Jealous Kitty
Donna Beneviento x Reader (MC)
Stupid Cassandra, with her stupid crying and her stupid play.
Stupid you.
It all started because the one supposed to play Romeo got injured seven months before the play and the understudy give up four months after that.
Meaning that Cassandra had three months to find a Romeo that met her standards, so obviously she was in panic.
When you came back from working in the flowershop, she was crying in Daniela arms.
"Ruined is ruined! Everything is collapsing!"
"Cass calm down you just need someone else to play the part"
"Is not a background character Dani is ROMEO" she separated from her sister, the anger in her face made her look demented "ROMEO! HOW I SUPPOSED TO PRESENT ROMEO AND JULIETA WITHOUT FUCKING ROMEO"
She started crying again and Daniela just patted her back awkwardly.
Of course you had to open your big mouth
"umm I already had the role of Romeo, in high school I'm rusty but maybe with some practice.."
The words stuck in your throat when he brunette turned to look at you with that manic look. You took a step back almost instinctively.
She walked to her bag and put out the script and practically threw it at your face.
"Go on"
You did.
Silence.
Okay that offended you a little bit.
The actress jumped at you.
"YES, YES I CAN WORK WITH YOU JUST A FEW IMPROVEMENTS AND EVERYTHING WILL BE PERFECT"
Suddenly you remembered the times that had you gone to theater with Donna and how hard Cassandra was as director, you wanted to back up but seeing the dry tears, red nose and ruined mascara made you do it.
You don't wanted to quit working and Cassandra begrudgingly accepted it. So you had a small chat with Donna... A little tense one.
"You are going to leave me? For Cassandra" Her voice was soft but there was a certain level of poison in her words.
" I don't going to leave you, I'm just gonna be in Cassandra's play" You remarked " For three months and one week approximately. The Romeo original is going to be better by that time. I still want to work with you, I just need to change the schedule for that.
She still looked hurt and angry.
"if is not okay with you, I-"
"Ok" she said between clenched teeth" Okay, you need a more flexible schedule I can do that, It will be just for few months and you will come back to me " It sounded like she was convincing herself more than you.
"I will always come back to you"
So that's how you ended in hell for a few months. Cassandra was a perfectionist and it showed. Sometimes Donna will show mercy to you and let you rest or make you move pot one side to another until she feel like you learned your lesson whatever it was.
(It was curious how always happened in the days were the most romantic scenes were rehearsed and she was there making some necessary adjustments in the scenery)
After some troubles with Cassandra's Stans, everything had gone perfectly. Cassandra kept her word (after hours of trying to convince you of joining) and you were free to work with Donna, that some days later became your girlfriend.
Everything was perfect.
Until a month later you started to notice how much people was looking at you, giggling and sighing. You thought that were making fun of you, God, you will had preferred that.
"it seems you have your own fan club" Angie had told you one day that you commented your situation "and they seem as horny as the one of Cassandra"
" You did a amazing job as Romeo" Cassandra said proudly "of course you would end with fans"
Good news. The sales in the flowershop grew exponentially.
Bad news. The possessiveness of your girlfriend grew the same.
Donna was a really, really, really jealous woman.
It seems that her jealousy outgrow her shyness because every single time some fan came to flirt with you she will appear like a ghost and steal a kiss from you while glaring at the offender.
That escalated to her practically growling at anybody that entered the shop and look it at you for more than five minutes.
Trying to avoid hurting the business you tell her kindly to maintain a professional image in the shop, that mean no kisses in front, no stealing you away to the nursery when you are working and no picking fights with the clients.
She looked so damn sad that you almost bend your knee, but this was the best option, the glamour will fade way sooner or later but the reputation of her shop will be damaged. That was your reasoning.
She understood and both of you could make up in the lunch break. If you ended with a lot hickies as result, well it wasn't a bad thing.
Until one day, one fan was particularly stubborn.
"I had a girlfriend, here is your order, have a nice day" You were fast not wanting to interact with her for most time of need
"Come on handsome, let me show you a good time" her tits were practically spilling in that outfit of her, and did her skirt even covered something?
"That shy mouse? Baby I will rock your world!"
"Have a nice day" You said sternly pointing at the door.
" Here if you change your mind" she let a paper in the counter and walked away.
You picked the paper, a number, and throw in the trash.
You should have teared it up.
Donna had picked up and now she wasn't talking to you at all. She avoided you and it was frustrating.
When she came to the front you grabbed her arm but she easyly got her arm out of your grip.
" We must keep a professional image in the shop, remember?" and just like that she got back to the nursery.
But she don't kiss you at all! Opening time, Lunch break, closing time, nothing!.
Stupid Cassandra, with her stupid crying and her stupid play.
Stupid you.
A week of that and you were ready to fist fight God for a kiss from your beloved botanist.
You were in the shop, clients coming and going, some fans buying something just to talk to you.
Five o'clock your torturer come out her hiding.
" Why dont you take a break I made some chamomile tea"
You nodded, you go to the kitchen bringing the cup at the front as you known how much she loathed dealing with people.
"So what do you say pretty girl, go out with me?" Some fucking bitch was flirting with your girlfriend that looked far to pleased with that.
" Well I have been a little neglected" you freeze at that...WHAT THE FUCK DONNA "but is a no, sorry"
" Oh well I try it" she was gone.
You were furious. But before you could get close to your girlfriend.
"Professional image, dolcezza" it's all she said before going back to the nursery.
You were fuming all the time. At the end of the day you looked at her.
"Do you mind if I walk you home?"
"It will be my pleasure, Tesoro"
The walk was silent one.
At the steps of her family home you looked at her, she just look back to you all innocent. Like she hadn't being neglecting you for a week.
She took a step to you.. And patted your shoulder with a hand full of dirt. You blinked at her audacity.
"See you tomorrow, dolcezza" with that she walked opening the door.
*Enough* you picked her up like sack of potatoes over your shoulder adrenaline and anger giving you strength, closing the door with your leg you make your way to her room, opening the door aggressively and throwing your little shit of girlfriend in the bed.
"Why are you being so rough? " She was pouting but you can see the mischievous shine in her eyes.
Without answering her question you kiss her with all the hunger you had been keeping inside. Freeing her hair out of her bun, you tore her shirt open, kissing her free skin hearing her soft sighs you bite her clothed breast while taking off her pants.
You move away to see her, smiling at her appearance, just a few minutes and she was already a mess, panting trying to catch her breath, tears in her eyes, her underwear exposed and her panties with a clear stain.
"Beautiful"
She blushes smiling at you. You are still mad so you grab her legs moving her to the border of the bed, quickly you kneel you have been starving and now you will devour her.
-----------—---------------------------------
"I'm sorry Cara mia is all I have"
Suddenly the only clothes that you girlfriend had clean are tank tops.
Of course.
Casually she forgot to cut her nails and now your back and shoulders are covered in scratch marks.
Of course.
There is a important exam that you need to present today if you don't want to fail the subject.
Of course.
And she is looking far to pleased with herself to be believed.
Little minx.
You have to walk all the way to school, with the marks in full exposure.
Of fucking course you ran in some familiar faces.
Cassandra.
"Damn, aunty's game is good" you grab her coffee and drink it all. Ignoring her.
Angie
"Gross" is all she said before running in the opposite direction.
Mia
"Nice" she hold her hand up and for some fucking reason you automatically high five her.
There was some time before the exam so you ran to your room...
WHERE ARE ALL YOUR CLOTHES?
Empty, every single drawer is empty. And Daniela room is locked, you could pick the lock but you are running out of time so again with your face burning you go to the classroom.
After the exam you go back to your room, Daniela is there.
"Can you lend me some clothes? Mine vanished"
She looked confused then red when she understood why you were like that and shyly answer you
"Sorry all dirty"
"Are you serious?!"
"Is not my fault that you choose to get freaky today!"
You looked at the clock, it was time to work.
After another walk of shame, you enter the flowershop.
--------–——--------------------------------
Every single client had a particular reaction to you appearance. You have been laughed, scoffed and nodded.
" Ah, problems with a misbehaving kitty?" the old man in front you laughed softly at you "here this cream work wonders for that injuries"
He scribbled the name of the medicine and give to you. You can hear the laughter of your girlfriend in the back, she was having a blast with all this.
"Thank you, sir"
"Is nothing dear, I remember when I was younger my beloved Jerry was a jealous and clingy kitty, always wanting to be with me, practically throwing himself at me, fighting with whoever took my attention away" he was smiling softly while moving his head and hands excitedly "it was a problem when I had to work, he don't like being alone that much so I make sure to let him know every night that I love him very much and that I will never leave his side.
It was a nice story that cat surely was a loved one.
"Hey what is taking you so much! We're going to be late!" another old man with more gray hair than the one I'm front of you said" hurry up!
The man in front you just laughed.
"See, so clingy" Wait what? " make sure to show your kitten love continously less they want to scratch you up" he blinked at you smiling at your red face" ah young love " he turned around" I'm coming Jerry!
" Wisdom of your elders never should be wasted" you flinched, she was too quiet when she wanted" you should treat your Kitten right.
"I'm gonna start by putting a damn bell on you" you said before grabbing her by her waist.
"What about the Professional image, dolcezza?" the smirk in her face was enough to know that she thought the same as you.
"To hell with it" you kissed her" I need to take good care of my sweet, clingy and jealous kitty.
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raconteur - five
Alright, this is it. The final chapter.
Word Count: 9K
Warnings: 18+ ONLY, language, manipulation, mentions of divorce, knotting, parasocial relationship(s), depression, scenting, unwanted touching, dub-con, harassment, social media toxicity, anxiety mentions, sex, stalking, a surprise character, mentions of pregnancy, abduction, aggressive behavior, biting, bonding, Alpha/Omega dynamics, Alpha/Beta dynamics.
Series Masterlist
Dark Alpha! Andy Barber x Omega! Female Writer
Summary | Being a beloved best selling writer, you've kept your mysterious persona guarded well, until a comment on a social media post catches the attention of one of your most devoted readers.
“First five chapters are amazing,” Christine praises, your eyes still rereading the words on the laptop, editing a sentence while she continues on. “I thought you’d only have the first chapter done but five? Working in the middle of nowhere has been really good for you.”
Atlas snoozes on his bed, your mind going elsewhere for a moment, Andy Barber’s email still in your inbox.
“You there?”
“Yeah. Yeah, I’m here. Just thinking about what’s next.”
“Angie called. She’s hellbent on this marketing ploy to give people the first chapter of your book.”
“No,” you answer quickly. “Absolutely not.”
“I get it, I do,” Christine soothes, sighing. “I told her that it’s best if the book is finished. Any little tidbits will get people in a frenzy and they are already going a little nuts with the amount of speculation around this next endeavor. Carter Baizen really wants to turn your last book into a movie, even after you’ve said no. I told Angie you won’t go for it but she said Phillip -”
“Phillip Benedict? She’s still talking to him?”
“I don’t know why,” Christine says, her voice low, your eyes narrowing at the name.
“I don’t trust him.”
“I wouldn’t either after your incident with Captain Syverson. I’m so sorry that happened to you, you must have been so -”
Your sharp inhale means her usual fingernails tapping on the desk ceases.
“How did you know about that?”
“What?” Christine asks.
You lean forward, tears springing to your eyes at the mention of him.
How he held you down, his fingers wrapping around your neck as chills go down your spine.
“What do you mean?”
“I never told anyone that story except Angie,” you remind her quietly, shaking your head in disbelief. “Did she tell you that?”
“No.”
It’s too quiet on the other end, the desire to finish your editing long gone at this point.
“Then how did you know?”
“I want to know.”
“It’s better if you don’t. I shouldn’t have said anything, forget I even mentioned it,” Christine tries to brush off, clearing her throat. “I didn’t mean -”
“I want to know!” you shout, Atlas’ eyes opening as he gets up from his bed, placing his head in your lap. Your cramps intensify, making you grit your teeth.
“Phillip.” It feels like you’re underwater, holding the phone as you nod to no one but Atlas. “He mentioned it on his podcast. Captain Syverson got a dishonorable discharge for it. Apparently Phillip did some digging.”
“He spoke to Angie.”
“Maybe so.”
“Not maybe so. She did because she was the only person I told. What podcast was it?”
“I don’t think this is going to be helpful. You went there to rest, you should rest.”
“The podcast,” you demand, your voice clear. Determined.
“Gin and Gossip,” Christine answers you. “Please don’t listen to it. I already sent out a cease and desist letter. I don’t want you listening to it.”
“Did you ask her why she did it? Why she sold me out to tell one of the most awful people on this planet about my ordeal?”
“I’m sorry that happened,” Christine apologizes, her voice wavering. “Believe me, I am so sorry. I wish that never happened to you.”
“I have to go,” you respond, hanging up the phone as Atlas whimpers, pawing your knees before you wipe your tears.
“Let’s go for a walk, huh? Get some fresh air.”
You’re quick to get up, leaving your cellphone on the couch as you head out. Needing to clear your mind, you attach the leash to Atlas’ collar, heading out so quickly that you barely close the door.
-
Andy stares at the cabin in front of him, perspiration dotting his brow. The cold air soothes his fever for the moment, eyes on the doorknob as he knows he shouldn’t take a step forward. He can scent you – knows that this is your place without a doubt. He hadn’t been looking for it but he didn’t need to. A simple hike had led him straight to you, by your scent alone.
Judging by how he can still scent you, he has a feeling you’re in heat and if you aren’t, then you’re close to it, the thought making him hard as he takes a step toward the door.
It makes no sense, this way of thinking. It’s primal, possessive enough that he tries to shake the idea out of his head but it won’t go away, like a mantra that is pulled up from the depths.
Omega was here.
He used to ignore it before, silencing that part of his brain with suppressants when Laurie would get upset that he would go into rut, hide himself away from her. He imagines that it’s loud and clear now because he hasn’t tried to quiet it. He’s only increased the need for his hindbrain to take over, his hand reaching for the doorknob as he turns it.
To his surprise, it opens, Andy standing outside as he looks in. Your scent seems to be coated within these walls, his mouth watering as he takes a step inside. He calls out for you, a hint of irritation at the fact you’ve forgotten to lock the door.
Which makes it all the more ridiculous to him that he’s trespassing in your space because you forgot to lock the door, taking another step to see your cellphone on the couch. It vibrates wildly, ‘Angie’ coming up on the caller ID as Andy moves through the hallways. The space is designed so minimalist that Andy has to wonder if you decorated, the light sketches on the walls ones of various plant life, all framed perfectly as he continues down toward your bedroom.
The human part of his brain says this is wrong. He can leave and only his scent will be left, making you wonder if you had an intruder or not but he can’t stop himself from continuing forward, opening the door to your bedroom where your scent is concentrated the most. It floods his senses, nostrils flaring at how decadent your scent is, his tongue running over his lips as he inhales.
What gets his attention is the door on the right, pushing it open as he spies the neatly spun blankets, towels and material.
A nest.
Andy surveys it with great interest, leaning down to touch the fabrics as he stops himself for a moment. This is a sacred place, one that he never thought he’d see, something you’d kept away from prying eyes. He knew Omegas nested but not you. With how private you are, you’ve never mentioned a single thing like others have, partnering with various Omega companies to push their nesting products.
You never have.
Omega made a nice nest.
Safe. Good for babies.
Andy hums his approval deep down in his throat, getting up when he realizes he’s scented your pillow.
He can’t stop himself from continuing to scent the nest, his hindbrain working overtime at the scent of you.
Omega’s in heat.
His heartbeat thrums faster, running his tongue over his canines at the thought of you underneath him.
Find her.
-
Atlas barks loudly, pawing the ground before you finally let him off the leash, letting him run around the clearing, the lake ahead of you that keeps your attention for a moment. It’s peaceful, enough to let you focus on the mountains in front of you and the lake that seems to stretch on for miles.
Patting your pockets for your phone, you roll your eyes at the forgetfulness, sighing loudly as you vow silently to come back to get some pictures. But even so, there’s a sense of unease as you look up at the clouds beginning to form.
Thunder rumbles overhead, Atlas sniffing the grass while you call out to him.
“Come on, we gotta go back inside!” you warn, heading toward him as you look back, seeing teenagers hike through the woods. Your paranoia flares up, gripping the leash as you run after Atlas.
“Hey!” comes a voice behind you. “Is that Atlas?”
“Julie, shut up,” another voice admonishes. “Sorry! We just wanted to say hi. We’re big fans of your work.”
“Atlas,” you whimper, the dog heading back toward you as you slip on his leash. “Let’s keep going, okay?”
“Sorry we scared you. We’ll give you some space.”
You can hear their whispers, your head down as your anxiety spikes. Christine would have a fit if she knew that people had come to see you. You’d promised her that this place was private, away from prying eyes.
Atlas heads up a set of stairs, pulling on his leash while you press on, the teenagers not following as their voices fade in the background. Rain sprinkles onto your head and sweater, Atlas continuing on while you follow. Deep down you know you shouldn’t go too far.
The rain continues to intensify, Atlas looking up at the sky before he keeps going You falter in your steps, clutching your belly as he whines in response, circling back to you.
“I just… I need a minute, okay?” you ask him, watching him sit on your shoes. “Then we can head back.”
-
Andy finishes his inspection of your place, taking a step back from the en suite where he made sure to scent everything you would touch.
He lifts your shower gel to his nose, inhaling the scent before he places the cap back on, setting it right back where it belongs. He doesn’t want a thing out of place to arouse suspicion.
By his calculations, you’ll be back in an hour. He’s made sure to take the soft washcloth and place his clean palm against it, enough for the scent to linger.
The same thing with your sheets. Subtle enough that you won’t notice.
But your hindbrain will.
He makes his way back to the door when your phone buzzes again on the couch.
Judging by the amount of missed calls, he knows that something is up, heading back outside before closing the door.
His mind goes to the future, of you coming back to his scent and how you would react.
Find. Her.
-
Christine paces as she dials your number again, sighing while pinching the bridge of her nose.
“This isn’t like you,” Christine begins as she leaves a voicemail. “I need you to call me back. Pictures were leaked online, okay? Andy Barber is apparently near you and I’m shutting down the fan forums now as fast as I can but I need you to head back this way, okay? Call me when you get this. Please, please, please call me back.”
Christine hangs up, covering her mouth. She isn’t sure who hacked into Andy’s social media but they’ve analyzed everything, right down to the coordinates of where he is staying, only a few miles away from you. She isn’t sure why he’s there but the timing is suspicious, enough for her to wonder if Laurie and him are up to something.
Dialing another number, she waits, chewing on her lip as the phone picks up.
“Laurie Barber,” Christine greets, her eyes narrowing as she hears noise in the background. “Out of curiosity, where are you?”
“I’m going out for a drive.”
Christine doesn’t believe her, Laurie’s voice shaky with emotion while Christine continues to scroll through her notifications.
“You wouldn’t be heading up to a certain cabin would you?” Christine asks, pushing herself up and away from the counter.
“Why would that be any of your business?”
“Because I know that Andy’s pictures leaked and you’re an unstable woman who is about to make a big mistake.”
“What pictures?”
“Don’t play stupid with me,” Christine seethes. “They leaked an hour ago from his photo account. Someone hacked it.”
“I didn’t do it. What pictures?”
“Shit,” Christine sighs. “Then it’s another fan forum. Great.”
“He’s at the cabin, isn’t he? I knew it, I knew it,” Laurie says, sobbing louder.
“Get a hold of yourself. He’s at his own cabin. But you need to stay away from there if that’s where you’re heading.”
“He’s my husband.”
“She’s my client.”
“God, do you hear yourself? You really want to defend her? She’s probably fucking my husband right now and you’ve known about it!”
“Do you hear yourself right now? You’re heading up to a cabin to find your husband who isn’t your husband anymore. You continue to paint this narrative that my client is sleeping with your husband when she is not.”
“How do you know for sure?”
“I know her,” Christine snaps. “She would never go near another Alpha. Not with what she’s been through. I’ll call the cops if I have to but I don’t want it to come to that. You want to meet up with your ex-husband and have it over social media? Fine. But stay away from my client.”
“Everyone thinks I’m crazy,” Laurie mutters. “You don’t know how he gets when he’s in rut. He gets so focused, so determined. He used to focus on me. He stopped and now it’s her and he’s probably deep in rut and -”
“I’m calling the police,” Christine finalizes. “You take one foot up there and I’ll have you arrested for trespassing.”
“Do what you need to do.”
Laurie hangs up, Christine furiously dialing another number as they pick up on the first ring.
“Lloyd, I need a favor,” Christine says, closing her eyes in defeat. “I need you to stop Laurie Barber.”
“Sounds exciting,” comes his reply. “She’s an unhinged bitch.”
“Be that as it may,” Christine continues. “My client is in danger and the police won’t get there fast enough.”
“How much stoppin’ are we talking about? You want her alive?”
“Yes, alive,” she snaps. “I need her away from my client. Keep her safe but set her straight.”
“You’re no fun, you know,” he replies. “Fine. You have an hour to pay me.”
“Fine. Just get it done.”
-
Opening the door, Atlas stops at the entrance, the fur on his back raising as you pause. It smells different, your scent mingling with another. Your sweatshirt is damp, sticking to your skin as you absentmindedly scratch at your mating gland, your hand falling away when you realize why.
Alpha.
Shaking your head, you watch Atlas take a step inside, sniffing the ground as he pulls you along. It doesn’t look like anything was touched, zeroing in on your cell phone as it sits on the couch cushion. You aren’t sure why whoever came into your house didn’t take anything but the feeling of knowing a stranger was in your house makes you feel uneasy, especially knowing it was an Alpha, judging by the strong scent.
Rut.
Your hindbrain screams excitedly in your mind, clutching Atlas’ leash as you pick up your phone, shaking your head out of your stupor at the idea of coming into a house that clearly had someone inside.
Snatching your phone up, you had outside, dialing the police before you hang up, realizing that you don’t have much to give them. As far as you can see, everything is intact. Your laptop still sits on the coffee table, your phone now in your hand. Opening your purse, all of your money is still in your wallet, not a single thing out of place.
The scent of this Alpha makes your cramps more noticeable, doubling over at the pain before you straighten up. You can’t be here now, knowing the cell service is spotty.
There’s a place where you were able to get some space to make a call and you need to call Christine, knowing that she’s the only you can trust.
“Atlas,” you call out, looking behind you as your giant dog comes running, circling around you as he sits on your shoes again, making you immobile as you remember your breathing. “I know. I need to take a breath. But we can’t be here, okay? We need to call someone. Let’s go.”
Atlas follows, bounding down the steps as he stays next to you, watching you look at the bars on your phone appear and disappear with each step. Taking two steps to the right, you get a little bar, moving up toward a hill, praying for a miracle.
-
Andy hears the sound of a dog barking, stopping in his tracks. Thunder rumbles overhead once more, droplets of rain hitting his forehead and nose.
Omega is close.
He turns around, waiting for another noise to point him in the right direction.
He hears it again, turning to his right.
The rain picks up faster than before, Andy heading up the hill.
-
The phone rings on the other end, your breathing steady as Atlas sits on your shoes again, his heavy body centering you while you inhale deeply.
“There you are,” Christine says hurriedly. “Did you get my messages?”
“Someone broke into my cabin,” you tell her, tears filling your eyes. It could be anyone.
Phillip.
Syverson.
Your brother.
Your father.
“Are you in there? Get in your car and come back home. I’ll take care of it but you need to go, you -”
“Hello?”
The call drops as your battery notifies you at it’s at ten percent, swearing under your breath at falling asleep without charging your phone last night. Atlas gets up as you turn, looking up at the man who is at the bottom of the hill.
He’s bigger than you, moving the umbrella over his shoulder so that you can see his face. He looks familiar, even from far away, your eyes narrowing as Atlas thumps his tail against your leg. There’s no danger, at least not yet as you don’t move from your spot.
“Everything okay?” he calls out to you. “You’re the cabin next to mine, right? I think I saw some teenagers near your place. I hope it’s okay I made sure everything was alright. I poked my head in and made sure they weren’t in there.”
“Fine,” you call out, making a sound between a laugh and a whine as you shake your head, trying to navigate the murky thoughts of your mind if he’s a fan or someone who just happened upon you. “Needed some fresh air but I’m fine now.”
“Come on,” the man offers, motioning toward you as he holds up the umbrella. “It looks like it’s going to pour in a minute.”
You aren’t sure why you find it so easy to follow him but you do, reaching him as he places the umbrella over you, the small reprieve from the rain pelting on your body enough for you to let out a sigh before you look into his eyes.
The scent matches the one from your cabin, his explanation matching up with the teenagers you’d seen. It means you need to get away more than ever, realizing who the man is in front of you.
“Andy Barber,” you murmur, taking a step back as you nearly slip, his hand going to the small of your back to steady you.
He’s an Alpha, one that you’ve seen in the courtrooms on TV. Happily married to his Beta wife, from what you remember, watching them walk hand in hand when Ransom Drysdale won his case.
Alpha, your hindbrain echoes in your mind.
Alpha’s here to protect you.
You try to ignore it, the feeling of trust that has always gone horribly wrong when you’ve let your guard down. Everything about him is all male, all Alpha that makes you hesitate for a minute. He isn’t like Syverson, the cold smile on display before he tried to pin you on the desk.
Andy Barber stood up for Omegas, even helping Ransom’s wife off the stand. That much you remember.
Kind.
Not like the others you’ve met.
Let Alpha help you.
“Hi,” he replies. “Nice to meet you.”
-
Every step you took toward him, he swallowed hard, the need to take you here and now overwhelming. He’s better than that, of course. He can be patient, take his time and make sure you understand why he’s going to do this.
Why you’re going to be his mate.
When you finally get underneath the umbrella, he inhales your scent, looking down at Atlas who gives a low growl.
“Atlas,” you begin, looking at your dog. “What’s wrong?”
Atlas puts himself between you and Andy, Andy taking a step back as the umbrella still covers you. It’s faint, his scent that eases in your nose. A cramp pulls at your insides, enough for you to wince as Andy steadies himself, placing his hand down to let Atlas sniff it before he allows Andy to pet him.
“I didn’t know you’d be up here,” you admit. “I answered your email a few days ago.”
He shrugs as if it’s not an issue, your need to please apparent before he moves the umbrella over you to cover you more.
“Sometimes I just need some peace and quiet. Last minute trip.”
The rain continues on while you start heading back to your cabin, keys in hand.
“Leaving so soon? Is everything okay?” he asks you, concern on his handsome features.
“I have to get back. I’m going back home.”
“We’ll get you there, don’t worry,” Andy promises.
“No, I need to go back home. As in my home,” you reply with a shake of your head. “It’s not safe. I saw the teenagers earlier. They were following me.”
“You did? Did you call anyone?”
“I left my phone,” you answer quietly, almost forlorn as Andy nods.
“Why don’t you try and call now?”
“No service,” you answer, showing him your almost dead phone. “I’m just going to go once I get back. Thank you Andy for helping me, I appreciate it. Didn’t realize you’d be up here.”
“Like I said,” Andy clarifies, walking with you back up the trail. “With my hectic schedule, I need a little peace at times.”
When you cabin comes into view, Andy pauses at the familiar car that is in the driveway.
“Who is that?” you ask, looking at the car that pulls up into your driveway, a dark haired woman getting out as she slams the door shut, too far away to see her up close.
You don’t have to.
Andy knows exactly who it is.
“You don’t know them?” Andy asks, trying to keep his cool as his hindbrain gets louder and louder.
Omega is scared.
“No,” you tell him, heading toward your place, anger overtaking your fear. “But she doesn’t belong there.”
“Wait,” Andy stops you, blocking your path. “You don’t know if it could be another fan, right? Look, I know we don’t know each other well but come to my place. I’ll stay outside while you make a phone call. I get service there, you can charge your phone, do whatever you need and I won’t bother you, I promise.”
You look back, hearing the woman scream out your name as Atlas growls at the noise, your hand scratching his ears as he whines.
“How far?” you ask him.
“Follow me.”
-
Andy opens the door to the cabin, holding out his hand for you to wait under the awning.
“It smells like me,” he says sheepishly. “Don’t want to trigger anything, you know? Let me open the windows, make you some tea and then I’ll step outside and you can make your phone calls.”
It’s thoughtful, giving you space as he moves inside the cabin. You’re trying to remember your instincts, the ones that are so strong that it makes you think about running away, running back to your car.
But the woman you saw still haunts you, keeping you still as Atlas gives a soft woof while you scratch under his chin.
The sound of the burner turning on gets your attention, a cup placed on the counter while Andy stands out in the doorway. You still have no service, your phone now at 5% battery. For a moment, you ignore that request you wanted to make, to plug in your phone so that you could talk to Christine, seeing the multiple text notifications
“Do you have a favorite type of tea?”
He looks at you questioningly as he holds up two boxes.
“Earl Grey,” you respond, Andy looking at the boxes as he shakes his head.
“Here I was thinking spearmint or chai,” he responds, moving back toward the kitchen as you see him move around the space from the big window.
Within a few minutes, Andy steps back outside, motioning with his head for you to come in.
“Water’s ready for you, there’s a packet of early grey – didn’t want to touch anything, you know? Take your time, I’ll wait out here. There’s a charger in there if you need it.”
You nod, trying to find words as you step into the cabin.
His scent overwhelms you, hindbrain humming when you inhale.
Alpha’s den.
Safe.
Pouring the water into the teacup, you let the tea seep for a minute, plugging in your phone as Atlas whines.
It’s been a while since he’s eaten and you aren’t sure how to ask if you can feed him, let alone if Andy has any acceptable food to give him.
“Hang on, bud,” you promise him, crouching down to give him a hug, pressing a kiss on the crown of his head. “I promise, we’ll get you something to eat.”
Taking a sip of your tea, you force yourself to keep calm, even as you feel the slick stick to your thighs. If Andy noticed, he hadn’t said anything, picking up your phone to call Christine back as the bars are full strength.
“Where are you?” Christine demands. “Are you on your way?”
“I couldn’t go back to my place, there was a woman there and she -”
“Woman? What did she look like?”
“I didn’t get close,” you admit.
“What did she look like?”
“Dark hair, she was thin, I think? Couldn’t see from that far but she was upset.”
“Where are you?” Christine asks, her voice low. “You sound super clear.”
“I ran into someone actually. I’m at their cabin, using their charger.”
“Who?”
“Andy Barber.”
The silence on the other end makes you nervous, taking a sip of your tea as you wait for her response.
“Christine?”
“I need you to get out of there, okay? You need to go,” Christine warns. “That woman that was at your cabin? That’s Andy’s ex-wife. She’s got it in her head that you and Andy are having an affair. You remember her, right? She came to your book signing.”
“Ex-wife?”
“I tried to call you the other day to tell you. She had this whole breakdown on social media, it was all over Twitter. But I need you to understand that she’s not right in the head and judging by how she’s acting, he’s probably going into rut.”
“Rut?”
The cup slips out of your hands, crashing to the ground as Andy stands in the doorway, his gaze focused on you.
“Did you hear me? Hello?”
-
Laurie bangs on the door, her voice shot as she looks through the window.
“Open up!” she shouts, banging on the door harder. “Come out!”
At the silence, she slumps down, resting her head against the door.
“I came to you first,” she says, tears streaming down her face. “But you want to force my hand? Fine. If I find out you’re with my husband…”
She reaches into her purse, the cold metal of the gun under her fingertips.
“I’ll make you regret it.”
-
“What is it?” Angie hisses. “I’ve been dealing with damage control all day.”
“Answer the phone when I’m trying to call you,” Christine snaps. “It’s serious.”
“Everything is serious. First you want to shut down the fan forums, then the cease and desist and then -”
“Laurie Barber is at her cabin.”
“What?” Angie whispers, muffled by her hand. “What do you mean she’s headed to the cabin? Last time we spoke, you told me that she backed off. Gave an apology -”
“She’s with Andy Barber.”
“What is she doing with Andy Barber?” Angie demands. “Is she not in the cabin? You checked it out yourself, we made sure it was safe.”
“She’s at his cabin.”
“Shit,” Angie mutters. “This isn’t going to go well. How does she know him?”
“I don’t know,” Christine answers her with a sigh. “Angie. He’s in rut.”
“Lloyd.”
“Already done,” Christine replies coldly. “I told you this was going to happen. She’s up there all alone with an Alpha in rut and now we have to use the plan we’ve never used before because you had to have your claws in Phillip Benedict to make sure he saw you as an acceptable Omega. Which then led to us using Lloyd as your guard dog to make sure you were safe from Syverson. Everything comes back to you.”
“Lloyd is our protection. Hers too. Calm down. He’ll handle it.”
“Fuck it,” Christine snaps. “I’m going to go get her.”
“I’ll be there soon,” Angie promises. “Give me a few.”
“No,” she answers her. “No more waiting. I’m sure you’re going to tell Phillip. Make sure he has a good tagline before he sells her out again.”
-
“I need to go.”
“Everything alright? I heard the noise,” Andy counters, looking at the broken tea cup. “I’ll clean it up, don’t worry.”
“You’re divorced,” you murmur, side stepping the broken cup as Atlas follows, moving him away from the broken shards.
“Yeah,” Andy sighs with a slow nod. “I tried to make it work. I really did. But I needed to be honest with myself. I didn’t need a Beta.”
Alpha needs you.
Andy places paper towels on the ground, soaking up the liquid as you take another step back.
“Was that your wife at the cabin?”
“Ex-wife,” Andy says with distaste, grabbing a broom as he sweeps the broken pieces and wet paper towels into the pan. His movements are slow, deliberate in a way that when you take another step, he tsks, your steps ceasing.
“You don’t need to be afraid of me,” he continues. “When was the last time Atlas ate?”
He tosses the shards and paper towels in the trash bin, crouching down to look at Atlas.
“You hungry, boy? I think I got something for you,” Andy promises, standing at his full height over you. “I can’t let you go out there.”
“Why not?”
Andy gives you a soft smile.
“Dangerous.”
“You’re in rut,” you accuse, watching as he wipes the perspiration off his forehead.
“And you’re in heat,” he answers you, reaching for a bowl out of the cabinet as he moves around the kitchen, pulling out a bag of dog food.
The same brand you buy.
“I could scent it on you,” he points out, pouring the food into the dish as he places it on the ground. Atlas looks at you for approval, licking his mouth in anticipation as he whines.
“That’s a good boy you have,” Andy resumes after a slight pause. “He must be starving.”
Atlas whines as you nod, letting him walk over to the food bowl. He wolfs it down as Andy turns around to face you.
“I’m not going to hurt you,” Andy assures you gently. “But I can’t let you go.”
When you eye your phone, Andy grabs it before you do, pulling you against him as he looks into your eyes.
“Please, please, don’t,” you whisper, your lip trembling. “Just let me go, please, please.”
“Shh, Omega,” Andy soothes, brushing his wrists against your cheeks as he smooths back your hair. “Not safe for an Omega in heat to be out on her own. I made you something nice. It’s all for you. Come with me.”
Listen to Alpha.
It’s an Alpha command, one that grips you solely as you feel it, the need to please and obey making you follow behind, Atlas still eating as Andy gives him a soft pet on the back.
“We’ll be back soon, buddy,” Andy promises, heading down the hallway as he nudges you gently. “I think you’re going to like it.”
-
Laurie heads up the driveway, spying Andy’s car. It sends her into a spiral, stopping the car as she gets out, purse over her shoulder as the cold bites at her face and bare hands. She fled after being seen by a group of teenagers, who recognized her from the video, calling out insults to her before she got into her car and left.
She knows this is bad, being seen and probably recorded, putting her fate in jeopardy but at the moment, she doesn’t care. Knowing that he’s here confirms her worst fears.
Making her way toward his cabin, she dials his number, not caring that she’ll be there in a minute or so, hearing it go straight to voicemail.
“You son of a bitch,” she hisses angrily. “I see your car and you’re near her cabin. How could you lie to me? How could you do this to me?”
Hanging up her phone, she sees your dog sleeping peacefully on a bed, eyes widening in disbelief before she bangs on the door.
-
“Nice, isn’t it?” Andy says slowly, opening the door to the nest, standing behind you as you freeze. He can see the dark spots on your pants, your slick seeping through as you try to breathe.
“At-Atlas,” you whimper, Andy placing his hands on your upper arms, careful to avoid touching your mating gland.
“He’s fine, I promise,” Andy whispers against your ear. “Do you like it? It’s nice and soft.”
Alpha gave you a gift.
You blink, nodding your head as you exhale to calm your hindbrain. Everything hurts, your sweatshirt still sticking to your skin as Andy inhale your scent.
“Nice and safe,” Andy continues, his voice lowering as his lips touch the side of your neck. “A perfect place to be, especially since you’re in heat. I can help you.”
The blankets and pillows look soft, your skin itching under the fabric. Scratching at your mating gland, you shake your head.
“I can’t,” you respond, looking up at him with glassy eyes.
“Yes, you can,” Andy urges gently, nosing your neck as you sigh at his pheromones. It’s music to his ears, watching you take a step forward. “It’s natural, you and I. If you only knew how much I’ve been waiting for you. I want you to feel comfortable here. You want to be protected, right?”
Alpha is going to protect you.
“Y-Yes,” you answer, closing your eyes as your fingernails dig into your raised gland to scratch it harder.
-
Laurie goes to knock, her wrist grabbed from behind as she’s spun around, looking into the ice blue eyes of a man with a mustache who smiles at her.
“Hi sunshine,” he purrs, covering her mouth before she can scream. “Looks like I got here just in time. Lloyd Hansen, by the way. Pleasure to meet you.
She struggles against him as she scents him. An Alpha, one that doesn’t smell like Andy at all – more tobacco, citrus and bergamot. His brown hair is slicked back, tilting his head at her movements.
“One little move and I can break your arm if you like,” he offers, watching her stop moving. “Let’s face it, sweetheart. You’re in over your head and judging by the scents on the door, you’ve already lost. Nobody likes a sore loser.”
Lloyd spies her open purse, pulling the gun from it as he places it at her temple, hand still around her mouth.
“Shame on you, Laurie Barber,” he mocks, turning off the safety. “I took you for a pathetic woman scorned, not a coldblooded killer. How much do you wanna bet he’s got her on her hands and knees, hmm? Locked on that knot for hours, just like she should be.”
Laurie screams angrily at his words, the man tapping the gun against her temple.
“I’m supposed to keep you alive,” Lloyd warns with a cold smile. “But I could just as easily have an accident. Wouldn’t be the first time.”
She’s led back to her car, her keys in his hand as he opens the trunk, pulling duct tape from his pocket.
“Ladies, first,” he reminds her, taping her mouth shut.
-
“It looks perfect,” Andy says behind you, the sleeves of your sweatshirt pushed up on your forearms, tucking in the blankets and towels that smell like Andy into a better circle before he calls out to you, snapping you out of your fervor.
“Not finished,” you reply, reaching for a pillow before he gets to his knees behind you, unbuttoning his flannel shirt, pulling it off of him as he hands it to you. Greedily you snatch it from him, Andy hiding a smile at the way you’ve embraced your hindbrain, now deep in your headspace.
You inhale his scent, Andy pulling you closer as you chirp at his touch.
“That’s why you were hiding, weren’t you?” Andy asks, scenting you deeply as you grab onto his white undershirt, his mouth settling on your mating gland. “I thought the headspace was a myth. But look at you. Building me a nice nest, just like I knew you would. Your family history was turbulent, I know. But you’ve got me.”
He sucks another bruise on your skin, your eyes closing as his scent is all over you, eyes half lidded with your heat overtaking you. You smell incredible, Andy’s fingers easing up under your sweatshirt to touch your soft, warm skin that feels like silk under his fingertips.
“All it took was a little persuasion,” Andy murmurs, sucking a bruise into your neck as you whimper. “You were worth the time I spent trying to get to you. Those other Alphas, I promise you, they’ll never get the chance to hurt you again. All you have to do is let me take care of everything.”
“My book,” you whisper, breaking out of your haze slightly as Andy applies more pressure on your mating gland.
“There’s gonna be enough time for you to write whatever you want,” Andy promises, letting his teeth snag onto your gland as your eyes widen. “Once you’re my mate.”
“N-No,” you plea, your eyes widening as he holds you close. “Wait.”
“Shh, it’s alright. Once you’re mated, it’s going to help those cramps go away, I promise.”
He knows he’s right, your breathing shallow as he scents you again, enough to make you drunk off his pheromones, running his tongue over his teeth before he pulls you into his lap.
“Nice and slow,” Andy continues, sinking his teeth into your mating gland as you gasp, his fingers skimming up your back as you wince, your whimper of pain breaking his heart and making him hard at the same time.
The bond is instantaneous, emotions flooding him as he laps at the blood, holding you tight as you press your head under his jaw, seeking out reassurance as vulnerability overwhelms you. He can feel it, enough to want to wrap you up in his arms and not let you go.
A sense of peace he’s never known blankets his thoughts. You’re safe, far from the harm that Laurie could do, knowing he’d protect you with his life. It’s a strange thought, holding you in his arms and he realizes this is what Ransom meant when he said his life was changed.
There are two of you in the bond, Andy carefully pulling your hands away from your face as he studies you. The bite is perfect, his tongue running over his teeth at the taste of you.
“It’s going to be alright,” Andy soothes, tucking you against his chest as your hold on his shirt doesn’t falter, wiping your eyes gently. “You have me now.”
Atlas scratches at the door, Andy looking over at it as he reaches to open it, the dog bounding inside as he sniffs at you, pawing his way up to your neck to inspect your mark.
“She’s alright,” Andy soothes, watching Atlas sniff you again before he looks over at Andy. “We’re going to be a nice little family, I promise.”
-
Christine parks her car behind yours, looking through the window of the cabin. Your phone continues to ring and send her to voicemail, her fear that you aren’t safe making her shake as her phone vibrates in her hand.
“What?”
“Well hello to you too, sunshine,” Lloyd greets her. “Thought you’d be happy to know I found her sneaking around. She was at her ex-husband’s place, ready to tear the place down.”
“Oh, thank god,” Christine sighs, exhaling in relief.
“I thought I’d seen it all but looks like Andy found himself a stage ten clinger. Had a nice little gun in her purse.”
Christine goes silent at Lloyd’s admission.
“A gun?”
“That’s what I said. I have it now but thought you might like to know. You’re a good one, Christine. I don’t think Angie would have given me the call. How is the old bat, anyway? Still chasing after Phillip Benedict’s upper crust knot?”
“What are you going to do with her Lloyd?”
“Hell if I know. You said to keep her alive so she’s alive. Gotta say though, she’s got a mouth on her. Threatening to sue, threatening to kill me… she’s got a lot of nerve for someone who doesn’t know if she’s going to live to see another day.”
“She will see another day,” Christine demands, running her fingers through her hair. “Just… keep her away until I say so.”
“Angie not calling the shots this time? That’s interesting.”
“I’m not discussing this with you,” she replies. “Just keep her alive and safe until I call you back.”
“You got it, Toots.”
“Don’t call me Toots.”
Hanging up, she knocks on your door, waiting for any answer.
She was hoping you’d had come to your senses, back to your cabin and away from Andy Barber. Still, she feels the dread at the thought of knowing Andy’s been in rut, getting back into her car to search to see if she can find his cabin.
-
Shame should play out somewhere in this space, your clothes somewhere in the nest, your fingers flexing, extending toward the plush blankets and then forming into fists when Andy bottoms out inside you. It hurts slightly, just enough between the precipice of pain and pleasure, the stretch of his knot keeping you full as he cums once more.
You’ve gotten used to the feeling of his knot, enough that you’re starting to crave it more than you thought you would.
And he seems eager enough to make sure you have it.
“So gorgeous,” he praises, quieting your soft pants with his mouth. You can’t think straight like this, still overcome by all that’s happened and what continues to be, your legs locked around his waist.
Rut.
The word takes on a different meaning now, Andy careful with how he handles you, baring his teeth when you clench down on him. It’s messy, your heat and his rut, sweat soaked skin and your scents mixed together, a finely tuned orchestra of bodies and sounds that make your hindbrain sing.
It feels out of body sometimes, going for hours at a time, your voice thick with need when your heat reaches a peak, Andy soothing you as only he knows how. He disappears at times, enough for you to know that he’s taking care of Atlas.
There isn’t time to worry about Christine or Angie. Everything is Andy, kept in this space that you both occupy, your needs seen to that you weren’t even sure you had.
He gives an experimental thrust that makes you squeak, looking up at him as he braces himself on his arms.
“Can’t stop wanting to feel you,” Andy admits, eyeing your mark. “Love having you on my knot.”
The words he says makes your face heat up, even if you’re wearing not a stitch of clothing – just Andy.
It’s new, still deep in your headspace that your mother had once told you about when you were a child, the day before your father had come home in his rut.
“We’re different,” your mother tells you, plucking the cup from your hands. “One day, you’re going to find an Alpha and that Alpha is going to pursue you. They always do.”
“Nuh uh,” you deny. “No Alphas.”
“We’re special,” your mother continues. “Our kind know how to please, how to make our Alphas happy. Our hindbrains are strong. We can anticipate what they need.”
“Papa too?”
“Papa too,” she agrees. “But be careful. Not all of them are good. You avoid those as best you can, okay?”
“Go to the cabin,” you recite. “Safe there.”
“Exactly.”
“Sleep,” Andy says gently, on the horizon of an Alpha command. “You need rest.”
-
Christine pulls up to the cabin a few miles over, staring at the shiny, black Audi that sits in the driveway. She gets out of the car, her heels seeping into the soft earth as she continues up the steps, knocking loudly as she hears the sound of a dog barking.
Her eyes widen at the sight of Atlas, who barks excitedly as the door opens, Andy Barber at the doorway in a pair of jeans and a white shirt, looking at her with curiosity.
“Can I help you?”
“Yes,” she answers, bending down as Atlas bounds toward her, nearly knocking her over as she lets herself go for a moment, cuddling the giant dog as she sighs with relief, her eyes narrowing when she puts two and two together.
“Where is she?”
“Who are you?” Andy says, his voice low with warning.
“I’m her publicist,” Christine snaps. “Where is she?”
“Safe,” Andy replies, leaning against the door. “Which is more than I can say had I not found her.”
“Bullshit. What did you do to her?”
“My mate is asleep,” Andy answers, Christine taking a step toward him.
“Mate? Are you kidding me? Does she know what you’ve done? You were a fan, Mr. Barber.”
“And you were her publicist who couldn’t shut down the fan sites quick enough when they got out of hand. You also allowed the leak of two of her pictures, thus leading to her being followed by a few rabid fans who stalked her while she was out with her dog. This ring a bell, Christine? You call me a fan but I called the shots from day one.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“The podcast she did a few months ago, she mentioned she was told she was excluding certain designations. I did a little digging myself. Turns out her manager, Angie, is it? She put the bug in a certain Phillip Benedict’s ear to get him to start raising hell about excluding Alphas. According to Title 10, she’s allowed a safe space. That’s a breach of her contract.”
“Title Ten?” Christine asks, confusion on her face as Andy sighs.
“Title Ten mentions that no Omega will be placed under undue stress around the Alpha designation. The book signing where Phillip showed up? A petition to have him removed from any of her events circulated. I know you saw it. You just ignored it. Kept it away from her.”
“I was told there was nothing we could do.”
“Incorrect,” Andy denies with a shake of his head. “Let’s continue, shall we? My ex-wife posted a social media rant, one that slandered my name and hers and it was up for more than seven hours, leading to speculation and death threats that not only I received but she received as well. I managed to shut it down after I found out about it. You went the route of a cease-and-desist letter. Classic PR movement.”
“This is ridiculous,” Christine counters. “I want to see her. Now.”
“Syverson,” Andy continues, taking a step toward her. “That’s a hot button issue, isn’t it? Sexually harassed, her mating gland bruised in the process and months of therapy that was swept under the rug. All of that swept under a rug so that you both could push her to write another book. A best seller of course. I know you were proud.”
“I didn’t know she had gone to therapy. I didn’t know it happened until -”
“Until the pressure kept up,” Andy agrees sarcastically. “I know, you’re innocent in this, aren’t you Christine?”
“I didn’t realize how bad it was getting until I saw the posts.”
“Posts?” Andy scoffs. “Which ones? The ones where they’ve leaked her pictures? The ones of her that I’ve seen with my own two eyes that I know she never would have approved for prying eyes? The way they’ve tracked her every more? You may be giving yourself a pat on the back with shutting down the fan sites but it was me.”
Christine swallows, knowing what he’s telling her is true. They were shut down prior to her trying to get them taken down.
“Once those teenagers got close, I shut it all down. Laurie leaked my pictures and don’t worry, I’m sure she’s taken care of, by Angie, no less. But make no mistake, Christine. She’s not yours anymore. She’s mine.”
Christine’s mouth shuts at his growl, blinking at the intensity of his possession.
“I still want to see her.”
-
Christine sits gingerly on the couch, Atlas at her side as hushed voices from the bedroom get her attention. Andy stands behind you when you appear, wrapped in a silk robe as Christine gasps at the sight of the mark.
“Is it true?” you ask her, your eyes filling with tears at the sight of her. “Did you know this whole time?”
She scrambles to get up, coming toward you as Andy steps in front of you, baring his teeth at her getting too close. Still in rut, she knows he’s protecting you, not letting her get any closer.
“I didn’t know that Phillip and Syverson were… I didn’t know what they did to you.”
“And my pictures? Did you leak those?”
“It was for marketing,” Christine tries to reason, Andy’s gaze turning fierce as you sniffle. “I swear, I didn’t know they were going to hack you.”
“People followed me. You said I was safe.”
“I swear, I didn’t know how bad it was until I saw Laurie’s post.”
“How long did you know about that?”
“Long enough for me to have done something. We’re going to fix this, okay? I promise.”
Andy shakes his head, leading you back toward the bedroom as Christine follows.
“Don’t,” Andy commands. “Leave her alone.”
“I’m sorry,” Christine sobs, wiping her face as your steps quicken, the door closing shut right after Atlas slips inside. “Please, just let me make it right.”
“I’ve already done that for you. Now get out.”
-
Angie heads toward the unmarked door, eyes wide in surprise as Laurie sits, bound and gagged in a chair, Lloyd watching a football game with his legs propped up.
“Finally,” Lloyd muses, finishing his beer. “About time you showed up.”
“You need to let her go.”
“I will, I will,” Lloyd says, motioning for Angie to take a seat. “We need to talk.”
“Talk about what?”
“I’m under new management.”
“What?” Angie asks, confused as Lloyd nods.
“See, I hate working for you. You’re a little unfair and I gotta be honest, Phillip Benedict is an asshole. He’s never going to mate you, by the way. You’re not his type. His type is currently in the cabin so you can see how that becomes a problem. Or did you already figure that out?”
“What I do in my personal life -”
“Means that you get bought out and shut out. Listen, I go where the money goes and word on the street is that your little cash grab, that Omega you bleed dry? She’s got a mate now. Which means no more book signings, no more last minute rushes for her to finish her book.”
“I’ll double it. Whatever they’re paying.”
“Nah,” Lloyd grins. “I kinda like this guy. He works under the shadows. CIA type stuff. So I’m gonna let Laurie Barber go. You too. With a catch.”
“What catch.”
“Listen, either of you make a sound, a peep… I come back and silence you. That’s how it works. We all in agreement?”
Laurie nods furiously, Angie swallowing as Lloyd waits for her answer.
“Don’t keep me waiting, sunshine. I know how to get a solid answer.”
“Fine,” she snaps. “Happy?”
Lloyd takes the gag out of her mouth, winking as he takes the ropes off.
“Sure. Now leave before I change my mind. I could use an Omega or two to blow off some steam."
-
“And in other news, Phillip Benedict has been ordered to pay over 3 million dollars after losing a civil suit that was brought to the courts after the newest Omega law went into effect. Benedict was accused of harassment and bullying of a famous author two months ago, a direct violation of the law. Andy Barber, who famously made headlines for the Ransom Drysdale case, opted to take on his client, who is now his mate. Barber’s divorce made ripples in social media, after his ex-wife famously went on social media to spread false accusations that he and his now wife were in a relationship. Barber mentions that he met his mate on a retreat while she was writing her next book, which comes out in spring,” the news anchor finishes. “That’s all for our evening news, you all have a good night.”
Andy peers over at you asleep, his phone vibrating as he answers, Atlas asleep at the end of the bed.
“Crazy trial,” Ransom says on the other end. “Even crazier that you have a mate now.”
“Stranger things have happened,” Andy agrees.
“What really happened up there in the mountains? I drove past the repair shop and it’s all boarded up.”
“I heard someone bought them out.”
“Interesting. Any idea who?”
“No idea,” Andy says, pressing a kiss to your temple as you smile in your sleep.
“How’s the new book coming along? Heard she’s been hard at work.
“She took a little break,” Andy mentions, his hand sliding down to the curve of your belly. “Been a little busy with other things but she’s planning on finishing it eventually.”
"You're not going to ever tell me the full story, are you? You cleaned house with that trial."
"I told you," Andy recalls. "I can find anyone, remember?"
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