Page 48 of In Their Arms

Luther exhales sharply, rubbing a hand down his face. “Because it wasn’t part of our circle,” he mutters. “We had Blake. He was focused on Luca. But none of us ever looked outside of that.”

It makes sense, but it still feels like a failure.

“So let me get this straight,” I say, tapping my fingers against the wheel. “Hudson gets off on this shit, using Omegas as ragdolls, drops them off at Hearthstone, and then gets paid to get them into rich families based on their donations?”

Luther huffs out another sharp laugh, shaking his head. “Sounds like bullshit, but yeah. That’s what it’s looking like.”

The pieces fit too well, the pattern too obvious now that we’re actually seeing it. But it also means something worse. I lick my lips, forcing down the bitter taste in my mouth before I say it out loud. “That also means Luca was probably promised to someone.”

“Now we just have to figure out who.”

31

Luca

I stare at myself in the mirror, fingers pressing lightly against my stomach, still trying to wrap my head around how fast everything is changing. I’m only a few weeks along, but my body already feels different, like it’s moving ahead of me before I can catch up. The small swell beneath my palm wasn’t there before, or maybe I just didn’t notice it, but now it’s impossible to ignore. It’s real. This is real.

The reflection staring back at me feels unfamiliar in some ways, but it’s me. It’s my body, my life. My baby.

I exhale, shaking off the thought before heading down the hall to my Omega. I know exactly where to find Blake. For once, he’s actually in the office, which means he’s working himself into a frenzy over something that probably isn’t that serious.

Sure enough, the second I step inside, I find him pacing back and forth, his free hand gesturing wildly as he snaps at someone over the phone.

“I told you, the sequence is off. It’s off and if you don’t fix it before launch, the entire system is going to be a fucking disaster.” Blake stops, listens for a second, then groans in frustration, throwing his head back. “I don’t give a shit what the numbers say, fix the goddamn issue!”

I bite back a laugh, crossing my arms as I watch him stomp across the room, his face twisted in concentration, in irritation, in that overworked, overly serious expression he always gets when something doesn’t go exactly how he planned. His glasses are slightly askew, his nose scrunched up in a way I’ve always thought was adorable.

Blake turns abruptly, catches me grinning, and scowls. I lose it, an unfiltered laugh falling from my lips. Blake narrows his eyes but doesn’t have time to retaliate because I’m already crawling into Grayson’s lap, curling into his chest like I belong there.

My Omega sputters, his mouth opening and closing before he groans, shaking his phone in the air like it personally offended him. “I swear to god, you two are insufferable.”

Grayson, unfazed, rests his chin on my shoulder, arms locking around my waist as he smirks up at Blake. “Breathe, babe,” he says smoothly, his tone dripping with amusement. “I said you were allowed to work, but not if you’re going to get all worked up about it.”

Blake’s nostrils flare. “This is my company. I have to do something.”

“And they can’t wait until after you’ve had lunch and maybe even a nap with your Omega?” Grayson teases, nuzzling into my neck. “He feels neglected, don’t you, Luca?”

I snort, pressing a kiss against Grayson’s jaw. “Devastated, honestly.”

Blake glares, flipping us off before snapping back into his phone. “I have to go. My pack is being ridiculous.” Without waiting for a response, he hangs up and drops the phone onto his desk.

I tilt my head up at Grayson, my amusement fading slightly. “Have the results still not come in yet?”

Grayson sighs, his fingers drifting to my stomach, his palm spreading warm over the curve. “The lab was backed up,” he murmurs. “It should be any day now.” Grayson rubs slow, steady circles over my belly and I lean further back into his hold. Then he says something that makes my heart stop. “But I have my suspicions.”

My breath catches, my eyes widening as I sit up straighter, staring at him. “You can smell the difference in my scent, can’t you?” I grab his wrist, my pulse hammering in my ears. “Who’s the daddy?”

Grayson watches me carefully, his expression unreadable, like he’s measuring his words before he lets them loose. “I’m not going to give you hope when I can’t promise you the outcome.”

I want to push, want him to tell me everything is fine, that the answer I want is the one I’m going to get. But he won’t. Because he’s Grayson and he won’t lie to me. So I swallow hard, leaning back against him, breathing him in. “I just want to know,” I whisper.

Grayson tightens his grip around me, his hand never leaving my stomach. “We’ll know soon,” he promises. “And no matter what, Luca, we’ve got you. How are you doing with everything else?”

I sigh, letting my eyes flutter shut for a second before I answer. “I love where I am. I love the house. I love our pack.” I press a hand over his, holding him there against my skin. “I couldn’t have asked for a better family.”

Grayson hums, pleased. “Good.”

“But,” I continue, cracking an eye open, “I wish I didn’t have to go through all the other bullshit to get here. I’m not terribly angry about it. Just…” I shake my head, searching for the right word. Exhausted. Worn down. Tired of feeling like there’s always another fight waiting around the corner. I sit up a little in his lap, stretching, then let my head rest against his shoulder. “We’ve done all this research,” I say, running my fingers absentmindedly along his forearm. “But maybe the missing key is calling my parents.”

---