36. Blake

36

Blake

I jolt awake.

It's time and yet, Luca isn't in his nest. I can feel his need and terror running through me but he's not here. Panicked, I rush to my nest, Grayson calling after me. I don't answer, grumbling when I find it empty. "Where's Luca?" I cry. Did he leave? Did Hudson take him? Unconsciously, I wrap a hand around my neck and start checking the bed and the bathroom. Neither one reveals Luca. When I run back into the hall, Grayson steadies me with his hands on my shoulders. "Luca. Where is Luca? He's in heat. He's scared. Where's my cupcake?"

Tears stream down my face as the sound of water hits my ears and I take off toward the guest bathroom, growling at the locked door. He's so scared and he's in pain, trying to help himself.

"Cupcake, open the door. Luca, we can help you. Please." I jiggle the handle, trying to push against the wood with no luck. Grayson has to yank me away, Luther moving into the room to kick the door open. I don't expect to see Luca trying to fuck himself on his fingers, his body blue from the cold water of the shower. He's shaking uncontrollably, tears streaming down his cheeks as he puts a hand out, whimpering about how we can't help him. "I don't understand. Luther, help him. He needs us."

I try to break free of Grayson's hold and fail, only able to watch as Luther steps inside the bathroom to retrieve my Omega. Luca shies away from him, screaming something incoherent. I don't understand this change and I hate how it's making me feel. I need to go to him, to bring him back with me, to fuck him, to love him. " Alpha. " This time the plea is meant for Grayson.

He nuzzles the side of my head. "I know, baby. I know. Luther's got him."

Luca is still screaming, the sound tearing at my heart as I hold my breath. An Omega in heat and distress is a terrible combination but Luther's purr silences the screams and I can finally relax. "Little Omega, why would you lock yourself in here? We've been preparing for this. Come on."

"You can't touch me! Hudson says you're going to jail!" He throws a leg out, intending to kick Luther away but fails miserably. My Alpha catches his ankle and drags him forward, Luca still struggling before his instincts make him give in. "You can't. You can't." His phone is still clutched in his hand and I realize that Hudson must have texted him at some point. Luca's face contorts, my little Omega hissing as his scent sweetens. He must be experiencing cramps every few minutes at this point, needing a knot and yet he's resisting for us.

Luther quickly dries him off and carries him to his nest, placing him on his back. I pull Grayson with me to kneel beside Luca, hoping my presence will calm him. His fingers curl into the hem of my shirt, his glassy eyes terrified as they meet mine.

"You have to let them help you, cupcake."

"No! Hudson will take them from us. No."

I shake my head, bowing to press my head to his. "He won't do that, cupcake." I swallow back the whine that's threatening to push forth as I choose to lie to Luca for the very first time in my life. "I promise he won't take our Alphas from us." The laws are very firm when it comes to Alphas fucking mated Omegas. They need the permission of each and every last Alpha mated to that Omega. Without it, my Alphas will end up in jail or tied up in a legal process that will ruin my family.

I know that Luther and Grayson have this covered but I also know that I'm at risk of losing one or both of them at some point. I look up to see both of them staring at me, all of us sharing the same thought. I choose not to deal with what will happen in the future and focus on the here and now. Luca reaches out for relief, Luther stealing him first. The silence is overwhelming and heavy with a sadness I didn't expect.

Luca scratches at Luther's chest for a bite, angling his head to the side, showing off the side that Hudson claimed. Each time, Luther merely places a kiss to the skin, denying Luca of his one and only desire. It isn't until he starts screaming that Hudson is here, scratching at his neck like he did with Grayson, and that I realize why Luca is so fucking adamant about this bite.

He wants Hudson out of his head.

I watch, unable to do anything, my hands fisted on my knee as Luca succumbs to the madness of his heat. I thought this was going to be a beautiful progression into our new life and instead, I'm stuck here, unable to soothe the true cause of his pain. I thought bringing Luca here would protect him. I might have just brought him here to condemn him.

Luca's cries start to soften as he curls into Luther's chest, passing out almost immediately when Luther's knot swells inside of him. My Alpha sits up, allowing Luca to rest against him, his dark eyes tortured with the reality of our situation. "I won't bite him, Blake. I can't do that. Not without everyone's approval. We're already breaking the law and I can't foresee it going over well. However, a bite is an entirely different issue." His gaze falls on me.

"You can't ask that of me, Alpha. You know how much I want Luca but not at your expense."

He nods, offering me a small smile. "You won't be getting rid of me that easily, love. I take that as a yes?" I nod and he turns to my other Alpha. "Grayson?"

My beautiful Alpha shifts forward, running a hand through Luca's hair before responding. "Next time he asks, give him what he needs. I would be honored to have Luca as part of this pack. It'll be a hard road ahead, but he deserves more than what life has given him."