“Protein, and maybe something sweet? I don’t know what she’s going to want,” I answer softly, nuzzling her hair with my nose.
I get a grunt in reply before he exits. Siren tosses their gear into the back and joins him in his errand, leaving me, Cross, and Bones alone. And as suspected, the moment the door closes and Phantom is out of earshot, two amber orbs appear in the darkness as my alpha opens his eyes. I hold Delilah closer, tensing as I wait for his next move.
A pulse of concern comes down our bond tasting like peppery spice on the back of my tongue. Even in the dark, I can see Bones’s eyes soften, not that I release Delilah.
“You scared the shit out of me when you ran off, my heart,” he murmurs.
I roll my eyes. “I was fine. I’ve been in worse situations alone and came out unscathed.”
“You know what I mean, Teddy.”
I pause, losing a bit of my anger at the use of the private nickname. “Yeah, I know, Mav.”
He lets out a sigh and gets up, moving to crouch in front of me. I tighten my hold on Delilah, but he doesn’t even look down at her as he reaches up and removes my balaclava, hands gentle on my face as he tilts my head this way and that.
“They didn’t hurt me, Alpha. I’m okay,” I whisper.
“And they didn’t get any drugs in you?” he asks seriously.
I shake my head. Only then does he back off, settling back on his haunches to look at me. “Despite the…complications, you did good. Once we’re home, you will be rewarded greatly,” he purrs, his lips lifting into a wicked smirk.
I swallow my groan, focusing entirely on not popping an instant boner instead of letting my mind wander off on a trip into the gutter. Bones’s punishments are intense, but his rewards are my favorite things in the whole world.
Bones sits up as we hear Phantom’s distinct laughter coming from nearby, and he slips his mask and respirator back on before he starts to move toward the door, but not without throwing me the filthiest wink I’ve ever seen.
Chapter seventeen
Thedoortothevan slams and I jolt awake, disoriented. As I look around, I blink in confusion, catching sight of the two people in the back of the van with me and Joker.
“You alright, luv?” Joker mumbles in my ear, his accented words sliding down my spine like water.
The two others turn to look and I relax as I recognize Phantom’s eyes, even though he’s no longer wearing a mask or black face paint. His smile is warm, a contrast to the icy color of his eyes, his square jaw dusted with dark stubble. His hair is longer than I would have expected, the slightly curly mop pulled back into a top knot, highlightinghis undercut.
“Welcome back, sweetheart,” he chuckles, winking at me.
I flush and turn away, looking at the other person. Again, I recognize these eyes as belonging to the quietest member of the group, but my brow pulls down in confusion. The alpha’s features are soft, almost feminine, but with their short cropped hair, androgynous build, and a scent that is strong with notes of cedar and leather, my instincts are detecting masculine energy.
“Oh, that’s Siren. They don’t talk much,” Joker says into my ear with a little laugh.
Siren rolls their eyes before tearing open a package of candy, pouring the fruit chews into their mouth.
“Maybe I just don’t have anything to say to you, Jokes,” Siren replies.
I’ll admit to openly staring, even as the van starts up again. Something about Siren confuses my instincts. By all accounts, I know I’m looking at an alpha; the pheromones I’m picking up are a dead giveaway to that. But what my eyes are seeing and what my nose is smelling don’t necessarily match. A strong scent like that, and I’d expect to be looking at someone like Phantom or even Joker if he was an alpha. Before I can puzzle it out, my attention gets pulled away when Phantom laughs.
“Siren is non-binary, sweetheart,” he says softly, looking at Siren.
I turn my attention back to them as well, my expression turning from confused to curious. “Is that why your scent doesn’t match?” I ask.
Siren looks at me, and I shiver as the ice in their eyes spears me through the heart.
“I’m more masc today, so my scent does match. If we choose to keep you around, you’ll see when it changes,” they say, a noticeable bite to their words.
I mutter an apology and look down, fidgeting with the cuffs of my sweatshirt again. I’m aware of the eyes on me, but I shrink back into myself, keeping quiet. Sudden movement makes me jump, and Joker reaches up to catch something thrown our way.
“Are you hungry, little wisp? It’s not much, but we’re still a few hours out from homebase,” Joker asks softly, holding his hands out in front of me, showing me two packages of snacks.
I tentatively reach for the chocolate and peanut butter pieces, earning a nuzzle and purr from the omega behind me.