Page 36 of In Their Arms

Then there’s another set of hands, another body pressing up behind me, and suddenly I can breathe again. Grayson is at my back, arms winding around my waist, pulling me between them. I can feel everything, even Grayson’s temporary bond filtering faded emotions through the connection.

“Fuck,” Luther exhales against my lips, his hands moving to cradle my ass. “We’ve got you, sweetheart. You’re home.”

Ward clears his throat and I barely manage to pull myself back into the present. “As much as I’m glad for this family reunion, we don’t have time for it.”

Luther doesn’t let go. He just adjusts his grip, keeping me tucked against him as he moves back toward the seats. My body melts into his, my fingers gripping at his shirt, unwilling to let go. When he sits down, I stay pressed against his chest, my legs on either side of his thighs.

Grayson moves to sit beside us, his palm warm when I reach out for him. Ward watches the exchange, almost annoyed before slipping into a seat across from us. “Two days ago, Luca disappeared from Hearthstone. This morning, the police were called because he had a sizeable wound on his neck—one that only happens after a bite removal.”

Luther tenses beneath me, his entire body going rigid, as his gaze drops to the bandage on my neck.

The detective continues. “The charges are serious for having a bite removal done without the court’s permission.”

Luther finally speaks, his voice a thick, rumbling sound that reverberates through the room. “How do you even know this was Luca’s choice?”

Ward doesn’t hesitate. “Because only one bite was removed, Luther.” His eyes flick between us, sharp and knowing. “Just Hudson’s. This is as messy as it gets. I would have found a way to get the investigation against you dismissed and made sure that Luca ended up back home but now? Luca is going to be charged with Omega endangerment, possession of Schedule I drugs, and willing participation in an illegal medical procedure.”

The law is bullshit because I am the Omega that was endangered and the drugs were inside of me, not in my pocket. Not that that would help anything.

I keep my face tucked into Luther’s shirt, not wanting to address anything else at the moment. Ward continues, each revealing statement worse than the previous one. “If Luca is officially charged, he’ll never be able to hold a job again, never be able to do anything in public on his own. He’ll carry around a special license. He’ll have absolutely no freedom without at least one of his Alphas around. Not even Maceo will be able to vouch for him as a Beta.”

Luther’s hold on me tightens instantly, the bond humming with anger, frustration, and protectiveness so thick it makes my head spin. I sob into his chest, the reality of what I’ve done settling in like a stone in my stomach. “I had to,” I choke out. “Hudson was going to come get me.”

Luther shushes me, pressing his lips to my temple. “It’ll be okay. I’m not angry with you, just at the situation.”

Grayson sits forward, his elbows braced against his knees, voice clipped. “What happens next?”

Ward exhales as I twist around to meet his gaze. “The pending charges won’t be filed until at least a few days from now while we do more research. We’re not so evil that we’d keep an Omega locked in here indefinitely. Physically, he’s fine. We’ll be contacting Hudson as well to inform him of the situation, but for now, I think it’s best we return him to—”

Luther’s growl cuts him off. “We’re going to take Luca home. He’s not going back to Hearthstone because, for whatever reason, they didn’t think it was pertinent to tell anyone that he wasn’t still there. And I can also tell by my Omega’s reaction to that goddamn word that something happened there that shouldn’t be happening.”

I flinch at the name, the mere mention of Hearthstone enough to make my body lock up. Grayson notices, my Alpha placing a soft hand on my back. “If you have a problem with that, you can arrest me, but we don’t trust anyone else with Luca right now.”

Peyton is waiting just outside as Luther heads for the door with me still wrapped around him, arms crossed, face twisted with irritation. “Hey, you can’t just do that—”

Luther doesn’t slow down. “Then officially charge him or let us go home. We both know who you answer to, but fuck, let it go. Where is the chief?”

I bury my face in his chest, seeking comfort, his scent the only thing keeping me from completely unraveling. Ward steps out behind us, rubbing a hand over his face like he’s already exhausted by this conversation. “The chief is on vacation.”

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think that one or both of you called to have everyone clear out so it would be your word against ours.” Luther tilts his head, smirking at Ward. “But that would be crazy. And I know you’re not that underhanded.” His eyes flick to Peyton. “You, though? You might be an idiot, but you’re not that stupid. Knowing that Hudson has no idea where Luca currently is tells me you’re most likely acting on your own accord to impress him. But here’s what I do know—Hudson is one of Hearthstone’s sponsors. So, unless you can tell me that he won’t have access to my Omega, nothing is going to change.”

Peyton’s mouth opens, but Luther cuts him off before he can even start.

“Don’t answer that,” he says. “I already know Hudson walked into that goddamn building. It’s why he knew Luca wasn’t there.” Then my Alpha just turns and heads out of the building, like he didn’t just put two detectives in their place.

22

Luther

The need to reclaim my Omega thrums through me, my cock already hard, pressing tight against my pants, my body riding the high of finally getting him back. Every inch of me screams to mark him again, to remind him exactly who he belongs to. But there’s more than just need twisting in my gut—there’s rage, there’s relief, there’s the undeniable ache of how close we came to losing him.

I slide into the passenger seat, barely getting the door shut before Luca’s arms tighten around my neck, his nose dragging along my throat, my jaw, and my collarbone. His breath is shaky, uneven, thick with emotion, and then he’s sobbing, tears soaking my shirt, fingers clutching at me like he’s afraid I’ll disappear.

Grayson slips into the driver’s seat, but he doesn’t immediately start the car. He turns toward us, a surge of emotions rolling through the bond. He reaches out, running his hand down Luca’s back, then presses his forehead against Luca’s temple. We just sit there for a while, holding him, letting him cry, letting him press himself so deep into our skin that it feels like he’s trying to crawl inside. My fingers run through his hair, my other hand stroking up and down his side. Grayson keeps his touches soft, lips brushing Luca’s temple, his thumb tracing circles along his hip.

After a while, I press my mouth to his ear, murmuring low as not to spook him. “What really happened, sweetheart?”

Luca sniffles, his fingers digging in even tighter. His breath shudders out of him, his whole body wracked with his sobs. "I—I couldn’t wait any longer." His voice cracks, breaking like glass. “Hudson was coming to get me.”

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