Happiness is Earned (Second Chances Book 3), page 14
8
ORSON
The car disappears from view, leaving me alone with three men who are majorly pissed at me. Great.
Without warning, a fist slams into my jaw with brutal force, sending my head reeling to the left and a jolt of searing pain shooting through my skull. My body jerks in reflex, and I stagger back, gasping for breath.
“What the fuck?” I snarl, glaring at my Alpha. Micah is laughing quietly, and he’s lucky he’s not the one who hit me.
Atticus, I can’t touch. Not without getting my ass beaten.
Micah? He’d be in the hospital quicker than his second punch would land.
Atticus shrugs. “Nora told me not to make excuses for you. She didn’t ask me not to punch you.”
I clench my fists and glare at him as Griffin now joins in on the laughter. Unlike Micah, he doesn’t try to hide his amusement, somehow thinking I’m not going to harm him.
His mythical status doesn’t scare me. Not when he’s unable to use it to his full advantage.
And, honestly, even if he could, my bear could use a worthy opponent.
“Okay, we’ve got a lot of work to do,” Atticus says, switching from a pissed off mate to a pissed off Alpha. Holy fucking personality change. “Tom’s waiting for me so that we can contact his brother, and then we’ve got the situation with Kennedy to handle.”
“Why haven’t you contacted Tiernan already?” I ask, confused.
“We tried,” Atticus says in an ‘obviously’ kind of tone. Dickhead. “But he didn’t answer, and I told Tom not to contact him without me there. I want to make sure that he gets the news from me, so there’s no chance of anyone bullshitting him.”
I nod. That makes sense. Probably the only thing he’s done tonight that does.
“Okay, where are we at with everything else?” I ask, needing to know what has happened so that I can now do my part.
Nora and the baby are finally safe with Malachi and Devoss in the car, heading over to Cevon’s place. Whilst it’s not my preferred method of travel, I know that we had to make adjustments for both her fragile mental state, and her exhaustion. Voss bitched that he doesn’t get to drive, just like he’s pissed off about everything else he’s missing out on, but at least he gets to go with her.
Meanwhile, the rest of us are stuck here with Atticus and his foul mood.
And irritable inner animals that are desperate to find their mate and grovel on their knees for her forgiveness.
Not that I’ve done anything wrong or worthy of grovelling. I can feel the irritation radiating off of Atticus, making the entire situation worse. He’s pissed off because of my part of the argument with Nora, and it unsettles me knowing he’s my Alpha. It’s making my bear restless and uneasy, and the anger from our Alpha is making him feel like a failure. Like he’s got to work extra hard to please him and fix the issue.
Adding in my bear’s anger at me for upsetting Nora, my inner animal is just a ball of anger and frustration with pent up energy he needs to get rid of.
Atticus starts recounting the situation, letting me know what I missed whilst I was with Nora, and I can feel my own frustration rising, both at the way he handled his side of things, and the way Nora has acted.
I don’t understand her brain. All I want is for her to be happy and healthy. Is it a bad thing that I love our baby? I want nothing more than to hold her in my arms and reassure her that everything is going to be okay. But not only is she not here, she wouldn’t want that from me right now.
I sort of wish she didn’t go to Cevon’s place so that we could figure this shit out. I had no choice in letting her leave, though. There’s no way we could have a productive conversation. My emotions are running high and every single thing I’ve said has been taken the wrong way tonight. We both need space.
Me, more than her.
She constantly denies our baby, so unable to fathom the idea that she’s carrying a child, despite being the one to say she didn’t want an abortion, and it pisses me off.
Denying herself the truth is one thing.
But trying to force me to do the same? That’s not acceptable.
I hiss, and Atticus’s eyebrows rise, thinking I was reacting negatively towards him.
“Problem?” he coolly asks. A lot of them, actually, but none that we have the time to discuss.
“You’ve handled this extremely recklessly,” I say, channeling my frustration into my job. It’s better than thinking about how bad my relationship with my mate is. “Killing the Alpha? Harming Kennedy?”
“He acted like we were allies, and it was the fastest way to handle the situation,” Atticus snarls, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “And I’m not here asking for your approval, Orson. I’m telling you what I did, so you can do your fucking job and help make sure that both packs are stabilised.”
My jaw slams shut, and I give him a firm nod.
That’s me, told.
“What do you need from me?” Micah asks, almost hesitantly. He’s the weakest of Nora’s mates, both physically and power level wise. Although, he’s a pretty strong shifter when you compare him to the rest of the pride. He’s stronger than all of Kennedy’s pack, I’d guess, which means he should be fine to handle them alone.
“At first, I think we’ll have things handled,” I say, and Micah deflates a little. It makes me feel guilty because I know he just wants to help.
“But, then, could you work with David and the other Betas?” I ask. “Or whoever he’s going to deploy to work with you if not him. This pack’s Alpha is incapacitated, and we’re not yet sure what’s going to happen.”
Micah nods, glancing at Atticus for approval.
Fuck’s sake.
“That’s a good idea,” Atticus says. “Also, make sure to keep in contact with Cevon. He might have insight he can pass our way.” Micah nods again, seeming a little overwhelmed with everything that’s happening. It’s understandable, considering he’s not usually the one with us when we’re handling situations like this, but it’s an extenuating circumstance. “I don’t care what I’m doing or what you need to interrupt. Let me know as soon as Nora arrives.”
“Absolutely,” Micah says.
“What about me?” Griffin asks.
“Just come with us, and I’ll assign you tasks as we go,” I say, not truly sure what kind of situation we’re going to be walking into or how the griffin can help. Atticus has fucked everything up and then came back here for thirty minutes instead of dealing with it.
He could’ve sent Malachi and Devoss back here, and I could’ve traded off with them for fuck’s sake.
Nora would have understood.
Well, normal Nora would have.
Irrational Nora probably wouldn’t.
It’s got to be the pregnancy hormones making her this crazy. I refuse to believe otherwise.
“What’s that dirty look for?” Atticus demands.
“What do you mean?” I ask, shooting him an actual dirty look. What’s his issue with my face?
“That look there,” he says, poking my cheek. I reach up to bat his hand away. “What’s it for?”
“What the fuck do you mean? It’s my fucking face,” I demand. “I’ve not done a single fucking thing apart from starting to make plans to go over there.”
“Hm,” Atticus mutters, but I just roll my eyes instead of saying anything else.
He’s looking for a fight, and I refuse to give it.
He’s going to sit there and be a prick, picking on every single thing I do because he’s upset that I’ve hurt his mate.
But it’s not my fault.
I did what needed to be done.
I got Nora out of a scary situation. I got her somewhere safe and made sure that she wasn’t at risk.
Her family was fine, they were getting themselves somewhere safe. Not that she even asked about them.
So what did she expect from me? I can’t do every single thing.
We didn’t have the time to stand there and talk it out to her liking. I stand by that, even if Atticus has conceded otherwise.
We didn’t have the time. She’s carrying my child, and she needed to be out of the way when an attack was on its way.
And she keeps fucking denying it.
Why is she doing that? Doesn’t she understand how biology works? There’s no way she left that den without a baby inside of her.
I don’t understand her thoughts at all. She won’t communicate and explain properly why she won’t acknowledge our unborn child.
And, instead, she just expects me to understand.
And, fucking hell, I never once said she was irrational, ridiculous, mentally unstable, or whatever words she used. And, yet, she’s quoting these words from me, throwing them my way like a weapon, like I’d tarnish her that way.
I love her more than anything.
Doesn’t she see that in the way I do things for her?
Shit, I’ve failed that tonight. She’s not eaten.
As much as she claims I’m only caring because of the baby, that’s not fucking true. The baby will be fine. It gets all its nutrients from her, and missing a meal won’t harm the baby at all.
But it will harm her. She’s already struggling to maintain her weight, having lost a little more now that her shifter metabolism has kicked in, and she’s gone through her heat, and her appetite hasn’t caught up.
“Micah,” I call, and the tiger pauses and slows down so I can catch up with him.
“What the fuck did you do?” Atticus demands, glaring at me as he falls in line with me, too.
“I’ve not done a thing,” I snap, glaring at him. I turn to Micah. “Give me the phone.”
“No,” Atticus interjects, and Micah pauses, his hand hovering over the phone in his jacket pocket. I could very easily nab it from him, but I won’t. Yet. “What do you want it for?”
“To text Cevon,” I say. “Just to make sure that she eats something. She didn’t get the chance to eat at the dinner.”
“Really?” Griffin asks, shaking his head. “Orson, I need you to hear me on this. She’s had a rough night. Food is not going to be the first thing on her mind right now. She’s very anxious, and likely more so at being away from us with all this going on. She had a terrible panic attack earlier, and she’s about to go through a very heavy therapy session.”
He stops and gives me a dirty look. “What’s your issue? Because you’re acting like a controlling prick and not the man she knows you to be.”
“I don’t fucking know,” I mutter.
I really don’t.
But we head to the set-up where Kennedy’s people are waiting, along with the members from the other pack, and I’m already sick of my fucking life.
This is a situation I don’t want to deal with, but I’ve got no choice because Atticus has fucked things up.
Okay, maybe that’s not very fair.
Atticus is a very good Alpha, and he handled the situation how he needed to, both to save face and to end it quickly, but I’m having a fucking terrible day.
And if he can find fault in my face, I can find fault in his actions.
As we approach the field where the rehearsal dinner took place, we walk into chaos. The light from the full moon casts shadows over the area, the beautifully decorated area doesn’t seem to match up to the scene we’re facing.
The pack spots us and a low murmur races across the group as they warily eye us up. The air is thick with tension, and the strong emotions are causing a headache to begin dully pounding in my head. Some of the shifters are pacing back and forth, one step away from shifting. I just can’t lock in on their individual scents to know if they’re a danger or not.
Around the edges of the clearing, the forest looms dark and foreboding, casting long shadows across the ground. The rustling of leaves and the occasional snap of a twig can be heard in the distance as if the very forest itself is alive and watching.
“Okay, I’ve got no fucking idea what to do,” I say, turning to Atticus.
“Of course, you don’t,” Atticus says, rolling his eyes. He’s still pissed at me. Perfect. “Okay, everyone, gather up!” His voice carries over the murmurs and whispers of the crowd, but it does little to soothe the palpable sense of unease that hangs in the air.
The members of Kennedy’s pack slowly advance towards us, some of them acting as if Atticus is one step away from murdering them. Fools.
“There will be no attack on this pack tonight. I’ve dealt with the Alpha of Crystal Blood, and we’ve come to a truce of sorts,” Atticus says, which releases some of the tension here. Some of these people weren’t at the reception dinner, but since I wasn’t at the lands where the attack was going to happen, I don’t know if they were there or not. “Go home, get some rest, and wait for official word on when we’ll be sharing what has officially gone down.”
Some people leave, but the crowd doesn’t really thin out all that much.
“We’re worried about our Alpha, Alpha Phoenix,” a man says, stepping forward from the mob.
“Your Alpha is fine,” Atticus says, and I notice there’s too many people who are disappointed by that. “He’ll not be dying by my hand tonight, but his future as Alpha of this pack is uncertain. Please rest easy tonight knowing that you are safe from harm and that we’re handling it.”
There’s some cheers, some tension, but most importantly? The vast majority of people leave.
I hear some people talking about leaving permanently now that they’re not going to be hunted down, but the crowd is too thick with buzz for me to pinpoint exactly who said it.
That’s not good because that kind of threat is something we should definitely be aware of.
Who is he using to hunt these people down?
“What’s wrong?” Fin asks, nudging me.
“Not here,” I murmur, and he nods.
“You’re taking over the pack?” David asks. The man who asked about his Alpha stands next to him, a familiar kind of camaraderie between them. I wonder if he’s another Beta.
“No,” Atticus says. “For now, we’re just stripping Kennedy of his title. I had permission to end him tonight, but with all the comings and goings within this place, I figured I needed him alive.”
David and the other man exchange looks and sigh.
“Now, I need you to work with Micah and Orson to let me know who I need to lock down tonight,” Atticus says, glancing at both men. “Whilst Griffin goes and hunts down the third Beta.”
“Understood,” both men say simultaneously.
“Where are Tom and his people?” Atticus asks.
“They’re over at the town centre,” David says. “They’re not sure of the plan, and I think Tom is freaking out.”
“Why aren’t you there with them?” I ask.
Neither man responds, and Atticus sighs.
“This is the only time I’m going to say this, so make sure the memo is spread around. Orson is my second, and when he asks a question, I’d like it answered. He’s owed the same respect I am,” Atticus says. His tone is clear and crisp, no ounce of hostility in it.
Both men nod.
“Sorry, I thought you already knew that Tom’s people are refusing to let us help,” David says, rubbing the back of his neck. “I thought you were mad at us.”
“No,” Atticus says, although I sort of am.
Tom may be an Alpha’s son, but he is not Alpha. Even if he was—he’s not the Alpha of these lands, and his demands do not supersede the security risk they pose.
“Okay, that’s the next order of business,” Atticus says, his voice heavy with determination. “I want the members of Crystal Blood sent back home so that we can sort this pack out. They might need some support, but that can come over the next few days.”
I nod, feeling a surge of determination. My bear is feeding off Atticus’s feelings and is ready to handle what he needs to prove ourselves worthy.
It’s just a shame that he’s already done the violent part of it because I could really use an outlet.
“Okay, now that they’re all sorted, we’re going to go see what’s going on with Kennedy,” Atticus says, rubbing his cheeks to try and keep himself awake. We’re all exhausted, but we’re not yet done with this shit.
“I’ll come with you,” I say. Griffin nods, but Micah heads off with David. Atticus, Griffin and I head over to the clinic, and Atticus greets the doctor with familiarity.
I wonder if that’s the same one who helped him last time. Clearly, he’s someone Atticus can trust.
“What’s the word?” Atticus asks with a pleasant smile.
“He’ll be fine,” the doctor says, and Atticus’s demeanour doesn’t change in the slightest. “He’s a little bit dramatic about the whole thing, as you would be if you were brutally attacked by another Alpha.” The doctor raises an eyebrow at Atticus, but Atticus just shrugs. The doctor sighs. “He’s going to be fine. He’s in a lot of pain, so we’ve got him on some medication to help manage it until his healing is complete, but I don’t think it should be too much longer.”
“Of course, he needs pain relief,” I chime in. Griffin laughs, but the doctor pays neither of us any mind.
“Pain, I can handle,” Atticus says. “But he’s out of the woods?”
“I don’t think he was ever in the woods.”
“Losing your touch there, Atticus,” I say with a smirk.
“My touch is perfect when it comes to our mate,” he says without even glancing in my direction. “Is yours?”
“What happens if we stop the pain relief?” Atticus asks without even missing a beat after digging that knife into my stomach, too.
Cunt.
“He’ll be absolutely fine,” the doctor says. “I don’t even think he needs it, to be perfectly honest, and it might speed up his healing if he feels the pain.”
“I know that man might be your Alpha—”
“Which is why he’s lying in a bed, receiving an extremely high dose of pain relief,” the doctor says with a smile.
