Broken Dreams (Unhingedverse)
Broken Dreams: Chapter 25

CALLUM

“Quinnie, want to help me with something?” I ask her.

I’m working for a client but want to get her started on rebuilding her skills as a hacker. This particular client is looking to replace patterns in who may be stealing from him, which is tedious work. Quinn doesn’t have to worry about triggering any security within networks for this, and I want to see what she can do.

Glancing at me from where she’s curled up on the couch, she nods. I can feel the curls of curiosity inside her mind, and I’m so damn happy to have been able to be claimed with her bite.

“I have a client who is having trouble replaceing where the holes are in their business accounts. Money keeps coming up missing each month, yet the trail seems to stop cold,” I explain. “Want to take a crack at it and see if you can brush up on your skills?”

A shadow passes over her face, making me frown as I sit up. Linus is in the kitchen making a snack, while Duncan is talking with Cerenity’s pack about the party. We’re pulling all of our allies in for this.

“What is it?” I ask. “Do you not want to work on this? Baby, you don’t have⁠—”

“It’s not that,” she says in my mind. “I’m not ready to talk about it yet. I used to do some hacking for Alpha Miles when I was with him. The memories aren’t pleasant. It’ll be nice to build some new ones. I don’t want him to take something else that I loved away from me.”

Quinn crawls across the couch to sit closer to me, while my heart freezes in terror. I can’t imagine what this son of a bitch could have done to attempt to ruin something like this. My hands are around her waist and pulling her against me before I can help myself, and I’m scent marking her.

“I’m okay,” she whispers to me. I almost wish she’d tell me about it because my mind is trying to conjure a lot of fucked up shit.

I know she can see it now that we’re bonded, and I don’t want her to be exposed to what I’m thinking. Kissing her forehead, I force myself to stop as I grab my laptop.

“Do your thing, Quinnie. If you think you may trigger a security measure in a network, give me a heads up,” I say. There’s a glimmer of determination in her gaze as she leans back to look at me and nods.

I don’t know even a sliver of how deep her trauma goes, but what I do know is that it hasn’t broken her.

“Try to have fun,” I remind her.

“Do we care about what happens to the person who is stealing?” she asks, deflecting.

“That’s not my monkey or my circus,” I say. “Let me know if there’s some sort of reason for it happening, and we’ll revisit it.”

Nodding, she settles in to work, and my arm snakes around her waist as I grab a tablet to continue my day with by balancing it on my thigh. Quinn is relaxed against me, her fingers tapping along the keyboard as she familiarizes herself with the account.

Having her here reminds me of a promise I made. Maybe she’ll be more willing to share her past if we’re able to replace out if omegas can bond together. While she could simply bite Linus, a part of me wonders if she’s afraid to in case it doesn’t work.

This is important to her, so it’s important to me. It’ll also be good for Quinn to meet other omegas that aren’t stuck up before the party.

It’s basic protocol for me to call one of Flynn and Wren’s alphas instead of them, so I pull my phone out to call Shaw before I start anything else.

“Hello?” his gruff voice answers, and I get more comfortable on the couch to speak with him. Quinn barely notices, fully engrossed in her task. Whatever she did for Alpha Miles, it meant that her skills are still on point.

Coding and hacking really is like riding a bike for her. It’s an ingrained sense for the language and technology. Anything that’s new or different because things have changed in the time she’s been gone are things she can learn while she works.

It’s the reason I chose something that was tedious instead of heavy on intricate details.

“Afternoon, Shaw,” I greet him. We have a few hours before Linus and Quinn need to work tonight since it’s Saturday, so no one is in a hurry to get ready yet. This is the lull of comfort that I cherish with my pack. “Have a second to talk?”

“What’s up? How are your omegas settling in? Any other issues at Cerenity’s club?” Shaw asks.

The way he asks that makes my brows draw down in concern. “What don’t I know?” I ask in return. “I don’t understand why you’d ask that.”

Shaw blows out a heavy sigh, and I can imagine him rubbing his beard in annoyance. This man hates to show his cards. Unfortunately, he’s going to need to spill what he knows, because I’m not going to back down until he does.

“Fuck. Christian Sanchez is looking to stay in Minneapolis for a while, and he petitioned Corbin for permission,” he says. “It’s by no means a secret that the alpha is pretty lovesick.”

“Maybe he shouldn’t have fucked up,” I state. I can bend for my omegas. I can even agree that if they decide to accept Christian, we’ll go with the flow, but the truth is that I don’t really like the prick. “What else is he up to? Is he trying to get the families to accept him?”

“Am I on speaker phone yet?” Shaw asks, amused. He knows that it’s pretty much the standard to do if we’re discussing our omegas.

“Not yet, do you need to be?” I reply.

“I can still hear him through you, so neither of you are being sneaky,” Quinn whispers in my mind.

Fuck, I adore her so much. I don’t want to keep secrets from her, and Shaw doesn’t need to know about our recent bond.

“No, I don’t want to upset Linus or Quinn,” he says. “You can tell them whatever they need to know.”

Pack Mohan is very selective about their omegas getting involved in mafia bullshit, which is completely up to them. Quinn is going to be front and center in it as she steps into her father’s position. Even though she knows what’s being said through me, I think Shaw needs to be reminded of her bid for power.

“Quinn is with me, and she’s going to be one of the senior leaders of the mafia world very soon,” I grunt. “Does that change your answer?”

“Man, I fucking hate politics,” he groans. I bark out a laugh, because he’s Corbin’s political consultant at this point. Shaw is very good at seeing how all the moving pieces work.

I think his gut instinct is to protect all omegas from the bullshit, and it’s done in good faith. Quinn doesn’t need to be protected from things, though, because she’s reminded me ad nauseam that it causes more issues when she’s blindsided by something.

I can learn from my mistakes, and if I can, so can everyone else.

“It’s not politics if it’ll bite her in the ass later,” I say.

“Yes, you’re right. Alright, put me on speaker,” Shaw says.

Quinn smirks as she twists in my lap a little to show that she’s listening as I hit the button to project Shaw’s voice.

“Hi, Quinn,” he says, amusement and disgruntlement at himself clear in his voice. “Christian Sanchez sat down with Corbin and I last night to discuss remaining in Minneapolis for an extended period of time. I explained that he needs to show his commitment not only to you and Linus but also to the mafia community at large.”

Quinn bites her lip in thought, and I move the laptop off her lap in exchange for her mini tablet so she can join the conversation if she wants to.

“How will he do that?” she asks through her device.

“Quinn? Well, I’ll be goddamned, girl. Corbin mentioned that you spoke to him, but I didn’t understand how fucking nice it would be to hear you,” he says.

My lips twitch at how genuine Shaw is. He’s got a good heart for how old fashioned he is. Everyone’s heard about her disappearance, even if they never met her before. Quinn is a beloved mafia icon, the girl who was lost and is found again.

His shock is the real deal, showing how more people than not will want to help her.

“Hi,” she says, and I imagine the cute little embarrassed squeak it would be if it wasn’t generated through a device. Technology can only get us all so far, but it gives her the assistance she needs for conversation.

“Fuck, I’ll try to get my shit together,” Shaw apologizes. “So Christian has his head pretty far up his ass, so Corbin and I decided to serve him a slice of humble pie by making it part of his entrance into the community by helping Wren and Aisling with the build for the transitional housing project they’re working on.”

“With Omega’s Haven?” Quinn asks. “I only recently learned of it, but I’ve been poking around their website and some of the servers that talk about the organization. I somehow doubt Alpha Sanchez will have any idea how to build anything.”

Shaw snorts, but all I can think about is how she’s trying to push Christian away by calling him that. Fuck, Baby Girl. I see you.

“You’re not wrong, Quinn. I’m sure he knows how to put together and pull apart his highly weaponized toys, but he admitted that he’ll be useless on a build like this,” Shaw says. “The point of this is that they need bodies because ROWS is encouraging the construction companies to boycott the shelter’s work. Christian needs to learn to give a shit about someone other than himself.”

Bravo. I can feel Quinn’s smirk in my mind even as her lips twist at Shaw’s words. His inaction had as much to do with his own arrogance and selfishness as it did about not being able to replace the right opportunity. We created ours, instead of waiting around for it.

“I expect lots of bruised fingers,” Quinn mutters. “I bet Emilia is having a damn field day with this.”

“Have you met her yet?” Shaw asks, surprised. “Tread carefully there, Quinn. She’s tits deep in the trafficking world.”

“I don’t need to think about that bitch’s saggy tits,” I groan. “Emilia has a podcast that Quinn listens to religiously so she can rage about her.”

“She’s a damn menace. Wren likes to listen to The Little Rabbit’s responses and cheer,” Shaw says.

I grin because I am well acquainted with The Little Rabbit, and her well placed presence on Omega Link. The girl likes to give Emilia white hair, that’s for damn sure.

“I do too!” Quinn exclaims. “Ah, so this is a little awkward, but making new friends is painful with my life being a shit storm. Is there any chance Wren and Flynn would be interested in meeting up with Linus and I one day?”

“Yes,” Shaw says. “I’ll have Wren call you. I mean, well yeah, I’ll just use this number.”

I can tell he’s tripping over his words because of Quinn’s mutism, but I can see he’s trying. In many ways it’s selective because she’s able to push out words when she’s relaxed. This is very much trauma focused.

I’m not going to pressure her to fight with it, though. I doubt there are any therapists that would be qualified in our area, though I’m adding it to my list to verify if there are or not.

“Thank you,” Quinn says. “So, what other qualifications do you have for Alpha Sanchez?”

I can feel the bubble of petty glee from her, and I chuckle under my breath. Corbin and his men have her matched for petty. This will be interesting indeed.

“Boring meetings to meet the families, which will include Adira and Cian,” Shaw says. “They’re sure to have some fun toughening him up. We’ve had new people move to our city, but not everyone gets our special brand of welcome. Pack Dresmond was the last pack to enjoy that.”

“God, it was so painful, too,” I groan. “They fucked Adira over, and had to fight for their place not only in her life, but in Minneapolis as well.”

“But they’re so perfect together,” I hear Quinn say in her head.

Sometimes, the unforgivable can be moved past, and that’s why Christian Sanchez has a chance at all with my omegas.

“Know that Corbin and I will make sure to put Christian through his paces,” Shaw says. “The transitional housing is something Wren and Aisling have been discussing because some of the residents have outgrown the shelter part but an apartment is outside of their means. Emilia is a fucking twat for fucking with Omega’s Haven whenever she can.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?” Quinn asks. “I’m just getting back into coding with Callum. Part of my homework could be fucking with her, right?”

I can’t help but wonder at how incredibly selfless she is. A lot of people do stupid shit with their abilities, but Quinn just wants to ensure Emilia Richardson has the day she deserves.

Shaw sounds like he’s having a fit as he struggles to keep his laughter at bay. “Fuck, I really like you, Quinn. I’m glad you’re back in Minneapolis. Stay safe, okay? Pack Mohan will do what we can for our part to help.”

“Thanks, Shaw. Hudson is still blowing me up about this damn party. Would I be remiss if a bullet found its way into his head by way of his daughter?” I ask, sighing.

I won’t take this away from Quinn. If she wants to do the honors, they’re hers. It just has to be a clean kill so Ayla doesn’t suffer. She’s already prepared to possibly die if needed. Quinn is having a hard time with how dead set her mom is on Hudson’s end.

I know exactly who she takes after, always have.

“Not at all. Quinn, I’ll stand in line to hold him for you,” he says. “How’s your aim?”

“It’s getting better,” she replies. “Duncan and Callum want me to be armed for the party, so I’m working on it.”

“Good. Look, I gotta run, but I’ll talk to Wren and Flynn when I get home,” Shaw says.

Quinn nods as I say goodbye and hang up.

“Can I really fuck with Emilia?” she asks, eyes sparkling with mischief.

“Yes. I won’t insult you by reminding you not to get caught, but go for it. After,” I say, moving the tablet to the side so I can replace it with the laptop, “you finish the first thing I asked you to do.”

“Hardass,” she says in my mind.

I think my cheeks are going to start hurting from how happy I am, but I don’t fucking care. This is the best era of our lives, and I’m going to hold on to it tightly.

“It really stays busy here,” I murmur, grabbing a drink from the bar at Club Serenity. Instead of going home, Duncan and I decided to stay at the club until Linus and Quinn’s shifts are over.

Too much shit seems to happen when we’re gone. Ayla is happily at home reading, and said that she’d probably go to bed early. The alarms are set as well.

Hudson can’t control her through their bond, she told me, though he’s been screaming at her. She’s been trying to ignore him, even going so far as to keep earphones on to drown him out with music. There’s a small strain on her face, but she still looks happier than she has in years.

She promised me that it’s but a small price to pay for her and Quinn’s freedom. I swear, she made me emotional when she told me she couldn’t imagine better sons-in-law than us before we left tonight.

It’ll be a huge blow if she doesn’t make it through this.

I’m feeling melancholy tonight as I pick up my drink and take a deep sip.

“That it is,” Duncan grunts as he sips his whiskey. “Let’s replace a spot to watch them. Cerenity said she’d send them out first so we’re not here all night.”

Sometimes, it’s nice to know the boss.

People move out of our way as we cross the club to hold up a wall to watch our omegas. The dancers are working on new routines, which means Linus and Quinn will need to come in earlier to learn them. There are so many figurative spinning plates surrounding them, yet they handle it with grace.

Quinn managed to replace a loose thread in my client’s business accounts, and is slowly pulling at it to replace where it leads. I think if she ever wanted to move into fraud intelligence, she’d do very well. I want to be selfish and offer her a job, or even co-ownership in what I do so we can take on more clients.

I have to let her replace her own way, but there was joy in her face as she followed the breadcrumbs in the account that was amazing to see. I want to clear the shadows I saw earlier, but I understand it all needs to come in her time too.

I can’t force it.

“Who do we trust other than Morris for blood draws?” I casually ask. “I think this may be above his pay grade.”

“I think you’re having a conversation with yourself that you need to clue me in on,” my brother drawls, smirking.

Fucker. “Quinn and Linus mentioned yesterday that they’d like to know what the effects are from all the shit that’s been put into their bodies over the years,” I say cryptically.

While we’re not around anyone at the moment, I still want to be careful about what I say.

“Yeah, I see,” Duncan says. “I’ve been thinking about that too since we discussed it, and I think we should go to Adrain Royal at the hospital. He’s efficient and keeps things confidential. Linus may have his heat normally, or he may need to have it medically induced. Fuck, I hear those suck. I’d rather do testing before heading that route.”

“Same, and that’s what our omegas want as well,” I say, looking around as everyone else enjoys their night.

Carefree, dancing, drinking. Fuck, I feel like an old man some days. There’s a lot to handle before I can completely relax, but I’m enjoying every second I can. I can’t let myself take it for granted.

“Let’s reach out to Dr. Adrain on Monday morning, and in the meantime, let’s plan something fun tomorrow,” I add. “We’ll take Ayla too, pack a lunch, and disappear for the day.”

“Deal. We need a damn breather,” Duncan says. “Quinn and Linus like the fast pace of things because it keeps them in a routine, but we haven’t even been able to take them on a date. The weather is beautiful, let’s enjoy it before the cold rolls in.”

We’re about to head into August tomorrow, so I’m game. A summer walk, picnic, and maybe a nap. I can get behind a lazy day.

The guards begin to walk out with their dancers, and I watch how careful they are with Linus and Quinn. I expect that Cerenity and Augustine weren’t happy about how easy it was for Christian to get to Linus.

As I allow my eyes to move critically, I notice there’s more bouncers around the club than usual.

“Duncan,” I murmur, leaning to speak in his ear. His eyes are glued to our omegas, so I don’t think he’s noticed yet. “Look around as if you were staffing the place with security. What do you see?”

“Huh?” he grunts, making me smirk. Our omegas have us wrapped around their little fingers, and it’s very obvious. Duncan’s narrowed gaze pans across the club, nodding as he does. “There’s double the usual amount of bouncers, and some are in street clothes.”

“Exactly,” I say. “Either something is happening that we don’t know about, or they’re not taking any chances with our omegas. I’m glad for the extra security either way.”

Linus and Quinn climb into the cage, and I shake my head in wonder as it’s raised up toward the ceiling.

“Fuck, that’s high,” Duncan says, eyes wide as he watches.

“We’re completely fine,” Quinn says in our minds. “I’d rather this than be where anyone can touch us.”

“‘Cause then there would be bodies to deal with,” my brother growls back.

Quinn merely grins, our omegas’ masks over their eyes as they begin to dance and twist in the cage. The music thumps, enticing people to dance as they watch the dancers above them. I have to say it’s a smart marketing move, and these dancers are so talented.

It’s unfortunate for them that my gaze is glued to my own dancing omegas. Quinn is wearing a leather corset that is perfect for her knife and holster to slide between her breasts along with tiny black shorts over fishnet stockings. My mouth waters as I watch the way her fingers ghost along Linus’ chest before he grabs her hand and twirls her around so her back is plastered against him. His ass looks amazing in his shorts as he dances with Quinn, their movements perfectly in sync. They’re enjoying themselves as they dance, and it shows.

I don’t think I shift as much as a muscle as I watch them, barely even breathing. Everything feels effortless as Linus drops Quinn between his legs before tossing her up toward the top of the cage for her to continue grinding against the bars. Fuck, I’m so hard, my dick is leaking, and my zipper is proving that tonight was a bad decision to go commando.

Duncan and I drain the rest of our drinks as the cages come down and the guards walk the dancers back to get changed or wait until their next routine. Instead, Quinn and Linus stay up as the next group comes out so they can leave in the next hour.

“They’re some of the best dancers we’ve ever had,” Cerenity says, leaning against the wall next to us.

“I couldn’t stop watching them,” I confess.

“It doesn’t bother you that others are too?” she asks.

“There’s a certain energy in a room full of people when you’re performing,” Duncan says. “If I wasn’t standing here, feeling it through my bond with Quinn, then I wouldn’t be able to understand it. It’s like the noise in her head just quiets and it’s just her, Linus, and the music.”

“Again, I’m poking my nose where it doesn’t belong, so tell me to fuck off. It really won’t bother me,” she says with a shrug. Her electric blue hair is in wild curls in a ponytail to stay out of her face, and I watch her as she pans the expansive club for signs of trouble. We have her attention, but so does everyone else. “What do you feel from Linus?”

“He’s not ready yet for the bond,” I say easily. “His reasons are his own so I won’t share those, but Duncan and I are content to go at their pace.”

“That’s very fair,” she says. “Christian really freaked him out. Linus was whiter than a sheet. I was across the room by the bar where I keep my bat, but I swear I did everything in my power to grab it and ran to him. The man has a fierce right hook. I’d usually beat the fuck out of anyone that touches my dancers, but Christian looked dazed.”

“It’s not every day that your scent match punches you,” Duncan says with a dark smirk. “I just want to know that they can defend themselves if we’re not around for some reason. Fuck it, maybe we’ll add some target practice in the woods tomorrow.”

“I don’t know if that’s my idea of a date, but whatever works,” she says with a grin. “Let me know if you need anything. I’m going to go relieve one of my bartenders. Here, I’ll take those glasses.”

She doesn’t allow us to tell her that we’ll do it ourselves, she merely grabs them and bustles away.

“Thank you,” I call out, knowing she can’t hear me. Shaking my head, I tip my head back against the wall to continue to watch our omegas. “Fuck, they’re gorgeous together.”

“Are weapons not a sexy component to a date?” Duncan asks morosely, making me snicker.

“In my opinion, there’s nothing hotter than either of them with a gun in their hand,” I admit. “We’ll pack them and some targets and play it by ear.”

The most important thing is spending time with them, having experiences, and building new memories.