Page 37

Seraphina

“What do you mean, he killed my brother?” I ask, resting my hands on the curve of my belly. My Alphas are sitting around me, Callum resting his ass on the coffee table, his hands clasped over his knees. They came from the police station an hour ago, telling me that there’s a list of charges he’s been convicted of but that now the case is going to court. When none of them speak, I ask again, my voice shaky. “What do you mean Jonah killed my brother?” Tears stream down my cheeks as I try to understand everything they told me.

Jonah thought I was his, that being Felix’s friend gave him full access to me. However, I never so much as looked at him twice. So, he tried to take. He even hired a few other Alphas but it didn’t work out as he planned and I hid myself away in our house. Felix never asked me any questions. He just made sure I was comfortable. I didn’t notice it then but it was easy to see how he distanced himself from Jonah and clung to my Alphas.

But what Callum is saying is that the reason Felix never asked me was because he found out. And he protected me to the very end.

A sob tears from my throat as I glare at Callum for answers.

“Sweetheart, I don’t know. I really don’t know why Jonah went to the lengths he did but that last fire I helped out with… it was scheduled. Somehow, he knew I’d be close enough to jump in. I wasn’t supposed to get there so quickly, though.”

Jonah just kept taking. And taking. And taking. He took my brother. He tried to kill me and then Callum? All because I was supposed to be his?

“None of this makes any sense!”

Ambrose tugs me into his lap, brushing his nose across my temple. “Angel, Jonah doesn’t have to make sense. I’m just glad they were able to wriggle a confession out of him. He gave up the Alphas he hired but that won’t lessen the other stuff they’ve got on him. He’s going away, Fi. For a good long fucking time.”

I’m still trying to wrap my head around everything. “Do you think he would have tried…” My brows furrow as I try to explain away the reason he set my apartment on fire.

Lyle shushes me, placing a hand on my thigh. “We’re not going to think about what ifs. Chief Monroe isn't giving us much more but Jonah thought he'd be the first one to save you, to steal you away. He hadn't really planned for the three of us to still be around as much as we had or that you'd trust us like you did—like you do."

Jonah almost killed me to have me? He's such a bastard. The problem is that I still don't know how everything happened as fast it did. No one had been in my apartment between the evening before and that morning. Except for my shower, I had always been present somewhere where I would have seen someone. Which means that Jonah knew my routine. He had been watching me longer than the day he stepped back into town.

"The only thing I want you to think about is the fact that there’s nothing stopping you from being who you want to be.”

I drop my hands to my belly, breathing out a sigh of relief because despite everything, Jonah is no longer out there terrify me. Unfortunately, he’s also the reason I no longer have my brother. I can’t believe I ever gave him the time of day.

My gaze moves to Felix’s picture over the TV, his wide, goofy smile staring back at me. Jonah stole that from me. He stole a life that I can never get back, a happiness that I can never truly recreate.

“I hope he rots in prison,” I push out. “I hope he gets hurt and he reflects on his actions and then tries to apologize.” My Alphas stiffen, a little confused before I continue. “So, I can spit in his face and reject it. He doesn’t get to move on. But I will. I’m going to make my brother proud of me, of how far I come.” Words I should have said long ago finally spill from my lips. “Jonah didn’t break me. He won’t break me. He won’t win.”

Callum arches an eyebrow. “No, he won’t sweetheart. He can’t take that light from you.”

I know I’m still going to be angry for a long time, angry that I didn’t have to lose my brother the way I did but as long as Jonah rots in jail, it’ll be a start to the healing I’ve pushed off. One step toward letting myself bloom again.

“Angel, do you want to talk to him? We didn’t think you would.”

“No, I don’t want to give him the satisfaction. The only day he’ll see my face is when I reject the apology I know he’s going to try and give me. Until then, I’m going to focus on my family and keeping Felix’s memory alive. That’s all that matters. I’m going to bring our baby girls into a world that I’m proud of, into a world that I’m no longer scared of. I promise you that.”

Silence falls as I realize I said something they haven’t heard yet. A surprise I was waiting to share and hope I haven’t ruined. Ambrose gasps. “We’re having girls?”

I don’t even get to respond as he drags me into a full kiss, his laughter bubbling up against mine. Callum adds even more chaos when he mentions what I said last night about becoming theirs completely, bonds and all.

Now, Lyle’s sucking on the back of my neck, eager with that idea as if he’s already getting a head start. Ambrose pulls back just enough to meet my eyes, a grin breaking across his face. “When, now? Fuck, here or a different nest? Shit, I’m ready anytime at all, baby.”

I giggle, his enthusiasm chasing the shadows of the previous moment away. “As much as I want that,” I muse, “Victoria said that since my hormones are still out of whack, that a bond could throw me into a pseudo heat, which could harm our baby girls.”

He lets out a little growl, dragging me into another kiss. “How long do we have to wait? Four months? Five months? God, I can’t wait to make you mine.”

Our small town works fast, putting Jonah in front of a judge within a week and the sentencing a few days after, a day I’ve been waiting for. I’ve gotten three collect calls in that time, all from Jonah, but I’m not falling for that. I’m focused on seeing his demise because he tried to steal everything from me and he failed. And now, I’m curled up in Ambrose’s lap, waiting for the good news. I grabbed another picture of Felix to set beside us so that he could watch too and do a little jig as well.

I can’t help but open up the Chatted app while I’m waiting, scrolling through our messages to debrief my friends on everything that’s happened since.

Razorfox – she’s alive!

ClassyO – finally. Jesus, girl, where do you keep going?

Strawberrybubbles – outside.

Suddenly there’s a flurry of texts and emojis that I can’t keep up with, a smile tugging at my lips. Ambrose leans over my shoulder, his chin settling on my shoulder. “Pretty girl, what’s got you smiling. Oh, are those the elusive friends we haven’t met yet?”

“Kind of?”

“Well, I love that they make you smile. Are you sure you want to watch the court ruling?”

“Yes. I need the closure. I need to see him behind bars. If I can’t have his head on a stick, I need to know that he’ll die in jail.”

Ambrose chuckles, the sound rumbling against my back. “Wow, I’ve been in love with you but I think I’m in love with you just a bit more.” He flicks on the TV as I dive back into my messages.

Strawberrybubbles – I only got to the sidewalk but I made it outside, yes.

Coolblue – are you going to update us on everything else? The last time we talked was the fire or something. You only pop in every now and then. Deets, woman!

MacNCheese – only if you want to.

My fingers fly over the keys as I unload everything that’s happened and now the babies swimming in my belly from the Alphas I can call mine. I even mention Jonah and the fact that we’re about to watch his sentence.

ClassyO – welcome to the land of daddies and mommies. God, I can’t wait to hold my kid.

Strawberrybubbles – you really don’t want someone to take care of you? To hold you?

ClassyO – every Omega wants that, Bubbles but in my line of work it’s hard to find someone who doesn’t want my money or my name in exchange.

Razorfox – what Classy is trying to say is that he owns Aurum Pulse and people tend to cozy up to him for the perks.

Strawberrybubbles – you said he owned a club before but not which club. Wait, you’re Emilio Ardyn?

ClassyO – one and the same, nice to meet you.

MacNCheese – damn, are we getting an invite? That place is classy as fuck. Oh, right, the username makes sense then. Wait, you’re pregnant alone? I aspire to be you.

Coolblue – I’ve gotta convince my Alphas to take me.

Razorfox – why? That place would overstimulate you.

Coolblue – I know and then my Alphas would drag me home and fuck me into oblivion. A little bit of panic in exchange for pure bliss. It’s a win, win for me.

ClassyO – convince our bubble princess to show up and I’ll make sure you all get that private table I promised you.

There’s another flurry of messages begging me to show up as I shake my head and shutdown the app. I might have ventured outside but stepping into a club is an entirely different set of skills that I don’t have. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to do that but only time will tell.

I snuggle deeper into Ambrose’s chest as Lyle comes to sit on the couch after handing me a bowl of strawberry ice cream, caramel drizzled on top. The gift has me kicking my feet as I dig in, my gaze falling on the TV as a gavel slamming down against wood steals our attention.

The screen pans to Jonah, his unrepentant face making me want to strangle him. He hurt so many people, killed people, and he stands there, not admitting to his guilt in the slightest. I wish I was strong enough to face him and to read my statement, to tell him how much he hurt me but that will come in time.

For now, I’ll be content here, watching as the judge reads him the riot act. And then it happens, the moment I was waiting for.

25 years to life.

I can’t focus on anything else, although the judge is still speaking about the multiple counts, including the murder of Felix Monroe and the arson of multiple properties, including the recent blaze that endangered firefighters and almost stole Callum from me.

He’s gone. He’s not coming back.

The constant nightmare following me is getting put behind bars, the biggest reason why I holed myself up disappearing. Jonah gave up the other Alphas that tried to steal my innocence, hoping that would give him some leeway but the judge isn’t having it. He calls him evil and not capable of feelings. I wholeheartedly agree, unable to see the man who was my brother’s friend anymore. No, the man in that courtroom is a monster.

My phone buzzes with a text from Callum.

Pulling into the parking lot, sweetheart. I heard the good news!

A squeal tears from my throat as I jump off Ambrose’s lap and press a kiss to Lyle’s lips before darting toward the door. For some reason, the excitement bursting through me stealing my rationale thought. He’s gone.

I’m not even aware of what I’m doing as I rip open the door and rush outside, eyes peeled for Callum’s dark truck, the rumble of its engine causing me to look to my right. He’s barely out of the car as I spring toward him, the hot pavement beneath my feet scuffing the skin but I don’t care.

He catches me in his arms, his purr rumbling through his chest as I stuff my face into his neck. “He’s gone, Alpha. He’s gone,” I murmur, drinking in his scent.

His arms wrap around me as he continues to purr for me, walking us back toward the house. “Sweetheart, you made it outside.”

My body tenses as I pull away just slightly, my eyes traveling the pavement, the grass, and the other houses lined up next to ours, realization flooding through me. “Oh my god, I’m here. I made it.”

“Yeah, you did.”

He pulls me in for a kiss, walking us back inside where I can fully relax again. I’m not ready to travel the entire world but making it out onto the sidewalk tells me that I can do this. That we can do this. Callum slowly puts me down, my other Alphas right there as they pepper kisses all along my jaw and cheeks, praising me and telling me how perfect I am. I used to think my future was going to be lonely and bleak.

It’s never looked so bright.