Page 179 of Retribution

“My attitude gets me into trouble a lot,” I say, swallowing hard. “I’ve thought about you occasionally over the years. Are you happy?”

“It started out rocky,” she admits, leaning into Shaw’s side with a private smile.

“You’re going to get me stabbed, sweetness,” he mutters.

“Oh!” she says, eyes wide. “We’re much better now.”

“Sometimes, men need some time to work their shit out,” I grumble. Not mine, I just needed some space to believe they were for real. “Are you sure you want to go into the room with us?”

“Sometimes it helps quiet the nightmares when you know someone can’t come back for you,” Quinn says, making a face. “The what ifs of the boogeymen can be just as bad as reality.”

“Ophelia is one of the reasons I don’t leave my home very often,” Wren admits. “I’ve experienced the worst that the world has to offer, I’d rather work from home when possible. If I go anywhere, I take one or several of my alphas. Our other omega, Flynn…he won’t leave at all. The world is too scary.”

“My job is to kill scary people,” I shrug. “That’s what people employ me to do. When I was sold, I killed the alphas who bought me, and got the fuck out of town. Knowing that I get to have control of the world in this way is my therapy.”

“Does this mean that you’re not quitting on us?” Corbin asks tentatively.

“Because being a mom and having a pack means I’m suddenly soft?” I snort.

My alphas smirk as they watch me hand Corbin his ass.

“That’s kind of sexist, Corbin,” I say.

“Fuck, I didn’t mean it like that,” he groans. “Pack Mohan doesn’t travel anymore when there are big issues. That’s why I hired you. I didn’t want to pull them away from their omegas.”

“I need the kills,” I shrug. “It’s what helps all the outside noise. I don’t think that’ll ever change. Therapy isn’t really an option. I’m too fucking scary, and I like the way that last breath feels.”

“Fucking same,” an alpha with dark brown hair in a bun mutters. “I’m Ambrose. I still do some of the dirtier local jobs for Corbin, but I also manage his clubs. Corbin forgets how to talk to people, and needs a lighter touch than Neanderthal.”

“Very cute,” Corbin mutters, taking the time to introduce me to those that I don’t know in the room. I nod, ready to get started.

“I’m feeling twitchy and we have pregnant omegas on their feet,” I say, stretching my neck to ease the tension.

I have an appointment tonight at a hospital to get an overall physical done with bloodwork. It’s the latest the guys will let me push this off. I’m scared of what they’ll find, but I’m trying to suck it up.

I need to know what kind of long term damage Ophelia might have done to my body with her drugs.

“Are you sure you want to do this, Wren?” Shaw asks.

Straightening, she nods.

“I may end up hitting her like a piñata at some point, but I really just need to know she’s dead and gone,” she says.

“There’s a couple of bats in Isolde’s bag,” Kane says helpfully, pulling a smile from Wren.

“Really?” she asks.

“Kane packed lots of toys in the bag,” Adira says, holding out her hand to Wren. “Do whatever you’re comfortable with. No one will ever talk about what happens in that room.”

Nodding, Wren allows herself to be pulled away from her pack.

“Since there’s so much muscle here, how about a little help getting set up?” I ask.

Cian smirks as he nods, turning toward the room where Ophelia’s muffled screams can be heard.

“What do you need? I kept her hands and legs zip tied, but gave her a cup to piss in,” he says.

“That’s more than I got on my last visit with her,” I mutter. “It sounds like a five star hotel.”