Talons

Chapter 117: The Sabotage

Rhea's POV

I was sitting on the hidden bench with Miracle and Dolton when we saw Colton approaching. I immediately clutched at my cousin's arm, asking her if there was anything I could have possibly done wrong, but she only looked at me with a frown.

“Don’t worry little alien; my brother isn’t here to hurt you.” I nod at Dolton, and he pats my head as if I’m a child. The twins are probably a foot taller than me, so compared to them, I feel like I'm twelve again, which isn’t exactly comforting considering my childhood.

The closer Colton gets, the more nervous I become. I couldn't sleep last night, and without realizing what I was doing, I wandered out of his suite and toward Miracle and Dolton's room. 

I sat outside of it for a long time before they finally woke up, and it was my cousin's idea for us to go out and get some air.

Simply put, I didn't ask Colton if it was okay for me to leave the room, and the expression on his face looks satisfied; as if he's got me right where he wants me.

"LUNA!" I hear from behind me. Crystal is running toward us while a girl who looks like her is pulling a little boy along.

My eyes dart around because I'm not sure how to respond or even if I should. Impersonating a Luna can be considered a crime, and I'm already on thin ice.

"Did you forget about the story?" Crystal's expectant face helps melt away some of the unease I feel, so I drop to a knee to respond to her.

"I didn't," I reply. "I was sitting here waiting for you." Crystal smiles brightly before her eyes grow wide. She's spotted the bruising on my arms, and she lets her concern be heard.

"Oh no; did something bad happen?"

"I was hurt, but I'm okay now."

"Did you tell Alpha Colt?" Once again, I grow nervous, but Colton arrives and takes over the conversation.

"Janet, Tyson, this is my fated mate and your future Luna; Crystal has already met her."

"Told you," Crystal says, sticking her tongue out at her sister who shoots her a warning look. 

"It's nice to meet you Lu-"

"B," I interrupt. "Just call me B.. Think of me as a visiting rogue." An awkward silence hits us, and I feel like I've said something wrong. "I'm not a bad rogue," I correct.

"Rogues killed our parents," Janet says, and my heart starts to ache for her.

I didn't know the children were orphaned, but I should have guessed since they needed work. 

Colton only told me that he helped them, but he didn't tell me why. He must have wanted me to reveal my rogue status to them because now the children look terrified of me.

"I should probably go back to my room," I say, standing as I wave goodbye to the siblings, but the littlest one tugs on my arm. "Is something wrong?"

"He doesn't speak," Janet responds, and I furrow my brow at the statement. "He hasn't spoken since our parents died."

I don't know why, but I picked the boy up and whispered into his ear before turning my ear to his mouth. A barely audible 'hi' escapes from his lips and I reward him by tussling his hair.

I know the sort of fear that forces you into silence, and I wonder if Tyson is afraid of Colton or one of his sisters.

Colton's POV

Watching my mate interact with the children in front of her has Orlin howling in my mind. He wants a family with her, and he wants to start working on it now.

"Be patient."

"Because we haven't already been waiting?"

I ignore my wolf, and refocus on my mate who is guiding the children to my mother's garden, and then I remember the shed.

"Rhe- Rhea," I stumble on what to call my mate because she has made it clear that she doesn't like it when I use her real name.

I'm not going to call her what she asked me to call her, but I'm also not going to call her B which is short for Brain.

That nickname came around because she had a big head and a little body. We couldn't exactly call her Megamind without our parents realizing that we were teasing her so, we simplified the insult.

"Am I-I not allowed?" Rhea questions, and I feel a sting from her words.

I take advantage of the fact that she is carrying Tyson and I approach, gently pushing a stray lock of hair behind her ear as I stare into her face.

She isn't looking at me, but she also isn't retreating. I know that she is just trying to be respectful because there are members of my pack around, but nonetheless I'm relishing in the fact that she didn't back away.

"I want to show you something." 

Rhea's POV

It was hard trying to remain respectful toward Colton in front of his future pack members, but I managed to control the level of fear I have toward him by keeping my eyes focused elsewhere.

He led us to a small tool shed that was nearly dilapidated and Tyson and I are wearing similar 'what is this supposed to be,' expressions.

"Everything you need to garden should be in here."

I put the child in my arms down and open the door to the shed, which quite literally falls to pieces. I'm glad that Crystal and Janet weren't close because I was able to focus on shielding Tyson from flying splinters.

When it's clear that the remainder of the structure is not going to fall over, I open my eyes, surprised to feel a warm body huddled over mine.

"Are you okay?" Colton whispers.

"I-I- Ty-Tyson- We-e are okay.” I'm not just uncomfortable with how Colton is holding me, but what just happened couldn’t have been a coincidence.

When I lived with my aunt, Geo used to do things like that often, and once, it came back to bite him when he bit off more than he could chew. 

I ended up saving him from the rogues he intentionally lured to my area, and he spent two weeks mopping the club floors until they were no longer sticky, which, if you have ever done it before, feels like it’s a never-ending task.

I don’t know what game Colton is playing right now, but the fact that he put innocent children in danger to make himself look like a ‘hero’ has made me think less of him. He is a future alpha, and if he is willing to sacrifice the people he should be protecting then it goes to show what kind of man he is.

When he finally moved away from me, I was too focused on inspecting Tyson for me to care about anything he was saying.

The child was uninjured, but he was clearly afraid, and if Colton is in the habit of exploiting children to impress women, I can only imagine what the boy has gone through.

The children and I move away from the debris, but Colton is just staring at it in bewilderment. If I hadn't already experienced this sort of pick-up tactic, I would have genuinely believed his act, but as of right now, I just want to get away.

Colton's POV

I was just in my mother's tools shed and the structure was solid. This is clear sabotage, but I don't want to alert my mate, so I mind-link Carter and Mandy about what happened.

They get to the area quickly, and Mandy helps by taking Rhea and the children to the daycare.

I'm livid; my mate clearly isn't safe on the territory, but I'll have to wait until my father returns to investigate the matter. 

Acting alphas have authority, but it's limited when it comes to internal investigations. The potential for damage is greater than the potential for good, so for now, we will just keep a close eye on those who know she is my mate.

So far, there aren't many people who know, but I will have to show her off tonight to prevent something like this from happening in the future. 

I don't think Jessica is capable of sabotaging the shed, but she may have convinced others to do it for her. The only concern I have is how she would have known my plans.

Rhea's POV

I was absolutely disgusted when I entered the 'omega' daycare facility. It was clean, but bare of anything other than a TV and a few toddler sized chairs.

I can't see how anyone would be okay with the center, especially when the other daycare facility is bright, colorful, and filled with all sorts of toys.

"You're okay with this?" I didn't mean to have an attitude when I questioned my cousin, but my words dripped out of my mouth like venom.

"Alpha Stone doesn't see it as a necessary expense."

"And you couldn't donate items yourself?" Mandy looks shamed by my words, and honestly, she should be. "This is deplorable."

"They are well cared for-"

"By a television!" I shout, startling some of the young ones who were engrossed in whatever they were watching. "This is unacceptable, where are their toys and crayons?"

"B, we want to change things, but this pack practices rankism." My mouth drops open with the words because it quite literally means that in the Iron pack, omegas are second class.

"Would you put Carly in a school that operated like this?"

"Carter and I bring Carly here sometimes too. We aren't all terrible people; we just can't do much to change things without being in power.

I'm happy to hear that, but I'm still put off by what I'm seeing, and I won't stand for it while I'm here.

"Janet; do you get paid for running errands?" The girl nods vigorously and a plan hatches in my mind. "What is your hourly rate?"

"Five dollars," the girl replies, and I have to force myself not to gasp with outrage.

That is well below the minimum rate any omega should earn and I know it's because that the pack is taking advantage of how young the girl is.

My plan was simple, but it won't work with a five dollar an hour payout. 

"B, what are you going to do?"

"This pack practices rankism, right? I'm an outsider and a rogue; that puts me at the same level as these children. I can donate to this facility without consequences."

"With what money?" Mandy asks, and I really feel bad that none of my family knows how rich I am.

"I'll use my own savings.”