Page 19 of Spark (Damselverse #2)
Chapter nineteen
Nolan
T oday is the day we bring the cats home, and now they mewl in their carrier as I push through the front door with Zara right on my heels.
Zara... It feels so good to know the real woman whom I brought into my home after all, and I truly do feel that it's a step in the right direction
Her candor has moved me, and her entire trust in us to make things right for her as we head up the stairs to the room we've prepared for the cats.
It is where they'll be living while we foster them.
Xavier and Dacre are MIA. The former is in his art gallery per norm, but Dacre is a complete mystery.
He has been acting odd since Zara’s heat spike, and it’s about time I pulled him aside and got to the bottom of his new behavior.
The Alpha is not himself. He’s pacing, and his normally tanned skin is wan.
But Dacre will have to wait as I open the door of the carrier, giving the mother cat time and space so she can investigate her new environment.
Her head pops out first, but when she sees me and Zara, she pulls her ears back and hisses.
It seems we need to give them a moment. It’s all good. I installed a camera in the room so we can watch them remotely.
They have everything they could need—food, water, a bed, toys, and three cat towers.
I start backing Zara away to the door. Unfortunately, she can’t leave them. The kittens have yet to leave the carrier.
They won’t leave until their mother does.
I tug out my phone from my jeans pocket, showing her the camera feed. There we are, the humans backing away toward the door. “I had a camera installed in here. So, you won’t miss out on their antics.”
Zara sighs, peering back at the carrier. The mother cat’s piercing green eyes watch us attentively.
Once we’re out of the room and the door is sealed shut, the mother cat steps out. She’s wary but curious, sticking her nose into the air as she investigates her new home.
The mother watches the door next while the kittens eat, and bless her little stripes.
She knows we’re still standing outside the door.
“Come on. We should leave them to adjust. We will come back later and top up their food and water bowls,” I say.
Zara concedes, following me down the stairs. “Will she ever come around?”
“Eventually. But she has spent her whole life on the streets, so it'll be tricky. However, I know for a fact she will come to love you, pussycat.”
Zara smirks, “Why, because I'm a cat myself?”
I blink. Then I pull her into my arms, rubbing her head with my knuckles. “That you are."
Zara has feline looks after all—big green eyes and a small nose.
Just as we enter the living room, we find Dacre rubbing his head before the fireplace. His expression is taut when it finds me.
“Nolan… we need to talk…”
It’s obvious he means alone.
Not once do his eyes fall on Zara. He has barely looked at her these last few days, and I hope it’s not because of her phantom heat.
Xavier and I had it all under control.
Still, there’s no missing his guilt, and I decide to humor him next, passing Zara my phone. “Here, watch the cat family while I talk with Dacre.”
The Omega nods, taking my phone as she sits down on the couch. Her eyes wander our way briefly, but luckily, something on my phone captures her attention.
“The boy just found the cat tower! He’s climbing!”
The boy being the male kitten with the white socks.
A laugh escapes me. “See, I told you they would come around.”
Now I pull the Alpha away while the Omega is distracted, deciding to take him to the garage where she can’t hear us.
Once the door is shut behind us, I round on him, crossing my arms. “Spill.”
Dacre blows a sigh, running a hand through his golden hair. “The other day, while you and Xavier were…”
He doesn’t finish that sentence, as I know he is talking about Zara’s phantom heat.
He goes on. “I decided to go check out the Wolf’s hideout.”
My Alpha snaps his teeth, and then I come away from the door. “Are you fucking insane? What if he had seen you?”
“Well, he didn’t… and I managed to find something out about him.”
My eyes glow as I uncross my arms, waiting for him to explain himself.
He looks me square in the eyes. “Nolan… I saw something pretty distressing...”
My words come with clenched teeth as I growl, “What?”
“Yes, pray tell, D… What did you see?”
The voice comes from the shadows where Xavier is finishing a cigarette, and I didn’t even see him there or smell him.
My Alpha must have had enough going on in his scrambled brain.
It's good he's here. Now we both can hear what Dacre has to say.
Dacre’s eyes flick back and forth between me and Xavier. Then he whispers, “The Pigs had someone bound and hooded… an Omega.”
Xavier's face ticks beside me. My hackles raise as I breathe. “Go on."
“She was an elderly Omega.”
An elderly Omega?
Dacre continues, “Probably someone’s grandma… Maybe something to do with Zara...”
Xavier snarls. “And you think this old lady is Zara’s grandma?”
She has never mentioned a grandmother or any family, for that matter, but we can’t just turn a blind eye.
The Wolf has an innocent in his custody. And God knows who else.
It's time we put a stop to his reign of terror. Whatever we do from here, we need to be careful. These are dangerous men.
However, I’m not exactly a saint either. Even if I do save kitties for a living.
I can be lethal too when the need strikes.
“Not a word of this to Zara. Hear me?”
Xavier glares at me, balling his fists. It seems he doesn’t agree.
“Not. A. Word.”
The Alpha speaks through clenched teeth. “Whatever you say, boss .”
Boss? I’m not his freaking boss; he knows that. We all agreed that none of us would become pack lead and that we would all lead equally, bright right now… I want him to heed my advice.
“Give me your word, Xavier.”
The Alpha just gives me one of his cheeky grins, pulling out another cigarette. It merely hangs between his lips as he backs toward the door, holding his hands up in peace.
“Your word.”
Xavier rolls his eyes. “You have my word, N.”
Finally, he disappears into the house. I turn to Dacre. “And no more unsolicited trips. The next time you feel the need to scout the Wolf’s hideout, you come to me.”
Dacre doesn’t even have the energy to argue with me, and there’s no missing the relief in his eyes. It must be a load off his mind to share this sensitive information.
“Promise,” he says, and I know I can trust him.
Unlike someone else.
“Good. Now, I am going to return to Zara. We have some cats to rehabilitate.”
Finally, I head back to Zara, just wanting to be near her so I can smell her sweet lavender scent.
I swear, I will protect her. The Wolf will not get his hands on her ever again.
Mark my word.