Page 9 of All That We Keep (Always Yours #3)

Maceo

Gamma.

Not one person has ever mentioned another designation before.

No one has ever told me anything other than the fact that I’m not enough.

My previous partners are either disgusted or turned on because I can give them what they need without commitment or because I’m a freak of nature.

It’s all twisted up in a locked down compartment of my subconscious. It was just part of life for me.

And now it’s not.

I swipe a few plates from the table and stack them into the sink when I hear Luther's voice cut through my thoughts. The simple domestic task gives my hands something to do while my mind tries to process everything Quentin just told us.

"Are we going to talk about it?"

I switch on the faucet to start rinsing them, working through my own emotions or at least trying to as I find myself staring out the window above the sink toward the back garden of Grayson's family property.

The late afternoon light filtering through the trees reminds me how much our world has changed in just a few short hours.

"Come sit down, Maceo," Luther says from behind me, his voice carrying a note of authority that I've learned not to ignore.

Even when I was just a friend and his lawyer, he was still my Alpha.

"You're making me anxious with all that restless energy.

" I do as I'm told, settling back into my chair at the dining table across from Luther as he studies my face.

"I want to know what's going on in your head.

A lot of shit has happened over the past few weeks, and we haven't really had a moment to breathe or process any of it properly. "

I can't help but laugh, though there's no real humor in the sound. "We still don't have time to breathe."

Luther's expression grows more serious, his response a gruff laugh tinged with regret. "I know we don't have the luxury of taking our time with this, which is exactly why I'm asking you right now, at this moment, how you're doing before we go upstairs to give our Omegas what they need."

"Honestly?" I pause, trying to find the right words for feelings I haven't fully examined myself.

"I'm relieved." The admission feels strange to voice out loud, but it's true.

"It's been fine the way things have been structured. I mean, I’ve gotten used to it, but not really having a clear place to fit in has been difficult sometimes.

You and Grayson are the Alphas, Blake and Luca are the Omegas, and I've been.

.. what? The in-between person who helps with everything but doesn't quite belong in any specific category?

" I run a hand across my head, feeling the weight of months of uncertainty about my role in life and now in the pack I chose.

"Having a designation that actually explains why I feel pulled in different directions makes things make sense for the first time even if I have no idea what a Gamma is. "

"But?" Luther prompts, clearly hearing the hesitation in my voice.

"But it's also a little bit too much right now," I admit.

"Learning that I'm apparently some rare designation while Blake is going through biological changes and Hudson is out there planning god knows what.

.. it feels overwhelming." I look toward the staircase again, unable to shake my worry about our Omegas.

"I just want them to be safe and for all of us to be out of this legal and criminal mess we've found ourselves in. "

Luther huffs out a laugh, though his expression remains serious.

He stands from his chair and moves to look out the front window.

"It's going to be a while before all of this fully dies down, especially since Hearthstone is trying to cover up their bullshit and pretend they're just an innocent charity organization. "

Something in his tone makes my instincts prick with attention. "Why does it sound like you have a plan brewing?"

Luther turns back from the window, and I can see the calculating look in his eyes.

Matched with the powerful energy rolling off of him, I know there’s nothing going to stand in Luther Keller’s way at this point.

"Hudson has friends in high places, people with money and influence who've been protecting his operation for years.

" His voice carries an edge of cold determination.

"But I didn't get to where I am in this business without making a few friends myself. "

I feel a chill run down my spine at the implications of what he's suggesting. "What kind of friends?"

"The kind who can start their own investigations from anonymous tip-offs," Luther says quietly.

"The kind who have resources and authority that go beyond what local law enforcement can access.

" He moves back to the table. "I thought the local police would have done their job to keep my family safe but it seems I put my trust in the wrong people.

I'm going to reach out to my contacts and see if they can't put some pressure on the right people to shut down Hearthstone permanently.

And then," Luther continues, his voice growing darker, "I'm going to find out what Hudson's real purpose was for Luca.

What his end game looked like before we interfered. "

My stomach drops at the implication of his words. "You don't think Hudson was planning to keep Luca for himself either, do you?"

Luther shakes his head grimly. "No, I don't. Hudson is cruel and sadistic, but he's also practical about profit margins. He’s a greedy bastard and didn’t know when to stop.

Which means that there's a buyer out there somewhere, someone who paid good money for a specific Omega and is still waiting for their purchase to be delivered. "

The thought makes my blood run cold as I stand up again and finish clearing the table.

Luther might hate my restless energy but I can’t sit still.

I finally have a family to protect and it feels like it’s all just slipping through my fingers.

Not even my fancy ass law degree is doing jack shit to save them.

Luther just watches as I wash and dry, the silence filled with the clank of dishes and metal as I stack up the dishwasher.

It’s almost calming knowing that my Alpha is watching over me, the thrumming sound of his purr starting up and filling the space.

It soothes my anxiety until I can finally focus on just one thing, the shrill vibration of my phone ruining the moment.

I pull it out with a frown as I see the caller ID. "Why would Kai Vizant be calling? He told us to fuck off the last time we tried to get information about his Omega."

Luther shrugs, though I can see his shoulders tense at the mention of the other Alpha's name.

Our previous conversation with Kai hadn't gone well, to put it mildly.

He's been defensive and dismissive ever since about our questions regarding Hearthstone, insisting that his pack had simply rescued a battered Omega through legitimate charitable channels.

I swipe to answer the call and put it on speaker so Luther can hear whatever Kai has to say. "Vizant."

"Can we talk?" Kai's voice comes through the phone speaker, and there's something different about his tone. The arrogance and defensiveness from our last conversation have been replaced by something that sounds almost like desperation.

"Why now?" I ask, keeping my voice neutral despite my curiosity. "You made it pretty clear that you thought we were wasting your time."

"Not on the phone," Kai says quickly. "This is a conversation to be had face to face."

Luther moves closer to where I'm standing, his expression darkening with suspicion. "Why should we believe you when you explicitly said that there was nothing wrong with Hearthstone or their operations?"

Kai cuts him off before he can tack on another question.

"Luther, I know you understand what it means to protect your Omega.

So I'm going to ask you, Alpha to Alpha, not to do this on the fucking phone.

Pick a time and place and I will be there, but I have information you'll want that the police haven't done shit about. "

Luther considers the request for a moment before he speaks. "Jenny's Café, 10 AM tomorrow morning."

"Done and done," Kai agrees immediately, the speed of his acceptance telling me that he's genuinely desperate to share whatever information he has. "I'll be there."

The line goes dead, and I look up at Luther with confusion and concern written across my face. "What do you think that's about?"

Luther runs a hand through his dark hair, messing up the usually perfect styling as he thinks through the possibilities.

"I think he knows more about the battered Omegas and that donor list than he let on.

The fact that he's calling right after Hudson got out is either terrible timing or suspicious as fuck. "

Luther moves toward the front door again as the distinct sound of a deadbolt slides into place. The metallic click echoes through the quiet house, but then I hear another lock engaging, and then a third one that I didn't even know existed.

"What the fuck?" I ask, staring at the front door with surprise. "How many locks does this place have?"

Luther turns back to me with a grim smile that doesn't reach his eyes.

"Grayson's parents were a little bit paranoid about security, which was one of many reasons they chose to live here rather than closer to the city.

" He tests the door handle to make sure all the locks have engaged properly.

"It's proving useful for my sanity right now. "

I move closer to examine the door, noting the three separate locking mechanisms that I hadn't noticed when we arrived earlier.

The hardware looks professional grade, the kind of security setup that goes far beyond what most residential properties would need.

It makes me wonder what Grayson's parents were afraid of, or what they might have been involved in that required this level of protection.

"There are cameras outfitted around the entire property.

Double locks on all the doors and windows throughout the house, and there's another set of locks along the bedroom doors as well." He laughs at the way my nose turns up. “Grayson’s parents were… very worried about safety. Always saying that someone was coming for their baby boy. Nothing ever happened, which I’m glad for, but I’m even more glad for the safety now.

If someone's getting in here, it's because they really, really wanted to," Luther says grimly, finishing his inspection of the front room security features.

"Not because we didn't try to stop them. "

I climb the stairs behind Luther, my mind still reeling because I can’t turn it off. "What's next then? We can't keep everyone cooped up here forever, no matter how secure this place is."

Luther nods toward the last room at the end of the hallway, and I follow his gaze to see the door standing slightly ajar, soft light spilling out into the corridor.

I can't help but chuckle as I see the scene that greets us when we peer into the bedroom.

Grayson is stuffed onto the edge of what appears to be a hastily constructed nest, his long frame wrapped protectively around Blake's back while Blake is curled around Luca in the center.

They look fucking adorable, all three of them tangled together in a pile of blankets and pillows that speaks to the instinctual need for comfort and security.

"We take it one day at a time," Luther says softly.

"Luca is due in about two weeks, maybe less since he's carrying twins.

We'll have to talk to Blake tomorrow about what he wants to do regarding his condition.

Hudson is another problem that..." Luther starts to say, but I find myself laughing softly as I place my hand against his chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath my palm.

"Boss," I interrupt gently, using the nickname that always makes him smile despite himself. "You're not the only one here who gets to protect this beautiful family."

Luther grumbles under his breath, but I can see the affection in his hazel-green eyes as he looks at me. " Our beautiful family," he corrects, his voice firm with conviction. "Maceo, they're yours too. This pack belongs to all of us equally."

A reminder I need more often than not. Luther strips and scoots in on the other side of Luca, leaving Grayson’s back just for me. I always wondered how a pack like this could work with such a powerful Alpha as Luther but it’s seamless the way he takes what he wants and leaves me what I need.

I settle down behind Grayson, some of the tension I've been carrying all day starting to ease as the scents of my pack surround me.

"Feeling a bit better?" Grayson asks softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

"How did you know I needed Luther?" I press a kiss to the back of his ear as I place a hand on his hip.

"We all need Luther. That's why he's our Alpha." Grayson twists his head slightly so he can meet my gaze. "Maceo, I'd want you to hold me and that's not what you needed tonight."

He's right, and the fact that he understood that without me having to explain it speaks to how well he already knows how I fit into the Keller pack.

"It's what I need now," I admit, pulling myself closer to him.