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Malachi’s near-death experience wasn’t just a turning point for him, it was a turning point for both of us. It reminded us of the fragility of life and the importance of our mission. It was also a powerful reminder that we had to use our skills and strength to create a safer world for those who couldn’t protect themselves.
As I look back on that night, I realize how close I came to losing my best friend. It was also the day I decided that if Malachi was dead set on helping the world, then it was up to me to keep our pack safe.
Grabbing my coffee, I settle back at the computer, running through the surveillance footage one last time, and this time, I see it.
I rewind the footage, my heart rate picking up with each frame. Aria enters the club, her body language screaming nervousness. Something's off, and I can feel it in my gut. As I watch, time seems to slow, each second stretching into eternity. And then I see it - the moment that changes everything. My breath catches in my throat as I lean in closer, disbelief warring with the evidence before my eyes.
I fast forward to the moment she and another woman sit on the second floor. All that time, and she was literally mere feet from us. They settle in, get drinks, and chat, then an alpha crashes into their table, causing her to freeze as the other woman stands up and faces him. She’s small, curvy, and looks as though she will gut that alpha. Squinting, I realize I know the woman—Willow. She’s in my women’s class. They go head-to-head. My blood boils at seeing someone touch Aria and Willow, but then I catch the alpha’s lips—he calls her an omega.
He is looking right at Aria, his finger pointed at her, and he mouths, “Omega.”
I feel the blood drain from my face, a cold sweat breaking out on my skin as I stare at the freeze-frame of the alpha calling Aria an omega. The room seems to tilt, the air suddenly thick and hard to breathe. A war rages inside me, my pulse thundering in my ears.
The realization sends a shockwave through me, my emotions warring inside. She's been lying about her designation all this time, a betrayal that cuts deep into the fragile trust I've been trying to build. But beneath the anger, a part of me aches, understanding the fear that might have driven her to such deception. I want to comfort her, to understand, but the alpha in me roars for retribution, for protection of the pack. This internal battle leaves me reeling, unsure of how to proceed.
My mind races with the implications. No, I need to make sure I'm seeing what I think I'm seeing. I rewind and replay the moment over and over, memories of past betrayals flashing through my mind. The last time we trusted too easily, we nearly lost everything. The alpha's words are clear. Aria's an omega. Why didn't she tell us? Why is she hiding this? Fear grips me—fear of losing the pack, the business, everything we've worked so hard to build. I can't let that happen again, no matter the cost.
I replay every interaction we’ve had with her, searching for other lies, other deceptions. How much of what we know about her is true?
I rub the ache in my chest where her betrayal settles, mixing with a cocktail of anger and fear.
Fuck. I should be elated, but all I can do is feel a surge of anger, almost as though I can’t control it. Needing a minute, I roll to our table, particularly when were drugged and can’t remember what happened. I don’t see anything out of the ordinary. I look at Logan’s footage next, and I don’t find anything suspicious about him. He goes to the bar, gets the drinks, and comes back. It couldn’t have been him. I don’t see any moment where he could have drugged us.
Frustration mounts. My hands clench into fists as I struggle to control the surge of emotions. It isn’t just about protecting her anymore, it’s about protecting us and what we have built. My anger bubbles up, threatening to overflow, but beneath it, there is a current of raw hurt. I trusted her. Despite my reservations, despite my instincts screaming at me to be cautious, I let myself start to care, and this is how she repays that trust.
No, I need another set of eyes to be absolutely sure.
I shake Malachi awake. “Malachi, get up. You need to see this.”
He groans, rubbing his eyes. “Zane, what is it?”
“Just get up.” I rush back to the desk and rewind the footage again. I wait impatiently for Malachi to shuffle over. “Right here, what’s he saying?”
Malachi gives me a look of annoyance as he leans down and squints. I watch his reaction, not the screen. The moment his brows furrow, I know he sees what I see.
Validation.
Just as Malachi is about to respond, his phone rings. He glances at the screen and frowns. “It’s the mayor,” he says before answering. “Hargrove, what can I do for you?”
I nearly jump out of my skin at the call. Hargrove isn’t the best guy, but he pays, and he pays well. Why the hell is he calling on a Sunday?
Malachi holds his phone out and places it on speakerphone so I can hear.
The mayor’s voice crackles through the phone, sounding urgent. “Malachi, glad I caught you. I’m so excited.” He sounds breathless. “It’s about a new bill we just passed, and it is causing quite a stir.”
“What’s the bill about, sir?” Malachi asks, exchanging a glance with me.
“It’s about omega courtships,” the mayor explains, his voice tinged with excitement. “The new law requires all alphas to register their intent to court an omega with the government. Any unregistered courtships will be treated as a criminal offense. It’s going to change everything. We have Scent Synergy working with us. We are talking background checks and ensuring the omega is documented and not under another pack’s control. The penalties for noncompliance are severe—legal action, fines, the works.”
I feel the blood drain from my face as I look at the freeze-frame of the alpha calling Aria an omega. A war rages inside me. Part of me wants to protect Aria, to understand why she felt the need to hide this from us, but a larger part, the part responsible for keeping our pack safe, screams that this deception puts everything at risk. We chose to bring her into our lives, knowing she was in danger, but learning she is an omega feels like a betrayal of the trust we extended to her.
The mayor continues. “I need your best team on this. The announcement is going to ruffle a lot of feathers, and we can’t afford any security breaches.”
“We understand, sir,” Malachi responds, his voice steady, despite the tension I see in his shoulders and feel through the pack bond. “We will be there with our top team.”
Us. He means us.
“Good,” the mayor says. “I’ll have my office send over the details. And, boys? Keep this under wraps until the announcement, all right?”
