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15

SAMUEL

I don't like this guy. And I especially don't fucking like him in my omega's house. Actually, I don't like any of these people in her house. Amaya should be here, having a say who gets to be in her personal space, but she isn't and now there are ten goddamn people not including Vince, Oliver, Emmett and me.

I don't know why they all have to be here. I can understand Paul's desire to be here while Lucas helps Vincent, and maybe accept the fact that Lucas' mate, Freya, is here if she's anxious to be away from one of her alphas. But why the hell is Freya's entire pack under my omega's roof?! Amiri, Casey and Ronan hover in Amaya's kitchen, not to fucking mention Kate and her guys are laying out pizzas as I glare.

This isn't a party. We literally got back a few hours ago and while I understand the need for Lucas to be here right away to help us find Amaya, there's no goddamn reason for the suffocation of scents tainting my mate’s home.

Oliver bustles around the kitchen, weaving between bodies and trying to play host for all the unwelcome guests. I watch from my annoyed perch against the wall as my brother's anxious gaze flits to Vincent constantly.

The battered alpha leans forward on the couch, listening intently to Lucas. Purple bruises beneath his eyes have me narrowing my own. He needs to rest. This is too much. But Amaya is counting on him… on us. Doctor’s orders are for him to take it easy, especially on his wrist and head. We're under strict orders to watch over him since his concussion was pretty bad. Christ, the guy crashed into fucking concrete without a helmet on.

Leaning against the wall between the kitchen and living room, I check on Emmett. He's not faring much better than Oliver. His knuckles are white where they grip the back of the couch above Amaya's little nest. A low snarl builds every time someone even fucking looks at the cluster of blankets and pillows.

I look at Paul where he's sitting in the window nook, gripping his head in his hands. When we got here, nothing was out of sorts, and I think I know why. Paul beat the cops here the night Amaya was taken, and he beat us here today. He did some serious damage with his words at the hospital, but I couldn't imagine what it would do to Vincent to see Amaya's home in disarray from her struggle.

No way Maya's favorite sheet was left folded on the couch when she was taken. I'll never forget the crippling anguish radiating off of Vincent when he clutched the fabric to his chest and took a deep inhale. His rattling sob shook me to my core, sent Oli into a frenzy, and Emmett hasn't left his post above her nest.

"Excuse me," Oli mutters, stealing my attention. In the kitchen, he's trying to push past Remy and Ronan, both large alphas with dominant auras. He repeats himself, making me stand up straight.

No response.

Too many voices drown out my little brother, and Vincent's rubbing his temples like his headache is returning. I'm pretty damn sure Emmett is about to snap the couch in half too. I can feel his tension vibrating through the pack bond.

The bond we've formed as a pack makes my chest thump heavily. One not created by a bite, but a family forged through natural connection. Similar to that of a blood bond, which I know Amaya and Paul have formed. It will only grow stronger once we have our omega.

I might not be connected to Vincent, but his body language says it all; this is too much.

Though I may not be pack alpha anymore, I'm still a fucking alpha and this is not okay. I spent too many years not protecting my pack. There's no way I'm allowing it now. I'm not proud of it, but I'm not sorry. I snap.

"Don't you have anywhere else to be?!" I roar, my muscles bunching as I square my shoulders at the two packs loitering in the kitchen.

Silence. Blessed fucking silence .

I don't even care that I now have five alphas rounding on me with a mixture of disbelief and anger. Elliott and Freya's beta, Casey, stiffens and shuffles toward the outskirts of the kitchen. Sitting at the island, Freya and Kate hunch their shoulders, making me feel guilty.

One of the alphas steps between me and Casey with a growl so loud I can feel it in my gut. "Want to repeat that?"

As much as I would like to step forward and challenge the dark-eyed alpha, I refrain, because it's obvious he's protecting his beta mate. The tension in the room is born of protectiveness. In the past, I might have thrown down with the guy, but I respect the shit out of his priorities.

"Alright kids," Paul drawls, standing now and eyeing us like we're about to have an all-out brawl in Maya's kitchen.

I sigh. “Listen. I'm sorry. This is a lot. I get you all mean well, but my brother has been trying to leave the kitchen for a bit now. All the noise isn't good for Vincent's concussion and to be completely honest, you're strangers to me and you're in my omega's safe space."

A few of them soften and when I notice Kate finally relax, I know speaking the truth was the right move instead of resorting to anger. I am annoyed, but it's up to me, to our pack, to protect and advocate for ourselves, nobody else.

"You're right," Freya whispers as her alpha, Ronan I think, helps her off the stool. "We're sorry, Sam. If I leave my number, do you promise to keep me updated?"

I blink down at the tiny blonde omega and give her a sad smile. "Of course," I reply and hand her my phone. Her alpha nods at me before going to speak to Lucas who's watching from the couch.

"Add mine too," Kate murmurs, coming up behind Freya. To me, she narrows her eyes a little just like Beckett does behind her. "Careful with your tone around a bunch of protective alphas and omegas struggling with their trauma, Samuel. I get it, I do, but you need to learn if you're going to be a part of Amaya's life."

I nod, feeling rightfully reprimanded. "My apologies. Are you two okay?"

Freya gives me a small smile and gives me my phone back. Kate thanks me for hearing her, and I get a train of nods as they head out. Remy pauses, though, and snatches my phone.

"Our address," he grunts, his phone pinging in his jeans. "We're a neighborhood over in two safehouses. The girls wanted to stay close to Amaya. Do not leave me out of this. I'm your omega's OPS investigator. We need each other."

With that, the alpha leaves, leaving my pack, Paul, and Lucas behind. The soft murmurings of our small group settle my nerves. Oli and Emmett snuggle beside Amaya's couch nest, and Paul sits at the kitchen island.

With a deep sigh, I look down at my phone and see the messages the three of them sent to each other. Remy sent his address, but Freya got a bit more creative.

To Kate's number she sent, If you want to keep your balls intact, I suggest keeping Kate in the loop.

To herself, she sent something that will stick with me for a long time. Don't give up on her. The academy didn't create docile omegas. They forged fighters in the heat of their hell.