Page 15 of Ensnaring Their Rabbit (Heat, Prey, Love #7)
CHAPTER 15
REEVE
I shifted to my human form so quickly it made my head spin. I wasn’t used to it anymore, being able to control my own shift. I hadn’t had that luxury in so long, my body didn’t know how to handle it. It still hurt, but even if I was still wearing the collar, it didn’t have the control on me that it did just days ago. It didn’t have control on me at all, except as a reminder of everything that had happened and the bullshit Riv and I had been through.
I took a second to get my bearings, hoping that Laurent didn’t see how shaky I was.
“Reeve?” Brynn whispered, voice laced with concern, but I brushed him off. My stomach swooped as I climbed to my feet, but I wouldn’t meet whoever this was crouched on all fours. It was my duty to protect my family, and I would do that, even if I felt like I was going to puke my guts out.
Riven didn’t shift. I wasn’t sure if it was because he couldn’t or he just wanted one of us to be less vulnerable in case it came to a fight. Though the way the this man’s Magic pushed down on me like a heavy weight gave me the feeling we’d be fucked if he tried to hurt us. I just had to hope that he helped us for a reason, and us being dead wouldn’t get him to his goals.
I met Laurent’s eyes, not letting him see how inferior I felt. I was a naked convict with no weapons and no chance. He was a powerful mage in a bougie suit and enough money that he was able to buy a person.
The thought of that had me snarling and glaring at Laurent. It didn’t matter if he rescued us. He was going to take Brynn.
A hand dug into my side, his nails biting into my skin. I didn’t want to take my eyes off Laurent, but I wrapped my arm around Brynn and sucked in a deep breath. I got the hint. I had to keep it together.
“Start talking,” I snapped, like I had any control in this situation.
Laurent smirked, but he humored me. “Of course. My name is Killian Laurent, and I’m the CEO of Laurent Technologies. I am also the Head Mage of Travellers Guild, the guild that handles all Magics that involve teleportation, portals, time control, and travel, and well, hundreds of more obscure specialties, but you get the idea.” He waved his hand, “Though I’d appreciate you keeping that to yourself. Most people don’t realize I’m a Magic user.”
I wrinkled my nose. “How? You reek of it.”
Laurent sniffed. “Yes, well, humans aren’t as sensitive to Magic as shifters are. Plus, I usually have a strong hold on it, but it takes a lot more power than you’d imagine to transport four people, well two people and two wolves, through the walls of the most Magic proof facility in the world.”
“That’s what you did?” Brynn asked from my side, “You, um, transported us out of the prison?”
“In very simplified terms, yes. I can teleport. Teleporting other people, especially non-Magic users who are strangers, is much more difficult and requires a little help. That was why it took so long to get you out of there.”
Riven finally shifted. After a few shaky minutes, I helped him to his feet. He leaned against me for support but still glared at Laurent. “Why did you help us?”
“Well, truthfully I just came to save Brynn. Seeing he had mated two inmates was a surprise. Luckily, I’m decent enough at reading auras to know it wouldn’t be a mistake to free you as well.”
My nose wrinkled. “What do you mean, free?”
“The three of you won’t survive on your own now that you’re bound together. My job was to get Brynn out there safely, not to help convicts escape. I had to make a split decision, while Leopold was…doing that …whether I needed to walk away or free the three of you. I chose this. Please don’t let me regret going off script.”
I was trying to process everything he was saying. Were we really free? It was hard to believe. I long ago stopped believing it would happen, and the collar heavy around my neck made me skeptical.
“Why were you trying to save me?” Brynn asked. I squeezed his hand.
“It’s what we do. Because of my position, and my wealth, I can easily pose as a buyer. When we get word of an omega being sold, I go in and ‘buy’ them,” he used finger quotes around the word buy, “then when we’re out, I give them the tools they need to get free and let them go. Admittedly, this one didn’t go quite as planned.”
Riven frowned. “You’re part of the Omega Underground.” It was an organization that had as many rumors swirling around it as dark Magic, but they apparently helped rescue trafficked or abused omegas and got them to safety.
Laurent smirked. “I can not confirm or deny that. Just know, I’m trying to help you.”
“Then why did you come in with that psychopath?” I asked, still not quite trusting. Yeah, he got us out, but there had to be something he wanted. No one just helped out of the goodness of their heart.
“That was not intentional. He somehow got word that one of his investments survived the hunt and latched onto my arrival. I couldn’t get rid of him without arousing suspicion.”
I…didn’t know what to believe. I didn’t want to throw my cards in with this guy, but what else could we do? If this was my chance to finally get out of that place and also protect Brynn and Riven, I had to take it.
“So what happens next, then?” I asked.
Laurent waved his hand, and something snapped, not physically, but inside my brain, and then the collar, the one I had been wearing for ten years, did actually snap, and fell to the ground. I stumbled, my knees feeling weak, and then I collapsed as the full force of my alpha abilities and my wolf came back to me.
After all these years, it was overwhelming, and my head ached as I tried to grasp control of it. I was vaguely aware of Riven hunched on all fours next to me, and Brynn yelling at Laurent as he scrambled to us. I wanted to comfort my mate and tell him it was okay, but I couldn’t get enough breath to speak.
I had forgotten what it felt like. Even in the last few days when I finally felt my wolf again and was able to shift, the collar still held a large part of me back. I was still locked down by that fucking thing, still only a part of myself. I forgot what this Reeve felt like.
“Goddess,” Brynn whispered as he squeezed both of our hands, “I never met an alpha as powerful as you.” His voice sounded strained, like he was fighting against the force of my power.
It was enough to get me to start to reign it back in. I would never be one of those alphas. Finally, Brynn shot me a grateful look full of relief.
“Sorry,” I told him sheepishly. “It’s been so long.”
He smiled softly. “I know. It’s okay.” It was then that I realized his collar was off, too. I gently touched his now bare neck that only carried mine and Riv’s bites.
I looked at my brother. He was clasping his neck like he’d never felt it before. The tan line was kind of ridiculous and would make it obvious that we had been collared, but I couldn’t care less at that moment. I reached around, cupped the back of his neck and brought him into my hold.
“Reeve,” he sobbed. I buried my face into his neck, scenting him hard. I’d done it a thousand times over the last ten years, but it wasn’t the same. Now it was just us. No barrier. The scent of magic still lingered, but not long, not once I was done.
A throat cleared. My canines were out in an instant, and I knew my eyes were glowing as I glared at Laurent for ruining our moment.
The bastard just grinned. “I’m sorry to interrupt. But it’s not safe to stay here.”
That reminded me that we had nowhere to go. We were escaped convicts now. On the fucking run. I swallowed the lump in my throat and dragged Brynn and Riven closer.
“Where do we go?” Brynn asked, unsure.
For the first time since he walked into this alley, Lauent’s cocky demeanor shifted. “I’m…not sure. I had a safehouse to send you to, but they won’t accept alphas.”
Brynn slumped in between us, but my focus was on Riven. We had another one of our unspoken conversations, before he nodded slightly.
“We have a place.”
That seemed to surprise Laurent. “Anything attached to your name will be the first place they search.”
There was a brief wave of concern for our sister, but I pushed it down. She had her connections now, and there was nothing we could do about her anymore. “I know. It’s not in our name. It was how they didn’t confiscate it when we got arrested.” As long as our uncle didn’t sell it in the last fucking decade…but that was better kept to ourselves.
Laurent pursed his lips, thinking. Finally, he sighed. “Okay. I’ll take your word for it. I have to get back before they make the connection. Don’t worry. I’ll buy you some time. Also, you’re about an hour away from the prison. Brynn should recognize his old stomping grounds.” Laurent whispered a few words, and then he was holding a black duffel bag.
“This has everything you should need to get out of the city. Including clothes.” He glanced at us, “They might be a little small for you two, but I always plan for everything, so there’s sweats and t-shirts that should fit alphas in a pinch. There’s cash and food. Lay low where you can. Avoid crowded places, and if you have to go into stores, let Brynn go. Don’t let your faces get on camera. There’s also a burner phone. Once you get where you’re going, call me, there’s one number saved in there. We’ll get you new IDs and whatever you need. Sorry I can’t do more.” Then with a wave of his hand he was gone and left the three of us alone in this dark alley with nothing but the duffel bag clutched in Brynn’s arms.