Page 28 of Cost of Courting (When it Raines Omegaverse #6)

Chapter twenty-six

Edric

“Where is she?”

Cindy chews her bottom lip and looks away. “She’ll come back, don’t worry.”

“You’re not going to tell me?” I ask the forlorn crowd in a snarl that has them nervously shuffling.

I hate that they don’t trust me.

No one will meet my eyes. The party has been packed up, and when we got here, the whispers of what happened had me ready to tear my car apart.

We’ve heard what happened a dozen times in the last two hours. But no one can or will tell us where she is, and it’s driving me into a homicidal state.

Bailey is just as bad.

The four of us are living, breathing, bordering-on-feral alphas who are freaking out about our missing omega, and no one seems to realise the danger they’re in.

We shouldn’t have left, but the opportunity to chase a lead was too good. It was a waste of time, we simply found the information that ruled out Benson as the Crimson Tiger. According to the person we met up with, he was on the other side of the country, visiting a girlfriend.

He’s a piece of shit, but he’s not the piece of shit we’re after. But the trail of that asshole who hurt Mael ends. It’s been weeks, and we can’t find him, we can’t pick up the scent. Where has he vanished to?

Time creeps by, and, at dusk, I’m ready to start torturing Jo when she suddenly appears, walking down the street on her own. Like nothing’s wrong .

I thought I would be furious, but relief is the wave that hits me first, so hard I almost drop to my knees.

I was afraid she was taken, that she’d gone. I don’t even know what I thought. There were so many horrible options, I was just afraid. All I could feel is the pain from the bonds. My omega is aching, and I can’t find her.

It was like when Mael disappeared.

I walk towards her, my anger spiking and falling as I see how rough she looks.

“Go on, say it,” she says.

I don’t say anything. There is nothing I care about but making her feel better, taking that blanket of despair and letting some light through.

I pull her into my arms and rest my head on the top of hers.

“I was worried,” I murmur.

Her surprise and gratefulness floods the bonds. It galls that she thought we would make her feel worse and not understand exactly what Luna going off with Benson means.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers.

I hold her tighter, inhaling her scent, wishing I could keep her safe and fix all the things wrong in her world. I felt like this when we were kids. I just didn’t realise what it was.

I have and always will be this omega’s alpha.

“Don’t be sorry, just know that I was worried. I cared. We searched for you. I’m sorry that happened, and we weren’t here.”

She softens and just sort of leans all her weight on me in a way she never has before.

“I don’t know how to protect everyone so no one gets hurt.”

I squeeze her tighter to me. “You get help. You let us help.”

She trembles.

My strong omega, who kicks asses and handles everything, trembles.

“What’s really going on, Omega?”

She sniffles.

“Luna is angry with me.”

“Yes, siblings do that.”

“He’s going to hurt her.”

“We’ll take care of him.”

“You don’t understand how bad he is, Edric.”

“No, I don’t. But you wouldn’t be this upset if he were just some person you could push around.”

Her fingers clench in my shirt, and she inhales.

“Where have you been?” I ask, though I feel bad even asking.

“My nest.” She says so quietly that I think I imagine the words .

“You have a nest?” The thought stuns me and leaves me almost rabid.

“Of course.”

“Where?”

She steps back, pulling free of my arms. “It’s around.”

“Around? Omega, have you got a hidden nest?”

She gives me the side-eye while she walks around me, making sure she’s out of arm’s reach.

She can’t see Kingston, but he pounces, picking her up and swinging her round so her feet fly out.

“Where were you?” he growls.

“She’s got a nest,” I announce loudly.

He stops, his arms still locked around her. “You have a nest, oh, those lovely delicious words. Where is this nest?”

“It’s top secret,” I say before Selene can say anything.

She glares at me. “It’s mine.”

“Of course, it’s yours, and we won’t push. You can show us your nest or not, whatever makes you feel comfortable,” Mael murmurs and cups her face. “Are you okay?”

She bites her bottom lip and shakes her head. “No. I’m not. I’ve tried so hard to protect her, and she just throws it back in my face.”

“Okay, we’ll talk about it. Come up with a plan. Let’s go find Bailey before he disappears and goes hunting.”

Selene looks startled. “No, he can’t do that.” She struggles free and starts stomping down the road.

I exchange a puzzled look with Mael and Kingston. Why is she so afraid of this guy being around Bailey? Just who is he exactly?

She finds Bailey before the rest of us do. He’s on a roof hanging fairy lights.

She stops on the footpath and stares at him. Instead of the happiness, she gets a tension in her shoulders and presses her lips in a firm line.

I want to burrow into her head and find what she’s thinking. No doubt it will be confusing and so warped I won’t understand her properly, but whatever is important to her is important to me.

Kingston reappears with his cat, who promptly jumps at Selene. She catches it and starts stroking its fur like some evil mastermind. Her eyes never leave Bailey.

Shade narrows his baleful orange eyes on Jo, who is approaching her. I met the guy earlier today. He feels like he’s carrying the weight of the world. I’m not sure if I like him or not, but I do trust his intentions.

“Why is she with him again? ”

Selene shrugs. “Probably because I ruined her life and tried to help her. How dare I!”

Jo growls. “This is serious. She could be-”

Selene turns so she’s facing him, and, despite his size, I would bet on the omega any day of the week. “Hurt? Injured? Taken advantage of? Killed? I am aware, Jo, thank you for rubbing it in. But she is an adult, and I can’t cure stupid.”

“She’s not stupid,” he says sullenly.

“Isn’t she?” Selene mutters and leans down to nuzzle Shade. The blasted evil cat arches his head up and smooches her face.

“No! We have to help her! We have to-”

Selene walks away from him and puts Shade down. He climbs up the porch and onto the roof where, unbeknownst to Selene, Bailey has frozen in apprehension.

I cover my mouth with a hand as I watch Shade stalk Bailey, while Selene stalks Jo. There is a lot similar about them. Eerie.

“Do not tell me what we have to do, Jo. If you have any ideas that won’t come back and hurt the people here, then, by all means, I’m listening, but the fact is if you take her by force or upset her, she will go to him, and he will make our lives a nightmare.”

Bailey falls off the roof, managing to catch himself on the guttering, but I’m no longer paying attention.

“What will he do?” I ask.

She turns to face me and turns away with hard eyes. “He will do whatever the hell he wants.”

I want to press her, to ask for more information, but she grabs Jo’s arm and walks away. I’d have followed, but Bailey grabs me and shoves me at the stalking cat.

“Shade!” I warn.

His tail is thick and fluffy and waving in the air in an aggressive manner that has me all sorts of nervous. I don’t care who thinks it’s ridiculous to be scared of a cat. This cat is freaky, and I defy anyone to stay here calm while it’s got that crazy look in its eye.

“What the fuck is wrong with it?” Bailey hisses. “It took a good chunk out of my arm.”

“Just a love bite!” Mael says as he calmly walks past.

The cat ignores him, intent on its sudden desire to mutilate us.

“Kingston!” I shout.

He’s nowhere to be seen. I refocus on the stalking cat.

“I’ll drop you off at a cattery if you keep this shit up. You’ll have to eat actual cat food and shit in a tray full of dirt. No cushions, no bed, no one to cuddle you. Or you can stay here and be the pampered prince you are. ”

The cat considers me for a long moment and then just suddenly turns and trots off. Rain and Wolfie run out and trot after the contrary cat. The boy laughing, while the kitten bats at Shade’s tail. He doesn’t react.

“How much does the cat understand?” Bailey asks.

“I’m not sure. Some days I’d say nothing, others, well…you saw that.”

Fuck, my hands are shaking. What is it about that oversized feline that has me wanting to run? I pull out my hand sanitizer and wash them thoroughly.

At least I’m not the only one scared of it.

The idiot beast worships Selene, though. I get a crazy thought. Am I going to have to compete with the cat in order to get close to her?

“Fucking hell!” I whimper.

Bailey slaps my shoulder. “Grow a pair.”

“Says the guy hiding behind my shoulder.”

“Better you than me. I’m too pretty for scars.”

I snort a laugh.

My phone rings, and when I see Brutus on the screen, I give Bailey a nod and walk off, leaving him behind.

“Yeah,” I say when I’m clear.

“What have you found out?” The voice growls through the phone.

I wince. He must be in a bad mood.

“We had a lead. It turned out to be smoke, but we’re not giving up. We will find him.”

“Fine. Keep searching for the Tiger. But,” Anderson growls, “you can’t keep searching forever.”

There’s a moment of silence, deep and dark, threatening. My heart jumps and drops heavily in my chest.

“Now, more importantly. Did you three bond my son?”

I close my eyes and wonder how I’m going to talk my way out of this one.