Even if she’d lost Leigh’s trust forever, everyone was safe.
For now.
“Don’t you dare let her go,” Trey snapped, holding Sadie close. “If you do, she’s gone. You feel me? Hold her tight. Do not let her loose.”
Leigh howled at the order, kicking out at Nathan’s shins, tears streaming down her face. When that didn’t work she attempted to ram her knee into the Beta’s crotch. Nathan moved out of the way, dodging the blow, then moved in close. That riled the banshee up even more. She thrashed so hard she caused the nightstand to shake—wailing all the while—and the tiny knickknacks on the top rattled.
Damn the woman.
She’d already made enough noise to raise the dead. If Diskant found out the unstable female had lost her shit a second time he’d kill her for sure.
“For fuck’s sake,” he hissed, wishing she’d shut the fuck up. “Keep her quiet.”
How in the hell the Beta kept his level of control, Trey would never understand. Nathan calmly placed one of his hands over Leigh’s mouth, keeping the other locked around her wrist. Using his much larger body to his advantage he pushed his weight into her and caged her against the wall. Leigh didn’t give up, curving her fingers into balled fists.
“You want to tell me what set her off this time?” he whispered in Sadie’s ear. “What happened? Why’s she so angry?”
“It’s a lot of things, actually,” Sadie responded telepathically. “Give me a minute to catch my breath. I’ll talk to her.”
“I don’t want you talking to her.” And he didn’t. Not one small iota. Right then he really pitied Nathan. A crackpot for a mate? How fair was that? “The bitch is fucking crazy.”
“She is not a bitch. And she isn’t crazy.” Sadie tried to shove away from him. “Don’t be a dick.”
Whatever. The insane woman was Nathan’s problem.
Satisfied Leigh wasn’t going anywhere, Trey slid an arm beneath Sadie’s ass, lifted her from the ground and went to shut the door. He stopped when he saw Ava standing right outside the room, her arms folded over her stomach.
His good humor faded. Sadie tensed against him, going impossibly still.
Shit.
“Ava.” Sadie tried to wriggle free, letting him go. “It’s not what it looks like.”
“This is my home,” Ava said, crossing the threshold. She lowered her arms and closed the door, eyes on Sadie. “You stay here, you abide by my rules. That one,” Ava’s gaze drifted to Leigh, her irises no longer blue but an eerie hue of green, “needs to learn her place.”
Double shit.
Leigh had just brought out Ava’s dark side.
Nathan whipped his head toward the Omega’s mate, panic in his expression. “Ava—”
“Quiet.” Ava cut the man short, striding toward the wall. “If I can’t get the message through her head then Diskant will. Is that what you want?”
Sadie dropped her weight, ready to defend her friend. Trey caught her before she could break away, wrapping his arms around her waist. When she tried to yank free he sent a clear and direct thought to her. Do it and Diskant will come in here, rip Leigh’s head off and send you packing. Watch, listen and stay right where you fucking are.
“You’ve suffered, I get it.” Ava stopped a few feet away from Leigh, resting one of her small hands on her burgeoning tummy. “Life’s a bitch like that. But you’re not in Kansas anymore. There are no red slippers here. You can’t click your heels and go back home. As far as Diskant’s concerned, you’re better off dead than alive. He doesn’t think you’re worth the trouble or the risk. And I’m not going to argue with him over it. Especially if you’re going to act like this.”
Trey wasn’t sure if he should keep his arms around Sadie or bolt for Nathan. Both were furious, the tension in the room so thick you could cut it with a knife.
Ava didn’t back down, gauging her opponent, standing calm before the storm. Ironically enough Leigh had finally gotten hold of herself. No longer did she fight against Nathan, her attention was riveted on Ava. Maybe if they were lucky for a fucking change the vampire finally grasped what kind of position she was in.
“This,” Ava said, gazing down as she rubbed her belly, “is more important than anyone else in this room. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep my son or daughter safe, even if it makes me a monster.” Lifting her head, she whispered, “I feel for you. You’ve been dealt an unfair hand. If things were different I’d try to help you. But I won’t risk my child. It’s never going to happen. It’s best you know that now.”
“You don’t know anything about me.” Leigh’s thought ricocheted through Trey’s mind. His chin darted up, his senses on alert. Everyone’s faces told him they’d heard her as well. “I want to leave,” Leigh informed them. “Let me go.”
“I’ve been listening to your thoughts since you arrived. I know everything about you,” Ava informed Leigh, a frown tugging at the corners of her mouth. “Like where you come from. Who your parents were… We share that, actually. My parents died when I was young too.” Ava joined gazes with Leigh. “I know everything you’ve thought about since you phased here. I know what you’re afraid of. What you’re trying to avoid. I know what you’d try to hide,” Ava shook her head, “not what—who—you’d try to hide.”
After a pause, Leigh’s eyes widened. “You wouldn’t.”
“Oh yes, I would,” Ava whispered, nodding. “Do I have you attention now?”
Tears seeped down Leigh’s face. She closed her eyes and nodded.
What the fuck was Ava talking about?
What had Leigh so shaken?
“Good, you’re finally listening,” Ava said. “You’re going to do what I say from here on in. You won’t argue. You won’t try to run. You’ll do whatever you’re told, whenever you’re told. I’m warning you.” Ava’s irises changed from green to yellow. “If you cause us harm—if you vanish without a trace or stir up any shit—I’ll hunt Brett down and kill him myself.”
Leigh’s eyes flared open and she screamed into Nathan’s hand.
“What the fuck?” Sadie snarled in Trey’s head, clawing at his arm. “She can’t do that!”
“Can’t she?” Trey didn’t blame Ava for protecting her unborn child. In a smooth motion he captured Sadie’s forearms and brought them to her breasts, trapping her hands, keeping her back pressed against his chest. “She’s the Omega’s mate. She can do whatever she wants.”
“I’m going to tell Nathan to let you go now.” Ava took several steps back, inching away from Leigh and Nathan. “I expect you to calm down, pull yourself together and behave while you’re in my home. And a small word of caution? Don’t do this again. There won’t be any second chances.”
Nathan cautiously removed his hand from Leigh’s mouth. Across the distance Trey could see the Beta’s fingers trembling in rage. Leigh slid to the ground and Nathan followed, whispering soft reassurances as he crouched before her. Sadie didn’t stop struggling to get free, wriggling like a worm on a hook, her fury directed at Ava.
“You’re pissed. I get it,” Ava said, turning to Sadie. “But I meant what I said.”
“I think I made a mistake saving you in that alley,” Sadie snarled, her words laced with acid. “I should have left you bleeding out on the ground. I should have left that gaping hole in your fucking head.”
“Maybe.” Ava didn’t take the bait, remaining neutral. “Maybe not.”
“I won’t let you hurt her.”
“How exactly will you stop me? Do you think you can kill me and take your chances with the pack? For the sake of argument, say that happens. Where will you go? To your coven? Are you going to ask them for help? Do you think they’ll give it to you?”