Hudson doesn’t need blockers though, and right now, he’s the only Alpha that might be able to calm Beau down. He doesn’t need to be told twice. As soon as he steps into Beau’s path, pulling him into his arms, the Omega fights against the comfort.
“You don’t understand!” Beau cries, pounding his fists into Hudson’s chest. Apple spice fills the room, and I jump to my feet. I pull a mask out of my bag for Apollo. He doesn’t look up as he takes it. Doesn’t even seem to notice the Alpha pheromone bomb that went off.
“Shh, Omega, shh…” Hudson holds tight, even as he thrashes.
Instinct screams at me to help, but Apollo looks like a fucking mannequin impersonating an Alpha. I need to make sure he’s okay, then I can go to Beau. I move to kneel before Apollo, but Dream taps my shoulder, shaking her head, gesturing to Beau with her thumb.
“You can’t use your scent, but you can use your dominance and your body. He needs to be held. Tightly,” Dream explains, hazel eyes filled with tears, cheeks and nose red from crying.
“No, no, Hudson!” Beau shakes his head, trying to fight against the Alpha’s hold on him. “I ignored my instincts like I always do. I let that sick fucking psycho p—punish me…because he promised to help Apollo.” I move quickly, scooping the Omega into my arms and squeezing him tight to my chest. Hudson presses into his back instantly, arms like iron around us both. His sugary spiced apple scent tries its best to soothe him as he falls apart in our arms.
“Take a breath, Omega,” I bark as gently as I can, needing him to calm down, but I don’t want to scare him or shock his system. Apollo doesn’t even blink our way.
“He hurt me, Thor. Made me bleed, over and over. Until I screamed so hard and so long that I lost my voice. But he promised me that he would…he…would…” Beau sobs so hard that his body shakes violently, but I hold him tight. I have nowhere for my rage to go, nowhere to unleash this need to end Dexter.
Hudson continues to caress his face gently, murmuring to him, but I see the same hatred burning in his eyes.
“You’re safe now. You’re okay. Apollo is free, and no one can hurt him ever again. Hush, Omega, you’re safe…you’re safe with us.” Hudson’s scent gets so strong in the air now that it makes me sway.
Shit, he’s fucking potent. If he’s makingmesleepy, then I don’t know how the fuck Beau is still resisting between his pheromones and my dominance. After a few more moments, the Omega shifts in my arms, no longer trying to fight me off as he wraps his legs around my waist and buries his face into the crook of my neck, still crying.
“He dies,” Hudson whispers to me, a beautiful storm of pure fury.
“Agreed.”
Chapter Thirteen
DREAM
“Apollo,” I whisper as Beau’s sobs quiet down a little bit.
Looking over my shoulder, I see him wrapped around Thor, both of the Alphas working together to soothe the hurting Omega. Now that I know Beau’s being well cared for, I can focus all my attention on Apollo.
“Can you look at me?” I ask gently. He keeps his eyes fixed on the wall, so I move into his line of sight, dropping to my knees in front of him.
I’m pretty damn short, and this doesn’t help, but he’s eye level with my boobs when I’m standing, so this will have to work. I let my instincts guide my scent as it fills the air between me and the Alpha. He never put the mask Thor handed him over his face. He’s not reacting to Hudson’s apples, but I can still smell him over my rose petals.
“I want to help you, but if you can’t look at me or answer me, I won’t know what you need, Handsome,” I murmur. He says he wants my touch, so I place my hand on his arm, gently caressing his skin with my thumb.
“Don’t stop,” he whispers so quietly, like that was all he had the strength for.
“You like the way this feels?” I keep my eyes on his face, hoping to catch any reaction.
I don’t want to force comfort on him, but I’m an Omega, and my instincts are pushing me to soothe him. He nods, dipping his chin no more than a sliver, but I see it.
“Do you want more? Will you let me hold you, Apollo?” I lift my other hand to caress his cheek. He leans into the touch, so I do the same on the other side, cupping his face in both my hands, thumbs tracing small circles.
Our eyes meet finally. He doesn’t need to tell me what Dexter did to him to know it was bad. I can see the way it’s haunting him.
“I’m going to climb into your lap, okay? Can you say yes or no for me, sweetheart?”
“Yes.” It’s not louder than a single breath, but I hear him. When I pull my hands away so I can stand again, he lets out a quiet whimper, grabbing my wrist. The sound is so tiny but completely heartbreaking. I don’t have any more unbroken pieces for these men; I’m already cracked wide open.
Someday, hopefully very soon, I’m going to find Dexter and rip his eyeballs out of his skull, then shove them down Scott’s throat. Then I’m going to make a smoothie out of his hands before forcing him to swallow every last drop. Once I’m done, Apollo and Beau will get the revenge they deserve.
Sheesh, my thoughts are in a very dark place right now.
I need to be careful, or my scent is going to start smelling less soothing and a lot more vicious and murdery.
