Chapter 2

two

DIMITRI

The basement was suddenly full of noise as my brothers jogged down the steps, guns still drawn.

The Omega shrank even further into her corner, if it were possible, almost as if she wanted to become one with the wall and disappear.

“It’s okay,” I promised, using what I hoped was a gentle tone. “They’re with me, and you’re safe with us.”

Her gaze flicked to me, then back to the doorway where my brothers slowed and quieted, surveying the scene and drawing in huge lungfuls of air.

“Holy shit,” Tommas cursed quietly.

Marco opened his mouth, then closed it again, unsure what to say, his attention firmly locked on the shivering form in the corner.

Giovanni’s eyes were wide. “Fuck...” His grip tightened on his weapon, a low rumbling purr vibrating from his chest.

A fucking purr . If I’d had any doubt this Omega was ours, it would be gone now. The significance wasn’t lost on me.

An Alpha only purred for their mate.

I raised my hand, a silent warning for patience. I wanted them to have time to take her in, to process what this meant, but overwhelming her further wouldn’t do us any good.

“Status?” I asked, keeping my tone level and quiet.

Marco dragged his gaze to mine. “Area’s secure. For now.” He jerked his chin towards the basement stairs. “Rocco and his prick brother Vincent slipped out the back when we came through the front door. But at least we got one of ‘em. Looks like you took care of Antonio.”

“Vengeance was sweet, but also lacking. Asshole deserved far more pain that he endured before the reapers came for his soul.” Despite my best efforts, my tone went low and gritty with anger, and my Omega whimpered.

I winced. “Sorry, Kitania. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Her eyes widened at the use of her given name.

Gio’s attention was riveted on the woman, and he seemed almost pained to look away from her to address me and the problem at large. “We can track ’em.”

My jaw clenched. Those two sniveling rats were as good as dead for tormenting our girl. But hunting them would have to wait until she was safe. If they functioned anything like we did, they would’ve called for backup, which could arrive at any minute. I wouldn’t sacrifice my Omega’s well-being to satisfy a grudge, even if it were a damn good one.

“Let them live one more night. Their time is coming, but I think we can all agree that we have more pressing matters to attend to right now.”

Stark agreement rang through the room, though I knew none of us were happy about leaving those cockroaches alive for a minute longer than necessary.

But Kitania came first. She always would from this point onward.

I focused on her once more, and she peered back with eyes like shattered glass, so haunted yet still striking against her lovely face.

Careful to keep my distance, I lowered myself into a crouch. I hoped that making myself smaller would make me appear less threatening.

“We’re here to help you,” I said, using the gentlest tone I could manage.

Behind me, one of my brothers moved, and her attention tracked him before flicking back to me.

Marco tapped me on the shoulder. “D, try this” he murmured, holding out a key he must have found on the dead man.

I took it and proceeded carefully, forecasting my intent before unlocking the manacle. It clicked open and fell away with a clang. She rubbed at her sore skin while I leaned back, giving her back her personal space.

Astonished, she studied me, and that penetrating stare cut straight to the heart, as though she were trying to weigh what kind of man I was.

“You’re safe now,” I repeated the sentiment, praying if she heard it enough, she might actually believe it. “But we need to get you out of here before more trouble finds us.”

Slowly, so damn slowly, I extended my hand, palm up. An offer, not a demand.

She stared at it for several beats, barely blinking. For a moment, I wondered if she understood what I’d said. It was possible she was in shock or had a medical condition we knew nothing about. Much as I wanted to change it, we were strangers to one another.

Just when I thought she might retreat further, she unfurled slightly, slim fingers extending towards mine.

That’s my girl. Such a fighter.

Wrapping Kitania’s hand in a firm grasp, I helped her rise, pulling her up slowly. Like a newborn fawn, her knees shook, and a pitiful whine slipped from her chapped lips as her legs instantly gave out.

Fuck. It was clear she’d been horribly malnourished, and given that she was petite to begin with, the lack of nutrients showed. Her collarbones jutted out, her arms were thin, and I bet if I raised the oversize night dress she wore, I’d be able to see the ridges of her hips.

The desire to cook for her, to feed her, to provide , was so strong, I had to shove it down in order to stay grounded in the present and the task at hand—getting her the hell out of this dump.

Without asking permission, I lifted Kitania easily off the floor and cradled her against my chest.

Her body went rigid in my arms, every muscle taut. Breathing in uneven gasps that warmed the side of my neck, she started to panic. I could feel her heart hammering against her sternum like a caged bird throwing itself against the bars.

“Shhh, I’ve got you,” I murmured, tightening my hold just enough to secure her safely. I kept my touch gentle, not wanting to cause her more distress. “You’re alright now. I won’t let anyone hurt you again.”

At my words, her trembling eased a fraction, though she remained poised for flight. Slowly, as if moving through deep water, she turned her head into my neck and drew in a breath. It was shallow at first, then deeper.

The slightest squeak escaped her, and I wondered if she’d just had the same dawning realization we’d had.

Mates.

Whether or not she was in the right mindset to understand the gravity of what we meant to each other, she melted, her entire body becoming liquid as she curled into me. Her arms looped around my neck, holding on tight, her nose skimming against my skin, breathing me in as though my scent was a drug she needed more of.

Take all you want, my sweet Omega. I’m all yours.

I gazed down at her, fucking enamored. Up close, the blue-grey of her eyes was even more striking, gleaming like ice against the coal of her lashes.

An unexpected tenderness I wasn’t used to feeling swelled in the vicinity of my chest. I hadn’t realized I was capable of the emotion, but this little Omega was awakening areas that had laid dormant my entire life.

Tearing my attention away just long enough to address my brothers, I ordered, “Let’s move. We need to get her to safety.”

I carried her out of the room, and her delicate weight settled more firmly against me, head lolling as her remaining strength ebbed slowly. The others’ voices faded, drowned out by the thunderous pounding of my heart as I stared down at her. Even battered and bruised, she was the most beautiful creature I’d ever laid eyes on. An ethereal being plucked straight from my deepest fantasies.

Up close, I could see the faint dusting of freckles that sprinkled her porcelain skin. Could count each feathery lash fanning over high cheekbones. Could trace the gentle sweep of her bow-shaped lips. Every breath ghosted across my neck, her unique scent coiling around me in an intoxicating embrace.

Mine.

The word reverberated through my mind, a soul-deep truth I couldn’t deny. This was the woman I’d been searching for my entire existence, even if I hadn’t realized it until this very moment. She completed me in a way I could never have fathomed. As if she’d always belonged nestled in my arms, a missing puzzle piece clicking seamlessly into place.

The need to protect her, to shield her from any further harm, grew in intensity until it was nearly suffocating. A low rumble vibrated in my throat—both a warning to any who dared threaten her and a promise to always keep her safe.

“Easy, D,” Gio murmured, his voice cutting through the fog. “You’re projecting pretty hard there.”

I blinked, suddenly aware of the thick pheromones saturating the air. My scent was everywhere, and my brothers were no less affected. The open hunger and reverence in their gazes told me as much. All our alpha instincts had roared to life in her presence, our combined signatures staking a claim in the most natural way possible.

Kitania was ours .

Kitania whimpered softly in my arms as I carried her up the stairs, the jostling seeming to cause her pain. A tortured whine followed, and it cut through me like a blade.

My Alpha wanted to fix it, but I couldn’t do anything to ease her discomfort until I got her the fuck out of here.

Bodies littered the hallway, and I turned her face into my neck.

“Close your eyes, Kitten. Don’t look.” The nickname slipped out unbidden, but it fit perfectly.

Instantly obedient, her blue-grey gaze snapped shut. I hummed my approval as her arms tightened around me.

“Good girl,” I praised, stepping over the fallen and forging a path outside.

The cool evening air had her body shivering uncontrollably. Wearing only a thin nightgown, she was woefully underdressed for New York’s autumn chill, but there wasn’t time to stop and shrug out of my shirt to add a layer of extra warmth.

The moment we stepped past the threshold, a gunshot blasted the brick to our right.

“Cover me!” I shouted, my brothers already moving as the bullets started flying, surrounding us, shielding the Omega in my arms with their own bodies.

The shots became more sporadic and uneven, and then we were in the car, Marco speeding out of the godforsaken neighborhood.

We whipped around a corner; the force slamming my shoulder against the door. Kitania whimpered, and I shushed her gently, nosing along her hairline in a soothing gesture.

When we were far enough away, Marco dropped the speed to something resembling normal.

“We clear?” I demanded of Gio, who was craning around to check for a tail.

“For now,” he grunted. “But knowing Rocco and Vincent? They won’t back down without a fight.”

He wasn’t wrong, and I expected nothing less. The Valentinos were like rabid dogs, all teeth and fury, with no sense of self-preservation. When they regrouped, they would come at us with everything they had, even if it assured their destruction.

We’d be ready for them. Or we’d find them first and put an end to their reign of terror.

“S-safe?” Kitania looked up at me as I held her in my lap, unable to let her go.

Her sweet voice was small and lilting, though raw from disuse. It proved how little she’d spoken over the last eight months. Or perhaps the rawness was from how much they had made her scream.

I swallowed hard, suppressing the growl that wanted to build, not wanting to scare the sweet Omega any further. My inner Alpha demanded I claim her in the most primal way, mark her as mine so that no one else besides my pack could have her.

No one would ever hurt her again.

“Yeah, Kitten. We’re safe,” I promised. “We’re almost back to our territory. The Valentinos won’t dare cross that line to move against us when we’ve weakened their forces so brutally.”

My thumbs stroked over her arm and thigh where my hands held her, hopefully soothing her in some small way.

She nodded, her eyes dipping closed, then opening again as though she was struggling to stay awake. The adrenaline crash was a bitch, taking a toll on her already exhausted body.

Her traumatized state was so damn clear. Fear still radiated from her in palpable waves, souring her otherwise intoxicating scent.

“You’re safe,” I murmured on repeat, rocking her gently.

“Safe,” she whispered, like she needed to wrap her lips around the word to believe it.

“We’re back in Silver City,” Marco said reassuringly when we crossed back into our turf.

“Head for home,” I demanded, not missing the weighted look he shot me in the rearview mirror.

That hadn’t been the plan, but everything changed the moment we got a hit of her scent.

He grunted in acknowledgment, his attention straying to the woman before returning to the road. I didn’t miss the way his arms tensed, his biceps jumping beneath the thin material of his shirt as he clenched the wheel.

I understood his reaction. One look at the battered Omega spoke to the unimaginable horrors she’d survived. Sickness twisted my stomach at the thought of the depraved things the Valentinos might have done to her.

The underlying sweet notes of her scent grew more sour as she unconsciously reacted to the turmoil tingeing my own signature. Tommas elbowed me gently, and I gathered myself, soothing the woman in my arms.

“Shh, Kitten,” I crooned instinctively, gathering her closer and tucking her head beneath my chin. “There’s no reason to be scared now.”

Some of her tension eased, and she melted into my embrace with a contented sigh.

But as her gaze moved to Tommas, who sat next to me, her body tensed again. She jolted upright in my hold, a soft gasp escaping her lips. Those wide eyes locked onto his bloody bicep, and she tentatively reached out.

Tommas froze, surprise flickering through his expression as her fingers hovered over his wound.

“You’re hurt,” she whispered with so much emotion we all fell into stunned silence.

The delicate waver in her voice cut through me like a blade, stealing my goddamned air.

How long had it been since we’d had anyone care about something as trivial as a minor injury?

My brother offered her a weak smile, trying to downplay how floored he was by her concern. “It’s just a scratch,” he promised softly, but Kitania shook her head, disbelief etched into her features.

“No,” she insisted, sounding more certain now. “It’s not just a scratch.” Her eyes flicked between Tommas’ face and the wound, worry clouding their icy depths. “You got hurt trying to help me.” She sounded just as stunned as she’d made us, as if the idea of someone taking a bullet for her was incomprehensible.

Anger gripped me, because what was truly incomprehensible was that she’d been made to feel so goddamn insignificant she no longer saw the value in her own life.

I vowed then and there to change that. To dedicate myself to showing my little Omega exactly what she meant to me and my brothers.

Fucking everything .

“I’d take a million bullets for you, butterfly,” Tommas said sincerely, and the rest of us hummed our agreement.

Macabre? Maybe. But it was the damn truth. All of us would give every ounce of blood in our bodies, the very last breath in our lungs, if it meant keeping her safe.

Kitania shook her head wistfully, and it was like I could see her walls going up.

“Here,” she whispered, and with shaky fingers, she ripped a strip off the bottom of her nightgown.

“Butterfly…”

Her expressive gaze landed on my brother, imploring him with those wide, innocent eyes. “Please.”

That one single word held so much hope, so much depth of emotion. He couldn’t deny her. Scooting closer to make the reach easier, he let Kitania wrap the fabric around his wound, binding it tightly to help stop the blood that trickled out.

Her brow was adorably furrowed in concentration, her teeth biting down on her bottom lip as she worked on her task. It was as if seeing Tommas hurt had momentarily pulled her from the depths of her own pain, giving her something else to focus on. She leaned closer to inspect her handiwork before nodding with a sense of accomplishment.

“There. That should help,” she told him softly.

He ran his hand over the makeshift bandage, never taking his eyes off our girl. All the mirth that usually filled Tommas’ expression fell away, exposing a rare glimpse of the vulnerability beneath.

“Thank you, Kitania.”

“Least I can do,” she mumbled as she nestled back into my hold, her eyes once again falling closed before fluttering open slowly. “You saved me.” A sigh left her lips as she struggled to stay awake.

Kitania’s energy seemed to seep away, as if taking care of my brother had drained the last of her strength.

My chest squeezed, watching her fight the inevitable, fending off the creeping exhaustion that clouded her vision. Each blink was a battle, each breath a struggle. She curled into herself as she snuggled closer, the weight of everything too much. She was so goddamn slight, so small in my arms.

“Easy, Kitten. Rest now,” I ordered softly.

“Tired.”

“I know.” I brushed my lips against her temple, and it felt as natural as if I’d done it a thousand times before. “You don’t have to fight anymore. We’ve got you.”

Tommas’ hand gently caressed her ankle. “You can let go, Butterfly. Rest. You’re safe now.”

“Always,” Gio murmured from the front seat.

Darkness dragged her down, her body growing the slightest bit heavier in my arms, her head lulled against my shoulder, but I still heard the barely audible whimper that left her pretty lips.

“Scared.”

A low rumble built in the back of my throat. “Of what, Kitten?”

“That I’ll wake up and this’ll all have been a dream…”

She went limp, consciousness fading, while her words left me in ruins.