“About as well as anyone who’s in mourning can be expected to be.” As Renee had said she didn’t mind if Bree shared the session with the other omegas, Bree gave the primary a quick rundown of it.
Sighing, Dani shook her head. “It’s all just so devastating. I’m making the arrangements for Benny and Crawford’s memorial. It’ll be held in two days. I don’t suppose Renee told you where she and Benny’s parents want his ashes scattered, did she?”
Bree shook her head. Pallas cats didn’t bury their dead, they cremated the bodies—it was a centuries-old tradition for their kind. “If you’d come twenty minutes earlier, you could have asked her yourself.”
Dani stilled. “She stayed over? Oh God, please tell me she’s not as hungover as you.”
“Well …”
Dani’s mouth dropped open. “Jesus, Bree, she came here for help with her grief, and you got her blind drunk instead?”
“Not blind drunk. We had a little buzz going on, that’s all.” They’d downed a shot each time they thought of a real good memory about Benny; they’d drank to what a good, albeit damaged, guy he’d been. “We kicked back with a movie and some munchies. She fell asleep at some point, so I set her up in Alex’s spare bedroom to sleep it off.”
Dani shook her head. “I cannot believe you, Bree.”
“Is it so wrong that she and I dealt with her grief with laughter more than tears? That we spent a night celebrating his life rather than simply mourning his death?”
“Grief is a process. You can’t deal with it by extracting that emotion.”
“I didn’t extract her grief, I just helped ease it in a different way than you would have done. But let’s be honest, you’ll always find fault in whatever approach I take.” Bree gave her a brittle smile. “Maybe you can ask Renee if she’d like to make an official complaint about me—that would sure help you build your bullshit case, wouldn’t it?”
“There is no case, you’re being paranoid.”
“No, I’m not. You’d like me out of the way, and you want people to believe I’m too unstable to be primary—then they won’t care that you’re less powerful than me, will they?”
“You’re twisting things.”
“I’m calling you on your bullshit. You really need to reconsider whether it’s wise to go down this path. You don’t want to push me any harder than you already have.”
Dani’s eyes flared. “Is that a threat?”
“It’s advice. I’d take it, if I were you. Because if it comes to a battle between you and me, I’ll win. And we both know it.”
“You think winning a battle would be enough to make you primary?” Dani shook her head. “You won’t take this position from me. Your omega abilities might be growing in strength, but strength isn’t enough. You lack every quality a primary needs. Hell, you lack most of the qualities a standard omega needs to—”
“Okay, you’re done.” Alex pushed away from the counter. “Go.”
Dani’s spine snapped straight. “I’m talking to Bree.”
“You’re talking down to Bree. And I don’t fucking like it. I wouldn’t let anyone else talk to my woman like that. You don’t get a free pass just because you’re the primary omega. So either get out, or I’ll put you out.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“What, you think your status in the pride will hold me back? That it protects you somehow? You couldn’t be more wrong. Especially since it’s a status that no longer rightfully belongs to you—something you’ll have to make your peace with sooner or later. Now get the fuck out of my apartment.”
Bree squeezed one eye shut, expecting Dani to explode, but the primary didn’t. In fact, Dani flicked her gaze to the wall as she drew in a breath. It was almost like she wasn’t just taking in air, she was sucking in all her emotions. A mask of cold calm fell over her face as she exhaled. Wow, impressive.
Lifting her chin, Dani pressed her lips together and stiffly straightened her blouse. “We’ll talk another time, Bree,” she said, a hard edge to otherwise cool words. She didn’t storm out, she elegantly strolled out of the room at a leisurely pace—didn’t even slam the front door shut behind her when she left.
Bree scrubbed a hand down her face. “Such an awesome start to the morning. Hopefully she’ll take my advice and back off.”
“You know better than that,” he said.
“I can hope, though, can’t I?”
He stroked a hand over her hair. “Yeah, you can hope.” His cell began chiming. He grabbed it from the kitchen counter and swiped his thumb over the screen. “Yes?” he answered.
She almost snorted. He didn’t even do “hellos” when taking a phone call.
“All right, I’ll be there.” Alex’s whole body went rigid. “You are shitting me?” He cursed. There was a long pause, and then his eyes flicked to Bree. “Yeah, I’ll tell her.” He rang off, his jaw hard.
She stood. “What’s wrong?”
“Vinnie went to see Mateo, intending to banish the little fucker from the pride.”
The Alpha had ripped her a new asshole over the phone last night when she’d told him what Mateo had done, insisting she should have reported it immediately. “And?”
“And he’s gone. There were no signs of a struggle, but he didn’t pack any of his stuff. His cell phone was smashed to pieces.”
“Just like with Drina,” Bree whispered, her stomach bottoming out.
Alex nodded. “People are already speculating that Paxton took him. They don’t know what Mateo did to you, but they know he must have upset you badly. Plus, many saw him barge into your house after the polar bear clusterfuck—they’re figuring that Paxton didn’t like it much and decided to get rid of him.”
“Which is highly possible.” She rubbed a hand down her face. “I’m pissed at Mateo, Alex, so damn pissed. But I wouldn’t want him in the hands of someone like Paxton.”
Alex palmed the back of her head. “We don’t know for sure that Paxton took him.”
“But you think he did, don’t you?”
“There’s a chance Mateo ran off but, yeah, I think he was taken. I can’t think of anyone other than Paxton who’d want to get ahold of him. Calvin was being watched, as usual. His guards say he hasn’t left his apartment since yesterday morning.”
She grabbed onto the back of a chair. “I’m so worried that he might try to take you.”
“I’m with you all the time, and you’re too closely guarded. Paxton will wait rather than risk being seen.”
She nodded. “He’s incredibly patient like that.”
“Vinnie also wanted me to tell you that he’s been given another tip for the hyena’s location. I’m going with him to check it out. We’ll be leaving in an hour or so.”
Bree flexed her fingers. “I hate staying behind while you guys all scout places.”
Alex could totally understand that, because he’d feel the same way in her position. “I know you do, but—”