We should have realized what it was sooner.
Ox was hearing the voices of the Omegas. They had followed Richard.
And now they had latched on to Ox.
Ox had figured it out before everyone else.
Together we shut down the connection. We couldn’t sever it. It was as if we closed a door and locked it firmly. They still scratched at it, still threw themselves against it, trying to break it down, but I was strong, and Ox was stronger.
We didn’t know what would happen if Ox opened that door. If he didn’t fight the bonds anymore. What would happen to him. To his pack, the ones who had stayed behind. Even though we were all one now, there was still a thin division.
Or if the Omegas themselves shattered it and poured through.
We would never find out, not if I had any say in it.
Michelle Hughes didn’t know any of this. And we planned to keep it that way.
“How many more do you think there could be?” Joe asked, deflecting before she could continue.
“Oh, I can’t even begin to speculate. But they will be dealt with, no matter what. We can’t afford to have our world exposed, no matter what the cost.”
“But why did she go after Gordo?” Robbie asked.
Michelle leaned forward as I sighed and looked up at the ceiling.
“Um,” Robbie said. “Forget I said that. She didn’t go after Gordo. Ha ha ha, just joking. Just a really awful joke that I shouldn’t have—”
“Robbie,” Ox said.
“Yep. Got it, boss. Shutting up now.”
“Did she?” Michelle asked. “Fascinating. Gordo?”
“It was nothing,” I said, keeping my voice even. “I was in front of everyone else. The closest target. Nothing more.”
“Nothing more,” she repeated.
I stared back blandly.
She hummed a little under her breath. Then, “Tell me, Gordo, when was the last time you heard from your father?”
Oh, so that’s how she wanted to play. “Before Osmond took him away,” I said coolly as Mark’s fingers brushed against mine. “Before he said that his magic would be stripped and he would never escape from where you all would be holding him. Much like you were supposed to be holding Richard.”
Her eyes narrowed. “That was unfortunate—”
“Unfortunate? People died. I think it’s a little more than unfortunate.”
“I didn’t know you cared about Thomas Bennett,” Michelle said, losing a bit of her composure. “You made that abundantly clear after he—”
And Joe said, “Enough.”
Mark’s hand was in mine, holding my fingers tight. I tried to find the strength to pull away but couldn’t do it.
“My apologies, Alpha,” Michelle said, mask firmly back in place. “That was uncalled for.”
“You’re damn right it was,” Ox snapped. “We don’t always see eye to eye. I get that. But you have no place speaking to the Bennett witch that way. Do it again and we’re going to have a problem. Do you understand?”