Bonds of Fate (Fated in the Stars #2)

Chapter Ten Gideon

Gideon

There’s a proverb Gideon’s mother used to remind him of whenever he failed to finish his garden chores in favor of running through the forest: out of sight, out of mind.

And when Gideon wakes up in Jay’s bed—three alphas and one sweet-smelling omega curled around him—at nine in the morning, with Jay’s phone playing U2’s Beautiful Day , he can’t help but feel like there’s something he should have been thinking about.

“Fuck, Gid. Where’s my phone? Shit.” Jay tips Nix backward into Grayson so he can get up as stealthily as possible.

“On the dresser.” Finn is lying on his belly beside him, with his fingers tucked inside Gideon’s sweats, elegant fingers hanging on as if he thinks Gideon might get away. He gently pries them away with a regretful squeeze. Checking that their omega is still asleep, with Grayson spooned up behind, he follows his alpha out and down to the main level.

Leo is sitting naked at the breakfast bar, asleep with his head on the countertop, a half-eaten protein bar in his hand, and crumbs sticking to his pretty pink mouth. The donut cushion from the hospital peeks out from underneath his plush butt, and Gideon wishes he’d brought his phone to capture the unbelievable levels of cuteness.

Jay is standing in boxers, in a beam of fall sunshine, speaking on the phone. The warm light washes him in shades of gold, making him look like a debauched rock god—or maybe the Sun God themself. Broad shoulders, an eight-pack, and skin—that is always hot and smooth under Gideon’s tongue—glow in the soft, golden light. His phoenix tattoo looks ready to catch fire, its brilliant colors rippling with every breath.

He’s struck with the thought that it’s been too many days since he and Jay have had any kind of intimacy, and he might see if his alpha is interested in making good on the bet they’d had from the gym. The TKO illustrates that he’s the clear winner—even if Nix had given him an unauthorized assist.

It’s usually a win-win, anyway.

Then Jay is turning toward him, eyes wide, and Gideon’s thoughts go from I want to fuck to we are so fucked. That his mate looks unhappy is an understatement.

“Okay, yes, thank you, Erin. We’ll see you at 10:30. Do you need directions? No, that will give us enough time…and you can’t say…oh…no, that makes sense. Thank you for your added caution. Yes. That’s right…just ring through when you are at the gate. See you then.”

Gideon crosses to where Jay sits heavily on the couch. “That was the attorney? She’s coming here?”

Rowan is in rut, and tactically, that is a worse-than- terrible idea .

Jay runs his hand over his face and puts his phone on the coffee table, right beside those books Finn keeps amassing for their omega.

Once again, he’d taken his eyes off this ball, and it had slipped his mind. Dammit.

There is nothing Gideon hates more than being taken unawares and unprepared, and now they are expecting some sort of legal talk with Nix’s representative. So many things can go wrong, and the worst is that Nix is not up to speed.

“Shit. We should get him up so we can let him know where we’re at with this.”

“What am I going to tell him, Gid? He’s just heard he’s an omega—the only one if Dr. Spencer and public opinion are to be believed—and now he’s going to have to see his lawyer and hear about his abuser.” He’s sweating a bit in the heat of the sun, or maybe it’s the heat of the moment. “Fuck this week.”

“Jamie? Gideon?” There are barefoot steps on the left wing stairs, and then Nix is in the living room with them. So soft, in an LRH tank top four sizes too big, and when he moves to sit on Jamie’s lap with a sigh, he, too, is washed in the golden light. They’re beautiful, and even though there are hard conversations to be had, Gideon grabs Jay’s phone to capture the moment.

They share a warm smile before leaning in, pressing soft, lingering kisses to each other’s lips in a gentle morning greeting. It’s true love, and Gideon is so happy for them both after all this time. Gideon is happy for their family because both men have more than enough love for them all.

“Gideon, you too. Come.” He lifts his legs so Gideon can pretend to be beleaguered and move in for a selfie. There’s a soft kiss on his cheek and then a small finger under his chin so Nix can kiss Gideon’s lips. It’s heavenly, and for a brief moment in time, he forgets Erin Christie is here in an hour.

“Mmmm, delicious,” Nix murmurs, his voice still gravelly from sleep. He’s moving lazily from Jay to Gideon and back again, licking and biting at their lips. The heat of the sun and their arousal are creating a delicious pocket of scent, and he could do this all day.

But they can’t. Gideon hates it, but he needs to be the voice of reason. Again.

“Nix. Mrmf..stop for just a second. Mmmmm. We’re having a visitor in an hour, and I think we should talk about it a bit before they come to see you.”

His horny little kitten perks up, scent shifting in an instant. “Me? Why do they want to see me? Do I know them? It’s not… him …right?” His fear is tangible and persistent, even though he knows Hayes is incarcerated, but they’ll gladly reassure him every time.

Jay’s arms tighten around him, and his pine scent gets fiery. “Never. He’s in prison, baby, and you’ll never see him again.”

“This is a lawyer we hired to represent your interests in the legal proceedings. We wanted to be sure that someone would be thinking about protecting you before anything else, someone who also knows about the court case.”

“Do they know about me? About what happened?” Nix wrings his hands, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. “Oh god. Do they know I’m an omega? You said no one should find out yet.” He exhales sharply, his voice unsteady. “I don’t understand.”

“Erin is bound by her oath to make sure she protects your confidentiality, and I think she’s honorable that way. She works at Leo’s father’s firm, and even though he’s our family and her boss, she still couldn’t– wouldn’t– tell him.”

Nix looks thoughtful. “I trust you, but why is she coming?”

A crash echoes from the kitchen, jolting Leo awake as he fumbles for his water bottle. Blinking away sleep, he makes his way from the kitchen. “Hey. Who did you say was coming?”

Without hesitation, he climbs into Gideon’s lap, pulling a green blanket over his legs to ward off the chill despite the warmth of the sun. His chest and back are littered with bite marks, the evidence of last night still fresh, and he smells almost entirely of Rowan.

Gideon presses his nose into the firm curve of Leo’s shoulder, inhaling deeply, savoring the scent. Then, with a slow, deliberate lick, he takes in the full sensory experience.“Erin Christie from the firm.”

Leo’s kiss-red mouth forms an “o” as his brain picks up speed. “To talk about the case?”

Gideon might still be a bit distracted, and by the way, Leo wiggles, he knows it.

There are many reasons Erin didn’t want to meet at the firm, and none of them are easy to talk about. Maybe it’s not bad exactly, but it’s difficult.

Undoubtedly, it has been a tough few days, so Jay is careful with his words. “Yes, I think she just wants to speak with us about the court case. Nix, the court needs verification that you’re Were now, but that requires medical evidence, and they expect that newly transitioned Weres are betas.”

“But I’m not a beta.” The realization slams into him like a freight train. “Fuck. I’m not a beta—I’m an omega.” His breath catches. “If you tell the courts, everyone will know.”

Sighing and telling his wolf he will not be enjoying the pleasure of his naked mates right now, Gideon pats Leo’s flank to get him moving—at least the sound is satisfying.

Jay sighs. “You see the problem. Erin said she had a few options and something else she wanted us to see. Let’s eat something and get changed. She’ll be here pretty soon. Leo, how are Luca and Rowan?”

If Rowan had allowed Leo to leave the nest, he must be almost done. Rowan’s ruts can last longer than three days, but maybe they’re lucky this time.

Or maybe not.

“It’s not getting any better. I managed to get him to sleep around 7:30 and came out here to get something to eat, but I think Luca might need you again, or maybe Grayson and Finnie can tap in? The stranger in the house could make this worse.”

Gideon cringes, reminded again how he hates the idea of an outsider in their den when someone is rutting—it’s a time of pack vulnerability. But he knows Jay would never have agreed if there had been anywhere safer to have this conversation.

Urging the slow-moving Leo to his feet, Gideon leans in quickly to bite his butt. The beta squeaks. “Hey! Enough of biting Leo’s butt! Fuck. What is it with you guys?”

“Sue me, it’s juicy.”

Nix giggles. “Maybe I should see what the fuss is about?” He makes a bitey face, snapping his—currently tiny—white teeth, and the owner of the butt in question blushes.

“Alright, you two, Leo, go shower and change. I’ll make something quick for breakfast. Jay, could you wake the tag team and see who’s up for rut-ville, and then let’s find something of Luca’s for Nix to wear. Anyone wanting to eat will be back here in fifteen.” He watches his family disperse and heads to the kitchen to make some eggs and toast.

Jay is back in the kitchen with a showered Nix in tow sixteen minutes later. His alpha is in ass-hugging blue jeans and a plain, tight black t-shirt. He’d managed to find a pair of Luca’s brand-new, never-been-worn skinny jeans, which are still loose but will stay up on Nix’s slight frame better than anything else they have to offer.

He’s got a black t-shirt that smells like Jay under an oversized pink cardigan that is Grayson’s favorite paint sweater. It’s covered in a rainbow of splatters and has most certainly seen better days. He’ll make a note to order some things in Nix’s size but maybe have the pack scent them in advance—just in case he wants them.

After he sends Nix to set the table, Gideon raises his eyebrows. “We couldn’t do better than that?”

“He saw it in my room and wouldn’t give it up. It’s all I could do to get his pretty butt in those pants. I think Luca’s no- pants agenda is working. Let’s be grateful he is not in just the cardigan.”

Gideon gives himself ten seconds to picture that in his mind’s eye and promises he’ll spend more time thinking about it later because that is a picture. Shaking off the erotic image, he serves up a simple breakfast.

Five minutes in, Jay is trying to put food directly into Nix’s mouth while their omega slides his own toast onto their alpha’s plate when he isn’t looking. It’d be fucking sweet if Gideon were sure someone was eating his delicious food instead of passing it around like idiots.

“Will you two just eat what I gave you?”

Both look chagrined at getting caught out. “Sorry, it’s really good, thank you.” The last is muffled by Nix’s full mouth, Jay having managed to stick some food in, finally.

Leo arrives with a sleepy-but-showered Luca on his back, and Gideon takes his beloved in his arms to cradle him like a newborn on his lap, his head tipped back over his arm. He smells fresh and a bit like Rowan, too.

Gideon presses his nose in behind his ear and snuffles until he gets a giggle. “Morning, honey. I missed you.”

Leo grabs a piece of toast and crams the whole thing into his mouth, cheeks puffed out, and lies flat on the couch with his eyes closed. “Don’t you dare choke, Leo Costas.”

“Yes, mom.”

“Sugar, I want Nixie.” Luca shifts his attention—and Nix’s—though Nix already has eyes only for him. Gideon isn’t sure why they’re sitting so far apart in the first place.

“Then let’s go sit beside him.”

Luca sits up, grabbing their shared plate of food, while Gideon hooks an arm under his ass and lifts him effortlessly. His good boy has at least deigned to wear one of Leo’s t-shirts to the table. Gideon gives him a firm squeeze as a reward.

As soon as he’s gotten Luca settled crosswise on his lap, Nix is up and straddling Luca, knee and lower leg in Gideon’s belly, the other one on his knees. They’re now stacked three high, and Gideon hopes these designer chairs will hold up. The combined scent of his kittens compensates for the lack of lunch because he can’t see the table, let alone his food.

“I missed you, Luca. You smell so good.” Nix has the earlobe closest to Gideon between his teeth, and Gideon feels Luca shiver, mocha scent deepening. “Did Rowan fuck you so good?”

Moaning, Luca nods, and Gideon holds his breath because he’s got a front-row seat to the hottest thing he’s seen today.

“Rowan’s cock is so good.”

The roller coaster of arousal has an ache settling into his balls—he quite likes it.

“Mmmmm. I bet he tastes good, too. I tasted Grayson last night—he made me come two times.”

“Yeah? He drinks pineapple juice, like Jaybird. It makes their come sweet.”

“What? Really? Jamie, do you have sweet come?”

Jay chokes on his toast, red-faced.

“He does. Ten out of ten would recommend,” comes the retort from their beta on the couch.

This is getting out of hand, and why is it always he who has to call a stop to whatever chaos these two little demons are up to? And it’s only been two days.

Nix leans in even closer so only Luca can hear; he seems to have forgotten Gideon’s even there. “Maybe we could suck everyone together later, and I could taste it from your mouth. Bet it tastes even sweeter that way. Would you like that, baby?” There’s a bite to Luca’s ear, and Luca seizes up, shaking through his orgasm and coming all over the bottom of his t-shirt.

His beloved is so easy. Thank the fucking Goddess.

Gideon can’t blame him, though. This version of their omega makes him hard, too, and he can’t look away from his kitten’s red lips on Luca’s ear. “Bet Gideon would like that too, wouldn’t you?”

His kitten turns slowly and looks him dead in the eye, whispering, “That’s two points for me—you better hurry if you want to catch up.” He leans forward and licks Gideon’s nose before kissing Luca sweetly to help bring him down.

Holy fuck.

He’s going to have to ramp up his game. Not that he knew he needed one—but his kitten is a tease, and there’s only one way to handle a tease. Gideon is more than ready. His eyes narrow, and this time, Gideon catches the shiver that runs through him.

Nix slides off Luca’s lap and hovers his hand over the wet spot on the black t-shirt, gaze still firmly on Gideon. “Such a good boy, Luca. Can I?” Luca is dazed and panting from his fast orgasm, twitching at the praise. He’s not asking Luca, and that’s interesting, as they’ve certainly not talked about Gideon’s ownership of Luca’s pleasure.

“Do you think you deserve it, kitten? You didn’t ask me if you could.”

His soft sorry is surprisingly sincere, given his recent sass. “I deserve what you say I deserve.” He’s looking down, and he’s got his hands clasped behind his back.

Jay and Leo groan. It’s incendiary, for sure, but Gideon doesn’t play for real without a frank conversation, especially if this might be a holdover from Hayes.

“You’re being so good, kitten, but we can’t play without a long talk, and we don’t have time. You come to me later, and we can discuss it when we’re both thinking clearly. For now, ask Luca. Luca, you may do as you like, but we’ll talk later.”

Luca’s head whips around at this unusual sexual carte blanche, and he jumps down with a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you!” He’s got Nix’s wrist in his hand, and he’s dragging him over to the couch beside Leo, where he goes to his knees and reaches for the zipper on those skinny jeans.

Just as the gate buzzer rings.

They’d forgotten Erin Christie’s appointment, and there was not one dick in the room that wasn’t hard.

Luca looks like he might cry. “Noooooo. Sugar, you said I could.”

Nix grabs Luca’s cheeks and looks directly into his teary eyes. “I will save it for you. You can wait, right, baby? When the lawyer leaves, I will come right back here, and you can make me come.” Gideon is surprised, but he really should have known his kitten would do just the right thing.

“Okay. Luca can be good. Sugar, do I need to ‘people?’ I want to be in my bed instead.”

“You can go. Do you need someone? I’m sorry, but I need to be here with Jay and Nix.”

It’s too much for Luca to decide, and Gideon is grateful again that Leo sees it.

“Luca, let’s go be in your bed and watch Supernatural—that Sam Winchester is yummy. Be sure to say hi to Erin for me. See you after, Nixie.” He kisses Nix’s head.

“Yay! Carry me.” Luca snatches two more pieces of toast from the plate Gideon is clearing—all while perched on Leo’s back.

With Luca safe, he tries to focus on the task at hand.

Jay slides open the glass door to air out the lingering scent of sex, keying in the gate code on his phone for their visitor.

Nix smells so much like sex-vanilla, and there’s no hiding it. He’s shifting in his seat uncomfortably, and Gideon tries not to think of why. Visions of a slippery slick hole are not going to get his wolf or his dick to calm the fuck down.

The doorbell rings, and Jay answers with the usual pleasantries. Meanwhile, Gideon keeps a close eye on Nix, wary of a repeat of the Riordan-and-Ewan incident. But knowing a visitor was expected seems to make a difference—or maybe his kitten is just getting better at controlling his burgeoning instincts.

“Erin, this is our mate, Phoenix Rena. Nixie, this is your attorney, Erin Christie.”

They nod at each other in greeting as Jay gestures for Erin to take a seat near the open door, where the fresh air drifts in.

She doesn’t so much as blink, completely unfazed—but Gideon is astonished to catch the delicate scent of jasmine, unmistakably beta. Strange. Most professionals making house calls to another pack’s den wear scent blockers, just as the Kennedy pack had. It’s a basic courtesy.

Nix, however, tilts his nose in the air, a small, knowing smile playing on his lips.

“Good afternoon, Nix. Thank you for seeing me at your home. I hope I haven’t offended you, but I thought you might prefer to be able to sense my intentions in all the ways Weres have at their disposal?” Ah. Thoughtful. He exchanges his annoyance for appreciation, especially when Nix is far more relaxed, impending dark conversation aside.

“Thank you, Erin. I’m new to this, and I appreciate all the help I can get navigating the changes. I’m grateful you could meet me here.” His kitten is well-spoken, and his smile has evidently held yet another person captive.

Erin clears her throat and stares for a bit longer than is polite, running her finger over her own cheek like she’s vicariously tracing the freckles on Nix’s cheeks. Yup, another admirer.

“May we offer you refreshment? Coffee? Water?” Gideon can be polite, too. Probably.

“Oh no, thank you, though. I hate barging in on you at home, but as I mentioned, I think we should speak away from the office. Nix, may I speak in front of Jay and Gideon?”

That Nix is surprised at her consideration is an understatement. How it speaks to his life’s general lack of autonomy makes Gideon’s heart hurt. The thought that anyone would be grateful even for the novelty of these–the smallest of courtesies–is abhorrent.

“I’m your attorney, Nix. Anything you say to me is confidential, and your alphas have no sway over my decisions, my ability, or my commitment to do what’s best for you. Do you understand?”

“I think I do, yes. Thank you. Jamie and Gideon can stay.”

“Good. Have they told you much about the case against Mr. Hayes?” His kitten flinches at the name.

“Maybe we could call him the accused?” Jay doesn’t enjoy hearing it either, and Gideon just wants him called The Deceased .

“Of course.”

Nix lets his shoulders drop from their defensive stance, knowing he won’t have to hear his abuser named in every other sentence. “Not really, just that the courts need proof I’m a beta to proceed and that I am not a beta.”

“Exactly. I’m here to offer two courses of action, and then we’ll give you a few days to think about it.”

“Okay.” Nix reaches over and holds Jay’s hand in a firm grip. Gideon takes a position behind Jay’s shoulder so he can scent his mates and still keep the lawyer in his sight.

“Alright. Stay with me for a minute while I explain. Our purpose, as I understand it, is to make sure the accused pays for his multitude of crimes in a way that is commensurate with the severity of those crimes. I understand from my contact in the prosecution’s office that the accused has passed his competency interviews despite very obvious attempts otherwise.”

“With competency determined, they would like to proceed, and we’ve received official inquiries about the beta registration.” The lawyer seems a bit nervous, and maybe it’s Nix’s general demeanor driving the mood, but Gideon thinks it’s most likely she’s building up to something.

“What are our two options?” Jay asks abruptly, the sharp edge in his voice a direct response to Nix—pale, tense, and his vanilla-cookie scent burnt around the edges.

“Nix, do you need a break?” His kitten shakes his head, but Gideon knows that’s not true. “We will wait if you need us to, I know this is a lot.” Gideon wants to make sure that Nix knows they are behind him completely and that Jay doesn’t lose his cool.

Nix takes three long, slow breaths and lets them out. When his scent levels out, he inquires, “I don’t want to offend you, Erin, but if we could just get to the point?”

“Certainly, option one is that we lie. We find a physician who will falsify the documents. You may even consider your mate, Dr. Merritt. It’s unlikely that anyone will check, and if Nix is called as a witne–”

“What?! No. I won’t be doing that; I can’t testify against him. Jamie? You can’t make me, please.” Their omega is standing now, shoulders tense, his usually warm complexion paler than usual. His gray eyes are wide with distress, and his chest rises and falls too fast like he might bolt or be sick.

Maybe he should have been worried less about Jay freaking out and paid more attention to his own tells because Gideon’s wolf surges, muscles coiled, searching for a threat that isn’t even present.

“My mate will not be testifying, Ms. Christie—under any circumstances.” Jay’s tone is sharp as a blade, and there is no room for argument in the steel of his voice.

Ms. Christie nods, lips pressing together as if she expected this response. “That might affect our ability to get the maximum sentences Mr. Costas spoke about at your meeting.”

“Was this always on the table? I think I’d recall if we had discussed this previously.” Gideon knows he’s being rude, but he gives himself credit because he’s also not showing her the door.

“I’m not sure if Mr. Costas would have mentioned it, but it’s not unusual to verify evidence with testimony under oath. I understand why you would decline, and that is within your rights. I will back this decision 100% and still push for the maximum with prosecutorial support. The judge will still likely rule ‘guilty’ on the confessed assault without Nix’s testimony, but the sentencing may be lighter than we hope.”

“What’s the second option?” Nix whispers.

“I spent a bit of time in the Law Library over the past few days. There is a surprising amount of pack law regarding omegas. I think the historical and medical community has forgotten that even if they may appear to be mythological in our everyday life, the Were legal community has been in place for millennia.”

“There are legal documents that go back a thousand years?”

She laughs. “I’m sure there are, but I only had to go back three hundred.”

“Why would you think to do that? It must have taken you hours and hours!”

She looks down and away, fiddling with the hem of her sweater.

Gideon’s wolf perks up at the prevarication, but he decides that even if she’s hiding something and it’s embarrassing—it’s not nefarious. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, but suffice it to say it was right where I expected to find it—in under thirty minutes.”

“Found what?” Gideon has to know now, allusions to a mystery piquing his curiosity.

“If a Were harms a pack omega, before or after presentation, the Pack Alpha has the right to trial-by-combat—to the death.”

It’s archaic and barbaric. The silence is deafening, and Gideon knows that this is the option his wolf wants.

Jay looks from the attorney to his omega and back. “But wouldn’t that mean everyone would know Nix is an omega? The courts would have to know, and his defense would have to know; he would know.”

“Yes, that’s why I wanted to give you a few days to decide. Of course, we can seal the proceeding and the documents, but while everyone is bound by NDAs and oaths, news will most likely leak about your status. The accused would most certainly have nothing to lose by announcing it to all and sundry.”

Hayes would be sure to take his victim down before he died bloody to seek his last psychopathic revenge.

“What if the courts deem him not guilty?” His kitten is a shadow of himself, and Gideon decides he hates it.

“They couldn’t possibly, as he’s confessed, and he is competent to stand trial. He is guilty of the assault regardless of whether they can prove the intent to transition you unlawfully. There would be no doubt about the outcome. Despite its age, the law is 100% enforceable. We can also consider that any further attempt to cause you harm publicly by anyone would be deemed a similar offense, but that’s a future consideration.”

“Jamie can hardly go around fighting everyone who offends me. That’s insanity.” Nix shakes his head. “So what you’re saying is that if we go this route, then the only course is that Jamie meets D-Dawson in combat to the death?”

“That’s the ideal, yes. There is a provision for him to choose a proxy, but—”

“Then no.” Nix cuts her off and stands abruptly. “I won’t do it. Thank you for your time, Erin. I’d like some time to think about the part where we lie to the American government. Could I speak with you privately?”

He’s up to something that Gideon absolutely—one hundred percent—is not going to like one little bit.

“Nix, let’s talk about this a bit more.” Jay’s tone shows that he knows it, too. Their omega is a runaway train, and Gideon worries it’s an actual “runaway” situation.

“No, James. Erin, may I walk you to your car?”

“Uh…yes.” She looks from Jay to Gideon before settling on Nix’s pale face.

She grabs her bag, reaches inside to retrieve something, and then pauses. “One more thing. The Detective in charge gave me this. They retrieved it from the scene and said it was valuable, but not evidence. They asked me to return it to you.” Held between the tips of her fingers is a small evidence bag with a stainless steel pendant inside.

Nix visibly recoils, so Gideon takes it. He can feel right away that it’s tainted with something so evil it hurts just to hold it. He can see Erin feels the same way.

His face must reflect his disgust.

“Can you feel it too, Gideon? My mate made me leave it outside under the moon last night. I hope you don’t think me ridiculous for saying so while acting in my professional capacity, but Sorscha practices the old ways. She recognized the evil when I came in the door and said the symbol on this side means hide. ” The pragmatic lawyer shivers as if someone has passed over her grave.

“Hide? Do you mean if Nix wore this, he would be hidden? From whom?” Jay asks.

“He told me it meant love,” Nix murmurs absently, as if memories are taking up all of his attention.

Erin’s face is horrified. “It’s the opposite of love. But to answer your question,” she turns the pendant over inside the bag, and it’s covered with Nix’s blood—it reveals one person’s name in black: Jay Rhodes. “My mate says the…uh…blood would make the name visible. I’m so sorry.”

Nix stands frozen, his face drained of color. “He made me wear it, and if I took it off, he would h-hurt me.” His breath stutters. “You mean all this time, he was using…what? Magic? To hide me from you? All this time?”

His voice is a low, rasping whisper, thick with devastation. The weight of it presses into Gideon’s chest like a vise. He can’t imagine how their omega can have endured more pain than Hayes has already inflicted.

Erin can only offer another quiet “I’m sorry.”

At that moment, the sweet face of his omega goes hard as granite. Gone is the sweet, demure boy, and in his place is a predator. Glowing blue eyes and deadly claws. There’s a growling deep in his chest, and Gideon feels a frisson of wariness he rarely experiences.

“Erin, you mentioned a provision for the alpha to choose a proxy?” The words are garbled by his long fangs, but his intent is clear. The lawyer has stepped closer to Gideon, and he can’t blame her—Nix is magnificent in his fury.

Erin nods.

Jay is already on his feet, shaking his head. “Nixie, no.”

“Then I’d like to reconsider my decision for trial-by-combat.”

In the blink of an eye, Nix is through the door onto the pool deck, vaulting the short retaining wall and disappearing into the tree line, with Jay hot on his heels.

But Gideon has had enough—no one will be ripping Hayes’s heart out except him. It’s always been his privilege to protect his pack, and it always will be for as long as he breathes.

Besides, he made a promise to his wolf.