Broken Dreams (Unhingedverse)
Broken Dreams: Chapter 39

CHRISTIAN

This is the hell that Quinn doesn’t speak about. Alpha Miles is a large man at three hundred pounds and almost seventy years old. The bastard is strong, but Duncan isn’t fucking around. When he tried to fight him on the stairs, Duncan shoved him down.

Quinn laughed when Miles clearly broke and snapped a few bones as he rolled and bounced down to the bottom of the stairs, screaming pathetically. Everyone is on edge as they watch this incredibly strong girl walk after the predator who has now found himself switching places with his victim.

“Still predictable,” she murmurs as Jed and Morris yank him up now that he’s broken a hip. It’s cliched in a way, but also amusing that this is how he’s leaving the world. “I wonder if you’d be able to get him strapped to his wheel?”

The wheel in question is huge, with places for someone’s arms and legs to be strapped in. There’s also giant buckets by the ground, and they appear recently used. Water torture maybe?

“What is this used for?” I ask, almost to myself.

“This past time? Definitely some sort of water torture,” Jed says. I walk over to help them get him strapped to the wheel. Water just means it’s easier to electrocute the bastard.

“Water, electricity, or knives, mi amor?” I ask her. No one blinks as they wait for her answer.

It’s as simple as ordering food, maybe even more so.

“Electricity,” she decides. Quinn doesn’t tell me why, making me wonder if he hurt her in ways that involved that too. “There should be cable plugs around here and a battery.”

“Sick son of a bitch,” Callum says, beginning the search. Putting a hood over Miles’ head, I watch as Duncan pulls hard on the wheel to make it spin.

“Stop the wheel,” Quinn says dully, ignoring his screams. His body is upside down, and she grabs a large bucket. Linus moves quickly to help her hold it, submerging Miles’ head inside.

I’m breathing hard as I watch his body spasm in an effort to get a breath, but all there is is water. No oxygen, no mercy. He won’t fucking replace it.

It’s been a while since I’ve tortured someone, but it’s never bothered me. Water shit gets under my skin a little because I almost drowned in a bathtub as a kid when my mother walked away and I slipped under. I can get past it, though, for the honor of watching Miles writhe and shudder.

Linus and Quinn move the bucket to the ground, stepping away as Miles hangs upside down and gasps in breaths. Quinn nods at Jed who is standing by the handle to spin the wheel and he lifts up before yanking it down. Miles is disoriented, the wet hood making things even worse as he screams.

“It’s really too bad mercy took a vacation,” I purr, making Quinn smirk.

“I think someone promised electricity,” she says.

Adira bites her lip, watching as the cable plug is added to the battery.

“I wonder what the other one will do if connected to his dick,” she muses.

“He always has gloves somewhere,” Quinn says, rooting through the different well organized drawers before she replaces some.

“I’ll do it,” Duncan says, wrinkling his nose in disgust. “Your hands aren’t going anywhere near his micropenis.”

“Maybe try his knot if it’s as wrinkled as I imagine it to be,” I suggest.

Duncan snorts in amusement as he takes the gloves from Quinn, yanking Miles’ pants upward since the alpha is upside down again. His cock is shriveled, though it may be because of the trauma. His knot has just enough tissue to hold the clamp as Duncan puts it on him. The screech of pain from Miles is a little dramatic, if you ask me.

“Come have some fun before we turn on the electricity, Quinnie,” Callum says. “The old fart may have a heart attack and kick the bucket when we start.”

Finding knives in another compartment of drawers, I shake my head that he has them. There’s a cruel set of darts that I think Quinn will prefer, though.

“Darts or knives?” I ask her.

Linus chuckles under his breath. “I told her once about my one and only time that I went to a college bar. I played darts by myself the whole time, and there was the most beautiful smile on her face while I told her that story,” he says. “Quinn, let’s play darts?”

The smile she gives him pushes away the darkness. It’s carefree and happy as she remembers that moment. I think Linus may be right, even though I felt so angry and surprised by his sentiment earlier when he said that he wouldn’t change anything because it means that it could have changed the important parts as well.

Handing out darts, I watch as my omegas throw them. It’s even more fun when others try to give them pointers. It takes the edge off the macabre nature of the night, and becomes a bonding activity. Kane and Damon make their way downstairs, declaring the house cleared and the bodies piled up.

They both chuckle as they watch Quinn and Linus, all while Miles screams.

“I’ll give you all of my money. Please! Stop, ow. Fuck!” he cries out to deaf ears.

“We already have your money,” Callum murmurs, checking his phone. “It’s funneling quite nicely, actually.”

“We don’t need to be subtle anymore,” Morris grunts. “Drain it all.”

Callum hits a few buttons, shrugging. “Done. You have nothing that we want, old man. Except those ugly screams.”

I expect that if we could see his face it would be red, blotchy, and angry. It’s nice that he’s nothing more than a target for my girl’s fury. She can finish this part of her healing journey and bury it too.

“Can I have a dagger, Christian?” she asks me.

Nodding, I hand her one, watching as she walks over and pulls out the sharp darts.

“This is for all the children you’ve done this to,” she mutters, stabbing the dagger deep into his side. “This is for Traci. You ruined her, hurt her to the point that she believed you were her god.”

Systematically, she continues to stab Miles, until tears stream down her face. Her chest heaves with emotions as she purges them, gasping for breath.

“Do it,” she whispers, picking up the bucket and upending it over his head.

Quinn steps away until she’s no longer standing in the water, and Duncan turns on the battery. Together, we stand and watch for those who are no longer here or have been sold.

Linus holds Quinn tightly as she sobs, watching as Miles’ knot electrocutes him. It feels like karma is smiling on us as his heart finally fails him. It’s never the electrocution that gets you, it’s the way it fucks with the rest of your body.

“I think it’s time to go,” Kane says softly, leaning down to turn off the car battery. “This house has more than enough ghosts in it.”

Quinn gasps in a breath, nodding as she slowly stops crying as we all leave the basement. The wheel, buckets of water, and all of the torture implements are just a small piece of what went on there I think.

Kane pulls out his phone, holding it in his hand as we leave the house and walk through the woods.

“Almost far enough,” he mutters as we continue, glancing over his shoulder.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

“I need to make sure there’s enough space between us and the bombs. I never cared before, but now we have precious cargo,” he says, gesturing to Adira, Linus, Quinn, and the baby on his back. “Just a few more steps should do it.”

Adira gives him a smile, and I can tell that he’s been trying to be more intentional about his actions. I’ve heard him argue with himself while he’s been living at the Kelly mansion, clueing me in that he also deals with demons that live in his mind.

“Here we go,” he says, hitting a button on his phone.

It’s silent for a moment as we all hold our breaths, and then everything behind us explodes. Glancing over our shoulders, we can see the cloud of smoke and fire, and feel the heat from the explosion even at the back of the property.

Quinn takes a deep, shuddering breath, gazing for a long time at the house. I have a feeling she’s thinking about the girls who never had a chance under Miles’ care, as well the alpha who will never hurt anyone else again.

“Who’s ready to go home?” Callum asks.

“Me,” Linus says as we all nod. Pack Dresmond doesn’t look like they’re ready to move back home any time soon, and I strangely don’t hate it.

One week later

LINUS

It’s a different college campus, yet so much feels the same. The syllabus, the lectures, the first day of classes. What’s different is the anxiety I feel as I walk from class to class.

Reminders that I’m safe, things are different this time, none of it helps as I push into a bathroom stall feeling as if I can’t breathe. Closing my eyes, I drop my head back on the cool metal that makes up the dividers of each stall. It’s just a college campus, why am I feeling like this?

I know. Fuck, I know it’s because I’m all alone here, even though I have pepper spray in my pocket and a pocket knife within easy reach. I’ve heard about all the dangers in this city, as well as what the different mafia families are doing to keep everyone safe.

I know all of this, but my anxiety is telling me I’m in danger and I always will be. I know it’s a liar, but fuck. I can’t get a fucking breath.

My phone vibrates in my pocket, something new that I haven’t had in a decade. Callum gave it to me, telling me to call him if I needed anything. Duncan is in the city meeting with a new client and Christian is working at the construction site. There are people near me.

It’s another reason my anxiety is a liar, because it’s telling me that I’m all alone.

Pulling out my phone, I see it’s Callum. I can’t avoid the call or not answer it because I’m a mess right now. It’ll only make things worse.

“Hey,” I gasp out, my voice weak and raspy. “I can’t⁠—”

“Yeah you can,” he growls. “I can fucking feel how much you’re struggling, you’re just too far to hear me. Hence the call. So here I am. Linus, you are safe. This is how I know that. Adira and Damon both have classes today, and they’ve been watching out for you. Jasper’s kid brother, Bentley, is also on campus as well. He said he’d keep an eye on you too. You’re safe.”

Nodding, I can’t hide the noise of weakness as I force myself to take a breath. It’s a mixture of a whine and a gasp, hot tears of shame sliding down my cheeks.

“Okay,” I whisper.

“It’s not okay,” he says. “What are you feeling? Tell me what’s going on.”

“It feels like I’m unsafe, as if there are people watching me,” I explain. “It tells me I’m alone and no one will look for me if I’m taken. I flinch whenever someone brushes past me, and I’m really on edge. All I can think about is that something is going to happen or that I’m going to get taken.”

“The University of Lyons increased the number of security guards that they have on campus now,” Callum says. “They understand there are concerns about security due to the way auction houses are replaceing new omegas to sell. It’s been a concern for years, as you know because that’s what happened to you. The students are extra vigilant after communication from the university’s president went out at the beginning of the year. Duncan is picking you up when you’re done, and we’re going to keep working on your hand to hand combat. Anything to help you feel safe.”

“Okay,” I sigh.

“And Linus? We would burn the goddamn world down for you,” Callum growls, making my eyes widen. Holy shit. “You’re ours, and we will always make sure you’re safe. The first thing I did was make calls when you were accepted for the fall semester to see what policies were in place. There are blue poles where you can call security if you don’t feel safe. Someone will immediately come to you.”

“The Student Union also has a security office as well. All of your classes are within walking distance of it,” he adds. “Have you eaten at all today?”

The change in topic makes me blink slowly as I attempt to catch up with his question.

“Just the snacks in my bag,” I say. “My stomach has been in knots.”

“Grab a protein shake from the food court, please. That’ll help because it’s cold and sugary,” he says. “Did you know that Omega’s Haven offers therapy sessions? Do you think it would be helpful? We’ve had a rough couple of months.”

I love how he adds himself to the insanity. We’re a unit, a pack, and I have to remind myself that I have people. I’m important to them.

“I think I’d like that,” I murmur. “There was an auction house in Chicago that I was taken to, and I’m still having nightmares about it.”

“Do you remember who runs it?” he asks. I can hear him picking something up, and I imagine that he’s going to write it down.

“Her name was Clara,” I reply. “She was an alpha who ran it.”

“I’ll see what I can replace on her,” he says. “In the meantime, I’ll get some information on the therapy sessions. I’m proud of you for wanting to go. I love you, if I could just follow you around all day, I would. Text me with updates. Anything, okay?”

I know I won’t do that. He’s busy, but I agree anyway.

“I’m going to head to my next class,” I tell him. “I feel better.”

“I’m not sure if that’s true or not,” Callum grumbles, making me smile. His honeyed tone despite his complaint helps.

Saying goodbye, leaving the stall to wash my face and pat it dry. I knew today would be hard, but I let the excitement carry me away.

I’m walking to my next class when my phone buzzes again in my pocket. Chuckling under my breath, I check it, expecting it to be Callum.

Instead, I replace that I’ve been added to a group chat.

The text is attached to a mouthwatering photo of the alpha at the construction site. He’s sweating, and wearing a long sleeved shirt with the sleeves pushed up and jeans. I almost tripped because of a damn crack in the sidewalk.

“That’s so unfair,” I mutter, stepping off the path so I won’t run into anyone as I continue to read the messages.

My alpha enjoys scheming, but this is what I needed. I send responses to all of them, and then head to the food court for a protein shake. Maybe it’ll help with this headache.

I’m not alone anymore, and that’s the gift I needed to remember today.

QUINN

Smiling at the messages in the group chat, I put my tablet down to work on my current project.

“You’re quick on your feet,” I tease Callum. “I think that helped Linus a lot.”

“I was hoping he wouldn’t have a panic attack on his first day,” he admits, sighing. “Triggers and anxiety don’t have a playbook, so it was always going to depend on what tricks his brain decided to play. He said he wants to look into therapy.”

Thinking about that, I nod. “I’ve thought about it,” I sigh. “Being in Miles’ house brought a lot of memories up for me. They’re hard to talk about because they’re so fucked up, and no one needs to hear them.”

“Excuse me. What does that mean?” Callum asks curiously.

“I mean, I need to talk about it, but I don’t think I should with you. You know enough,” I say with a wince. “Duncan, Christian, and you want to save Linus and I from the bad things in life. You’re not responsible for the nightmares you couldn’t have slayed.”

Callum stands from the couch, scooping me into his arms so he can hold me as he steals my spot.

“Fuck, I didn’t think about it like that,” he murmurs, kissing my forehead. “A completely non-invested party it is, then. Thank you for explaining it the way you did.”

Nodding, I lay my head on his chest, happy to listen to him breathe. I’ll never take for granted something so little.

“Can I ask you something?” I ask him. My mind is stuck on Christian now. He’s spent two nights this week at his apartment and I’ve missed him.

“You can ask me anything,” Callum rumbles, making me shiver. “Settle down, Quinnie, or we won’t get anything done.”

Would that be so terrible?

While I thought this, Callum snorts. “I heard that, baby.”

“Getting this train back on the tracks,” I tease him, “what do you think about asking Christian to move in with us?”

“I figured you’d already have asked him,” he says. “You live here too, Quinn. God, you’re impossible.”

Pulling out his phone, I watch as he drafts a letter.

“Who is that going to?” I ask, my eyes moving over the words deed, Linus, Christian and Quinn. “Callum?”

“I am asking Domhnall, my lawyer, to change the deed to the house so that you’re also on it,” he says. “This is your house, I want to make it legal.”

“Callum,” I hiss, twisting to look at him.

“That being said, since your father is no longer with us,” he continues with a smirk, “his estate is being finalized this week. It’s going to split his assets between you and your mother. Ayla will probably want to sell everything. What do you think?”

“I don’t want any part of that house,” I agree. “I want our photos, though. Everything else can be sold. How did this happen?”

“I forged the will,” Callum says with a shrug. “Domh and Caelin are expert forgers. They were happy to help. We should make sure to open an account for you.”

Nodding, I agree. Cerenity and Augustine have been paying me in cash in the meantime. I need somewhere to put the money instead of a drawer in my nest.

“This conversation didn’t go the way I thought it would,” I say, watching as he sends the email.

“You hyped it up in your head,” he teases me. “Now, you just have to work from this spot. I don’t want to move.”

“Such a punishment,” I laugh, grabbing my laptop to continue working. His purr makes me melt against his chest, relaxing me completely.

Finishing up my work, an hour later, I pull up one of The Little Rabbit’s latest podcasts. I’ve been trying to catch them as they’re uploaded so I won’t blow hours of my day catching up. It’s become a guilty pleasure. Linus doesn’t even bother to tease me about it, because he wants all the latest tea.

“When did we start allowing people to tell us what to do?” she asks. “Not only that, but we stopped asking if it made sense as well. I’m guilty of this, I am. Our parents are the first authority figures in our lives that we listen to, giving them blanket permission to guide us in life. That’s why they’re there, right?”

“The issue with this is that they’re not always on our side. It’s sad to say, but really think about it. Do your parents have your best interests at heart, or do they have theirs? Today, I’m asking you to apply that same logic to other so-called authority figures in our communities,” The Little Rabbit says. Callum grunts at her words, and I have a feeling I know where this is going.

“Emilia Richardson and ROWS are organizing mixers for unattached omegas to replace a pack. Personally, you know I have a lot of issues with this organization due to her possible ties with sex trafficking⁠—”

“Oh fuck,” I gasp.

“Little Rabbit isn’t fucking around,” Callum says with a small chuckle.

“—which means that she’s not someone I believe you should entrust your love life or future to,” The Little Rabbit says. “I feel so strongly about this that I’m working with Hollis Edwards to bring free dating mixers once a month. It will be capped to a hundred people, and she will be sending me all of the details once she’s finalized them.”

“You won’t have to dress a certain way, have X amount of money in the bank, or have to prove that you deserve this,” she says. “The link will be posted here to register for them once I have it, and you’ll just show up. Alphas will be pulled from her spreadsheet of eligible packs, who are men and women that have been properly vetted. All omegas are welcome to come to this. Hollis has very high results for these events.”

Signing off soon after this as she wraps things up, I shake my head as if shaking off a trance.

“Do you want to help me do something really bad?” I ask Callum.

“You don’t need permission to fuck up someone’s day,” he says. “You’re also going to be better at coding than I am, baby. I will, however, join in on the fuckery. Spill.”

Grinning, I settle against him as I type and talk.

“How do you feel about playing Robin Hood today? Emilia is pissing me off, and I want to funnel some money out of her account,” I explain.

“Who are we sending it to?” he asks, knowing I don’t want it.

“Omega’s Haven,” I decide. “Building supplies are expensive.”

“They are,” he says, sounding amused by my words. “Drain ROWS accounts so no one can complain that we’re targeting Emilia, even though we are.”

“I don’t know who would want to protect her,” I grumble. “She must have some serious dirt on her protectors.”

“I wouldn’t doubt it,” he sighs.

Moving through the networks, I replace a ROWS bank account and tell the bank that it’s going to the venue they hired for the mixers. Instead, I direct through a few other accounts before depositing it into Omega’s Haven’s instead. Just as I’m finishing, the front door opens.

Pack Dresmond and my men are home.

“How was your day?” I call out, standing to stretch. Callum gets up, squeezing my ass with a grin as he goes to help Duncan with the bags of food he has in his hands.

“Better,” Linus says honestly as I walk out to hug him.

“I already have a paper to write,” Adira says, making a face as she rubs her stomach slightly. She said that she’s been feeling tired recently, so she’s started napping more often.

“I have some research to work on,” Damon says, sighing. “I started in between breaks at the library while Adira caught some sleep in a little booth there.”

“You’d think it would be hard to nap somewhere so public, but it was surprisingly easy,” she says.

Adira and her pack spend most of their time here now. I love how full of life the mansion is, and getting to see them so often.

Squeezing Linus’ hand, I watch as everyone else moves to the kitchen to eat. Christian is taking his work boots off, watching us with interest.

“What are you two up to?” he asks with an easy smile.

“Will you move in with us?” I blurt out, enjoying the feelings of surprise and excitement from my bond with Linus.

“Wait, what?” Christian asks, confused.

“I hate it when you go back to your apartment,” Linus confesses.

“The bed isn’t right without you in it,” I add, pouting.

“I don’t live here, though,” Christian says gently.

“I think our omegas are trying to fix that,” Duncan says, stepping out into the foyer. “They’ve been thinking about it a lot.”

Realizing that he and Callum have been catching our thoughts, I blush.

“We have. And, you do live here on paper, well as soon as the paperwork goes through,” I say quickly. “Callum just emailed his attorney to update the deed.”

“He did what? Callum!” Christian yells.

Shit, is he mad?

“Are you going to be difficult about this?” Callum asks, coming out of the kitchen to join us. “I figured this would be easier than hacking into the leasing office and breaking your lease.”

“You’d make me homeless. Why am I not surprised?” Christian snorts.

“Whatever it takes to make our omegas happy,” Duncan says unabashedly. “We are also not above kidnapping.”

“So does that mean you’re moving in?” Linus asks, smirking.

“I guess it does,” Christian says with a laugh.

“You won’t mind the extra drive time every morning?” Callum asks, brow raised.

“Not if it means I get to pick Linus up after. I think that’s a win,” he says.

Walking together to the kitchen with us, he wraps his arms around my shoulders.

“I guess we have a lot of things to celebrate,” he murmurs.

“Are orgasms included?” I ask, feeling giddy.

“Always,” Christian says. “Prepare for a late night.”

That’s not a punishment, ever.