Page 150 of His Stolen Omega

Elm exhaled when Odette and Bowie lowered their weapons.

“The medical team has arrived,” Baal announced. “Should I let them in?”

“Yes,” Levi said. “I imagine the Eumia would rather stay here than relocate.”

Baal sent someone outside, and a group of six entered carrying medical bags. “See to the Dominus.”

“And them.” Elm pointed at Odette and Bowie.

The medical staff hesitated, looking between Levi and Kian, until Kian grunted and gave a wave for them to go ahead.

“Come with me,” Kian told Elm. “Let’s talk.”

“No.” Levi grabbed Elm’s hand. “He stays.”

“Calm down.” Elm eased out of his hold and helped him into a nearby chair. “You’ve been shot twice and you’re bleeding out. While the doctors take care of you, I’ll be right over there,” he pointed toward the bar, “talking to my brother. I’ll be in your line of sight the whole time, and there’s no exit there.”

Kian watched their exchange, but didn’t interfere. He didn’t argue either when Levi finally agreed, and Elm led his brother to the corner where the bar was.

Chapter 35:

“He’s going to bore holes into the back of my head,” Kian stated once they’d moved to the bar area. He leaned against it, crossing his arms, facing away from the room.

And the disgruntled Leviathan staring at him as though urging him to spontaneously combust.

“Just ignore him,” Elm suggested, kicking his feet at the glass that littered the ground.

“How are you?” Kian lowered his voice, as serious as Elm had ever seen him be. “Has he hurt you? Done anything you didn’t like? If he’s forcing you to tell me you’re fine, I have Eumia ready to storm in here.”

He ran his thumb over his wrist, not sure how much to be honest about, but of course his brother misinterpreted.

“Forget about the bite,” Kian said. “You don’t have to accept him. I can get you out of here.”

“I don’t want to leave,” Elm told him. “Things started out…rocky, but then they got better. He didn’t make me accept the bond. When he gave me the first claiming bite, I opened myself up to him willingly.”

He’d had no clue what he was doing, but Kian didn’t need to know that part.

This situation was already delicate to navigate. On the one hand, Elm wanted to be as honest as possible, didn’t like hiding things, and especially didn’t feel like he should have to, since he was an adult who could make his own decisions.

On the other, if their roles were reversed, and Elm heard all of the details exactly as they’d played out, he’d demand his brother leave with him immediately. Demand he seek help and work on undoing the unhealthy attachment he’d formed with his captor.

He also understood that in this moment, he wasn’t just dealing with his older brother. Kian was the Dominus of the Eumia. This wouldn’t be the first instance where he and Levi butt heads, and while he and Elm were family, there was still the chance Kian would refuse to accept this and take advantage of the situation.

Elm had spoken pretty confidently about it when he’d been convincing Levi, but the truth was, predicting his brother’s behavior was a lot harder than guessing how the Leviathan might react.

“The first?” Kian’s dark blue eyes narrowed. “How many are there, Elm?”

“It doesn’t matter,” he insisted. “I’m fine. I wanted them.”

“You’ve been missing for six months, and now you’re telling me you’ve mated with the Leviathan. Am I just meant to accept that? You two don’t even have anything in common.”

Elm bristled. “Know Levi that well, huh?”

“I know you. You’re extroverted and vibrant, while he’s...There’s a reason the word Frost is stuck on everything he touches. Even if he wasn’t the leader of my rival organization, or part of the criminal underground, he still wouldn’t be good for you.”

“That’s not for you to decide.”

“Did you actually decide that though?” Kian shook his head. “He’s influenced you. You weren’t trained to resist psychological manipulation, and on top of that, you experienced an extremely traumatic event with Rebirth. Come home first. Let me have you looked at. If you still insist on maintaining this bond after—”