Vinny
The hate I felt for Reed Lamb was biblical.
Plagues. Floods. Brother turning on brother.
If there was a verse about wanting to knock someone’s teeth down their throat while still needing them alive, it would’ve been about Reed.
He stood in my bedroom like he owned it, adjusting his cufflinks in my mirror. He straightened the ribbon tying back his long hair, smoothing it with careful fingers.
His only redeeming quality was that he looked like his sister.
“You could at least pretend you’re good enough for her,” he said mildly, fixing his collar. “Start with pretending you like me. As long as Violet’s around, you’re never getting rid of me.”
I snorted. “Bold of you to assume I plan on letting you stick around.”
His reflection didn’t shift.
“Mmm. I’ve killed people for less,” he said calmly. “In a perfect world, Logan wouldn’t have been an insufferable twat, and Violet never would’ve found you or your pack.”
I gave him a humorless laugh.
“In a perfect world,” I shot back, “she wouldn’t have been handed to Logan in the first place.”
Reed lifted one shoulder.
“And that,” he said, tilting his head as he examined his expression in the mirror, “is why we’re tragic late-stage orphans.”
He practiced a brief, appropriate-looking frown. Like he was checking if it suited him.
“I intended to deter any alpha who got close to my sister,” he continued. “Unfortunately, Serena marked her, you knocked her up, and now I can’t get rid of either of you without upsetting Violet.”
I stared at him.
“You say that like you’ve done this before.”
He didn’t deny it.
“But,” he went on, smoothing his hair over his shoulder, “I can have a few words with Logan tonight.”
His tone felt far too light for the situation, which immediately meant I didn’t trust it.
I didn’t give a single fuck if Logan Stellar ended up dead, but I had no intention of being tied to it. I had enough illegal shit happening under my roof. I didn’t need cops sniffing around because Reed decided to play executioner.
“How was Violet earlier?” I asked slowly, needing to think about anything else.
I tried not to sound like my lungs were collapsing.
If I hadn’t screamed at her, she never would’ve run.
If she hadn’t run, she wouldn’t be there.
My mind flashed to Xandra. To blood. To what might have been if I’d just gotten to her in time. If I’d protected her better. If I hadn’t just assumed she was safe with my brother, Tony.
Losing another omega wasn’t an option, not for me.
“Pregnant,” Reed said casually.
“Well, yeah.” My jaw tightened. “But did she look okay?”
He didn’t answer.
Instead, he walked to my dresser, opened a drawer without asking, and flipped through my shirts before pulling out a crimson button-down.
“You need to change,” he said, tossing it at me. “Blue isn’t your color.”
I caught it automatically.
“I didn’t ask for your fashion advice. I asked how my omega was.”
His eyes narrowed slightly. He folded his arms and glanced pointedly at the shirt in my hands.
For fuck’s sake.
Begrudgingly, I started unbuttoning my current one.
He gave me a smug half-smile that made my palms itch.
“You should be thanking me,” he added.
“For what?” I swear to God, if he said the shirt–
“For letting you have my omega.”
The words didn’t fully register at first, then I realized he was talking about Violet.
“Excuse me?”
He stepped closer, unbothered by the fact that I towered over him.
“You heard me.”
“She’s not yours,” I said flatly.
“No,” he agreed easily. “Not anymore. But blood is thicker than water. And God didn’t make my twin an omega for no reason.”
I blinked twice before realizing Reed might have actually been fucking crazy.
“You hear how that sounds, right?” I asked.
He turned back to the mirror, ignoring me completely.
“…Is that why you don’t have an omega?” I asked. Not my business, but talking about him kept me from thinking about all the bad things that could be happening.
“I don’t have an omega because they’re annoying,” he scoffed.
“Is that your actual reason?”
“Yes.”
“They’re annoying?” I repeated, not sure if he actually knew what he was talking about.
“They nest,” he said flatly. “They scent-mark everything. They cry when they don’t get their way. They require constant reassurance.” He adjusted his cuff. “I’m a busy man. I can’t rearrange my entire life to orbit someone that clingy.”
My jaw flexed as I thought about Violet and the nest in my closet. I’d been sleeping in it because it smelled like her, and that was probably the only thing keeping me from tearing this city apart brick by brick.
“Your sister does all of that,” I said quietly.
Reed looked at me like he knew that, he just didn’t care.
A knock hit the door before it opened without permission. In stepped Benji, dressed in chinos and a crisp lime colored shirt. He looked great, which was unsettling because I couldn’t remember the last time he wore normal clothes, let alone dressed up.
“…Why are you dressed like that?” I asked.
“Like what?” Benji blinked.
“Like you’re about to break into a country club.”
“It’s cooler than my chef’s jacket, no?” He smoothed the front of his shirt. “Plus, aren’t you two going to see Violet?”
There it was.
“We’re not just seeing her,” I said. “We’re bringing her home—”
“And I’m killing Logan,” Reed added pleasantly.
My eye twitched.
“That was a joke,” I muttered.
“No it wasn’t,” Reed said.
Benji looked between us.
“…Did I just walk into a murder plot?”
“No,” I said.
“Yes,” Reed said.
I shot him a look. “You are not killing anyone.”
He hummed like he disagreed.
“No one is killing anyone,” I said firmly. “We’re going in. We’re getting Violet. We’re leaving.”
“Fine,” Reed said lightly. “Whatever.”
That whatever carried a lot of weight, and I chose to ignore it in favor of dealing with my beta.
I stepped forward, placing my hands on Benji’s shoulders.
“I know you miss her,” I said. “But she’ll be home soon. I need you here with Serena and Skye.”
I expected him to nod, and kiss me, and go back to holding everything together while I did what needed doing.
Instead, he shrugged me off.
“Serena doesn’t need me hovering. And if the Stellars retaliate, she’s more than capable of protecting Skye.”
“That’s not the point.”
“Then what is?”
“The point,” I snapped, “is I can’t split my focus.”
“You won’t have to.”
“Yes, I will. If something goes wrong, I need to know Serena and Skye are safe. I need to know you’re safe.”
His expression softened.
“I don’t think you understand what you’re walking into,” he said quietly.
“And you do?” I shot back.
His gaze fell to the floor, and for a second I thought he’d back off, but he didn’t.
“I watched the camera today,” he admitted. “The one you implanted in the bunny.”
Something cold slid down my spine.
“And?”
He hesitated, which caused my pulse to race.
“I think,” he continued carefully, “that if you see Violet like she is now, you’re going to do something stupid.”
I went deathly still as my mind raced to the worst case scenarios.
“What do you mean,” I asked slowly, “like she is now?”
Benji didn’t look up.
“Benji.” I hardened my tone. “What’s wrong with Violet?”