Dad whispers to Papa calmingly. He sits on the floor, allowing Papa to take Bird from him and cradle his son to his chest.
Papa kisses Bird’s ashen cheeks, rocking him.
He starts to weep. “Wake up, buddy, for Papa?”
He hasn’t seen his son for years, and now, the reunion is like this, while I have to hide in the dark.
They don’t even know that I’m here.
But what good would one more Omega begging on their knees be? Maya has even denied Ellington’s plea, her favored First Omega. She wouldn’t listen to me.
Maya’s lip curls in distaste. “Stop this disgusting display. Who told the breeder that…?”
“I toldJelani,” Ellington swings back to Maya, putting himself between the Alpha and the other Omegas, “what was happening to his own son. He has a right to say goodbye at least.This time.”
Fury flashes across Maya’s face, before she backhands Ellington hard enough to knock him crashing against the wall.
I jump.
Ellington only wipes at his lip coolly like it’s nothing.
Familiar.
“Be careful, Omega,” Maya stalks to Ellington, tugging his head to the side to bare his neck, “or you won’t seeyourson.”
She’s threatening Hatton.
Icarus tried to warn me that Ellington was trapped in his role because of his responsibilities as a parent.
I understand now.
Ellington whines in distress. “Alpha, I’m sorry…”
“Don’t do this, Maya,” Dad says, quietly.
“One more rebellious word from any Omega,” Maya snarls, “and Hatton, Grace, and Zoe will also be sent to the Institute.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Maya’s Office, Omega Hotel
“If an Omega can’t say another word, then I will.” Icarus marches ahead of me.
His shoulders are stiff with fury. Dominant pheromones roll off him in waves. I have to run down the grand corridor that leads to Maya’s office to keep up with him.
Maya’s office is the one place, located next to the elevators on the floor beneath the penthouse, which no staff member wants to end up. Ellington will coldly list off at staff meetings the names of those who have been summoned like he is not calling them to their doom. Icarus normally manages to work out a reason why he should go and take their discipline instead.
Yet he never voluntarily comes to Maya’s office.
Except, today he’s too angry to be cautious after what we witnessed with the Frost Omegas.
Icarus is too protective of Omegas…of his family.
Mine.
“Slow down.” I wipe at my cheeks that are still wet with tears. Remaining behind the door watching while my parents were wrecked and my brother was threatened and sent away, was one of the hardest things that I have ever done. “I only just managed to convince the Idols to go back to their room and not tear out Maya’s throat, before kidnapping my family to save them. I’m too destroyed right now to hold you back as well.”
Icarus doesn’t look around. “Why are you trying to stop any of us? It sounds an incredible plan.”
