We arrived at the base after sunset and parked the car between two large warehouses at the edge of a large industrial area. Both warehouses were part of our base, disguised as an innocent, legal company that imported car parts from overseas, while the real base was under them.

We entered the building, said our hellos to the evening shift workers – terrorists, all of them – and entered the faculty area. After passing by a couple of offices and the changing rooms, we stopped at the very end of the hallway, in front of a staircase that led up to the second floor. I reached for the large row of light switches on the wall, many of which were seemingly out of order.

I turned two specific buttons on, then cranked a rotating knob – disguised as a fader – all the way to the left, forcing it a little further even after it had seemingly reached its end. The staircase in front of us opened up like a large hatch, revealing another staircase, but one that led down into the secret basement instead.

We entered the staircase and stopped to lower the staircase above us, then continued our way down to the real base. We reached a large set of heavy iron doors at the bottom and pulled one of them open, revealing the massive basement filled with everything illegal Jomica had gotten their hands on. It was basically another warehouse, but reinforced like a bomb-shelter.

The closest people turned to glance at us, then continued with their tasks. We were nameless to these people. We were just as nameless and faceless to them as the people they killed. But these were not real jomicas, like Kieran had put it. Just fanboys, fooled into doing the dirty work for minimal pay.

The real members were at the back, in their luxurious offices, separated from the rest of the warehouse. Now I could see what those offices were really for: entertainment. When the jomicas came here to keep an eye on things, they usually spent their days in those offices, hanging out, drinking expensive alcohol, watching TV on their large monitors, or gambling with their friends.

While we made their money. While we lived in shitty, crumbling buildings or even in the fucking sewers, scavenging for food like animals. While we gave our lives for their cause.

They just sat there, having fun, and doing nothing.

I glanced at Glen, who nudged his head toward the people who were in charge of the guns. I was so fucking angry, but the thought of getting to use their guns to kill them cheered me up a little.

“Glen! It’s been a while! And… Wait. Fuck me. Trouble! You’re alive?!”

At least the middle-aged man who was in charge of the guns, Miller, still knew our faces.

“Yeah, fucking barely,” I grunted at him when we reached his desk.

“I thought I was seeing ghosts when he showed up back at home a few days ago,” Glen told him. “Nearly smashed my face in, though.”

“You fucking left me behind. The fuck you expected?” I asked him, then turned to Miller. “Anyway. I’m ready to go back to work, but I lost all my guns in that fucking shitshow of a Mercer gig.”

“Didn’t you get shot?” Miller asked, eyeing me.

“I did, but I’m good now. Fully healed, and angry as fuck. I need something to do,” I told him. When he squinted his eyes at me, I stepped closer. “Trust me. I’m good now. I healed fast. I really want to get back to work and show that son of a bitch Mercer who rules around here.”

Miller scoffed. “Good luck with that. The whole mafia is fucking pissed. There’s been a shit ton of them pouring into this state. They’re all looking for us, so we need to lie low for a bit.”

I didn’t care.

“Come on. I need something to do. Let us go grab a few new slaves or something,” I said.

“If you’re sure,” Miller said, reaching for his keys.

“I’m not letting those bastards scare me into hiding,” I grumbled. “We’re the Jomica! They’re nothing but old sacks of forgotten bones.”

Miller laughed at my words. “You’ve always had the spirit, I give you that. What do you need?”

“A new assault rifle and a couple of handguns. And all the ammo you can spare,” I told him.

“I’ll have what he has,” Glen added.

“You kicking up a storm, huh?” Miller asked in amusement while he went to open his locked cabinets full of guns.

“Yeah,” I said. “Glen and I have people to avenge.”

“Right, you two lost your whole group, huh?” Miller asked while getting the rifles.

“That we did,” I said, staring at the back of his head. “That we did.”

Shame… I did like this guy.

But not enough.

*****

Another thing we needed was our van. And getting it back… I really didn’t want to go, but I had to take Glen to it so he could drive it back home. Glen suggested getting someone else to give him a ride, but we both ended up agreeing it was better to not have anyone else involved.

So I had to go.

The drive to the van was a pretty silent one. It was late in the evening already, and we’d had a long day behind us. Glen probably had guessed why I’d been reluctant to take him to the van, but he kept his mouth shut about it. And after about an hour of driving, we arrived at the street where Glen had left it.

Right in the middle of Kieran’s neighborhood.

“Well, I see you back at home,” Glen told me when he was getting out of the car.

“Yeah,” I replied quietly, staring down the street.

Kieran’s home was somewhere down there…

“I won’t stay up waiting for you,” Glen said, and I turned to glare at him. “You know. In case you have unfinished business to attend to.”

“Fuck off already,” I grunted at him.

He smirked at me and closed the door. I didn’t start driving right away. I had to make sure the van would start. Which it did. But I still waited just to make sure it worked. And I still sat there after Glen and the van were long gone.

Kieran was close by… I should’ve… I should’ve followed Glen. But I couldn’t.

I had to make sure Kieran was all right.

So… I got out of the car, locked it, and slowly made my way down the street. My alpha understood what was going on and got excited. It knew our mate was right there, right behind the corner of the street. It didn’t listen when I tried to tell it that I just wanted to make sure Kieran was fine. That he was safe.

That he’d moved on already.

Before I knew it, I reached the intersection and saw his tiny yellow house on the right. Everything seemed fine. The garden was still a mess after the looters, but otherwise, everything seemed peaceful.

The lights were on in the kitchen.

I hesitated, but my need to see him grew. I couldn’t fight it. Not when my alpha was making everything a thousand times worse. So I stepped into the shadows of the house close to me and made my way closer to Kieran’s. There was a garden up ahead, opposite of Kieran’s, so I went to hide behind the bushes.

My alpha and I both fell silent as we watched the house. I didn’t see Kieran anywhere… But he had to be there if the lights were on, right? Maybe if I went closer, I’d see a glimpse of him?

But while I hesitated, Kieran finally walked into the kitchen, holding Ares in his arms. I froze to stare at him. I was too far away to see his face, but.. He seemed fine. Unhurt. So was Ares.

Suddenly, I had to fight hard to stay where I was, and fuck, my alpha… It nearly stole control from me so it could take us to our mate. I fought back hard, trying to remind it I had ruined our chances for the both of us a long time ago. My alpha deserved this mate, yes, but I fucking didn’t. Not after I’d stolen so many omegas from their mates.

My alpha gave up when it remembered this and turned its hateful attention to me. It actually hurt. Seeing Kieran so close hurt. This whole fucking situation hurt so much I almost couldn’t breathe.

“Damn them… True Order…” I hissed between my gritted teeth.

If only I’d turned my back on True Order years ago…

If only I’d listened to my alpha…

I closed my eyes, sniffing silently, then lowered my head. I had to leave.

“I hope you’ll one day find out… I did something good with this life,” I whispered.

A quiet sound forced me to look up. I froze again when I saw the front door opening, and Kieran stepped out. Had he spotted me…? I stayed perfectly immobile, expecting him to look straight at me… But he didn’t.

Instead… He sat down on the steps of his porch, wrapping his arms around himself. He sniffed gently. He was crying silently.

My heart… Why was he crying…?

I wanted to go to him. I wanted to go to him so fucking bad… I would’ve given anything just so I could take his tears away and deal with whatever it was that had made him sad.

But this… This wasn’t my omega. I didn’t deserve to have an omega of my own, especially this one, so…

I had to leave.

*****

[Ream subscribers get to read what’s going on with Kieran! Link and more info in my bio]