𝐃𝐞́𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐫 || 𝐒𝐞𝐨𝐤𝐒𝐨𝐨

Chapter 34

They moved everyone out of the kitchen, kept the kids on the second floor, and waited for the police to arrive. Joshua refused to go upstairs to bed and rest like Seokmin wanted, but he agreed to lie on the couch in the second living room while he made a series of phone calls. Seokmin, still on edge, stood guard next to him, his arms folded.

“Cops are here,” Seungcheol called from the front of the house.

“Show them in,” he called back.

Joshua reached for his hand, squeezing it. “It’ll be fine. You were protecting your heavily pregnant mate. They can’t fault you for that.”

“I’m not leaving you alone,” Seokmin insisted. “If they want me to come in…”

“We’ll deal with that bridge when we come to it,” Joshua said, his voice low and soothing. “Take a deep breath, Min. Breathe in my scent, let it ground you.”

Something about the omega called him by a nickname helped. Seokmin let Joshua’s voice wash over him and did just that, allowing the omega’s scent to ease the knot of tension within him.

When the police officers stepped into the room, he managed a nod and a greeting. “Deputy Jackson, Officer Blake, thank you for coming. You’ll find the intruder under guard in our kitchen. He assaulted three people, including my mate and a toddler.”

The officers took in Seokmin’s torn, bloodstained clothing and Joshua huddled on the couch.

“I guess I’d better call the sheriff,” the deputy said. “Is the intruder still alive?”

“Ambulance is already on its way,” Seokmin confirmed. “One of our people has a concussion,” he added, “and my mate is very shaken up. We’re concerned, given his condition.”

Joshua acted the part perfectly, wrapping an arm around his bump to emphasize his obvious pregnancy and giving the officers a wary, wide-eyed stare.

“I’ll check where that ambulance has got to,” Deputy Jackson said.

“And call for backup. Blake, head to the kitchen and assist in keeping the intruder subdued. Do you know this guy?” he asked them.

“You remember that buffalo everyone thought was a drifter?”

“Sure, the one who attacked an omega on your land.” His gaze strayed to Joshua. “Same guy?”

“Same guy. Turns out we know him. Flint Saunders. He was the alpha that my buddy Duke’s ex took up with. Nasty piece of work. When you take him in, you might want to tell the state police to run his information against  any evidence they’ve gathered from the Omega House fire. Seems like he’s been holding this grudge for a while.”

The deputy stepped outside to make some calls while the officer joined the others in the kitchen.

“You’re doing great, Seokmin,” Joshua said softly.

“So are you. Are you sure you feel okay? No pain anywhere?”

The omega went to sit up, and Seokmin helped him, crouching down beside him.

“No pain,” Joshua promised. “But I will need to shift soon.”

He took Seokmin’s hands in his and pressed them to his bump. “They’re kicking a lot. I think they’re trying to say hi to their daddy.”

Seokmin closed his eyes and let his senses focus in on them, his hands feeling every flutter of movement beneath Joshua’s skin, his ears picking up the galloping heartbeats of their little ones.