Maybe he’s trying to make up for that Beta in his past who he feels he let down.
Lionzio grabs Zero by the shoulders, stealing him from Icarus, before pushing him to the side of the bathroom to sit on a stool in front of the vintage mirror in a move that looks practiced and familiar.
Then he snatches up a comb and begins to gently brush through Zero’s long, silky hair, as if it’s a soothing ritual for him.
As if Zero is as precious to him as any elite Omega.
To my surprise, Zero sits still for the Alpha to brush his hair for him, giving a happy sigh.
“Feels amazing, handsome.” He meets Lionzio’s eyes in the mirror.
Zero’s shoulders relax. He smiles at Lionzio.
“Just keep still, stella mia,” Lionzio replies.
The tips of Lionzio’s ears glow red, however, and he gives a small smile back.
The moment seems too private for me to have glimpsed.
Zero is wrong that his own Alpha hates him. Lionzio loves Zero as much as he adores everyone in his pack. After all, Icarus and I have danced around our true feelings for each other for years.
Icarus leans back against the sink, crossing his arms.
“I’ve been thinking about the matching ball on Christmas Eve.” Piper places the sponge on the side. “Do you already have outfits for it? Or would you like me to adapt something? My sis could lend you a dress, Gracie, and one of her pack is close to Wings’ size. I would like to make something punky and unique. I design my own outfits. It’s one of my talents.”
“He’s bloody brilliant.” Zero meets my gaze in the mirror. “If there was a Grammy for punk fashion design that Omega would win it. I can play rock guitar like a fiend but I prick my finger the moment that I pick up a needle.”
Piper purrs happily.
What Omega doesn’t like to be praised?
I turn in the bath, and water sloshes up the side.
I flick a rose petal off Piper’s nose, before rubbing our noses together. “But this is why we’re not the same. You call yourself staff but here you are, stationed in the presidential suite and not in the basement dorms. We were stuffing our faces with steak and cheesecake earlier. Dinner for the staff was?—”
“Mac and cheese like every Tuesday night.” Icarus arches his brow. “Grace and I shall be working on the night of the ball.”
Working to take down the Frosts.
Icarus and I can’t help sharing a probably villainous smirk.
“So am I,” Zero says, looking offended. “It takes work to both look as gorgeous as I do on a stage and put on one of my dazzling performances.”
Lionzio places down the brush and pats his Beta on the shoulder. “Of course it does.”
Piper nuzzles against me. “I still want you both there. My Alpha and Omega should be equally worshiped.”
It’s going to take some time getting used to that.
“Will you accept our invitation to the ball?” Lionzio asks Icarus, quietly. I never dreamed that a pack would stand up forus as publicly as this. My heart is beating too fast. “I can say that I met you when you brought Grace here. But I want the world to know that you bothdeserveto be there with us.”
“Except, we don’t.” Icarus curls his hands into fists. “Mrs. Frost will be furious. She is still the Head Alpha, and if she doesn’t accept the bond, then she can destroy us and rip everyone who we care about away from us.”
Lionzio’s pale eyes become earnest in a way that startles me.
He marches to Icarus, caging him against the sink. “Can you trust me in this? Trust me that it’s important that the world sees that Reject Hotel Omegas are worthy of being bonded to a celebrity pack over elites? That staff from a hotel can become that pack’s Chief Alpha? That the world can be changed by such gestures? Trust me, vita mia, that I will keep all of you safe afterwards?”
“Vita mia…?” Icarus breathes.
