Page 107 of Toxic Revenge: Part Two

“I believe you,” he said. “Fine enough that you don’t want cuddles?”

I grabbed his arm, fingers digging into his bicep. “Cuddles are an important part of omega care.”

He chuckled, hauling himself up onto the bed. Conrad pulled off his shoes first, then mine, and followed suit. The chill from outside gave way to sweltering heat, my mates’ bodies warming me up as they all pressed in around me.

I took deep breaths, filling myself with their scents.

If only it was their emotions knocking around in my head instead of Benjamin’s.

I’d been burned before by trusting him, but I was confident with my pack it would be different. Their emotions wouldn’t drain me; they would infuse me with energy and positivity. I wouldn’t have to work so hard to keep up a barrier 24/7.

A knock on the door broke the quiet, and I sat up from my spot on West’s chest.

“Talia?” Lavinia called out, her voice muffled. “Odetta said she thought something bad had happened.”

“Come in,” I said.

Tears had dried on my cheeks, my eyes still burning and feeling puffy. I wanted to hide against West’s chest and not emerge until I could put on a mask of confidence again, but I also didn’t.

My familywantedme to lean on them when I needed support. Maybe it was time to do it instead of keeping everything close to my chest.

At least a little bit.

She opened the door, eyes widening when she saw me. “What happened?”

“Benjamin called me.”

She cursed and whipped out her phone. “Just now? I’ll see if Emilia can track him by the call.”

“I doubt it,” I mumbled. “He was probably smart about it. The more important thing is… he knew where Conrad and I were.”

Lavinia froze in place, phone halfway to her ear. All the colour drained from her cheeks like she’d seen a ghost. “What do you mean?”

“He mentioned the garden paths, and that was exactly where we were,” Conrad explained.

She broke the pause, her hand trembling as she continued to lift the phone. “Emmy, I need you to do a background check on every single person who’s set foot on this property in the last 24 hours,” she said quietly. “And Benjamin called Talia—see if you can figure out where he called her from.”

I didn’t hear Emilia’s response, but it must have been satisfactory because Lav hung up. She wrapped her arms around herself in a hug and cleared her throat. Her voice wobbled. “I’m going to go help her. Don’t leave this room.”

“Lav, I don’t think?—”

“Don’tleave this room,” she reiterated firmly. “If he knew where you were, what else does he know?”

My heart skipped a beat as she voiced the concern I’d been doing my best not to think about. She was right, though. It was safer if I stayed put until we found whoever was leaking information to my bondmate.

It just made me feel weak. Like I was hiding instead of facing him head on.

And I couldn’t hide forever.

“Fine. I’ll stay in here until tomorrow afternoon.” I’d need that long to gather myself again, anyway.

“You should stay until we find?—”

“No. What’s the point of living like a prisoner in my own bedroom? I’m already confined to the estate.”

Lavinia hugged herself tighter, fingers digging into her biceps. I’d never seen her so… scared. Terrified was what her body language was giving.

“Only go out if you have one of your alphas with you, then,” she said. “Please.”