Page 45 of Marked By Love

“Well,” Scott said, “a few things simultaneously, actually. First, we figured out why you were stalking the vet. Second, you tried to kill Matt for making gross comments about your mate. Third, we figured out where the hell you’ve been: holed up with your omega, I’m assuming? Congrats on the new bond.”

Scott clapped him on the shoulder. Royce winced.

The door opened, then closed as Lucy came in. “I’m going to go out on a limb and say you’re asking to meet with me and Argus has something to do with you trying to commit homicidal cut-throat in my hallway.”

“I didn’t mean to—”

“Shut up,” Lucy interrupted. “Those young alphas need to learn to keep themselves in check before they grow into bona fide alpha-assholes. The way I see it, you’re doing a community service.”

“You requested a meeting with Lucy and Argus?” Amelia asked.

“Yes, and I was going to invite you before … well, you were there,” Royce said. “Where’s Argus?”

“Yelling at Matt and Nick,” Lucy said. “I guess the kids had another strike before this one, and Argus is currently reading them the riot act.”

“They’ve been especially rowdy lately,” Amelia said. “I think their first rut is about to start; they’re at that age. Not that it’s any excuse.”

They all groaned in acknowledgement. Every alpha had one at the end of puberty, but they needed to work through it and learn to control their shit so they didn’t become an unbearable nuisance.

“Don’t you need to call your mate?” Scott asked. Royce must have looked as confused as he felt, because Scott continued. “After that influx of rage, Doc woulda felt that. He might be worried.”

“Oh, right, about that. We haven’t exactly sealed the bond yet.”

“What? But it’s been days. Is something wrong?”

“Yes, but I’d rather only explain it once.”

Scott nodded, and they waited in silence until Argus joined them three minutes later.

“Those two are on cleanup duty for the foreseeable future.” Argus sat in one of the chairs in the little conference room. “Now, why don’t we get down to what’s really going on, Royce?”

Royce started the arduous task of relaying the events of the last several days. Buford came into the conference room with homemade honey, nut, and berry granola bars around the time Royce got to the part about Theo vomiting blood. Buford helped fill in some of the technical details. Eventually Royce got to the part about the trafficking ring in Seerinoga and the alpha that was hunting Theo because of the data his dad had smuggled out of the territory.

The room was deadly silent. The type of silence that not only rings in your ears, but hangs heavy over your chest, suffocating you.

“Scott,” Argus said at last. “What omega settlement was Freddy from?”

“Waynezville,” Scott whispered. “There were rumors of something similar there. He always suspected it was one of the governing officials or security guards who kidnapped him and sold him.”

“Royce,” Argus asked. “You said Theodore’s father had evidence. Has any of that evidence survived?”

“It’s all still on his flash drive.”

“Do you have that with you?”

“No. He’s … a bit skeptical of sharing that. But he did tell me the name of the alpha running the trafficking ring in Seerinoga. Gage Prescot.”

“What? No, that can’t be. He’s the head of security at Waynezville,” Scott said.

“Perhaps,” Lucy said. “He’s both.”

“He would have an entire empire right under everyone’s noses,” Amelia said.

“I’m not sure how ‘under the nose’ it is when the government is participating,” Scott said.

Argus threaded his fingers together in front of his face, his brow knit. He was silent for a long time before responding.

“Here’s what we are going to do. First, Theodore cannot under any circumstances be left alone. We need to schedule round-the-clock guards on him and the vet clinic. Next, anyone from Elk Cove who has contact with omegas living in these omega settlements needs to reach out to them. At this point, we need to assume every omega settlement is a trap. We can invent a damned omega retreat in the mountains for all I care, just get as many of them out as we can. I’ll turn the Town Hall into a second omega house if I have to.