Page 2 of In Their Arms

“He’s not supposed to contact him.”

I bark out a bitter laugh, a hollow and tired sound that echoes through the room. “That’s never going to stop him. He’s obsessed. He’s doing everything he can to get Luca back and none of it makes sense.” I would have understood if it was just a matter of owning Luca, of claiming him, of showing the world who he belongs to. But Hudson’s need to have Luca back seems to stem from something else entirely. I don’t know what, but there seems to be another reason.

“We’ll figure it out but right now? You are their strength. You and Maceo are what they need. You are stronger than you give yourself credit for, love. And I’ll be out of here sooner than you know.” His voice rumbles against my ear as he digs into his pocket, unearthing a small thin scarf. I pull back, staring at it confused. “Ward handed it to me a day ago and I thought Blake and Luca might draw some comfort from it.”

It’s drenched in him, his warmth, his comfort, his presence. It slams into me all at once, like a punch to the gut, like something inside me finally unlocking after days of tension and sleepless nights. Luther watches me, something softer in his eyes now. “It’ll help them,” he murmurs. “Until we can figure something out.”

I swallow, nodding, holding onto it like it’s the only thing keeping me from falling apart. He leans in, kissing me one last time, slow and deep, like he’s trying to imprint the feeling into my bones. When he pulls back, he rests his forehead against mine, breath warm against my lips.

“Ward’s taking care of me, love. I’ll be alright for a little longer.”

I don’t truly believe that, not with the bruises on his wrists but I can hold on. I’ll try at least.

“Maceo still there?” He asks, something like hope lingering in his voice.

“Yeah. You’re definitely going to have to fight him when you get back. It’s like Velcro between the three of them. I thought I’d be a little jealous but it gives me a moment to think, to breathe, to decompress and he’s so perfect with them. God, the way he cradles Blake…” My words get caught in my throat at how tender Maceo is with Blake. They’re perfect for each other. One of many reasons I’m still able to hold on.

It was the only reason I was able to leave the house without worrying. Because the Beta who stumbled into our life is a perfect fit.

The door swings open, interrupting our moment. Detective Ward grimaces as he catches Luther still hovering over me, my fingers curled in his shirt. “Times up. The others are coming back from their lunch break and if they catch Luther out or Grayson here, it won’t be pretty.”

I say my goodbyes, Luther leaving me one last kiss before I clutch the scarf to my chest and head back to my car.Just hold on a little longer.Fuck, I’m going to try.

2

Luca

The scarf is starting to lose Luther’s scent. I’ve been wrapped up in it for hours, pulling in lungs full of leather and musk like it might anchor me, might fool my body into thinking he’s here. It’s not working. It was never going to work. Still, I press my nose into it, take another deep breath, and try not to lose my fucking mind. I’ve never in my life wanted something so bad and been denied it. My Omega is yelling at me to fix this, to bring Luther home, and tell him to fill me, to use me, to break me and then put me back together.

The worst part is that I can’t turn off that need. When Grayson came back earlier smelling like Luther, I was all over him, kissing and sucking and licking, crying out for an Alpha that wasn’t here. Maceo had to peel me off and drop me back into Blake’s arms, purring at my side until I passed out.

But I’m awake again, my gaze fixed on the front door as I peek over the back of the couch, hoping, waiting,praying. A frustrated growl tears from my throat as I curl deeper into the nest, into Blake. His warmth seeps into my skin, his scent thick in my lungs. He’s been really clingy since he woke up, his fingers constantly brushing against me, his body pressing close like he’s trying to memorize my shape. I don’t mind. I need him too.

His nose drags slowly along my scent gland and I know what he’s doing. He’s scenting Luther too, trying to pull him into this moment, into the space where we exist without him. It should be comforting. It should help. It doesn’t because it smells like distressed Omega in here. I’m not even sure Blake realizes how unstable his scent is at this moment, coating every inch of this room, mixing with mine until it’s nearly suffocating.

There’s nothing I can do, either. Biologically, two Omegas together are a disaster. I’m barely holding on and Blake is faring worse. Grayson and Maceo… I feel through the bond, a little confused when there seems to be nothing there. Peeking my head back over the couch, I see them huddled in the kitchen, harsh whispers and tense expressions revealing themselves to me. I don’t need to know what they’re saying to realize that Luther isn’t coming back just yet.

“Cupcake, stop moving,” Blake whines, tugging me back down into the nest. I squirm against his side, giving in and placing my head against his chest. That’s when I realized his heartbeat isn’t right. I can hear it, uneven and off-tempo, like it can’t decide if it wants to slow down or speed up. Every few beats, he sucks in an extra breath, like his body is trying to compensate for something. Like it’s struggling to keep up.

I frown, pressing in closer, feeling the rise and fall of his chest against mine. Tipping my head up, I catch how pale he is, a few shades lighter than he was this morning. His lips are dry, his fingers twitching where they’re rubbing at his chest, slow, absentminded, like he doesn’t even realize he’s doing it. My stomach twists at the thought that I might be losing more than one mate. “Blake,” I mumble, trying to hold back my emotions. “How are you feeling?”

He exhales hard through his nose. “Fine.”

Liar.

His jaw tightens, his fingers pressing harder against his sternum like he’s trying to hold himself together. I shift, moving before I can think twice about it, swinging my legs over his lap so that I’m straddling him.

Blake blinks up at me, startled, lips parting like he’s about to protest. I don’t give him the chance. I cup his face, thumbs brushing over his sharp cheekbones, my chest tight, throat burning with the anguish of this moment. I don’t want to cry, but the feeling is there, creeping up the back of my throat. The chaos of losing Luther, Blake fading, and those lingering feelings seeping through my bond with Hudson are messing with my head.

I just needonething to go right. Just one. Is that so hard to ask?

My Omega is staring up at me, his fingers slowly curling into the waistband of my pants, brushing over the bare skin where my shirt rises up. God, I need him—not that either of us has the energy to start something. So, I lean down and kiss him, settling further down on his lap, rocking myself forward until his cock starts to respond beneath me.

Blake lets out a shaky breath against my mouth before his fingers dig into my waist, dragging me down further as he responds. I press in deeper, kissing him slowly, trying to push something warm into all the cold places he won’t acknowledge.

It’s so natural, the way we both start chasing the friction, the comfort, the thing that makes all the bad shit go quiet for just a second. I slide my fingers into his hair, pulling him closer, swallowing down the soft noises he makes as he tilts his head up to meet me. I didn’t think I’d ever miss someone the way I do with Luther.

It’s this deep, cavernous thing, an ache I don’t know how to soothe. It sits right there in my chest, just below my heart, next to the spot where all my worst fears live. I don’t know if Blake feels the exact same way, but I can tell he understands it. He lets out a heavy sigh against my lips, breath shaky, and I finally pull back, resting my forehead against his.

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