Page 208 of All Packed Up

The beta intercepted Stellan before he could reach Wendy and Griffith though.

“What the hell is going on?” the omega asked, gaze flickering over the chaos.

Nic’s brows furrowed, and he opened and closed his mouth a few times as if trying to decide what to share.

“These fuckers burned down Nic’s gym,” Tate offered helpfully, standing close to one of them to make sure he didn’t try anything. Arlo was doing the same with the one named… fuck, Griffith didn’t know. He couldn’t keep up and didn’t care.

This would be the last time he’d ever be seeing them, so he supposed it didn’t even matter.

“To get back at Nic for helping me,” Wendy added.

The charred remains were a gruesome background to the pack dramatics. Stellan’s expression darkened as his gaze traveled over the damage before the omega shared a look with the alpha he’d brought along.

“I knew Derek Sterling was a piece of shit, but I didn’t know he was capable of this,” the blond said before meeting their gazes one by one. “I’m Niles, by the way, from All Bets Off Entertainment. Which might not mean much to you, but it does for this fucker,” he explained with a pointed finger at the most offending alpha.

So that was why he looked familiar.

The name of Niles’s entertainment company rang a bell. He must be Stellan’s rep, because he’d seen the alpha standing close by each time Stellan was on screen. Either on the outside of the cage or in the crowd of people that always hovered during the stare down.

Niles’s gaze drifted over Wendy, and Griffith shifted closer to her, as if trying to shield her from yet another alpha’s view. Her scent filled his nostrils, bittered with worry and residual fear. She wrapped her arm around his and squeezed, leaning into him.

She’d been through so much recently. Hell, she was probably still exhausted from the heat, and then the Sterling Pack had the audacity to…

Unbidden, a growl vibrated his throat, and Wendy tightened her grip on him. “Shush,” she murmured without even glancing up at him.

The growl died in his throat, and he felt a smile threatening to curl his lips at the bossy omega.

Speaking of omegas…

Griffith couldn’t believe the beta had brushed elbows—hell, probably trained—the most popular new boxer on television.

But of course he had. He knew from firsthand experience how good of a fighter Nic was, even if he preferred to be outside the ring.

This was the Stellan though, the fighter Nic had apparently had a crush on at some point.

Was it time for them to leave yet?

“It’s a long story, but—” Nic began.

Wendy chimed in with a hoarse croak. “I can give you the highlights.” She pointed a finger at Derek. “Manipulative, selfish, lying little fucker,” she spat in his direction, unfazed by the rage in the alpha’s eyes. “They canceled my birth control right before my heat to try and trap me with them. I ran. Nic helped me. They burned down his gym and tried to attack us.”

Her hand lifted to her throat as she cleared it. Tried my ass.

He couldn’t erase the image of that alpha’s hand wrapped around her throat, the way she’d gasped for air.

Griffith shook his head, pulling her even closer. Holy shit. What if he hadn’t been fast enough?

“You have no proof,” Derek ground out bravely.

Before Grif could snap back something undignified, Niles cleared his throat, pulling Derek’s attention to him.

“You and I both know the media doesn’t need proof to run a story. They thrive off headlines.” His voice was conversational, but the underlying threat in his words was obvious. “The more dramatic, the more juicy, the more it gets seen.”

Derek paled as Stellan’s alpha continued. “Tell me, do you think this constitutes as a juicy story? Do you think your bosses would let you stick around if you were plastered across the papers for what we all know you are?”

“An abuser,” Wendy ground out, fingers tightening around his arm.

He placed a hand over hers, and her grip eased instantly, as if afraid she’d hurt him. Curling her palm back around his arm, he traced a pattern over the back of her hand.