to see her coming to me with openness and trust, free of fear and ready for my claim. But we don’t have that luxury because my girl won’t be safe until I bond her.
I should have already if it was going to come to this. I curse myself, but how can I truly regret trying to give her time? I hate every word out of her mouth, how broken and dejected she sounds. She’s mine to protect, and we will make this official, but my insides fall in on themselves with the loss.
“I don’t care about flowers or a dress. I love you, sweetheart, and our family. Trent got all your firsts. And maybe I shouldn’t be jealous or pissed that fate let him have this one too, but I am. I wanted to give you the world. Not make you feel like this was your only choice.” My hands go to her neck, and I cup her jaw, rubbing the smooth skin back and forth.
Her eyes skirt away from me, her scent so sour I could choke on it. “The truth is that before you two, I didn’t believe I was worth it.”
Her words are soft, but they splinter and cut, shredding my insides. I pull her face back to me with a tug on her chin. Her brown eyes are filled with an array of emotions I can’t name.
“Don’t say that,” I choke, my eyes hot and my nose burning.
She hums, but it’s a melancholy sound. “Isn’t that the shittiest thing to admit?” Her voice becomes whisper-thin, rolled flat and devoid of all its spark. “Even though I hate what people say, I let their stories and ideas into my head. Part of me believed them and I stayed with someone who didn’t treat me right because I thought that was the best it could be. I let him treat me and the kids like we were less. Until you and Finn, I didn’t know what it felt like to be wanted or safe.” Silent tears track down her cheeks, and I brush my thumb against them, wishing I could take away all her hurt. “I want to weep over it, Reid, and lose my shit. But I can’t because my little boy is with a social worker and our omega is in the back of a police car, and they need us. And I know it’s not what you?—”
I steal these awful apologies from her lips before they can turn into begging. She will never beg me for this. Even if the circumstances are not what I wanted, I will never deny her my claim.She’s already mine.My lips coax hers open until she goes soft.
I trail kisses down her neck, growling into her ear. “Stop apologizing and close your eyes.”
“Why?” she murmurs.
“Trust me.” I brush my nose up her neck, feathering kisses until the sour stench of heartache recedes and the smallest hint of ripe raspberries blooms. “I will always claim you, and I will always want you.”
But I will take a minute to do it right. I don’t give a fuck that it’s the middle of the afternoon in the parking lot.
