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What horrors did she endure at his hands?
What the hell am I going to do about it? Because I can’t get attached to a beta. I can’t. And it’s not just me. I’ve seen how the others react to her—Dash’s playful flirting, Quinn’s protective instincts, even Malachi’s uncharacteristic softness. It’s dangerous territory. We’re a pack, and decisions like this affect all of us. If we let Aria in, only to have to push her away later, it could fracture the unity we’ve worked so hard to build. But a small voice in the back of my mind whispers that maybe, just maybe, she could be worth the risk.
21
QUINN
The soft glow of my computer screen casts shadows across my cluttered desk, the blue light burning my tired eyes. The hum of multiple hard drives and the faint whir of cooling fans create a tech symphony in my dimly lit room. The bitter scent of my fifth energy drink mingles with the spicy aroma of half eaten hot Cheetos—a testament to my desperate all-nighter. It’s nearing two in the morning, my body heavy with exhaustion, but Zane’s urgent call echoes in my mind, keeping me wired and focused.
I’m not sure I’d be able to sleep even if I wanted to. Sleep? Overrated. Besides, my brain is doing its best impression of a hamster on a wheel.
My fingers fly over the keyboard, lines of code scrolling rapidly across multiple screens. I’m running parallel searches through public records, social media databases, and some less than legal channels I’ve cultivated over the years. Noah. The name is common enough to be a challenge, but I’ve written an algorithm to cross-reference it with Aria’s known locations and any incidents matching the profile of her case. It’s not impossible, especially not for me.
All I need is motivation, some energy drinks, and those hot Cheetos. I know they are terrible for me, but they are so damn addicting.
A picture of Aria flashes in my mind—the way she stormed into our lives with her fiery spirit and mysterious past. I knew there was more to her story than she let on. There have been moments when I’ve seen a flicker of fear in her eyes, something haunting her just beneath the surface, and now, Zane’s protectiveness tells me she’s in deeper trouble than any of us anticipated. It reminds me of how he was with Jane, the beta who broke his heart. He’s been on edge ever since she left, always ready to protect those he cares about. I can see that same protectiveness in him now aimed at Aria.
I know Aria isn’t from the east coast, as her mannerisms are example enough. It’s been a few long days since I found out she is an omega, and I somehow kept it to myself, even though any longer and it is going to wear me down. Now, with this urgent situation, I start my search with just the two names—Aria and Noah.
A notification pops up on my screen, breaking my train of thought. I click on it, scanning the document that appears. It’s not much, but it’s a start. It’s a police report from not even a year ago, filed by an Aria against a Noah R. in California. As I read through it, my blood runs cold. The report details multiple incidents of severe physical abuse, including broken bones and hospitalizations. There are mentions of psychological torture, isolation tactics, and even suspected drugging. The restraining order was granted due to death threats and stalking behavior post-separation. The underlying implications are clear and horrifying—this Noah R. is not just an abuser, but a potentially lethal threat.
No picture… That’s odd. Why doesn’t he have a picture? Someone had to of hacked this and edited it.
I look toward the clock, my heart racing as I see the red digits glaring back at me. It’s two-fifteen AM. Exhaustion weighs heavily on my eyelids, but I refuse to let them close. Adrenaline pumps through my veins, keeping me alert and focused. Aria’s safety is on the line, and I can’t afford to miss a single detail. Every second counts in this dangerous game.
I reach for my phone and dial Zane’s number. He answers on the first ring.
“Quinn, what did you find?” Zane’s hushed whisper sounds more like a growl. Maybe he’s been watching too many detective shows.
“Not much yet, but enough to be concerned,” I reply, trying to sound steady, because sounding panicked wouldn’t help. “There’s a police report from less than a year ago. Domestic abuse. Restraining order. The guy’s name is Noah R. I’m digging for more details, but it doesn’t look good. If she is involved with this guy, then we have a problem.”
There’s a pause on the other end, and I can almost hear Zane’s teeth grinding. “Damn it.”
“Listen, Zane, we need to be careful. If this guy’s dangerous, we need a plan.” I tap my fingers repeatedly on my leg.
“I know,” he says, his voice a low growl. “Just keep digging. We need everything we can find on this bastard. One more thing.”
“What’s up?” I pause, my fingers over the keyboard.
“Someone was in her apartment,” he says, his voice tight with barely controlled anger, as though he’s been holding it in.
My first instinct is to growl, the second is to look at the video feeds as close to her apartment as I can get. “You should have brought her here,” I chastise, but I also know Aria never would have gone for that.
“I tried,” he says in that lazy way of his.
“Explain.” My fingertips clack over the keyboard. I’m angry at the situation, and I can smell my scent turning sour at his tone.
“I mentioned it, and she completely shut down.”
I should tell him she’s an omega.
“So you took her…” I prompt.
“Small hotel in Southend,” he replies.
“I want to be there when she wakes up,” I state because Zane and his face can scare anyone into peeing themselves. I don’t know how comfortable Aria is with Zane, but maybe seeing me will make her feel better.
“Quinn,” he rumbles.
