His Isolated Omega Luna

Chapter Thirty Two

Lucas wanted to get back to the apartment as quickly as possible while the disturbing implications of what Gabriel had said kept playing in his head. He had left Cassandra and his brother alone for some considerable time.

Lucas had stuffed his letter into a jacket pocket when he had crossed the street to reach Gabriel and the dispatch office was only a couple of blocks away, so he made the decision to go there first. He dropped it off quickly and left a message and his number with the woman at the desk, apologizing for being in such a hurry. She had pretty blue eyes and long waves of golden hair that hung about her shoulders and Lucas felt something unexpected when she smiled at him.

At any other time he would have been happy to stay and chat to her, but there was a developing unease that kept gnawing inside him like a warning he really needed to get back.

By the time Lucas reached the apartment he was breathing heavily and kept pulling at his collar to stop it from sticking to the sweat on the back of his neck. He fumbled for the key and pushed the door open while it was still wedged in the lock.

Lucas immediately pulled a face and clasped his hand over his mouth when he got a lung full of the scent-laden air that practically knocked him back with the force of it.

“What the hell is that smell?! Axel? Axel!” Lucas called out through his fingers, marching across the room with long strides.

There was no reply, so he shouted his brother’s name even louder.

"Axel!" There was a hint of concern overshadowed by the tremble of panic in his voice, but it faded away when Axel suddenly appeared in the bedroom doorway. He had hurriedly pulled on his shirt and slipped on a pair of jeans when he heard Lucas’ keys jangling in the lock.

“Open a window, man!” Lucas protested, but he stopped mid-flow when he saw Axel wasn’t fully dressed. “Where’s Cas? Why is your hair wet?” Axel jerked his head back in surprise at the way those simple questions sounded more like accusations. He wasn’t used to Lucas being quite so abrupt and it made him feel cold.

“In the bedroom, and because I had a shower,” Axel answered blankly. Lucas’ eyes widened in alarm when he saw Cassandra come up behind him, most of her body exposed and still damp.

“No other motivation than love, huh?” Lucas muttered to himself, the promise he made to Gabriel prodding mercilessly at subconscious traces of doubt.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Axel asked. Lines of mistrust deepened around his mouth. Cassandra certainly didn’t look traumatized.

“Nothing.” Lucas said quickly. His shoulders dropped. The momentary relief was soon shattered by the look on Axel’s face.

“What?”

“I said it’s nothing, forget it,” Lucas dismissed him, but Axel was now so riled up by those hinted accusations, he wasn't prepared to let it go quite so easily.

“No, come on. Spit it out.” Axel demanded. “Is that what you think of me? I’m not capable of a little self-control?” Lucas could clearly see the delicate skin of Cassandra’s neck was still untouched, but he was so mad with himself for not giving Axel more credit, everything came out in defensive strikes. He responded before he had enough restraint to stop himself from voicing all the crap he had kept in for days.

“You mean, like every time we have to move because you can’t control yourself?” Lucas prompted bitterly. “Or like the fact I have to spend most of my morning backing you up to convince someone I shouldn’t be scared to leave you two alone in case you r**e her?”

Axel’s mouth dropped open. He stared back at Lucas in disbelief. Cassandra drew in a stuttered breath behind him.

“What? Is that really what you think? I’m no better than a f*****g animal?!” Axel’s eyes flickered with hurt.

“No. No, of course not.” Lucas tried, when Axel pushed past him. He was too late.

Axel had already stormed out of the apartment and left Cassandra standing alone in her sweatpants with a look of total confusion on her face.

“s**t!” Lucas cursed. He kicked at the base of the door where Axel had slammed it. He glanced over at Cassandra and tried to force a comforting smile. “Sorry, Cas. You alright?”

“I’m fine. It’s just… I’ve never seen him like that. Why was he so angry?” Cassandra asked quietly.

“’Cause I practically accused him of something he hasn’t done. He’s very defensive when it comes to you.” Lucas added. He was starting to become concerned about how much Axel was masking the emotions that must have been flooding through him. He knew him, knew the signs. He could see a fire smoldering just under the surface.

Lucas knew exactly what had caused it. Axel was scared.

Scared he could lose everything he had ever wanted because of what he was.

Axel had spent so much of his life looking for Cassandra, that all the years of frustration and disappointment had sometimes manifested in violence. Anyone could see how hard he was trying to earn Cassandra’s love and Lucas hoped she would let Axel claim her before that fire started to rage out of control.

Lucas didn’t voice those fears to Cassandra. The only thing that came out of his mouth was a whispered confession.

“I spoke to your brother. Get dressed - you and I really need to talk.”

***

Cassandra was blinking mindlessly, watching the door in the hope Axel would come back. She suddenly felt so empty without him by her side and she was starting to become increasingly restless with every second that passed when he didn’t return.

“Don’t you think we should go after him?” Cassandra attempted anxiously. It already felt like a part of her was missing without the warmth of Axel’s skin pressing up against her, or the peaceful comfort of that patient green gaze that always seemed to wash over her like she was something beautiful to be admired. She had no idea why she should even have to ask at all.

Lucas seemed to be giving the suggestion some consideration, but he didn’t say anything.

“Please…” Cassandra's tight expression was etched with desperation. She was pulling at the edge of Axel’s sweatpants.

Lucas regretted the words as soon as they fell out his mouth. He had shown little concern for how wounded Axel might have been by the cruel things he said, but the conversation with Gabriel had left him with a bitter taste in the back of his throat.

Lucas never doubted his brother before, but he knew Axel’s attraction to a female omega like Cassandra, who was silently crying out to be valued above all else was dangling somewhere on the line between temptation and obsession.

Lucas deliberately neglected to mention something else that had really bothered him for a few days. He chose to say nothing to Axel about the details in the act of pair-bonding referenced at the very back of the lore book. Lucas was pretty sure Axel hadn’t bothered to read it all himself.

It came back to him now in a violent wave of realization when he saw the unusual way Cassandra was shifting restlessly in the doorway and chewing on her lip, eyes fixed on the last space where Axel had been standing.

Sharing a lifelong bond and making babies was one thing, but now there was a good chance that being pushed into a mating cycle hadn't just stimulated the distribution of vasopressin receptors in Cassandra’s body. It also significantly increased her s****l response and there wasn't a damn thing anyone could do about it.

If they really were meant to be bonded together then the second Axel had marked Cassandra with his scent, he also unwittingly cemented their emotional dependence on each other.

“He’ll be back, Cas.” Lucas said gently. He was confident Axel wouldn’t be able to stay away from Cassandra for very long. The compulsive need to be near her was much more likely to overcome the threat of being forced to endure another bout of his brother’s condescending bullshit.

“Lucas? You don’t really think Axel would - ” Cassandra couldn’t even bring herself to say the word out loud. Lucas frowned for a second before he realized what Cassandra was asking. He quickly shook his head.

“God, no. I don’t know why I said that. I know Axel would never hurt you,” His expression soon softened. “I’m sorry, Cas. I didn’t mean to scare you. Just go put some clothes on while I fix us a coffee. I want to tell you what Gabriel said.”