But Luther is determined, marching down the hallway with the Omega compressed to him.
“She has returned.” Luther beelines it to the nest with Wren and Pierce on his trail.
Pierce is confused. Unsure of anything that is happening. But his urges are pushing him to stay with the omega. To ensure she is okay.
Luther moves to the ensuite. “Draw her a bath.”
Pierce is the one that heeds his words, side-stepping Luther to turn on the water. He tests it, making sure it is the perfect temperature as it fills up. The tub is huge. Large enough to fit at least two people, but it still shocks him when Luther gets into the tub with the omega.
He doesn’t bother discarding his clothes first, or seem to care about the mess he causes as he settles down with her in his lap.
The omega blinks blearily, clutching desperately onto Luther.
“It’s you,” she burrows into his neck. “Luck.”
“Luther,” he corrects.
Pierce isjealous.He wants more than anything to be the one holding this omega. And the thought shocks him.
“Explain.” Wren is leaning against the wall, his arms folded across his chest. “How do you know thisRossi.”
“I’m Xenia, not a Rossi,” the woman murmurs. “At least not anymore. Tony Rossi was my alpha…until he died.”
Pierce stiffens. In his investigation into the Rossis, he had learned early on about the psychotic older brother, Tony, who was the head of the family. The one who died mysteriously just over a year ago. The rumor was Vinny had finally taken him out to establish his place.
Pierce examines Xenia in a new light. She is soaking wet, and his shirt is sculpted to her voluptuous frame. But most of her skin is bare.
And covered in scars.
Luther, as if reading his mind, traces one up her forearm, but he doesn’t speak.
Pierce clocks the way she leans into him ever so slightly, how relaxed she is with Luther. That they have an obvious connection.
“Just because he is dead, doesn’t make you any less of a Rossi,” Wren snarls. “And Luther what have you done? A Rossi? The same family that came after our son. She came looking for Charles for fuck’s sake!”
Luther presses his forehead to Xenia’s.
“The paperwork led me to Charles. To your son. I thought—I thought he was who I was with in the clinic.”
Pierce stiffens as the picture solidifies. Of how they met.
“You arenotour son’s omega,” Luther snarls. “It was me there. I took his place.”
“You went to FIRST CHAPTER CLINIC? After what happened to Charles there?!” Wren is shouting now, his hands are raised as if he might hit something. “HOW COULD YOU?”
Pierce knows he won’t. But the omega doesn’t.
Wren doesn’t notice how his angry voice and raised hands affect the omega. Doesn’t see the way her eyes turn glassy. The panic that settles deep on her face, etched into her eyebrows, her lips. How she cowers further into Luther.
But Luther and Pierce clock it.
“Get out.” Pierce uses the words as he physically pushes Wren out of the bathroom, slamming the door shut and locking it.
He turns back to see Luther cradling Xenia to him, rocking her and murmuring affirmations.
Pierce meets Luther’s eyes.
Over the years they had mastered the art of silent communication and it is no different now.
