Chapter 4

four

KITANIA

I took a deep, steadying breath, trying my best to believe this wasn’t some fantastical dream that would cruelly shatter the moment my eyes closed again. I barely stopped myself from reaching over and pinching my arm just to make sure this was real.

But I knew it was. The couch beneath me was as tangible as the four men who stood close by, watching me intently.

The coppery tinge of blood clinging to their scents, coupled with their imposing builds, should have terrified me. By all accounts, these men—these Alphas —should be the stuff of nightmares.

And yet...

An inexplicable sense of safety filled me, wrapping around my battered soul like a soothing balm.

My gaze roamed over their rugged features, lingering on those streaks of crimson that painted their skin. They were evidence of the acts of violence they had committed to save me. I’d seen the bodies that littered the floor. Hell, I’d witnessed the dark, imposing stranger I’d labeled as the lead Alpha shoot Antonio point blank. Rationally, I knew I should recoil, but something in their eyes—that lethal intensity tempered by a glimmer of compassion—quieted the fear threatening to overwhelm me.

Yes, these men were dangerous. Deadly, even. But for the first time in what felt like an eternity, I didn’t feel like the prey.

The man closest to me—the lead Alpha—shifted, running a hand through his black hair, that rich chocolate gaze studying me attentively as he introduced himself. “I’m Dimitri.” His voice was a deep, authoritative rumble that should have sent a shiver of unease rippling through me.

Instead, the sound had inexplicable warmth blossoming low in my belly. A soft, unbidden whimper slipped from my lips before I could stop it, and my thighs clenched instinctively.

What was that? I blushed wildly, but thankfully, the men were gracious enough not to comment.

“And these are my brothers.” Dimitri gestured with a tattooed hand toward the others, who stood nearby, before motioning to the closest one. “This is Giovanni…”

I gazed at the formidable Alpha, running through the syllables of his name in my mind. He was a complete stranger to me, and yet somehow I knew the name fit well.

Giovanni was as tall as he was imposing. His brown hair was shaved close to his scalp, making the dark slash of his brows more pronounced. Inky tendrils of tattoos wove across his golden skin, creeping from the neckline of his shirt and snaking up his neck. Every aspect of the man screamed well-honed danger. The tick of a powerful jaw, the flex of his fingers, the eyes that seemed to see everything all at once, concealed a carefully leashed savagery.

“You can call me Gio, if that’s easier,” he said, his timbre low, deep, and smooth, like honey covered gravel.

My lips parted on a breathy inhale as the sound of it rolled through me.

His hazel gaze tracked the movement, blazing with an intensity that should have incinerated me on the spot. I found myself leaning toward him, desperate to breathe in his scent—a heady blend of earth, iron, and manly musk that flooded my senses and left me dizzy.

“…that’s Tommas…” Dimitri’s voice seemed to fade into the background as my lungs drank in the alluring aromas surrounding me, but I forced myself to focus, moving my attention to the next man.

Tommas lounged on the arm of the couch, every inch of him radiating the sort of casual arrogance that should have warned me away from him. Yet the dimple that appeared with his roguish grin was utterly disarming. His green eyes sparkled with both mischief and intelligence, as if he knew all the best ways to get into trouble but was smart enough to never get caught. Coupled with his intoxicating scent of lime, wild mint, and coconut rum, that fierce ache stirred between my thighs once more as my body betrayed me in the most visceral way.

“…and Marco.”

Marco. I timidly peeked at the guy standing behind the couch—the getaway driver. The man was the epitome of a ‘bad boy’ with his moto jeans and leather jacket, and the lethal grace of his movements instantly captivated me. An almost feral energy radiated from him, his fingers drumming mindlessly against his outer thigh, as though he needed an outlet for the restless force simmering inside him. The scar slashing through the left side of his mouth tugged as he gave me a slight smile. All the while, his stormy blue-eyed gaze watched me as he dipped his head in silent greeting.

I squirmed under his heated perusal, equal parts desperate to flee and overwhelmed with the need to be consumed by that storm. How easy would it be to get lost in those turbulent depths?

“Thank you,” I rasped quietly, my vocal chords still tight. “For saving me.”

“You don’t need to thank us, Kitten,” Dimitri told me, keeping his tone pitched low. Soothing.

It had its desired effect, and the slightest bit of tension seeped from my shoulders.

And that nickname… Kitten .

No one had ever used an endearment that didn’t give me a skin crawling sense of dread. But the way he called me ‘Kitten’ was a completely novel experience. Nothing about it triggered me like I’d expected it to. Yet another anomaly I couldn’t explain.

“I…” I swallowed hard, my throat feeling impossibly dry. Pushing myself into a sitting position, I curled into the arm of the couch and brought my knees to my chest. I hugged my arms around them and tried to speak again. “I do. You could have left me there. But you risked your lives… for mine.” The question that truly plagued me slipped free despite my better judgment. “Why?”

The silence that followed was deafening, the weight of it pressing down on me until I thought I might suffocate. I shifted restlessly, clenching my hands into tight fists as I fought the urge to flee, to run until my lungs burned and the intoxicating draw of their scents faded to nothing but a distant memory.

And then Dimitri moved, reaching out to me slowly, carefully. He gave me time to say no, to pull back, but when I didn’t protest, he closed the distance. His palm was calloused yet warm as he gently cradled my hand, sending those same sparks of liquid heat licking along my veins.

The intimate contact stole what little breath I had, every nerve ending in my body blazing to life in a dizzying rush, focused raptly on where his skin met mine.

“We volunteered to get you out, in part because the Valentinos needed to be taught a lesson,” Dimitri growled, “but mostly because no one should treat an Omega like an object. A possession to be sold.”

“Despite popular opinion, most Alphas don’t take kindly to Omegas being hurt or abused,” Giovanni added.

That wasn’t my experience, and they must have seen that in the wince that crossed my face before I ripped my gaze away and dropped my head, hiding behind the curtain of dirty hair that fell over my shoulder.

“The few who taint the many,” Marcus grumbled. “Most Alphas would never deign to hurt an Omega. Everyone goes on about our instincts to rut and claim, but what about our protective natures? That’s just as fuckin’ strong.”

Tommas hummed his agreement, seeming equally put out. “It’s the select few who give us a fucking bad reputation. Omegas are precious and Alphas aren’t so mindless we can’t control ourselves.”

I shook my head, not because I wanted to argue the point, but because I was trying to make sense of everything. “That still doesn’t explain why you risked your lives to get me out of there. You could have been killed.” Indignation swept through me as the gravity of what they’d done for me set in.

Tears pricked the backs of my eyes, threatening to spill over. The idea of any one of them hurt because of me was almost too much to bear.

I wasn’t worth it.

I wasn’t worth any of it.

A low purr built in Dimitri’s chest, as if he could read my mind and wanted to contradict every single word.

That sound…

Goosebumps raced across my skin like tiny, never-ending mountain ranges. I squeezed Dimitri’s hand tighter, feeling the vibrations transcending from his fingers to mine. A pleasant shiver skated down my spine and my entire body leaned toward him.

I hadn’t even processed what it meant that Dimitri was purring for me before he spoke again.

“You’re our mate, Kitania.”

He’d said the words so softly, yet they detonated within me like a grenade, shattering every fragile barrier I’d erected around myself.

Mate?

No. No, that wasn’t possible.

Scared, terrified, I pulled away, ignoring the flash of hurt that crossed his face, there and gone in a blink of an eye.

I squeezed my legs tightly to my body, trying to hold myself together from the outside in.

The revelation was beautifully devastating, leaving me breathless and reeling.

“Mate?” I echoed softly, blinking, not sure I’d heard him correctly. But he didn’t contradict me. “That’s not… you can’t possibly think…”

My thoughts were a jumble of nonsense as I tried to process. It didn’t make sense. I was tainted. Broken. But these men didn’t look at me like I was damaged goods.

Did they have any idea what I’d endured? What those Alphas had done to me?

I closed my eyes tightly as shame swirled through me, thick and viscous, smothering what little remained of my self-worth. Bile scalded the back of my throat as I curled in on myself, instinctively trying to make myself smaller, to shrink away from their unwavering gazes.

“I’m not—” The words caught as a sob clawed its way free. Tears burned hot against my lashes, blurring my vision until the world shimmered before me. “I can’t be what you need.” The sentiment was barely above a whisper, but they heard it nonetheless.

“Hey.” Dimitri’s deep baritone sliced through the haze clogging my senses, dispelling the shadows that threatened to drag me under. “Look at me, little Omega.”

Somehow, I dragged my eyes up to meet his, the simple command resonating within me and demanding my obedience without stealing my autonomy.

Beneath his steadfast appraisal, I felt utterly stripped bare. Every fear and insecurity laid raw before him.

“You are everything we need, Kitania,” he murmured, daring to reach for me again. I didn’t stop him, and his hand captured mine. His thumb traced over the delicate bones of my wrist. “And we hope to be everything you need as well. We know you’ve been through hell, survived things we can’t even begin to imagine. And fuck, we would’ve given our lives to save you from having to suffer through that kind of torture and pain. It makes me see red just thinking about it.” His hold tightened fractionally before relaxing once more. “But it doesn’t change the way we see you. You’re our mate. Our Omega.” He let the weight of that statement set in before continuing, “It’s early days, and you need time to heal. There’s no rush on this. We can take our time, get to know each other. We’ll gladly spend every day for the rest of our lives proving how cherished you are, if you’ll let us.”

A cry slipped free, a haunting melody. My heart thundered against my ribs, torn between aching disbelief and a desperate yearning for his words to be true. To be enough.

Growing up as a foster kid, all I’d ever longed for was to be wanted. Loved. Chosen. Those desires hadn’t changed when I designated as an Omega. Living at the OMA, surrounded by other Omegas who were making matches, all I hoped for was to find my pack. Then those monsters had taken, and all my hopes and dreams shriveled and died.

I may have fantasized of rescue, of Alphas who would pull me from the wreckage that my life had become and do just this—promise me the world—but fairytales weren’t real. Despite the numbness I shrouded myself in, that little voice in the back of my mind knew there was no happily ever after for me. Not after them .

I closed my eyes, willing the phantom feel of unwanted hands on my body away.

My scent soured, the stench of it making even my nose wrinkle.

“Hey,” Tommas soothed. “You’re alright. You’re safe. No one can hurt you here.”

Except he was wrong. The Valentinos might not be able to physically reach me, but their impact would follow me like a shadow.

Giovanni shifted closer, the weight of his presence nearly physical. The man demanded attention just by breathing. “My brothers are right, Dolcezza ,” he rumbled. “You’re ours to protect now, and no one hurts you and gets to continue living.”

“Fuck, man. You’re going to scare her,” Marco hissed, scrubbing a hand down his face, looking exasperated with his brother.

“What?” Gio shrugged. “Dimitri killed a guy in front of her, but I can’t make a tiny little threat?”

My eyes widened.

Marco tilted his head to the ceiling as though praying for patience, then leveled Giovanni with a look only a brother could perfect. “You just had to remind her of that? Don’t you think she’s traumatized enough?”

One of Gio’s eyebrows rose. “I think she’ll sleep better, knowing Antonio is no longer a problem .”

Tommas’ gaze ping-ponged between the two of them. “The man has a point,” he told Marco.

“Ignore them,” Dimitri growled, but there was no danger behind it. “My brothers might be a bit much sometimes, but the sentiment wasn’t wrong. We protect our family, and that includes you now. If you’ll have us?”

“I-I have to decide now?” I squeaked.

But in my heart, I knew there was no other answer to give them except ‘yes.’ There was no denying their scents called to me on a soul-deep level. I just hadn’t realized how impacted I’d been by them. Past the fear and the shock of the evening—of the last eight long, brutal months—was intrigue, attraction, and a visceral reaction to their scents. I’d never experienced anything like it. I was dirty, exhausted, and scared, and yet, my body was hyperaware of the four brothers. My nipples were hard, and my core was slick and aching.

My reaction was exactly how the OMA had described meeting your scent matches, something all Omegas longed for. There was no refuting the biology of it. The only question that remained was, did I still want to find my pack?

Yes. The answer was clear and decisive amidst my roiling thoughts. I might not feel worthy, but that didn’t stop the longing in my heart for the life I’d always wanted.

Tommas flashed me a lopsided grin, the dimple in his cheek deepening as he winked at me. “There’s no reason to look so scared, Butterfly. Dimitri meant what he said earlier. We’ve got time to let this thing develop naturally. But in order for the OMA to allow you to stay with us, in order for us to keep you here and keep you safe, we need to declare our intent to court you.”

“And if you don’t?”

Tommas’ smile dimmed, but it was Dimitri who answered. “Then the OMA will force us to return you.” I could hear the tinge of ‘angry Alpha’ in his tone, like the first warning rumble of thunder. “If I’m honest, I don’t think my Alpha will allow me to let you go, knowing I wouldn’t be able to secure your safety. All I want to do—all any of us want—is to protect you, Kitten.”

“Stay,” Giovanni half-ordered, half-pleaded, and for such a gruff man, the note of vulnerability I heard shook me to the very center of my being.

It was on the tip of my tongue to say “okay” when Marco stepped closer, peering down at me with an intensity that pinned me to my spot.

“Regardless of how it might seem, this decision is yours. The power is in your hands,” he promised. “Where it always should’ve belonged.”

Power? I couldn’t even fathom it.

A loud knock sounded on the door, interrupting their steadfast stares and making me jump.

With a grumble, Dimitri peeled off to answer it while I cowered back.

“It’s just the doctor,” Marco soothed, but it didn’t make me feel any better.