Page 86 of Dream Mates (Into The Parallel Omegaverse #2)

Chapter Fifty-Eight

Grace

S pencer came over and kissed me on the cheek. “Oh, that sand castle looks spectacular. Make sure that you get some pictures.”

The castle was beautiful, decorated with sticks, rocks, and shells, and even had a moat. It was everything I envisioned making a sandcastle would be.

Riley scoffed. “What, do you think we’re amateurs? We’ve already made several videos.”

“I’m going to steal Grace.” Spencer took my arm, and we walked a little down the beach.

He took a couple of pictures of me, and we snapped some silly selfies.

We walked past what looked like a wedding or mating party or something.

“Hi.” I leaned into him. People were watching us, but I didn’t care.

“Hi. You know, at some point we’re going to have to announce ourselves to the public. Even if it’s a photo on social media. Though I’ll probably need to give my publicist a few things to say,” he told me.

“You have a publicist?” It made sense.

“Yes. Mostly she does things like book my speaking engagements that raise money for Compass BioTek’s afterschool programs and keeps the press out of my business.” He kissed me.

I nodded. “We can take some cute pictures to post. Your mom knows about us, right?”

“Yes.”

“We… we should invite her to our party. We should have one, right?” I remembered what Brennan and Evan had told me.

“I’d love that.” He squeezed me to him. “But I don’t want to interfere with what Evan’s planning.”

I laughed. “Never. That’s a year away because Brennan had to get the property renovated and the garden blooming. We could have something sooner for just me and you.”

“I’d like that. It doesn’t have to be large, but a little something would be nice. I’d like you to meet some of my family from Greece,” he told me.

“That sounds wonderful.” I squeezed his hand, and we walked back toward our cabana.

Sandcastle done, Tru and Mercy were now burying Evan in the sand as Jett and Hale played flying disc some more. Hale didn’t seem to stop moving. Ever.

I was getting hungry again, and as much as I yearned for my guys, maybe we should take my siblings out to dinner then see them onto the train home.

“Oh shit,” Mercy said softly, looking down the beach. “HALE.”

I looked over to see Adriana storming over toward us. Hale ran to meet her, expression cloudy. Jett joined me, phone in hand.

Spencer stayed close to me.

“Why is Mom so mad? I don’t understand.” Tru’s lower lip quivered. “She was throwing things this morning. And there was so much yelling yesterday.”

I sat down with them. “It’s not you. It’s me.

My mommy was your dad’s girlfriend before he ever met her and Mumsy.

I think that upsets her a bit, me coming back into his life.

It was never my intention to make anyone sad or angry and I’m so sorry that I hurt feelings.

I just wanted to know you and your siblings and your dad a bit since I never knew you existed before,” I explained.

Yeah, that sounded nice and gentle and not blame-y. Evan nodded as if to tell me I was on the right track.

“We were a surprise?” Her blue eyes blinked.

“The best surprise. I’ve always wanted sisters and now I have so many!” Okay, I never expected nine siblings, but I liked everyone I met so far. Not to mention Tru was really into math and I loved it.

“Creed said your real mommy and fake mommy were dead. But you have me and Pax. We’re really nice.

Creed and Verity are kinda boring, but they’re really good at grown-up stuff.

Verity makes the best snacks and cake pops.

Hale and Mercy are more fun. Dare and Chance are annoying.

So’s Hope, but she’s just a baby.” Tru rolled her eyes.

“Mom, you really should just go home. We’re fine,” Hale said, trotting alongside Adriana as she walked toward us, determination in her brown eyes.

Mercy and Riley exchanged glances and Riley stood, grabbing a bucket. “Tru, let’s see if we can find any flat rocks.”

I stood and blocked Mercy with my body. “Adriana, I think you should leave.”

“How did you even find him? You were never supposed to be in his life. That was why she created the other record. She promised me that you’d go away and never come back.” Adriana’s words slurred and she reeked of beer.

Why had Rosalind made a record calling me Cassidy, then called me Grace again in the new world? I’d probably never know. There was so much I’d never know. Though it might have been another way to lure in the dad that raised me. He was a church man and always liked my good Christian name.

Evan extracted himself from the sand and stood, positioning himself to protect Mercy, Hale at her side.

“Go home, you’re drunk,” Mercy replied. “Did you really give Grace away without Dad knowing? Who does that?”

“They were twenty. Who has kids at twenty?” She rolled her eyes. “Also, what sort of alpha has a piano major? Not that she was a real alpha, dirty variant,” she spat.

“So much to unpack there,” Evan whispered.

“First off, lots of people have kids at twenty,” I countered. “Oopsies also happen. Whatever the case, he should have had a choice–as should have Thora. You robbed them both of that, for what, snobbery against fine art degrees?”

I pushed, standing toe-to-toe with her, as anger built inside me. “Do you know what Rosalind did to me? Do you know what it feels like to–” I stopped, seeing Mercy’s face. No, she didn’t need to hear that story.

“Oh fuck,” Hale said softly. Other beach goers were watching us. Some had cameras.

“I was protecting him. That whole family was toxic–and so are you,” Adriana shouted.

Spencer stepped in front of me. “Stay away from my mate, Adriana.”

“You.” Adriana snarled. “This was your doing, wasn’t it? How dare you upend my family? I told you. I didn’t know they were going to kill her. They were just supposed to scare her.”

“Who are they and who did they kill?” Mercy said softly. “She said this yesterday and no one knows what she’s talking about.”

“Some protest group that may have killed Elaris. She and Spencer were mated and had a controversial company together. She died in a car wreck years ago,” I replied, seeing Wes and Brennan running toward us.

“Controversial? It was unethical. ” Adriana’s face screwed up in anger.

“How the fuck is wanting to keep people from being executed for something they can’t control, unethical.” My hands fisted and I really wanted to punch her in the tits.

“Mom, you need to go,” Hale demanded as some uniformed security from the hotel made their way toward us.

“How dare you turn my own children against me?” Adriana growled, grabbing something from her pocket. Metal flashed as she darted around Spencer and lunged at me, knife in hand.

“Grace,” Wes yelled.

Jett flew at Adriana, as Spencer knocked me out of her way, taking a knife in the side. A sting shot through me as Spencer growled in angst.

“Mom, what did you do?” Mercy screamed as Brennan helped Jett take Adriana down.

“SPENCER!” I caught him in my arms, as we sank into the sand, as pain shot through our bond. “Wes, call an ambulance. She stabbed Spencer.”

“I’ll call,” one of the guards said. “Go get the first aid kit,” he told the other.

“Police are already on the way,” Spencer croaked in my arms, blood spilling from his side, warm and sticky. “I’ll be fine, my good doctor.”

“You better be.” I held him tight, biting back the mean words that wanted to spill from my lips at Adriana, because all I could see was Mercy sobbing in Hale’s arms.

Down the beach, Riley kept trying to distract Tru with rocks.

“Here.” Evan ran over with a towel to staunch the bleeding. “Today’s not the day to die, old friend.”

“I don’t plan on it,” he said.

“Just hold on,” Wes said, joining us and holding my hand.

“Ambulance is on the way,” the guard said, gesturing to a lifeguard carrying a first aid kit. Other guards were helping Brennan and Jett with Adriana.

“Hang in there, Spencer. Please?” Tears streamed down my face as the sirens grew louder. I hoped that it was an ambulance.

Tru ran toward us, Riley chasing her.

“Evan, help her, the little one doesn’t need to see,” I whispered.

With a nod, Evan left me and went to help Riley.

Police flooded the beach, surrounding us, guns out, eliciting screams from other beach goers.

“Hands up, everyone,” someone yelled. Police were everywhere. Emergency personnel trekked down the beach holding a stretcher.

“Let me go,” Adriana screamed, thrashing against Brennan, Jett, and the security guard. “That man and that bitch are trying to ruin my family.”

“That woman stabbed one of my packmates and threatened another,” Jett told them.

Spencer groaned and my attention went back to him as the police swarmed Adriana.

“Over here.” I waved to the emergency personnel. “Hold on, Spence.” I pressed my lips to his head.

Spencer groaned. Pain exploded through me, and I started to scream, vaguely aware of Wes calling my name.

“Adriana Thorne. You are under arrest in conjunction with the death of Elaris Thanukos and the trafficking of Cassidy Silvers,” a voice I couldn’t see boomed.

But all I could do was crumple to the sand in pain, as everything went black.

…to be continued in DREAM PACK , Into the Parallel Omegaverse, Book Three.

Thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed the second book of Grace’s journey. Pick up your copy of DREAM PACK today and read the conclusion to this story of a love so strong that it spans the universe.

What do you think of Grace’s siblings? Is there anyone (or anything) in this world that you’re interested in learning more about?

Any characters you’d like to see have their own story?

Let me know on Facebook or Instagram . Though Verity's story is out already.

You can read FINDING THE FORWARD here and see if she finds a giant male omega of her own.