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“O-oh my God,” he whimpered, trying to keep his breathing steady.

“That’s it, sweetheart. You’re doing it.” Blake’s voice came over the radio. “I’m so proud of you.”

Pember grimaced. “I-I thought you were mad with me?” he said, teeth chattering.

Blake let out a breath. “I am. But we’ll talk about it later.”

Pember let out an unhinged laugh, the sound ricocheting around the tunnel. “H-hey, Blake?”

“Yeah?”

“Can we have hot chocolates later?” Because for some God unknown reason, he really wanted a hot chocolate right at that moment.

“With marshmallows?” Blake replied, voice soft.

“Y-yes.”

Pember’s eyes were screwed so tightly shut that he didn’t even realise he’d reached the end. All he felt was a firm hand on his shoulder and someone pulling him up.

“I’m here,” Blake said, hauling him to his feet. He had jumped part way down the chute and was hanging off the ladder. “Fucking hell, Pem.”

Somehow, they managed to climb back up the ladder. Well, Blake climbed, Pember just let Blake shove him up by his backside.

“Up you get,” one of the Falkington officers said, reaching for Pember’s arm. “Whew, you West Newton officers are built different.”

Blake growled, his alpha wolf flashing in his eyes as all the other officers quickly backed away. As soon as they reached the top, Blake wrapped his fingers around Pember’s nape and led him outside.

He unzipped Pember’s filthy scene suit, peeling it down and pulling off his gloves like he had outside the chip shop all those weeks ago. He did the same with his own, before shucking off his suit jacket and wrapping it around Pember’s shoulders.

“Idiot,” he said, pulling Pember into a tight embrace. “You fucking idiot.”

Pember smiled against his chest. “I love you too.”

Pember could barely keep his eyes open as he processed the last of the swabs. Wallace had stuck his head in a few times over the course of the evening, but hadn’t stayed for long, muttering something about his daughter setting the washing machine on fire.

Placing the samples into the thermocycler, he set it to process overnight and let out a long sigh.

“So,” he said, tired eyes flicking to Blake. He was hunched over a laptop in the corner. “Are you going to tell me why you’re hiding out in the lab, rather than in your own office?”

Blake sighed, but didn’t look up. “Perhaps I just wanted to watch you work.”

Smirking, Pember pulled off his gloves and padded over to him. He pressed his nose into the back of Blake’s head, nuzzling into the cropped hairs of his undercut. He smelled dusty and a little sweaty, but the underlying scent of his skin made Pember’s lips tingle.

“As flattering as that would be,” he said, draping an arm around Blake’s shoulders, “we both know that you find ‘all this science stuff boring as fuck . ’ Your words, not mine.”

Blake let out a breathy laugh and pulled Pember onto his lap. The metal stool creaked with their combined weight, and Pember had to wrap both arms around Blake’s neck to keep his balance.

“What’s going on up there?” Pember asked, kissing his forehead.

Blake let out another sigh. “It feels a bit like I’ve been kicked off the football team. When I told them about Maya’s potential involvement, they came to know about our involvement.”

Pember flushed, pressing his cheek to Blake’s temple. “Does anyone else know?”

“Only people with eyes. Nothing is kept secret for long in this place. Not with Sam?—”

The words trickled away, as if suddenly realising Samantha wouldn’t be coming into work tomorrow.

“Do you think she’s still down there?” Pember whispered.

Blake shook his head. “Caitlin messaged earlier. They managed to get her body out a couple of hours ago. The winch straps weren’t strong enough, so they had to dig up a portion of the floor.”

“Jesus,” Pember said, shivering. He looked Blake in the eye. “Why do you think they did it, Blake? Why her? I mean, she wasn’t the easiest person to get along with, but she didn’t deserve to die.”

Blake sucked his teeth. “My theory? After Mark and Lily spoke to Leo, I think it emboldened them. They probably thought they’d gotten away with it.

Maybe they’d planned to kill someone else that night, and Samantha got caught in the crossfire.

Honestly, I’m beginning to think that the boss’ hesitation to act is putting more people at risk. Caitlin agrees.”

There was a beat of silence, until Blake let out a breath and said, “Or perhaps it was simply because she’s an alpha.”

Pember drew back. “Surely not?”

Blake shrugged. “It’s one theory that’s going around the nick. I mean, look at Green. He had his fangs removed. Tell me that’s not personal?”

“You think?”

Nodding, Blake shifted so Pember was straddling his lap. “An alpha’s fangs are… a symbol. Rightly or wrongly. They’re a sign of virility, strength, power, dominance. Why wouldn’t someone with an axe to grind want to take that away?”

Pember let out a quiet breath, pressing into Blake’s chest. “Or… maybe it’s not about that at all.

Maybe it’s about omegas. How long have we been toothless?

Voiceless? How many omegas are victims of forced bonding every year?

Dozens? Hundreds? Thousands? Statistically speaking, an omega is more likely to get raped than any other secondary sex.

Why? Because we’re physically weak? Or because some alphas still think they own us?

Like they have some kind of claim over our heats.

I mean, look at what happened last year alone.

How many omega children were taken from the care system?

Who was running the operation? Certainly not other omegas. ”

Pember let out a hard breath and covered his mouth.

“Sorry,” he said, pressing his nose to Blake’s hair.

“I don’t—I’m not saying I agree with violence.

But I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t something I thought about.

N-not killing, just what omegas might be like if we’d had equal footing from the start. ”

Blake brushed Pember’s messy hair out of his face. “You’re strong, Pem. Stronger than anyone I’ve ever known. Whoever told you you’re not is a fucking liar.”

Pember gave a soft smile, pressing their foreheads together. “Thank you. Since moving out I’ve come to realise that it’s actually pretty damn cool being an omega. My mum, I think she hates what she is, and she made my sister hate it too. I just wish Imogen could’ve had the same chance as me.”

Blake pressed a gentle kiss to the side of his mouth. “I think she’d be proud of you.”

They stayed slotted together for several long moments, the only sound coming from the thermocycler and extractor fans.

“Would you like to stay over tonight?” Blake whispered.

Pember’s belly swooped. “At your house? I-in your bed?”

Blake chuckled. “Unless you’d like to sleep on the sofa?”

“I… um… can Bailey come?”

Blake cocked an eyebrow. “As a chaperone or…?”

“N-no, just for a sleepover with George.”

“Sure.” Blake grinned. “I have a spare toothbrush, if you’d like.”

Pember blushed wildly, making Blake’s smile grow even wider.

“You were sitting on my face not twenty-four hours ago, why are you blushing over a toothbrush?”

Pember covered his face. “It’s not the toothbrush, it’s the implications behind the toothbrush.”

“And what implications are those?”

Pember groaned. “Just forget it. Yes, I’d love to have a toothbrush at your place.”

Blake nodded, running his fingers up Pember’s ribs. “Good. And what would the implications be when I tell you I have a ginger guinea pig called Chester?”

Pember squealed.