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I feel Finn in the bond, urging me on, and his resolve melds with mine. I suck the skin along her neck, make promises in her ear, telling her I love her and want her and this bond, until her muscles finally relax. My gums itch where my teeth ache to claim, then I pierce her neck, the taste of her blood in my mouth.
Cammie whimpers part pleasure and part pure ache. She’s in pain, and I do my best to lick the wound, nursing her through it with long caresses on her back. My cock is hard with the surge of the claim, my pheromones swelling around us, but it’s all wrong. She should be coming on my knot, Finn blanketing her from behind, and the three of us lost to one another. But no matter the location, she is mine, and I can’t drown out the surge of joy that fills me at seeing my mark on her pretty neck.
The longer I nurse my bite, the more her pain recedes, and in its wake, the bond takes, her beta submitting to my alpha in a swirl of purple and bluish light that seals the bonds. Finn is there among us, the three strands weaving together. Inside, it’s a cyclone of anger, sadness, and fear. All the emotions swell into a crescendo, then love pours in like honey, sticky and sweet, smothering all the other parts until we’re submerged in warmth and light.
Cammie takes a deep breath. “Thank you, Reid, I?—”
I growl, covering her lips in a kiss. “Don’t thank me for this. I promise we will make this right. We’ll celebrate later. Right now, get in the truck.” I guide her into the front seat and pass her my phone. “Get Riley on speaker.”
She looks at me in confusion.
I close the door and rush to the driver’s side, getting in quickly and pulling out of the lot. “She works for the district attorney. Finn already called her on our way in. She’s waiting to help.”
Cammie lets out an unhinged hiccup. “Of course she is.”
Chapter 31
Finton
Was assaulting an officer on my bingo card? I can’t say that it was. I wasn’t planning to end up in cuffs this afternoon, but if the officer is Cliff Daniels, I can’t say I’m sorry.I only wish I’d gotten in a few more hits.
You’d think the power-hungry meathead would have learned the first time Reid laid his ass out, but apparently, he’s so dense he needed another lesson.
The social worker stops next to Cliff’s police car, and I scoot awkwardly until I nudge my head out of the open car door so I can speak to Ben.
Ben looks at me, eyes wild, and I nod to him in reassurance. “We’re already working on a plan, bud. We won’t let you stay with them long, okay? You’ve been so brave today, and I promise we’ll have the biggest cuddle fest when we get home, but I need you to be brave a little longer.” I hate saying those words, but at least I’m here with him to say them.
His new alpha scent is spiced with anxiety and fear, all raw leather. I wonder what he will smell like when he’s calmed and settled. Right now, however, he is one dicey moment away from losing his cool.
Ben swallows, his bruised face making my heart burst. “You promise, Finn?” His voice cracks.
I wish I could hug him, but I settle for words. “I promise. We’ll figure this out. You’re ours. Your mom and sister too. We’re a family—a pack. We love you guys, and we will get through this together.”
The social worker turns to Ben, a steadying hand to his back. “I’m afraid we need to get moving. Come on, son.”
Ben growls and bares his teeth before covering his mouth with his palm, his eyes going wide and his scent shouting embarrassed anger.
“It’s gonna be ok, bud. Go with the social worker and we’ll see you soon,” I promise.
Ben nods, dropping his hand from his mouth and shaking his head too fast. “Ok.”
The door slams shut, and my eyes close, soaking in that trust and holding back tears. This is the sweetest shit sandwich in the history of shit sandwiches. Honestly, it’s rude.
I’m proud he is trusting us and scared as shit that I’m gonna fuck this all up.I mean, I’m in the back of a cop car, so it isn’t looking great.
As deputy douchebag gets in and starts talking shit while he pulls away, I focus on my bond, needing Reid's reassurance. My breathing deepens. I’m not with them, but I almost feel as though I am, the world between us shimmering and fuzzy. It’s more fleeting feelings and a sense of what’s happening than a memory or watching a movie, but it’s real enough.
Except what I find isn’t reassuring. Reid’s heart is breaking with something like regret. He is wishing he already claimed her. That’s when I realize he’s going to claim her now. I give a surge of reassurance and need, making it known that I understand what he has to do.
I know why his heart clenches. My own heart rate speeds up, then lancing pain burns my neck. It feels as if a glowing brand, hot and angry, is sizzling into my skin. I rub my shoulder to my cheek trying to fight the burn, but it’s not my skin or mark that smarts. It’s Cammie’s, and though she’s filled with joy, the pain swells until it’s all there is. I force myself to breathe through it and siphon the pain from her.
My purr rattles and I gather love like wildflowers, calling on my omega to fill the bond because with soulmates, time and space don’t really matter—not when we need each other. Office dickface and the squad car fall away. It’s only me and my mates. I shore us all up, send as much of my light as I can, my purr a rattling sound that snakes through the car, screaming protect until I feel her inside my chest, safely wrapped up between us.
Officer Cliff opens the door with a harsh tug, breaking my hold on the moment. He roughly pulls me from the back of the car, pushing me toward the sheriff’s office. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Ben and the social worker heading toward the steps ahead of us, and I speed up.
“Not so fast, little omega,” Cliff growls. “Your degenerate ass is going this way.”
He yanks on my cuffs, ordering me around because he can, and I laugh at his flex of power. How fucking pathetic do you have to be to only feel powerful by weakening others? “Keep tacking it on, Cliff. It’s only your funeral.”
