9. Luther

9

Luther

Luca is currently sleeping on the farthest end of the couch, wrapped up in Blake's bedcover, his nose stuffed so far into the blanket that I'm sure it's going to be difficult to hand Luca back tomorrow morning. Despite the severity of the situation, if Luca's Alpha gives enough of a bullshit answer to the police, I can't legally hold him from his Omega.

I'm currently focused on the way Blake and Grayson are both staring at the poor Omega, hope in their eyes that this might be a step in a different direction. Every time Blake tries to crawl a little closer, Grayson drags him back into his lap, whispering something in his ear to get him to stay put. It only works for a few moments and I have to bury down a laugh to keep from ruining the scene.

An Omega's biology makes them the pinnacle of their pack or the relationship. They crave attention. They like to nurture and to claim. There's no doubt in my mind that Blake has claimed Luca in a very untraditional way for an Omega. Omega's are also highly territorial but watching them in the same space, I can see that Luca would run this house—not Blake.

Blake has never once given a fuck about the house décor, what happens in the kitchen, or what pillows go in his nest. Just so long as there are pillows and we're present, Blake is happy. He spends more time building video games than following us around. I used to think I'd want a purely submissive Omega that would bend to my will but I don't think I could handle someone that sweet.

Not until Luca.

I sigh, a sound that turns into a growl when Blake tries to crawl over to Luca again. He glares at me, his sweet little ass propped up in the air, my Omega on all fours. He's inches from cuddling up beside Luca and as much as I want to see them wrapped around each other again, it needs to be Luca's choice.

Blake doesn't fight me when I tug him over the back of the couch and into my arms, the weariness he's been trying to hide suddenly taking a toll on him. Between working a full-time, high-stress job and this current situation, Blake needs rest and I would not be a good Alpha if I let him continue to push himself. "Let's go, love."

"But-"

"He will still be here when you wake up but I will not have you keeling over. You're my Omega to protect, alright?" His brows furrow and his lip juts out in a pout wholly uncharacteristic of him. I lean down to nip at it before settling my hands on his waist. "Blake, he is also my Omega to protect which is why I'm telling you to go rest."

"With him."

"No." God, having two Omegas is going to be a nightmare. Gone is the sassy brat of an Omega I mated. In his place is an Omega who wants to keep eyes on his most precious person and I don't blame Blake for one second. Unfortunately, Luca hasn't consented to anything more than coming home with us, and finding himself in Blake's nest might be a step too far for him.

Blake holds my gaze for several seconds before breaking it and looking back over at Luca. "He'll still be here?"

"Yes, love. He's not going anywhere tonight."

My Omega gives in and leans up to press a kiss to my lips before heading down the hallway. He probably won't sleep, not unless one of us joins him which I'm going to give Grayson that wonderful task. Luca is now my responsibility and I'm going to make sure he has absolutely everything he needs. Grayson catches onto my line of thought as he too climbs over the back of the couch and stands beside me.

"Blake is going to be a nightmare, you know that, right?"

"I wouldn't expect anything less. Just make sure he actually sleeps. Fuck him if you have to. I don't want to limit his hours at his own company but I won't be able to handle it if his health declines." I've watched other Omegas forced into the workforce and fall apart because their biology just can't handle stressful environments. It's a fucking awful gift from Mother Nature but it's the way of the world.

Grayson laughs, patting my arm. "I'm sure fucking our Omega will be such a hardship. Letting him fall asleep on my knot while-"

I wrap a hand around the Alpha's throat to cut off his words, playfully growling in his face. "Quit it. You're making me hard and we don't have time for me to fuck you." My thumb massages the side of his neck before I pull him into a soft kiss, loving the way he immediately melts against me. In the push to finish the new game updates at work, it's been nearly impossible to find time for our private lives.

That will have to change.

"Go. I've got Luca."

I round the couch and crouch down, staring at the small puffs of breath coming from the Omega. His sweet scent is starting to mix with Blake's as if they both were always present here. I won't admit it to the other two but I've been at half-mast since I walked into the hospital room, Luca's scent telling me that he isn't far from a heat. My Alpha wants him but that's for the Omega to decide. I'll never take that choice from him.

"Sweetheart," I whisper, surprising myself at the tenderness in my voice. I don't even speak to Blake like that. Luca stirs slightly, an unfettered moan falling from his lips. He blinks a few times and then twists to meet my gaze, glassy eyes full of uncertainty making my heart hurt a little more than it already does. "Let's get you a bath, alright?"

He frowns, tightening his grip on the blanket before looking around. His breath picks up as he sits up, disoriented and obviously confused as to why he's here alone. Tears glaze his eyes as he turns back to me. "Blake-"

"Needed the rest. Grayson is with him and I need to clean you up, sweetheart. The doctor gave me some medicine for you but we need to take a bath and get some food in you before that." I reach a hand out toward him, his eyes growing wide with fear. It takes me a moment to realize he's not scared of me. He just doesn't want to lose the blanket. "You can keep Blake's blanket. I won't take that from you."

I slowly put out my arms like I did at the hospital, waiting for Luca to curl into them. Something grows in my chest—a need, maybe a craving to have Luca in my arms like this all the time. I push that feeling down even as Luca curls into me, his nose rubbing along my collarbone. His body shivers against me as I walk us toward the guest bathroom.

"It doesn't smell like Blake in here."

Luca will be embarrassed in the morning but I know he finds our scents safe. I also know that Grayson and Blake will have no problems being coated in Luca's scent. Changing course, I bring Luca into our main bathroom, grateful that a second entrance was built so we don't have to walk through the nest. I'm not sure I could resist laying Luca in the middle of us and wrapping him up for the night.

The Omega peeks out of the blanket as I set him down on the toilet, drawing up a heated bath and placing descenter in the water. Luca's scent strengthens and I turn around to see him watching me, intrigued and terrified at the same time. "I'll leave you alone, sweetheart. They removed many of the bandages so you won't have to do anything."

Luca peeks at the water, bubbles rising and foaming before looking at me. "Don't leave me." He tightens the blanket around his shoulders again, shaking his head. "I… don't want to be alone."

"Sweetheart." I crouch in front of him, loving the way he leans forward for my touch. I gladly give it to him, caressing his cheek in my palm as I wipe his tears away with my thumb. "You're going to be alright, okay? However, I need to get you out of that hospital gown and you need food in that belly." Luca scoots forward, nuzzling into my hand. His eyes are closed, telling me that he trusts me and my pack. An honor.

Luca slowly lets go of the blanket when I tug, the pitiful fabric called a gown barely holding onto his shoulders. Quentin cleaned the cuts and bruises one last time before removing all of the bandages aside from the one on his neck and shoulder. I haven't seen the damage but Quentin mentioned that the wound was gruesome, that an Alpha should be charged to the fullest extent of the law for that kind of damage.

Deciding to take charge, I slip the gown from his shoulders, a gasp falling from Luca's lips when the bruises littered across his chest are revealed. He wraps his arms around himself, eyes downcast as I pull the gown off the rest of him. I run my tongue along my top teeth, trying to curtail my anger at what I'm seeing.

"Luca," his name is strained on my tongue as the Omega shivers, avoiding my stare. "Sweetheart."

The tears come back as Luca pushes away my hands before pulling me closer to shield himself with my chest. "Don't ask. Please don't ask. I just… don't ask." Luca is going to break my heart, isn't he? I can't imagine the horrors he's gone through since before he was mated.

"I won't ask. Are you up for a bath?" I didn't even think about how much the hot water might hurt his open cuts but Luca merely just nods and it takes everything in me not to stomp outside and search for that Alpha to rip his arms off. Carefully, I pick Luca back up and settle him in the warm bubbly water before stepping back. He stares at the bubbles for several seconds before reaching out to me. I give him my hand, watching as he wordlessly tugs me forward. "If you need something little Omega, I need your words."

I'm already overstepping by taking care of another Alpha's Omega—however, these are special circumstances. At least, that's what I'm telling myself so I can ease my emotions back to the little hole they came from.

"Don't leave me."

"I'm not going anywhere, little Omega." I silently curse myself for the sweet names I'm giving him but Luca seems to preen beneath them. Still, he tugs my hand forward and into the water, his eyes wide with a silent plea.

" Please. "

"Words, little Omega." Blake gets like this sometimes too, so far into his head that his Omega just tells him that he needs something. However, I won't do anything without their consent. Their minds can be fragile in times like this and one wrong move will ruin all of the peace we've built over the last hour.

Luca lets out a little frustrated growl before dragging me closer. "Can you come in with me? There's too much space." I frown, staring at the master bath and seeing how small Luca truly is inside of it. I'll be crucified if Luca's Alpha ever finds out what happened tonight but in my head, Luca isn't leaving.

I know what the law says but my Alpha is telling me that this little Omega is ours, that he's mine.

I strip and watch as Luca moves forward and I settle in behind him, Luca eagerly curling into my chest and closing his eyes. I run a hand gently up and down his arm before settling on his hip. "What did your Alpha do to you?" I whisper. It's a hard accusation but I'm 100% sure that this is the result of abusive behavior and not a clumsy Omega.

Luca trembles against me, his sweet scent souring for a moment before calming again. "What they're supposed to do to their Omegas."

He's dead. That Alpha is dead when I get my hands on him.

A few seconds later Luca is snoring, my Alpha rumbling with the pleasure of holding the Omega. It feels dangerously similar to the first time Blake trusted me with his safety.

I've told Blake a hundred times that Luca isn't ours to have. I'll apologize to him in the morning because Luca is staying right here where he belongs.