Dad is clasping Bird in his arms, nuzzling him desperately as he would do when we were sick as kids. But even I can tell that it won’t help Bird now; my brother is too deeply into pheromone imbalance.
Too close to death.
I slam my own palm over my mouth to keep in the sobs.
Bird’s eyes are closed.
He could be sleeping, but it’s obvious that he’s not by how ashen his warm brown skin has become. His black tangled hair hangs almost to the floor, while I feel ill when I notice that his Hotel Omega uniform has been ripped.
What pushed him into this collapse?
Ellington stands to the side of the corridor. To my surprise, he is pale and silent. His cheeks are dry, but his eyes are red-rimmed like Dad’s.
“I am going to forgive — just this once — how you spoke to me and put it down to grief. Omegas are such weak, emotional creatures.” Maya crowds Dad, flooding him with deliberately thick pheromones that make him gag in punishment. “Do it again, however, and we’ll be having a conversation. He will have access to a doctor in the Omega Institute.”
No…
I collapse, rocking.
I feel that my pack are gathered behind me on their knees too, supporting me.
Yet my brother is out there, and there is nothing that I can do.
“Please, no.” Dad sobs, pulling Bird to his chest like he’s still his young son that he would play airplanes with around the penthouse, when Maya was out. “Don’t take my son, my son,my son…”
It’s heart wrenching.
“Stop that wailing.” Maya snorts. “Do you know how ugly you’re making yourself look for me right now? Your eyes will be puffy and unattractive at this rate tomorrow.”
To my shock, Ellington rushes forward and falls to his knees in front of Maya.
He lays his hand gently on her ankle. “My Alpha, this is my mistake and not that Hotel Omega’s. I shouldn’t have overworked him. You know that I am only an Omega and need your correction. Why don’t you punish me? Then this HO can recover in the dorms. I am certain that he will be better and able to work again in no time.”
Maya reaches forward, petting Ellington’s hair. He relaxes into her touch, purring.
For a moment, I am filled with hope.
But only for a moment.
Then Maya’s hand tightens, as she fists Ellington’s brunet hair and drags him to his feet. “Youwillbe disciplined. But this HO is used up. Why should we waste time on a breeder’s Rej son? He does nothing but bring shame on this pack.”
She shoves Ellington away from her.
Ellington turns away, reaching his hand out to hover over Bird’s fevered temple.
He raises his tortured gaze to meet Dad’s.
I’m certain that I see Ellington mouth, “I tried.”
“Bird!” The soft voice of my papa, which I haven’t heard in years, rises in a desperate howl that makes my skin goosebump.
I have never heard Papa sound like that, no matter what Maya has done to him.
Papa sprints down the corridor. His long black curls fly around his narrow shoulders.
He is only dressed in a black jumper over joggers. He’s never given glamorous clothes, unlike Ellington.
His pretty face is twisted in distress, as he wraps his arms around Dad.
