Chapter 28
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Ven
At first, I’m not sure what wakes me as I stare at the wall.
It takes me a moment to realize I’m in a guest room at Luna’s house, Mack at my side.
More like at my back, as apparently I’m playing the role of the small spoon tonight.
I shouldn’t be surprised. I know Mack is a cuddler, and with Knight in Luna’s bed tonight, I’m the one who gets to be cuddled.
I frown, a sense of unease coursing through me.
Something isn’t right.
I shrug off Mack’s hold and sit up.
“What—”
I smack a hand on his chest, lifting my other hand to my lips in the universal sign to shut the fuck up.
My eyes find the open doorway, scanning the dim hallway as I try to figure out what feels out of place.
The house is silent around me, but I can’t shake the idea that something is off.
There.
There’s a shadow of movement from Luna’s room, and I’m on my feet without a thought—my gun in my hand.
Could it be Luna, Knight, or Prescott getting up to use the bathroom or to get a drink?
Possibly, but I’m not taking any chances with my scent matches.
Plus, something woke me on high alert, my alpha on the edge. I don’t think the movement is from any of them.
I think there’s someone in the house who shouldn’t be.
I stalk silently down the hallway, pausing to glance around the door as Mack catches up.
My eyes narrow on the man at the end of the bed, who has a gun trained on my mate.
I’m not even sure which mate it is, nor do I care.
Tucking my gun into the back of my pants, I launch myself across the room and wrap my arm around the man’s neck as I force the arm holding the gun down.
He doesn’t fight me as Mack rips the gun out of his hand, training it on the man in my hold.
“Wake the fuck up,” I bark as Mack flips on a light.
The three in bed jerk up, their eyes finding us and the stranger.
I attempt to scent him, but he’s clearly using blockers. Based on his size alone, I’m guessing he’s an alpha, but I can’t say for sure since one of my omegas is built like an alpha.
Because I’m behind him, I can’t even get a good look at him. Not that it matters.
He pointed a gun at my mates, so he’s a dead man walking.
“Who the hell are you and why were you pointing a gun at my mates?” I growl, tightening my hold on the man.
“Mack? Why are you holding a gun?” Prescott asks as he and Knight lean in front of Luna.
I scoff. “Because this asshole was pointing it at one of you.”
Luna peeks between Knight and Prescott, her eyes going wide and her breath rapid. “Christian?”
What. The. Fuck.
Luna struggles to get around the other two in bed with her, but they easily pin her in place. “Let go of me! Ven, you’re going to kill him!”
“Good,” I grunt, once again tightening my hold on him.
Maybe I should just snap his neck.
“Ven.” Mack’s voice is quiet as he draws my attention. “Don’t kill him. We need to know why he’s here.”
“Do we really?”
Mack rolls his eyes. “We do. Also, you’re upsetting our omega.”
My eyes find Knight, but he looks fine, so I shift my eyes to Luna. She’s definitely freaking the fuck out.
Ugh.
“Vengeance,” Mack growls when I don’t let go. In fact, I squeeze a little harder. “Haru!”
“Fine.” I release my hold, and the man falls to his knees.
Somehow, Luna breaks free of Knight’s hold as she scrambled to the end of the bed, where she hesitates. “Christian?”
“Who are you?” he croaks. “How do you know who I am?”
His eyes stay locked on Luna even when Mack and I move to stand on either side of the bed to stare down at him.
He’s an attractive guy, I’ll give him that—even with the scar and slight indentation in his forehead from the gunshot wound.
“You don’t recognize me?” I don’t need to glance at Luna to know she’s crying as she stares at Christian. “You have no idea who I am?”
“No.” The single word is filled with anguish. “But I should, shouldn’t I?”
She nods slowly. “Yes.”
A single tear runs down Christian’s cheek as he continues to stare at Luna. “Tell me?”
“Why should she, asshole?” I sneer, taking a step toward him. “You broke into her home and pointed a fucking gun at her head.”
A shiver runs down Christian’s spine, but he doesn’t deny my words. He also doesn’t glance at me, his eyes locked on Luna.
A soft hand lands on my arm, pulling me to a stop. I know it’s Luna, but I can’t remove my eyes from the threat in the room.
“Don’t,” she says, squeezing my arm. “Please.”
I growl, frustration surging inside me. I don’t want to upset my omega further, but this man is a threat. He could’ve killed her.
“But he didn’t.”
I freeze, unable to keep my eyes from moving to her. “What?”
“He didn’t kill me, Ven. He didn’t shoot me.”
I must’ve said that part out loud.
“It doesn’t matter. He’s a threat.”
She hums. “Maybe he is, and maybe he isn’t. We need to talk to him in order to determine that, don’t you think?”
No, I don’t want her talking to him.
That’s my alpha talking, because I know she’s right. Even if she wasn’t, this man is her first love. I can’t just kill him without her being allowed to speak to him.
She would never forgive me.
“Fucking fine, but I’m watching you, asshole. Make one wrong move, and I’ll shoot you.”
Luna’s tinkling laughter sends a wave of warmth through my chest. “With what?”
I pull the gun from the back of my pants to show her.
“Why do you have a gun?”
I cock an eyebrow. “Really, omega?”
She frowns, letting out an adorable growl of annoyance before turning her gaze back to Christian. “I was born Mariana Celine Vallejo Gomez.”
“I know.” Christian frowns when Mack and I both let out growls. “Fabian told me you’re his half-sister, but that you go by Luna Salazar now. He said you were a threat to his empire and sent me here to bring you back to him—or to kill you.”
Knight grabs Luna, pulling her into his lap as he lets out a growl to rival mine and Mack’s.
“Yeah, I’m with them.” Prescott is pissed—his face red as he stares at Christian. “He came here to kill you, Luna. He needs to die.”
“Will all of you calm the hell down? He. Didn’t. Kill. Me. Ven said he had a gun trained at my head while I was sleeping, but he didn’t pull the trigger.”
“I couldn’t,” Christian admits. “Something has felt off since Fabian told me about you. I ignored the alarms going off in my head because I owe him my life, but as soon as I scented you, I knew there was no way I could kill you.”
“Why do you owe him your life?” Luna snarls, ripping herself free of Knight’s hold and climbing off the bed. She stalks toward Christian, and I reach out to grab her, but Mack stops me with a sharp shake of his head.
I bite back a snarl of my own, wanting to keep my omega as far away from this man as possible.
“He made sure I had the top care after I was shot. He helped me through my rehabilitation and helped me learn to cope with my new reality. He saved my life.”
Another snarl leaves Luna. “He’s the one who tried to fucking kill you in the first place!”
Christian goes completely still. “He said you shot me.”
“Like hell I did. I would never.” She shakes her head.
“We were in love—engaged to be married—when my parents were killed, and Fabian took over the cartel.
Two weeks after their deaths, he called us into his office and told us the engagement was off.
He needed me to marry an alpha who said he had information on who killed my parents.
When I refused, he shot you from across his desk. I thought you were dead!
“For thirteen years, I thought I had lost the love of my life. Because who the hell survives a gunshot to the head?! You were dead—or so I thought. At the very least, you were dying when they dragged me from the room. I don’t know why he decided to save you, but it wasn’t out of the goodness of his heart, because he doesn’t have any.
He’s a wicked, vile man who only cares about himself.
“You owe him nothing because he’s the one who almost killed you. I don’t give a fuck what he told you—it was all lies. Lies to keep you close, I’m sure. I’m going to murder that asshole myself. I can barely believe you’re alive, but to hear you saying you owe him your life? I. Will. Kill. Him.”
Christian’s face is devoid of emotion as his eyes roam over her face. “We were engaged?”
Knight snorts. “That’s what you got out of what she said?”
“We were.” Luna’s face softens. “We fell in love when I was fourteen, and we were engaged at sixteen. I was eighteen when we were meant to marry.”
He makes a face. “I was twenty-two when I was shot. That means I was eighteen when we got together.”
“Don’t you dare,” she hisses. “Do not be disgusted by what we shared. I wasn’t like other girls my age. You might not remember what we shared, but I won’t let you disparage it. We shared a unique bond, and age wasn’t a factor.”
He swallows, inclining his head. “I’m sorry, omega. I did not mean to upset you.”
“Well, you did.” She crosses her arms over her chest, causing the T-shirt she’s wearing to rise.
I bite back a curse, only just now realizing she’s only wearing a shirt as more of her thigh is revealed.
He doesn’t get to see that.
I set my gun on the bed and pull off my sweats, leaving me in my boxer briefs as I stalk toward her. “Put these on.”
“Excuse me?” Her eyebrows hitch, nearly disappearing into her hairline.
“You almost flashed him,” I grunt, dropping to my knees. “You need pants.”
She scoffs. “And you don’t?”
“No,” I growl.
“Ven,” Mack’s voice is filled with exasperation.
I don’t understand why he sounds so annoyed with me. We should all want her covered up.
She’s ours, not this man’s.
Not anymore.
“Please, omega?” I plead, my eyes finding hers.
Her face softens as she reaches up to cup my cheek.
Our standing with her is so unclear. She hadn’t been ready or able to talk about us being her scent matches, so we hadn’t pressed.
It’s clear she’s not happy about it, but she’s also not pushing us away.
“Okay, but then I want you to march your happy ass back to your room and put on some pants.” The stubborn set of her shoulders tells me there won’t be any arguing with her.
“Fine,” I acquiesce, helping her into my sweats when she lifts her leg. As soon as they’re settled on her hips, I roll the material until I’m sure they won’t just slide right off. “They’re too big.”
She snorts. “Of course they are. You’re a foot taller than me and much bigger.”
“I don’t care. I want you to wear them.”
She rolls her eyes but doesn’t argue. “Now, will you please go put some pants on? Actually, how about everyone gets dressed, and we can continue this conversation downstairs?”
“We’re not leaving you alone with him.” Mack’s tone leaves no room for argument.
“Fine. Then you wait here with us while Ven gets dressed. Then he can bring Christian downstairs while the rest of you do the same. Is that acceptable to everyone?”
A glance around the room shows the rest of the guys shrugging.
“Fine. I’ll be right back.” I push to my feet, eyes narrowing on Christian. “Don’t move a fucking muscle until I’m back. I don’t trust you.”
He doesn’t say anything, just nods. He never looks away from Luna, and I fucking hate it.
I should’ve just killed him when I had the chance.