His Isolated Omega Luna

Chapter Thirty Five

LaVey was waiting impatiently outside the basement door less than an hour later. Loitering at the entrance to his more lucrative business. He never used the office upstairs for entertaining clients or meeting with some of his less reputable employees. The underground building offered him a reasonably safe place to take care of some of the betas he plucked from a life of misery on the streets to make him some money.

The irony of it all was somehow lost on him that some of them would have been much better off if he had just left well alone. He was lucky enough to find a few male omegas over the years, but the heavy price he was offered for them had been too generous to refuse.

LaVey always managed to absolve any rare bouts of conscience by convincing all those around him he was providing a public service. He had rules of course, and couldn’t afford to let his charges get sick. They were no use to him like that, and he had perfected some unusual methods of gaining their compliance over the years.

His thoughts were scattered when he saw a man coming down the stairs above him. Polished shoes heralded his arrival, resounding on every step when he approached.

When he reached the bottom, he stopped. LaVey was watching him. The man spread out his arms while he waited for his approval. LaVey nodded with an unpleasant smile. He had been very specific with his instructions. He looked the man up and down, and seemed content enough. LaVey slung one arm around his shoulder and steered him inside to fill him in on the details.

He only had one chance to try and take Cassandra.

He wanted something new to play with, and had no intention of wasting it.

***

Gabriel thanked Cassandra for the sugar, feeling compelled to put at least one more spoonful in his coffee so he could at least pretend he really needed it but Cassandra wasn’t taken in by him at all.

He knew his sister just wanted to talk to Lucas.

Meanwhile Cassandra didn’t particularly want to listen to a conversation about herself and certainly didn’t want to have to justify or defend her choice to stay with Axel, so she walked back through to be close to him. Axel wrapped both arms around her waist from behind, and tightened his hold so they fitted together so perfectly, Axel was even more convinced they were meant to be together. He rested his chin on the dip in Cassandra’s shoulder, his eyes fixed on Gabriel.

They could hear the muffled tones of conversation, but they were just too far away to catch the words clearly and Axel couldn’t care less anyway. He was still trying to work through the unexpected feeling of betrayal that drenched him when he looked over at Gabriel and Lucas together.

His brother and Cassandra’s both seemed to think it was perfectly okay to discuss their future together when they were standing only yards away.

Rude.

Axel brushed his hand against Cassandra’s neck and pushed back her hair where it was tickling her cheek. He leaned in and whispered into her ear.

“You wanna get out of here?” Axel asked, linking both hands back together over Cassandra’s stomach. He rocked her gently while he hummed into her hair. He felt Cassandra shiver at the touch, turning her head to mumble a confirmation against Axel’s skin. Axel smiled and pulled at her hand.

Gabriel glanced over, his mouth suddenly snapping shut when he saw how possessively Axel was holding onto his little sister. He deliberately held back a frown so hard, it made a muscle twitch in his cheek. It took everything he had to pretend he hadn’t noticed.

“Me and Cas are gonna go back to her’s for a bit.” Axel said loudly, tugging at Cassandra’s hand to drag her to the door.

“Axel!” Lucas said with exasperation. “This is important!” Axel shrugged.

“Not to me. We’ll leave you two to talk about us in private.” Axel forced a sarcastic smile. He had a valid point and Lucas didn’t want to start another fight so he just watched them leave. The second the door was closed behind them, Lucas went straight back in to questioning Gabriel. He would deal with Axel later.

“So what do you know?” Lucas asked.

“Not as much as you, I don’t think.” Gabriel admitted. “So basically, you’re saying that potentially this bonding thing might lead to Cassandra being able to conceive?”

“I think so. There’s some other stuff as well, but that seems to be the thing that really distinguishes them from the others.” Gabriel shook his head.

“You know, I thought about it sometimes. I know some female omegas are able to do that, way before they went extinct, but I never really had a word for what Cassandra is before I spoke to you. There was just something about the way she looked, you know?” Lucas nodded.

“I never really expected to find one, but I never told Axel that of course. He’s my brother, I didn’t want him to give up hope. It’s all he’s ever wanted.”

“Babies?!” Gabriel asked, with a stunned gasp.

“No!” Lucas laughed. “A mate. I don’t think that has ever been on his agenda at all…”

Gabriel seemed to be thinking seriously about it. At least it meant Cassandra was so important to Axel, he would be more likely to be true to her. Despite everything he believed, Gabriel hoped with all his heart Axel really was different. Cassandra certainly seemed to want to be with him.

“What happened, Gabe?” Lucas asked suddenly. “All that time ago?” The other man didn’t seem to realize what he called him, and Gabriel didn’t mention it. Cassandra was the only one who ever called him that and he never told him, but he actually kind of liked it. His mind drifted back to the conversation.

“My father...” Gabriel answered, with little expression. There was a lot of unspoken pain behind those two simple words. “He’s gone now.” Gabriel added, when he saw a dark shadow cross Lucas’ face.

They hadn't seen their own father for years. Lucas had no idea if he was even still alive.

“A few years ago. I would be lying if I said I missed him, he was a ruthless man,” Gabriel said quietly. “None of us were ever good enough, but Cassandra seemed to get it worse than the rest. Like my father sensed she was different somehow. I suppose that’s why I always felt responsible for her. I would never want to remind her of that, and I'm asking you to swear not to repeat anything said between us. I don’t want her to have to think about it.”

“Of course.” Lucas answered. He sat back and waited for Gabriel to continue.

“Cassandra was so young when she went into her first heat. All I can remember is how frightened she was. I wasn’t sure what it was at first, but when I saw the slick, I knew…”

Lucas was listening intently. A lot of what Gabriel was saying was helping him to understand Cassandra. Lucas was amazed all she had actually brought out of such a mess were nightmares and some distorted form of cynophobia.

“It was raining...” Gabriel mused sadly, thinking back to that terrible night.

“Axel told me she doesn’t like the rain.” Lucas murmured absently.

Gabriel’s eyes flicked back to him in alarm. He never realized something like that could damage his sister so profoundly, it would shape her entire life. He longed to make it right.

“Maybe meeting your brother was a good thing after all.” Gabriel smiled.

“Well, whatever he did seems to have had a very positive effect on Cas. She was much better than when I first met her. I’m just scared her phobias might return without Axel there to hold on to.”

Gabriel nodded thoughtfully.

“Like I said, Lucas - damned either way.”

“I don’t think Cas would see it like that. I really think they want to be together.”

“Forever is a long time, Lucas,” Gabriel said quietly. “Trust me, sometimes a day can feel like a lifetime.” He seemed distracted again.

Lucas was starting to pick up on little hints. It wasn’t just the worry of Cassandra and Axel being mated that was playing on his mind. This was something much more personal.