Stefan's eyes meet mine and I can see the war happening behind them, the desire to tell me everything fighting against whatever oath or obligation is keeping him quiet. "Fix him first and I'll tell you."
It's not ideal but it's better than nothing. I nod and turn my attention back to Ashton. "This is going to hurt," I warn him. "I don't have anything to numb you properly. Best I can do is work fast."
Ashton nods, his teeth already clenched in anticipation of the pain. Stefan moves to sit behind him, pulling Ashton back against his chest so he can provide support. The gesture is intimate and protective, and completely at odds with Stefan's claim that Ashton isn't his Omega.
I work as quickly as I can, cleaning the wound first with an antiseptic that makes Ashton hiss in pain. Stefan murmurs something soothing against his ear, too quiet for me to hear as I start on the stitches, my hands steady despite the less-than-ideal conditions.
Ashton handles it better than I expected, only making small sounds of pain as I work. Stefan holds him through all of it, his presence clearly providing the support Ashton needs to get through the procedure. I lose count of how many stitches it takes, focusing on making them small and neat so the scar will be minimal.
Finally, I tie off the last stitch and sit back. "Done. Keep it clean and dry for at least a week. Change the dressing twice a day and watch for signs of infection. If it starts to look red or feel hot, you need to see a real doctor."
"Thank you," Ashton says quietly, his voice rough from holding back sounds of pain.
I hand him some painkillers from the kit, knowing it won’t do as much as a hospital could. "Take these now and then again in four hours if you need them. They'll help with the pain and keep any swelling down." I look at Stefan. "Make sure he lies down and rests for at least a few hours. He's lost some blood and needs time to recover."
Stefan nods, already helping Ashton shift into a more comfortable position on the makeshift bedding someone has set up in the corner of the structure. Once Ashton is settled and starting to doze from exhaustion and pain, Stefan follows me outside.
The sun has set completely now, the woods dark except for the faint light from the structure behind us. I turn to face my stepbrother, crossing my arms over my chest. "Spill," I demand. "Because the last time we talked, which was a few fucking days ago, it was just his father pimping him out to some rough Alphas. Not leaving gashes in his side."
Stefan runs a hand over his face, exhaustion evident in every line of his body. "Those Alphas didn't do this. Ashton won't tell me who did, but I found him in his bathroom trying to patch it up badly. Then he passed out. I made up some kind of excuse that we were going to check out the property before getting him out here."
"Who do you think did it?" I ask, though I'm starting to form my own theories. "His father?"
"No," Stefan shakes his head. "I have no clue who did it, but I suspect it's someone in the business. But Ashton isn't part of all that. I have no idea why they'd touch his son. It's a little too close for comfort."
I can read between the lines of what he's not saying. Someone hurt Ashton specifically to send a message to his father. Or to Stefan. Or both. And that means this situation is even more dangerous than it appears on the surface.
"Because you care for him," I say quietly. It's not a question.
Stefan's expression closes off immediately, defensive walls slamming into place. "It's not like that. I don't... I'm not like you and Kade."
I raise my eyebrows and laugh, though there's no real humor in it. "It'd be okay if you were, you know. There's nothing wrong with an Alpha caring for an Omega. Or with Alphas being together." I also know that’s not what he meant but I need him to see that desire goes way beyond what we look like.
"I can't," Stefan says, his gaze flicking to the little cottage and then back to me. "Not while he's under that roof. While we both are. It's too complicated, too dangerous. If his father found out..."
He trails off but I can fill in the blanks. Charles Driscoll is not the kind of man who would take kindly to his employee developing feelings for his son. Especially not when that employee is supposed to be protecting the Omega from unwanted attention, not becoming part of the problem.
"Please tell me you aren't fucking thinking of running with Ashton," I say, alarm bells going off in my head. "His father's got a network even bigger than ours. You'd never make it."
"Which is why I'm trying to figure out the best way out," Stefan admits. "Right now, I just need to find out who fucking did that to him. Once I know who's targeting him, I can figure out how to protect him properly."
"What do you need from me?" I ask because, despite the complications and the danger, he's still my family.
Stefan is quiet for a long moment, clearly thinking through his options. "Meds, maybe? I don't know. Just... if I need you, be available?"
I hesitate because I want to say yes. I've always said yes to Stefan when he needs me. We're brothers, bound by marriage and years of history. But this time is different. This time, I have responsibilities that go beyond our stepsibling bond.
"I've always said yes," I start slowly. "But this might be the first time I say no. Solana's going into heat, and I don't know how long it will last. Maybe a few days. I'm hoping things won't coincide, but I can't make promises right now. She has to come first."
Stefan's expression softens, understanding replacing the desperation. "Well, she smells wonderful, so I can only imagine how happy she's making you two." He pauses, then shakes his head. "No, you're right. Go take care of your Omega. I'll figure this out."
Relief floods through me that he understands. "Thank you."
"Maybe take her a present too," Stefan adds, his mouth quirking into a small smile.
I frown, confused by the suggestion. "Why the fuck would I do that?"
Stefan laughs, the sound carrying genuine amusement despite the heavy conversation we just had. "I would have thought you knew more about Omegas than I would. She's going to wake up and you won't be at her side. Rationally, she'll probably be fine. But as an Omega, especially one in heat? She'll either be pissed or worried or both. A peace offering might smooth things over."
