Page 6 of Claimed Omega

“Yeah, my husband was once shot in the back. It was bad, but he survived, and so will my Shane.”

Footsteps had me turning around to find Daniel, Trinity, and Viper entering the room. Their fast breaths and startled expressions said it all. Blood ran up Trinity’s arms, her clothes blotted in red and completely stained. Glancing at myself, I wasn’t any better. I was covered in Shadow’s blood, and ground my teeth, refusing to let the fear of losing get into my thoughts. I wouldn’t…

“I don’t need a show,” Thelma stated, grabbing my attention. “Either you’re in here to help or get out of my hair.”

“I’m staying,” Daniel and Trinity said in unison.

“Good, then you and Viper get out,” she ordered.

The two of us left the room as the pair practically bowled us over to get the Shadow.

Viper was in the fridge and came back with two bottles of beer. He handed me one, and we went to stand by the window. The shutters were partially opened enough to let light in and for us to keep an eye out on things down on the main street and surrounding buildings.

“We’re gonna have to leave in the morning,” he murmured, then took a long drink of his beer. At the same time, Shadow bellowed from the bedroom, which I guessed had everything to do with the rubbing alcohol. “We can’t stay here. We were definitely followed, and if not, the car would have a tracker on it.”

I nodded, then guzzled down half the beer in my bottle.

“I’m going to skin Axel alive, then break every damn bone in his body while he’s still alive.” The bitter taste of rage hit the back of my throat. “I need him to suffer.”

“Good luck because I’m getting to him first,” Viper grunted. “Did you see the way he touched Trinity? I’m so fucking furious, I’ll go back, ninja sneak up on him, and–”

“Like fuck you will. You’d break the Pact, and we lose the chance to prove that dicknose was guilty. You know the mafia families follow their damned rules to death and won’t be lenient.”

“I was about to say that before you lectured me. Fuck, have you ever considered becoming a teacher? You’ve got the nagging part perfected.”

I narrowed my gaze at the prick as his eyes grinned at me while he finished his beer. I did the same, then he took the bottles into the kitchen and dumped them into the trash.

Glancing back outside, the street remained a ghost town. No cars. No people. Then again, it was in the middle of the night.

My mind was drowning in the shithole we’d landed in, taking Trinity with us. Savagery cut through me at the urgency to protect her, to keep her safe, to rut her brains out while she was reaching the crescendo of her heat. Instead, we were staring death in the face.

Viper joined me once more, staring out into the dark where the few street lights that remained flickered as if they were about to go out any second.

“What’s going on with you and Trinity?” I asked, knowing that as a guy, sometimes we may not ask for anyone to stick their noses into our business, but deep down, we appreciate having someone to talk to about it. Just like Viper talked me to when I lost my head after telling Trinity I killed my brother. I was repaying the favor.

Viper groaned, licked his lips, then answered while still staring down at the empty street. “I think she knows that I marked her, and she’s not happy about it.”

“What did you expect to happen?”

He grunted. “If you’re going to berate me, then fuck off.”

I groaned because he was right, even if I wanted badly to tell him I told him so. I sounded childish, but fuck it. He should have known better. Instead, I swallowed back all the words I wanted to throw at him.

“Okay, that’s fair. Go on.”

“I don’t know.” He shrugged. “Part of me hoped if she was as captivated by me as I am with her, she’d have embraced our marking. Now, I feel like a piece of shit, and it’s tearing me apart because when she stares at me, she’s furious and upset, but she won’t talk to me about it. Fuck, I promised myself I wouldn’t be this person anymore, but I’ve gone and fallen for her so hard, I can’t live without her. Marking her was the only way for me to deal with how desperately I wanted her.”

“Look, man. Sometimes the biggest heartaches can be resolved by talking.” I glanced at him, but he wouldn’t turn away from the window.

“That’s the problem. When do I get her alone for a conversation, so I can explain my decision to her, and to let her know how much she means to me? Fuck, it’s breaking me on the inside.” His voice cracked, and he cleared his throat.

“Talk to her.” I reached over and squeezed his shoulder. “I see the way she stares at you. She doesn’t hate you, but you need to make it up to her for taking away her right to make the decision about being marked. See how things go with Shadow, and if you don’t get a chance with her tonight, you’ll get it later. It’s just shit timing with us facing death and all that.” I gave another squeeze, then lowered my hand.

“I know.” He turned away and left me alone by the window as he vanished down the corridor.

Survive. That was all we had to do first. Find a way to survive both mafia families wanting a piece of us. Everything else could come after. Viper would have to wait… just like the rest of us. The last conversation I had with Trinity before chaos broke out, I stormed out on her because I was too fucking pathetic to talk to her about my brother. Viper wasn’t the only one needing to make wrongs right with our little Omega.

Three

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