Page 142 of His Stolen Omega

“Leviathan—”

“I’ll bring him there in one piece,” Levi cut Kian off, “you have my word. No harm will come to him between then and now.”

“If he has so much as a cut on his person, it’ll be war,” he growled. “Hang in there, Elm. I’ll see you soon.”

The second the call ended, Elm slumped in his chair, all the energy zapped out of him.

“Well,” Levi drawled, “that went better than expected.”

“I guess.” He rubbed at his face, a tension headache beginning to take root.

The alpha stood. “He’s willing to go to war for you. Shouldn’t you feel special? Why the long face, mate?”

“I’m worried Kian is lying,” Elm confessed, moaning when the alpha came around the table and began massaging his shoulders. His head tipped back, resting against Levi’s stomach as he peered up at him. “He doesn’t like following rules. Even agreed upon ones.”

“I’m well aware of your brother’s underhanded tactics,” Levi said. “But he’s always been professional with me, and this time, there’s your safety on the line.”

He pursed his lips. “You really trust him?”

“I trust you,” the alpha corrected. His hands worked the knots out of his shoulders, then moved up his neck, and finally to his temples. He rubbed his thumbs against those pressure points, smiling softly when another sound of relief slipped past Elm’s lips. “You’ll keep me safe from your big bad brother, won’t you, omega?”

Elm grabbed onto his wrist lightly. “We’ll keep each other safe.”

“But you would choose me over him, wouldn’t you?”

“Levi.”

“Relax. I meant what I said. I’ll do as my mate suggests. The White Frost won’t attack unless provoked. However…if it did come down to a fight, hypothetically speaking, who would you choose, Elm Erskine?”

“Pretty sure I told you not to call me by my full name.” It was a weighted question, but not one Elm hadn’t already considered a hundred times over. How could he not? He wanted to believe Kian would have a little faith in him, but there was too much dark history between the two organizations to not at least prepare for the Eumia to come in swinging.

Hell, after the call, Kian no doubt believed Levi had kidnapped Elm and was holding him captive. Had forced him to make that call, and this meeting was really a hostage situation and a negotiation.

Elm couldn’t blame him.

Half of that was correct.

He had been taken by the Leviathan. Held against his will. Made to do things he never thought in a million years he would ever do.

Six months ago, Elm had gotten himself into this mess due to his jealousy toward Kian’s other siblings. But that fear of losing his brother was no longer there. That misguided notion that he was somehow less than compared to Shiloh gone.

Life wasn’t a competition, and Elm didn’t need to be better than anyone else to be considered something other than average.

Being himself was enough.

“Kian has his omega to take care of,” Elm said, lifting off the seat so he could reach over Levi. He caught him by the nape and lowered, pulling him in, until his face hovered over Elm’s, a mere breath away. “And I have my alpha. You’re my top priority. Where you go, I go. If you’re harmed, I’m harmed.”

“Do you love me, treasure?”

The question caught him off guard.

Levi hummed. “Do you not know, or are you just not ready to answer?”

“I just…need more time.” Elm felt incredibly strongly for the older man, and it was probably love, but… “There’s too much on my mind to give you a one hundred percent honest answer, and I want the first time I say those words to be meaningful.”

“Interesting, coming from the guy who scoffed when I wanted to make our first time post rut or heat romantic.”

“That was different,” he insisted. “That was just sex.”