The alpha 7 protect proc.., p.30
The Alpha 7: Protect. Procreate. Prevail., page 30
Just what we needed.
The front door had been left wide open, so I followed my omegas inside as I sniffed the air that floated around me. Every surface was covered in Theo’s scent, and I found a door that led to a basement with a few computers set up on one side, a giant TV mounted to the wall, and a billiard table in the center.
There wasn’t a single sign that anyone had been imprisoned in this place, but I already knew the SDD’s information was correct. Gabriel had been murdered and left for dead in a campsite, and everything I’d heard from Clarice was simply a sob story Theo used to try and trick me.
But it felt pretty fucking good to know his plan had backfired majorly on him. Because now all of this was mine, even down to the coffee cups I’d noticed in the kitchen.
I wasn’t sure if I was sad or not that Gabriel hadn’t survived, because I probably would have helped him if I knew he wasn’t a threat to me, even though I didn’t know the guy. But at least he hadn’t been kept in a cage like a damn dog for weeks on end.
Hopefully his death had been as quick as possible, and Theo hadn’t dragged it out for too long.
As my omegas all ran around and inspected the home, I wandered outside and further toward the end of the property.
It was utterly blissful.
The building was slightly elevated off the ground, and a set of stone stairs led me down to the beach, so it really was an oceanview house.
A sudden uproar of excitement in the form of yips, purrs, and barks caught my attention, and I glanced across the beach to see the rest of my pack sprinting over to me with our bags clutched between their teeth.
Everyone thought the same thing when they caught sight of the house, and none of them could get over how stunningly beautiful the building was. Wren and Raina were actually quite jealous that I could call this place my home if I wanted to.
Don’t worry, I laughed as I picked up my bag. You’re all more than welcome to spend some time here, just as long as you clean up after yourselves.
Sounds like a good deal to me, Alpha! Raina nodded her large wolf head, and her orange eyes glistened with excitement.
Once the bags had been passed around, and everyone had what they needed, we all shifted back into our human forms and began to change into our clothes. A few of my betas had a few cuts and bruises on their arms and legs, and we were all desperate for a shower, but that was about as serious as it got.
The gash across my chest from when Theo had raked me with his claws had started to heal, so at least I didn’t need any serious medical attention. I even ran a hand over my hair, but I didn’t feel any bald patches, so at least Theo hadn’t ripped out my hair. I knew I had more cuts and scrapes over my back and legs, but I didn’t feel any pain, so I quickly allowed that thought to pass.
“I don’t need to be carried to Dr. Stenton!” Abigail cheered, to which we all laughed.
“I thought you wanted to add more scars to your collection?” Seth asked. “That’s what you told me, anyway.”
“Yeah, but I don’t really want to go through the pain first,” the werecat giggled. “So my little buddy on my stomach will have to stay an only child for now.”
Abigail patted her gnarly scar with a gentle hand, and then we all started laughing again.
“Jesse,” Hailey said as she grabbed a hold of my hand. “Look!”
I followed to where my omega was pointing, and then I noticed we had a little arrival on the shore.
Or rather, a twenty-foot-long arrival.
One of the orcas had slid themselves onto the sand, and the remaining six killer whales floated peacefully in the water with just their heads and dorsal fins on show.
“Is that Hydra?” Arielle asked.
“I think so,” I mumbled as I squinted my eyes in the sun.
“Let’s go down and see her!” Hailey jumped up and down like a giddy child. “She obviously came to see you!”
“Sure, let’s go.” I smiled.
“Yay!” my omegas squealed.
But Hailey and Arielle weren’t the only excited ones, because my entire group followed along behind us, and even the burly, tough men were just as giddy as the women.
“Oh, she’s so beautiful,” Aunt Eva gushed. “How anyone could mistreat these animals is beyond me.”
“Coming from someone who literally just slaughtered wolves,” Benji snorted.
“But that’s different.” Aunt Eva swatted the air. “We were defending ourselves, whereas these orcas are just living an innocent life in the sea.”
I crouched down on my knees as I reached the orca, and the recognizable black smudge clarified that it was Hydra.
“Hey,” I said as I reached out and ran my hand across her smooth, black head.
Her skin felt rubbery, which I hadn’t expected, but it was also quite satisfying, and I could tell how strong she was from how firm she felt under my hand.
“Hi, Hydra!” Hailey said as she placed a kiss on the orca’s eyespot.
Hydra opened her mouth slightly, but there was a happy look in her black eyes that made me think she was smiling.
“Thank you so much for sticking around,” I said. “I know we didn’t need your assistance in the end, but it helped knowing you guys were out here.”
Hydra bobbed her head, and the way she splashed her fluke made me think of the excitement a child received when they were given a rattle. The orcas must have been happy to offer their help in any way they could, and it didn’t matter that we hadn’t needed them in the end.
“Why don’t you shift?” Arielle asked. “We’re the only ones around.”
Hydra lifted her fluke out of the water, and then she flapped it up and down like she was trying to point behind her. The little sailboat from before was still on the horizon, and that must have been too close for Hydra’s comfort.
“You don’t want that person to see you?” I guessed, to which Hydra nodded.
“That reminds me, does anyone know what time it is?” Benji asked. “I left my phone in my bag.”
“Uh…” Spencer mumbled. “We have about half an hour before the speedboat arrives.”
“Okay, so we should probably think about leaving soon,” I replied. “Especially if any of you want to clean up first.”
All of a sudden, Hydra pushed herself back just enough to dip her head underwater, and then as she lifted it up, a huge spray of water blew from her mouth which smacked me straight in the face and chest.
“Okay…” I chuckled as I attempted to clear the water from my face. “I suppose I don’t need to worry about having a shower.”
“Dude,” Benji laughed as he plodded over and gave Hydra a pat on the back. “I think you might be my new best friend.”
The sweet, melodic tune sang from the orca, but then Hydra repeated the process and splashed Benji with water, too.
“Hey!” he cried as everyone laughed. “Fine, don’t be my best friend, then!”
“It’s a shame you live in the ocean, because I think you and I would get along very well,” Nikita giggled.
“But now Jesse has this new house…” Blair hinted with a smirk.
“This won’t be the last time you see her,” I promised. “Hydra, would you be okay returning every now and again?”
Hydra bobbed her head, and then she opened her mouth again to smile.
“Perfect.” I smiled in return. “In that case, I’ll have the selkies let you know whenever we’re heading for the island.”
“We also have the rest of the week if you want to follow the yacht?” Arielle asked casually. “Perhaps we could get some swimming lessons added in?”
Hydra nodded again, and everyone around me cheered and clapped at the thought of swimming with the pod of killer whales.
Hydra pushed herself back into the water as we all waved goodbye. When she reached her pod, one of the orcas dove into the depths before it launched itself fully into the air. It was the first time I’d ever seen an orca breach in the wild, but it was one of the most majestic things I’d ever seen.
The ripples of the tide brushed against my ankles from the sheer enormity of the splash, and my pack members and I laughed and clapped as the whales dove underwater and disappeared from sight.
“Aaah, that was so cool!” Gemma whooped.
“We’re friends with orcas!” Nikita squealed. “Like, we’re actually friends with apex predators!”
“Excuse me, Hydra is my best friend,” Benji snorted.
“Nah, she dumped you like yesterday’s trash,” Blair chuckled.
“But don’t forget who you live with…” Hailey smirked. “Because wolves are also apex predators.”
“So are mountain lions,” Thomas pointed out as we walked back toward the house.
“Technically they are, but they also have natural enemies,” Hailey replied.
“Yeah, like everything in the world,” Caleb snorted.
“Never mind,” my omega sighed and laughed. “I’ll leave my biology lesson there for the day.”
“Just as long as everyone knows wolves are the top hunters in this group,” Benji said with a smug expression. “And unless anyone can turn into werebears or weresharks, then we take this throne.”
“Fuck, imagine if shifters could also be sharks?” Blair chuckled. “That’s one fight I’d like to see, but from a safe distance.”
“The great white versus the giant hammerhead!” Benji cheered.
“Round one, ding, ding, ding!” Marco played along.
The conversation continued as we walked back up the stone steps and collected our bags. My t-shirt was soaked through due to Hydra’s antics, but fortunately I’d brought a spare one with me, just in case.
In the time we’d spoken to Hydra, the gash across my chest had cleared up even more. The ragged lines had healed over, and now they just looked like brand-new scars instead of bloody, open wounds.
A few of us brushed through our hair and wiped visible dried blood off our skin. Annika and Kora used the bathroom in the house and had managed to find a spare front door key, so I locked up my new property before we headed back to the pier.
The omegas skipped across the shore with their hands interlocked together, and I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my face. The tense situation from earlier had completely vanished, and now that we knew no one was injured or needed medical assistance, it was like we didn’t have a care in the world.
Eliza, Gemma, Annika, and Raina discussed the up-and-coming pool party, and Annika waved her hands around animatedly as she described the music we’d all listen to.
It pleased me to see that Eliza had gotten over her slight battle with anxiety, because I knew she felt responsible that Theo had bolted from the house so quickly. But now that it was over, and she realized it wasn’t her fault, the smile had returned to her face, and she was looking forward to the rest of the vacation.
“So, what’s the plan?” Brenden asked as the speedboat was seen in the distance. “Do we get food first, or do we just start drinking?”
“Food first,” Aunt Eva replied. “Alcohol on an empty stomach never ends well.”
“Fine, food first,” my beta captain said. “I’m sure the chef could rustle something up for us.”
“If we ask them to make us something, then it’ll give us time to have a shower and freshen up first,” Gemma spoke up.
“That’s the right idea, sis.” Blair nodded. “Because I have the perfect heels to wear this evening, and they don’t look good with greasy hair.”
“Just don’t take too long,” Benji sighed. “You won’t see me waiting for others to arrive before I dig in. Especially when there’s an ice-cold beer calling my name.”
“I’ll be as quick as I can, Benji.” Blair rolled her eyes before she shot him a smile.
But what Benji didn’t realize was that my omegas might find themselves with a slight delay.
Especially with what I had in store for them as soon as we closed the bedroom door.
Chapter 18
As the speedboat returned to take us back to the superyacht, I decided to take the first charter back. I was desperate to be alone with my omegas, so I didn’t have the ability to stand around and wait as others were taken off to the yacht.
“Did you enjoy your afternoon, sir?” the driver asked as we reversed away from the pier.
“I sure did.” I smirked. “The scenery really is lovely this time of year.”
“It is,” he replied. “And the hiking trails are beautiful.”
“Yes, they are,” I said as I tried to fight back my laughter.
I sat in between Nikita and Blair, and both of them were snuggled up against me as the speedboat bounced across the sea. Aunt Eva cuddled herself into the corner of the boat, and she closed her eyes as a blissful smile appeared on her face.
Benji and Harry were laughing at something one of them said, and Arielle and Hailey continued to talk about Hydra and the potential chance of swimming with the orcas one day.
It was a completely different atmosphere than earlier, and at one point I even wondered if it had even happened in the first place. Had I really murdered Theo Finch? Had I actually slashed his throat?
Part of me thought I was going to wake up and realize it had all been a dream, but the feeling of the jagged scars beneath my t-shirt were a sign that it was real.
“The Captain is wondering if you’d like some dinner to be prepared?” the driver asked as we arrived at the superyacht.
“Yes, please.” I smiled. “We were hoping to have use of the bar this evening, but I think we’d like to have dinner first.”
“Of course, sir.” He nodded. “I can have someone inform you when your dinner is ready.”
“That’s okay.” I shrugged. “If it could be ready for, say… seven-thirty?”
I didn’t particularly want Captain James to knock on the door while I was balls-deep inside Arielle.
Or any of my omegas for that matter.
“I’ll be sure to do that, sir,” the driver replied.
Once the speedboat was securely fastened against the yacht, I stepped out first, and then I offered a hand to my omegas and Aunt Eva to assist them out. Benji and Harry cleared the gap with one sudden jump, and then they carried on snickering to one another as they ran off.
“He really is like an excited puppy,” Hailey giggled.
“Which one?” I raised my eyebrows.
“Hmm… good point.” She nodded. “I thought Harry was bad enough, but the two of them mixed together is difficult to cope with.”
We can hear you! Benji called out as he ran inside the yacht.
Good, you were meant to! Hailey replied.
The speedboat roared to life again as it returned to collect more of my pack members, and as the noise drifted off into the distance, my omegas and I made the short walk to our master bedroom.
“We’re hoooome!” Nikita cried as she unlocked the bedroom door.
Arielle spun around with her arms in the air, Blair belly-flopped onto the bed, and Hailey settled herself onto the couch as she peered out the window.
“I’ve never been happier to see carpet,” Nikita chuckled as she squatted down and brushed the soft flooring with her hands. “There’s no soil! No trees! No beaten, bloody corpses!”
“You make it sound like you’ve been trapped on that island for years,” Blair mumbled with her face pressed against the bedcovers.
“Those hours felt like years,” Nikita replied. “And remember, I had to do all that work while I had a baby rolling around in my womb. Jesse, your baby was distracting me from fighting.”
“My baby?” I laughed as I wrapped my arms around my omega. “So now it’s just my baby?”
“When it misbehaves, yes, it’s your baby.” She pouted.
The slight sparkle in her eyes told me Nikita was only joking, and then her pout turned into a cheeky grin.
“Hey, do you think it’s visibly clear you’re pregnant when you’re in your animal form?” Arielle asked.
“Like, will your little mountain lion nipples get swollen?” Blair snorted, and Nikita grimaced.
“Ooo, will your stomach protrude out further then, too?” Arielle gasped.
“Oh, probably,” Nikita huffed. “This stomach is only going to get bigger.
“Ha!” Blair cackled as she sat up.
“You don’t have a large stomach,” I said as I soothed my omega. “And even if you do, you’ll always look perfect to me.”
“Even if I do?” Nikita gasped. “Jesse Rafe! How dare you!”
Nikita raised her hand to give me a playful smack, but I dodged the hit as I failed to hold back my laughter. She knew we were all joking, but I made a mental note not to say anything when it came to Nikita’s belly.
“I think pregnant women are incredibly beautiful.” Hailey smiled as she pushed herself off the couch. “Our bodies are remarkable, and pregnancy is the greatest gift ever. So, no woman should ever be picked on because of the size of their stomach, or any extra weight they might gain.”
“That,” Nikita said as she pulled Hailey in for a hug. “Is why you’re my favorite.”
“What did I do wrong?” Arielle asked.
“Okay, fine, you’re also my favorite,” Nikita laughed.
Blair not-so-subtly cleared her throat.
“Fucking hell, okay!” Nikita chuckled. “I love everyone in this room, and everyone on this yacht. Benji pushes it sometimes, but I suppose he makes the cut.”
Everyone laughed at the sly wink Nikita added on at the end.
“Benji always pushes the limit,” I agreed. “But imagine if he was dull and boring? And he didn’t tease you every minute of every day?”
“Eurgh!” Arielle gagged. “I can’t imagine anything worse!”
“Exactly.” I smirked. “Now that that’s been cleared up, I’m gonna go take a shower and wash the scent of dead dog off me.”
“I’m getting in after you!” Blair called out as I headed for the bathroom.
“No, I’m going first,” Nikita argued.
“I should have just had one in the oceanview house,” Arielle snickered.
My omegas’ mumbles drifted through the door after I closed it, and I heard Blair say Nikita couldn’t use the pregnancy card every time she wanted something, to which Nikita disagreed. I loved hearing their playful banter, and I just imagined how boring my life would be if I didn’t hear their bickering every day.
