Page 141 of His Stolen Omega

The difference was, Levi was Elm’s person.

Levi was Elm’s choice.

“Ready, treasure?” the alpha asked, sensing the moment his resolve returned.

Elm gave a single nod of his head and then reached out and typed his brother’s number. The feature preventing unknown calls had been turned off in preparation, so there weren’t any problems like there’d been when he’d tried the morning after waking with the claiming bites.

He’d practiced the speech he was going to give a hundred times in the mirror, but as soon as the device started to ring, every word vanished from his head in a blink. Panic set in, and his eyes swept up to his alpha, silently pleading for help, but Levi merely stretched his hand across the table and rested it over Elm’s.

“Leviathan,” Kian’s voice came through the speaker.

“You have Levi’s number?” Elm blurted, startled before he could help himself.

There was the briefest of pauses and then, “Elm?”

“Hi.”

“Put him on the phone.”

“It’s been a while, don’t you miss me enough to want to talk?” Elm joked, wincing at how stupid he sounded.

“Little brother,” Kian sounded stressed, “let me talk to the Leviathan. I promise everything will be fine. I’m coming for you.”

Levi’s hand tightened over Elm’s.

“Actually,” Elm cleared his throat, “about that. I was hoping we could meet up. The three of us.”

Another pause, this one lasting longer than the last. “He’s there, right? Is he listening? Leviathan, if you do anything to—”

“He won’t hurt me,” Elm cut him off. They were getting off track. If this continued, the only thing that would happen was an exchange of curses and threats. “We need to do this in person. Can you? I want to meet, Kian.”

“You do, or he does?”

“I’d prefer never to see your face again,” Levi clipped out, sighing when Elm glared.

“I do,” he told Kian. “I want to see you. A lot’s happened and…If you’re too busy—”

“I’m literally only on this frozen hellhole of a planet because of you,” Kian stated. “Leviathan, I don’t know what you’re up to, but well played. Let’s meet. I won’t be stepping foot in White Frost territory, however. Mutual ground. This is your city, so I’ll choose the spot. Do you agree?”

“If I don’t?” Levi shrugged when Elm sent him another stormy look. The guy just couldn’t seem to help himself.

“I’ll start picking off White Frost one by one.”

“Do you think that’s wise, considering your brother is sitting right across from me?” Levi smiled, that partial half-smile that was somehow more ruthless than a full one.

He was enjoying this. Having a grand old time goading his rival.

“If—” Kian growled, but he didn’t get to finish.

“Good Light, nothing is going to happen to me,” Elm said. “Both of you stop. We’ll meet where you want, Kian. But you have to swear to me that you aren’t going to start a fight. The White Frost won’t attack the Eumia if you don’t attack first. Can I have your word on that?”

“Are you going to let him speak for you, Leviathan?” Kian asked.

“Always,” Levi replied warmly.

Kian grew quiet once more. When he spoke again, there was distance in his tone. “Agreed. I’ll text the meeting location to this number. Elm, stay safe. No matter what.”

“Thanks, brother.”