Page 156 of Retribution

“Someone get me a pen and paper,” Grant groans. “Isolde…”

“Damn. I got it,” Jed says, and I can hear the rustling of paper from a notebook being given to him. My eyes are shut, trying to focus on the images and words she's sending us.

“Anyone else hearing the word four?” I ask, straining to make out what she’s saying.

It feels as if her words are being snatched away by a roaring wind.

“Yeah,” Alesso rasps. “I see…a wet floor, brick walls…and a window.”

“So…much pain,” Oliver says, his hand resting on my knee and squeezing it. “Lucas, you’re projecting.”

Oh fuck.I didn’t think that he’d be able to experience my bond with Isolde through me.

Forcing air through my lungs, I pay attention to the broken words, freezing as I hear: “I’m sorry…they’re going to break us apart.”

“What’s for the best?” Grant mutters, voicing what I hear next.

As quickly as Hurricane Isolde comes through, she leaves, and I open my eyes to find my pack is shaken.

“We haven’t been able to feel anything for days since she’s been kidnapped,” I say, my voice cracking. “How was she able to do this?”

“She used her pain,” Adira says, holding Leila as she rubs her back. “Something really bad must have happened.”

“They’re going to break our bonds,” Grant says. “That technology is firmly under wraps. Unless Paula…”

“She doesn’t have access to it,” I growl. “It’s still with the research team and she wasn’t in that meeting. It was top secret information.”

“You can break bonds?” Morris asks, horrified.

“Under very specific circumstances,” I explain. “If an omega is in a medical emergency where she will die and it’s known that her pack is very tightly connected, then yes. The unlinking medication may be an option so they won’t be pulled into death with her. I have very special protocols for when it can be used.”

“It’s especially important if they have children,” Grant adds, gazing at Leila. “Losing all of their parents in one shot is cruel. Lucas went through every scenario, with multiple fail-safes. He understands how dangerous this would be in the wrong hands.”

“But Ophelia couldn’t have this technology through your company, right?” Quinn asks.

“No way,” Oliver says. “I couldn’t break into his company’s network without getting caught. I tried.”

“You all are very odd,” Linus says. “No wonder you fit together well.”

We’re all too wrung out to smile, but nod in appreciation.

“Let’s start looking for events that happen in four days,” Oliver says. “I don’t think it’s an auction…”

“What about a snuff show?” Alesso asks, his skin paling. He looks a little green, and as the full horror of that question hits me, I feel the same way.

“No,” Quinn says, shaking her head as she pulls her computer back to her.

“I got it, baby,” Callum says, his fingers already typing. “Don’t expose yourself to that shit. We’ll find it.”

“He’s right,” Oliver says, swallowing hard as he begins to scour for this type of event. “It makes sense that Ophelia would do this. Isolde got away.”

“What happened when she left?” Adira asks. “I don’t know why Ophelia would be gunning so hard for her. Wren went through her auctions at one point, as did Quinn and I. On second thought, Ophelia has no soul at all.”

“None,” Quinn mutters. “The turnover was so high at Jefferson City Auctions, but you said that Isolde was with Ophelia for years, right?”

Since we’ve been here, we’ve spent time talking about Isolde to keep from losing our minds. Pack Dresmond and Kelly are accepting of how distraught we are, having also lost their omegas at one point or another.

The world makes me more understanding of why Isolde chose to kill to keep her sanity by working with the crime families across the country. It’s a way to help people in her own way.