by L. C. Davis
"I killed him," Connor said without an ounce of hesitation. He had never felt remorse, either, and he never wanted to. "Or perhaps I should say I made him do the dirty work for me, just like he'd made me do all those years."
Mel shook his head in confusion. "I don't understand."
"The first time I realized I could control alphas with a bite, it was an accident. It was a random client," he murmured, pulling the blanket over his shoulders to guard against the chill in the room. "I just wanted him to stop. Imagine my surprise when he did."
"Didn't they find out what you were capable of?"
"No, not at first. I wasn't as good at it in the beginning. It took practice," he murmured. "Given the nature of my enslavement, I had plenty of subjects to experiment on. I honed my power and waited for the chance to use it on the one alpha I wanted dead more than any other."
"Richard," Mel breathed.
"I waited for the perfect time," Connor said, his mouth crooked into a satisfied smile, his heart quickening with the memory of the exhilaration he'd felt then. And the terror. "I let him think he still had power over me. He was heading off on a trip so he wanted to 'celebrate,' and I gave him a sendoff he'd never forget. I waited until I was strong enough to be sure I could overwhelm the instinct of self-preservation, and believe me when I say the alphas I practiced on deserved the ends they got. By the time I got to Richard, I was a master of control," he murmured wistfully. "I wanted to see the look in his eyes as he did it. I wanted him to know he was as powerless as he made me and all the others."
Connor realized Mel was feeling all the pleasure he took in the memory too late. He looked up, expecting to find disgust in the other omega's gaze. The sympathy he found in its place was almost worse. Mel pulled his arms around Connor again, squeezing tight. "I'm so sorry, Connor."
"It's not anything more than what you went through," he murmured.
Mel pulled away, his eyes shining with unshed tears. "I'm sorry for what you suffered at that bastard's hands, and he deserved what he got and more, but that's not what I meant. I'm sorry for everything you lost," he said earnestly, pressing a hand to Connor's heart. "I'm sorry that rage is the only comfort you'll allow yourself. I know what it's like, but I also know there are things so much better than that, things that actually heal instead of just closing over the wounds."
Connor wasn't sure how to respond. The usual snide remark or dismissive laugh just wouldn't come to him. That night, he had slept for the longest time since he could remember, but it had left him feeling nothing but exhaustion.
Chapter Eleven
DUKE
There he is. Duke's breath hitched in his throat as he caught sight of the omega leaving the theater that hadn't been there when he was last stationed in the pack. It seemed like Angel was trying to build a city to rival any the humans had. Duke had been waiting for Connor to make his emergence since Everett was back at his hotel. Evidently, the barracks weren't good enough for the hoity-toity alpha from New York. He could only lay his precious head on a down pillow at a four-star hotel.
Duke took a step forward, then stopped short. Connor was with Mel, his arm linked with his brother's, and they were both dressed for the outing. It wasn't the way the loose tendrils that had fallen free of the ribbon keeping the rest of Connor's hair back framed his face invitingly, or the fact that his perfectly tailored slacks squeezed his full ass the way Duke's hands were itching to do that gave him pause. It was the fact that the omega was laughing, his head thrown back as he cracked up at whatever Mel had just said. His eyes lit up and his mouth, usually set in a scathing smirk if not a disapproving scowl, was open in an honest-to-goodness pearly-white-framing smile.
Connor could have been the devil himself--and there were plenty of people who would make the argument that he was--but that smile still would still have sent a signal straight to the alpha's cock. The desire to whisk the omega away and pin him against the wall--any wall would do--and place the mark his wolf had wanted him to leave that night was overwhelming, civilized society be damned.
Mitchell's words echoed in his mind, a warning as much as a plea. He was right. Connor wasn't a known variable as Duke had once believed. The night they had shared came with the realization that Connor was an omega. A strange one, perhaps, but if he was capable of the same physiological responses to an alpha's touch that any other omega was, it meant he was capable of being hurt, damaged beyond what he already was. As the alpha destined to be his mate, Duke was in a position to do more damage than anyone, and the responsibility had settled firmly on his shoulders. He wanted nothing more than to take the same cocksure approach to this matter that had made him a success on the field, but the consequences were too great.
After mentally hogtying his wolf and reminding himself of what was at stake, Duke caught up with the omegas. Mel noticed him first, and the other omega's curiosity soon turned to irritation.
Duke realized Mel had to know what had happened between them if Mitchell did. Mel had probably been the one to tell him since he couldn't imagine Connor discussing it openly. Not when he had been so desperate to keep his heat itself a secret.
"Duke," Mel said in a clipped tone, coming to a stop. "I didn't know the task force was meeting here tonight."
"It's not," Duke said, realizing he had to tread carefully. Lana had taken little prodding to convince that he needed to be there to keep an eye on Everett. In fact, he'd somehow managed to convince her it was her idea and she had provided the perfect cover. "I'm recruiting for next year, actually."
It was obvious that Mel didn't believe him, but Duke wondered if his predecessor would call him out. They had never been close, but they were on friendly terms. Whether Mel knew he was Connor's mate or simply thought he'd taken advantage of his brother in a moment of weakness, he knew that was bound to change. "Huh. Did you need something?"
"I was hoping to talk to Connor, actually," he admitted, letting his eyes travel over to the other omega. Connor seemed even less pleased to see him than Mel was. Those blue eyes were alight with agitation and Connor's lips were pressed into a thin line Duke felt sure he could turn to a smile, or at least open with a pleasured gasp if given the chance...
"Why?" Mel demanded. At first, it had been hard for Duke to accept that an omega had held the same position he held now and done a damn good job of it, but when Mel had that look in his eyes, he remembered he was the one who had a legacy to live up to.
Shit. He hadn't thought that far ahead. Lying had never been his strong point, either. He'd never had reason to. There weren't many people who were willing to argue with him, even other alphas, and if he did end up stepping forward to claim Connor as his mate--a scenario his wolf made it clear was the only one it would accept--he didn't want to start out his new relationship with Mel on a lie. "It's about Everett." Not overly specific, but it was the truth, at least. In a sense.
Mel seemed like he was about to say no, but Connor let go of his arm and took a step forward. "It's fine."
Mel eyed them both. "Are you sure?"
Connor rolled his eyes and motioned for the alpha to follow him further down the path towards a more secluded garden that broke up the monotony of the dull gray buildings.
"I'll be around," Mel called. Duke knew it was as much of a warning to him as it was a promise to Connor.
"He's protective."
"Older brothers usually are, aren't they?"
Duke snorted. "I've got a few myself."
"Is that why you work for the TTF instead of running a pack?"
"I had the option, but I never wanted my dad's life," he admitted. "Seemed boring."
"It probably is. Normal people don't seem to mind boring."
"No, they don't."
Connor stopped walking at the edge of the garden, and Duke realized that even though they were out of earshot of anyone else, they weren't remotely close to alone. Did the omega not trust him? The thought stung, but it was also absurd. What did Connor need to be afraid of? "Why are you he
re?"
"I told you, I'm --"
"Recruiting, I know. You might be, but that's not why you're here," he said pointedly, taking a step closer as he slipped his hands into his jacket pockets.
"Are you cold?" Duke shrugged out of his jacket, all other thoughts momentarily displaced by the need to make sure the omega was comfortable and warm. He reached to put it around Connor's shoulders, but the look of pure hatred on the omega's face made him stop.
"What are you doing?"
"Offering you my jacket."
"You know that's not what I meant," he hissed. "I know you've been here since yesterday and I know you've been following me."
"You're too smart to lie to, so I won't," Duke said with a shrug. "Lana sent me to keep an eye on your draft pick, so that's what I'm doing."
"On him or on me?" he challenged. "It's not the surveillance that bothers me. I haven't known a moment of privacy since I crossed the territory line, but at least the Mountain Ridge guards are subtle about it. They don't cast as many forlorn glances, either."
Duke winced. So he hadn't been as subtle as he'd hoped. "About that --"
"There's nothing to discuss," Connor said, taking another step forward that probably would have been menacing to any other wolf. One who didn't find him so goddamn adorable. Had he always been so short? That was a lot of anger stuffed into a small package. Granted, he wasn't all that short for a human, but he barely came up to Duke's shoulder. "I don't know what you think you're doing or what you think that night meant, but I'm going to make it very simple for you. It meant nothing. You mean nothing to me, and you'd better start acting like I mean the same, or things are going to get unpleasant between us very fast."
The omega's proper tone belied the agitation beneath it. Duke might have found the contrast alarming if the sound of the omega's voice itself wasn't musical. "Mhm."
"Are you even listening to me?"
"Yeah. No. I uh, what did you say?"
Connor's eyes narrowed dangerously and he jabbed a pointy finger into the center of the alpha's chest. "Listen, Luke. I have a shot at maintaining whatever shred of dignity I have left in this place, and you're not going to blow it by making me look bad."
"Duke."
"Come again?"
"My name is Duke, not Luke."
"You think I give a shit?"
Duke couldn't help but smile. You'd better, cuz I'm gonna have you screaming it every time you come for the rest of your life...
"What?" the omega demanded.
"Nothing." In that moment, with a single boorish thought, Duke knew his heart had already made the decision his head was putting off. The same one his wolf had made a long time ago. Lana and the rest of the Tribunal could go fuck themselves. There was no way he was going to risk letting his omega fall into the arms of another alpha and give up his right to the claim that had already begun the night he had first held Connor in his arms, as far as his instincts were concerned. It had just taken seeing the omega in person again to get his head and his heart on the same page.
"I mean it," Connor said, lowering his tone in warning. "I won't let you embarrass me by running around acting like a foolish pup with a crush. If you tell a soul what happened between us --"
"Why do you care?"
The earnestness behind the question seemed to catch Connor off-guard. "Excuse me?"
"You talk like you actually care what people think of you here," he realized aloud. "Like you're planning on staying."
Connor blinked at him. "Of course I'm staying."
"Come on," Duke mumbled. "You could never be content here."
"Mel is here." Connor shrugged. "Content doesn't factor into it."
Duke watched him for a long moment, searching for the slightest hint of deception. The fact that he came up empty was even more confusing. "You're serious."
"Are you surprised I don't have a master plan or that someone like me is capable of caring about my own brother?"
Duke hesitated. "Both, I guess."
That was clearly the wrong answer. Connor shook his head with a dismissive laugh and started back the way they had come.
"Wait," Duke called, reaching for his arm. The ice in Connor's eyes when they met his own was a reminder that no matter how much the omega had changed and no matter how many different sides of him were revealed, Cutter was still there. It was almost a relief.
"Don't touch me."
"I'm sorry," Duke said, holding his hands up to show Connor he had no intention of hurting him. "I didn't mean to offend you, I'm just trying to understand."
"Why?"
It was a fair question. A day earlier and Duke wouldn't have known how to answer it. "I guess I just want to get to know you better. The real you, not the story in the papers or the case file on my desk."
"God, you alphas are as bad as any omega," he muttered, folding his arms. "We fucked, Duke. That's it."
"But is that all you want there to be?"
The question seemed to surprise Connor, so Duke took the opening and continued, "Because it's not all I want."
He couldn't believe he had said the words out loud, but now that he had, he felt free. Vulnerable for the first time in his life, but free. The fear of losing Connor had just finally surpassed the fear of what he would lose if he claimed him.
Connor watched him like he'd just hopped onto a table and started belting out showtunes. "And they say I'm the crazy one."'
"Maybe we both are, but I don't care," Duke admitted. "That night might have been a mistake, but I can't bring myself to regret it. I felt something I've never felt with anyone else, and I don't think I'm completely off base by saying you did, too."
He expected an outright denial, but Connor hesitated, which was as good as a declaration of love from anyone else. It was something, at least.
"I know it scares you," Duke pressed. "It scares the hell out of me and I've stared death down a hundred times without missing a heartbeat, but I can't keep pretending it's not real."
"Good for you. What do you want, a hug?"
"I want a hell of a lot more than that," Duke murmured, lowering his gaze to Connor's lips. "But I'd start with you agreeing to let me court you."
Connor gave an incredulous laugh but his face fell when he seemed to realize it wasn't a joke. "You're serious? You poor, dumb creature, you're serious."
"Afraid so," Duke said with a faint smile. "What do you say?"
"No."
Duke blinked. "You can take a second to think about it, you know."
"I don't need a second to think. I do more thinking in a second than a Federation mongrel like you does in a year," he scoffed. "I've already made my decision."
"Everett is a weaselly coward who just does whatever his father tells him to. Surely it's not gonna take you a week to figure that out."
"So?" Connor challenged. "You say that like it means something."
"You're talking about the guy who's gonna put his mark on you," Duke reminded him. "The one you're going to have to spend the rest of your life with."
"An alpha is an alpha, one's as bad as the rest. You're not people to me," Connor said slowly, like he was having a hard time understanding.
Duke rolled his eyes. "I get that you hate alphas, but --"
"No, you don't get it. I don't hate alphas, that's a common misconception," he purred. "I hate omegas. I hold them to a higher standard and other than my brother, ever one I've ever truly known has fallen short of it. Alphas? You're animals. I couldn't care less if you lived or died, and I'd never stoop so low as to form a bond with one, so why should I choose a mate based on personality? Do you discriminate between cattle?"
Duke's wolf bristled at the omega's words, even though he wouldn't have taken them personally a few weeks earlier. "What about Hassan?"
"There are exceptions to every rule."
"So why not spend your life with an exception instead of someone you consider lower than a dog?"
Connor smiled sweetly and when he reached up to cup
Duke's cheek in his hand, all the offense his words had caused was soothed with a single touch. Was this the gift all omegas supposedly possessed, or just an effect of the mate bond? Even if it was a trance, Duke would have been eager to succumb to it. "Like you?"
"Maybe," he muttered, settling his hands on Connor's waist. "Didn't seem like the worst prospect that night."
"I was wrong about you, Duke," he said softly. "You're not like the others." All at once, the sweetness in Connor's voice turned to acid. "You're even more pathetic."
With that, he turned and walked away. Duke's fist clenched at his side, but he resisted the urge to stalk after Connor and further plead his case or prove that he was wrong. Instead, he watched until well after the omega had disappeared. After all, it wasn't a bad view.
Chapter Twelve
CONNOR
Connor had grown bored of listening to Everett brag about his father's investments after the first five minutes, and it had only taken that long because one of them was an island. Who didn't like islands? God, this man was boring. Connor had half a mind to ask if Everett's father was single since the blood relation seemed to be the only interesting thing about him.
At least there was wine. He was about to ask the waiter to bring them another bottle when he realized the restaurant was close to closing. How long did one have to spend with someone to call it a date, anyway? He had half a mind to text Toval and call for a rescue mission. He could deal with the aftermath of being the wolf who cried wolf later. At the moment, he was starting to feel like his mortality itself was in danger.
"Mh. That's nice," he said absently, twirling a dark strand of hair around his finger as he turned his wine glass bottoms up.
Everett ceased talking and tilted his head. "Well, I wouldn't call a bankruptcy 'nice,' but it did make the owner willing to sell at a rock bottom price. Anyway," he continued. "When do you think we can wrap this up? I'd like to be back in New York by the end of the week."
