Page 81 of Marigold Run

“Why didn’t Dassy leave Tenus?” I ask, refusing to let it go. “Alphas are allowed to do whatever the hell they want. He could have left.” Rage squeezes my throat, making my voice pitch higher. “He could have stopped his mates from hurting omegas. Why didn’t he?—”

“Easy, Mari.” Hutch holds up his hand, brushing his fingers down the bridge of my nose. It instantly calms me. “My brother wasn’t a saint, and he made a lot of bad choices. He ran drugs for Don. Fucked up a lot of lives. Hell, he even killed a few. But heneverraped anyone.” He punctuates each word. “I know that for a fact.” He looks deep into my eyes, making sure I believe him.

And I do.

I don’t know why I do, but I feel like Hutch wouldn’t lie about this. He and Izan have been pretty honest about the shit they do.

“I won’t lie and say that Dassy didn't know what Cardis was up to,” Hutch continues. “I honestly don't know what my brotherknew, and I don’t want to know. But I can tell you that alphas can’t just leave their packs. There’s a brotherhood, a loyalty that’s formed,” he pats his chest, right above his heart, “and it has to be broken for an alpha to quit. Dassy was too scared to break that bond.”

The pain in my belly dulls once again, but this time it leaves a hot fluid between my legs. Slick.Fuck.

“How did he get out?” I ask, hoping that if I keep talking, maybe I can put off my heat a little longer. But honestly, I probably only have an hour tops before I’m ass up and begging to be knotted by any alpha that will have me.

“Dassy had a pretty hardcore drug problem,” Hutch says, shocking me. It’s so hard to picture my sweet, smiling Dassy strung out. “He OD’d while on a job and Andros left him for dead. Dassy’s heart stopped. He was dead,” Hutch says bitterly. “A passing stranger performed CPR until help got there. His own pack left him for dead.” My hard alpha pulls in a big breath, before adding, “It took a lot of therapy and love to bring him back to life after that. But I’m used to taking care of my brother.” He nods, almost as if accepting his role. “He’s always been the more sensitive one.”

I am numb. Devastated for the alpha holding meandhis identical brother. I know what it’s like to have to care for the people you love. But I also know what it’s like to be the one that’s falling apart. Both situations suck.

“Please, omega,” Hutch cups my cheek, being careful not to touch my mark. “You’re bleeding so badly. Let me take you back to the house. Izan needs to clean your mark.”

I think about that, knowing I don’t have a choice. I’m going back to the house whether I want to or not, but it seems the terms are mine to dictate…at least for now. “You got Brea from the black market.”

This time I can see the annoyance in Hutch’s eyes. But I don’t care. “Brea was in her thirties and previously mated.” Hutch’s tone is harsh this time. “She was never going to find a pack willing to take her on, but Everly wanted to help her and Izan was willing to love her.” His eyes narrow, giving me a pointed look. “He has a thing for challenging omegas.”

I don’t know what to say to that. Packs don’t want previously mated omegas. And they sure as shit don’t want one in their thirties.

“You can judge us for claiming Brea the way we did, but know that there are lots of packs out there that will judge us for claiming you,” he says softly as he brushes his thumb over my cheekbone. “Broken omegas aren’t something alphas fight over.” His honesty is unbelievably harsh, but his touch is tender. Almost loving.

“I guess you have a point,” I say, thinking about all the packs that I’ve courted over the years that have obsessed over scars and fertility. The Silva pack never asked me about either. They just wanted to get to know me.

Fuck, I’m an asshole.

“How about this?” Hutch’s voice is impressively calm. “Let's get you back to the house, and clean your mark. Then we can talk about whatever the hell you want. How we got Brea. Dassy’s past. How I’m going to rip Cardis’s spine out of his fucking body and strangle him with it.”

I freeze at his violent description, then I melt at the rage he feels on my behalf. “You’d do that?”

A shadow crosses Hutch’s face as he leans down toward me. “That fucker hurt what’s mine. And you aremine, Marigold.” The intensity of his words excites me, and I lean into him. “You belong to me, Dassy, and Izan. No one else gets to fucking touch you.”

I don't know why I’m nodding, but it seems to make Hutch happy. But he can’t kill Cardis until I find Stefan. My baby brother is all that matters.

“Alpha?” I shift, trying to sit up. “Before you go after Cardis, I need—” A swift stabbing pain lances my belly, making me wince. My heat is coming on fast. Faster than any other I’ve had before. It might be the mating bite or the warmth radiating from Hutch’s big body, but either way, it’s not good. “Before you do anything,” I swallow hard, “I need to know?—”

Hutch’s voice comes out stern, a weird mix of calm laced with panic. “We can talk about whatever you want at the house, but first you need help, omega.” He moves me into his lap. One leg on either side of his hips. Then he tilts my head all the way to one side, so he can really look at the bite. It pinches from the movement, and a fresh wave of hot blood drips down my shoulder, rolling down my back. It really is in bad shape.

“Don’t move,” Hutch says in a soft but firm voice. Then he opens his mouth wide and covers Izan’s mark completely. He’s careful with his teeth, trying not to make new puncture marks as he sucks and laps at my tender flesh. The sting rapidly fades, leaving only the feel of his wet tongue on my skin.

The healing power of an alpha’s mouth is unreal, turning my pain into swift desire.

Growing needier by the second, I slip my hands around Hutch’s neck and then into his hair, holding him to me. More slick gathers between my thighs and Hutch growls with pleasure against my throat. Can he sense how hot I am? How flustered?

“Sweet Mari.” His cheek slowly brushes against mine as he pulls back to see my face. “I can smell how turned on you are, omega.” His voice is the same deep rumble as Dassy’s when he’s aroused, but there’s no playfulness. It’s all dark, sexy gravel.

“Hutch.” I paw at the back of his neck, feeling so empty. “I need…” I whine, long and loud, then I pant as another crampcrushes me in its grip. “Help!” I manage to scream the single word as I claw at the back of his neck.

Everything hurts—my pussy. My back. My skull. Even my toes.

“I’ve got you,” Hutch stands, and for a moment, I expect him to lay me across the altar and fuck my brains out, but instead, he holds me tight and starts running straight for the house. “Hold on, Mari. We’ll be home soon. Izan will take care of you.”

Instant relief flows through me, followed quickly by defeat.I’m going back.Back to the Silva pack. Back to Dassy and Everly.

---