The Mafia King's Stolen Omega

Prologue

This was the spot.

Elm kicked at a pebble and twirled in a circle, eyeing the courtyard.

It was late midday, and there were only two other people, a woman and her small child blowing bubbles by the fountain.

The courtyard was tucked behind Wisp Mall, next to a lake where a flock of ducks currently called out to each other and swam.

He checked the time on his multi-slate, a device that acted as both a communicator and computer worn on the wrist, and nibbled on his lower lip. They were late.

This was the place, he was sure of it. Had memorized the location yesterday morning when he’d accidentally seen the text come in on Sky’s device.

Sky, his best friend, business partner, and soon to be brother-in-law, had planned to meet up with Shiloh Sobu. They’d confirmed as much in the messages, and yet…

Neither of them was here.

Elm cursed under his breath and sent another stone sailing across the uneven pavement. He couldn’t even call Sky to ask about it because that would give him away. As far as his bestie was concerned, Elm was the epitome of chill.

So what that his older brother, Kian, had returned home after years on another planet as the Dominus of the Eumia mafia.

Cool.

No big if Kian had discovered his birth family, and had brought two younger siblings back to Glyph with him, effectively waving in Elm’s face that he was no longer his only brother.

Cool, cool.

It was awesome that he’d mated with Sky shortly after, ensuring Elm now only got a sliver of Sky’s time as well.

So. Fucking. Cool.

“Relax.” He inhaled through his nose and out through his mouth. Elm wasn’t that guy. Wasn’t the type to get possessive over his own family. Wasn’t the type who felt left out or sidelined. At least not openly.

There were literally over three hundred numbers in his multi-slate, and any one of them would love to hang out with him if he called.

Any one of them except for Kian and Sky, who were always too busy sneaking off and fucking like horny gods damned rabbits on—

The kid giggled and made a run for the parking lot, his mother chasing after him. Their mingled laughter cut through Elm’s frustration and he did another breathing exercise. As soon as they made it to their car, he found himself alone.

As per usual.

Elm had friends, tons of them, but no one he was actually close to. Growing up, Kian and Sky had been his only confidants, and now that they’d paired up…

He’d thought after he and Sky had graduated college, the two of them would spend more time together, not less. Sky’s mom had gifted him a private studio in the city, and together they’d opened a ceramics shop.

Only, Elm frequently found himself working there on his own.

Kian was no better.

Growing up, the two of them had been close. At least, in that way an older and younger sibling could be, with Elm constantly following behind, idolizing his big brother. In his eyes, Kian could do no wrong, even when their parents discovered his…secret, bloody, interests. That’d been fine.

Elm could accept Kian no matter who he turned out being. What he turned out to be.

He squeezed his eyes shut and focused on the beats of his heart. Admittedly, this had been a stupid idea. A juvenile, immature, idea. It’d been a while since Kian had returned to planet, bringing the Eumia mafia and his two sparkly new siblings with him…and Elm had yet to meet the new brother.

Sloane, Kian’s sister and Shiloh’s twin, he’d been introduced to. He liked her. She was nice enough. It wasn’t like they were going to hold hands and become one big happy family, but she was polite and had a sense of humor, and Sky seemed to get along with her.

Shiloh was like smoke in the wind though.

If he hadn’t seen pictures of the omega male, Elm might have even suspected he was made up.

He’d asked too. Had shown an interest in meeting Shiloh. Had been open to it, friendly whenever he brought it up to Kian, all smiles and warm welcome. It was to the point Elm had even heard Sky question Kian on more than one occasion, confused why he wouldn’t just set a simple meeting up.

But Elm knew why.

The reason Kian kept brushing him off and saying maybe later.

It was because he’d seen right through Elm.

It was humiliating, but it didn’t change the facts.

Elm was jealous.

He didn’t want to meet Shiloh to welcome him to the planet or befriend him. Didn’t want to give the younger man advice.

He wanted to stare Shiloh in the eyes and see with absolute certainty that there was no competition there.

That just because the two of them shared blood, that didn’t mean Shiloh’s relationship with Kian was any stronger or better or important or real than the one between Elm and him.

He wanted to see that he hadn’t lost.

Pathetic.

Shame had him hanging his head and stuffing his hands into the pockets of his mustard pea coat. The one Kian had bought him for Yuletide this year.

Sloane had shown up the other day wearing one in magenta.

Did Shiloh get the same gift as well?

A part of Elm felt incredibly guilty for thinking this way. Sky didn’t tell him much, but he’d shared that Shiloh had gone through something super traumatic, that he’d been kidnapped and forced into a breeding den.

That he’d been mounted by an alpha there, against both of their wills.

Elm couldn’t even imagine what that would be like. As a beta, he never had to worry about things like heats or ruts taking control of his body.

The people on Glyph and Synastry had two genders. First gender was the typical male or female. Second gender could be either alpha, omega, or beta.

Alphas and omegas both experienced mating periods, called ruts and heats respectively, but betas had nothing of the sort. Aside from the horrors that could come along with it, Elm had honestly always secretly wondered what having a mating period would be like.

As a beta, he still had a lot of sex, but it wasn’t the same. His hookups were casual, his reputation for being laidback helping to turn the entrance to his bedroom into a revolving door. The problem with that was, it also meant people left as often as they came.

That was another thing alphas and omegas had that betas didn’t.

The claiming bite.

A mark that bound two people together forever. It was a serious act, irreversible, and something Elm had always considered to be romantic.

There was security in something that permanent. In knowing your mate couldn’t be turned on by anyone else ever again. That they wouldn’t leave you.

That they’d chosen you above all other options.

The bite made a person special.

Elm had never been special.

But it would be ignorant not to acknowledge there was a dark side to that as well.

Like with anything, it could either be used appropriately or weaponized.

Technically, an omega had to mentally accept the claiming offer when bitten, but everyone knew in the throes of passion, they were easily coerced or threatened into doing so.

If the alpha Shiloh had been paired with had lost control and bitten him, they both would have been stuck with each other for the rest of their lives.

Breeding dens were illegal, but they still happened, especially on Synastry where Shiloh was from.

As a prime omega—known as dominant omegas on that planet—Elm imagined Shiloh was considered a serious catch.

Whether it was for that reason or his connection to the Eumia, Shiloh had spent two days with his captors, drugged to induce his heat, and made to sleep with a stranger.

According to Sky, they knew the identity of the alpha, but Sky wouldn’t reveal it. Only said he was someone super scary and powerful.

Elm understood Sky spent more time with Shiloh because of this.

What he didn’t get was why he couldn’t be invited?

Forget this.

He’d suck it up and confront Kian head on. Tell him how he was really feeling, no matter how embarrassing it was.

Then—

Elm took a fist to the face, seemingly out of nowhere.

Another thing betas couldn’t do?

Sense or smell pheromones.

Which was probably how four guys managed to get the jump on him.

He glanced up, cursing as he rubbed at his jaw, and suddenly they were there, surrounding him on all sides.

“You Kian’s brother?” one of them asked gruffly, and Elm bristled.

“Who’s asking?”

Apparently, it was the wrong thing to say. One of the guys behind him grabbed onto his shoulder, spinning him violently, but this time Elm was better prepared.

He moved with the momentum, then delivered a hit of his own, followed by a knee to the stomach. As soon as the guy went down, Elm turned on the next, kicking first at his shin, then delivering a roundhouse kick that landed.

Later, he’d have to thank Kian for forcing him into those self defense classes.

Unfortunately, his arrogance only lasted so long.

Elm felt something sharp prick the side of his neck, spun on his heels to find someone behind him holding a needle. He stumbled, then lost feeling in his legs and collapsed entirely.

The last thing he saw before his vision went out was the vibrant blue sky above.