His Isolated Omega Luna

Chapter Thirty Eight

Lucas was a little anxious about leaving Axel alone with Cassandra again, but deliberately forced all that treacherous fear from his mind. He had to prove to Axel he trusted him to be the man he knew he could be.

Lucas had no more doubts Axel was completely in love with Cassandra and maybe they all needed to just let nature take its course. Everything Lucas once believed about omegas had been shot completely out of the water. An unlikely myth had quickly become a cold reality.

Now he knew Cassandra had let Axel touch her, Lucas didn’t really expect his brother would return to their apartment that night. He wasn’t stupid, and he knew they had been up to something when he knocked on the door. Axel had taken some time to open it and his face was so flushed, Lucas couldn’t be sure if his unnatural color was from embarrassment or exertion.

He didn’t even want to think about why there were flecks of drying slick spattered across both of his cheeks.

Gabriel was standing in the corridor outside their apartment, waiting patiently for Lucas to return. The look on his face suggested he heard every word Axel said.

“Dipshit? Really?”

“He means well,” Lucas attempted a gentle smile. “He’s just scared.”

“Scared of what?” Lucas glanced at Gabriel before he answered. He didn’t want to lie.

“Losing Cas, I think.”

Gabriel couldn’t pretend to understand what it was that seemed to pull Cassandra and Axel so fatefully together, but he was beginning to trust Lucas’ judgement a little more.

They headed to the stairs together and Lucas was glad of the company, actually quite grateful he had someone to talk to who wasn’t shaped like his hard-headed brother.

“I suppose I’ve been called worse…” Gabriel conceded gracefully. Lucas thought he saw one corner of his mouth twitch.

“He’s just got so defensive lately,” Lucas added. “Well, defensive maybe isn’t the right word. I mean he used to be so angry all the time, but now he’s different somehow. Don’t get me wrong, he can still throw a punch I don’t doubt, but Cassandra’s changed him…” Lucas paused, trying to figure it all out himself. “Like he doesn’t want Cas to see him lose it like that again. He’s so protective of her and just… well, your sister seems to have brought out something so gentle in Axel I’ve never seen before. Never thought I’d see, honestly.”

Lucas tried to ignore the fact he just let slip Axel had lost control before, and the constant worry of their increasingly violent dependency on each other was becoming suffocating. He couldn’t deny Axel always seemed hopelessly lost when he was with Cassandra. Lucas saw the looks of longing when he thought Cassandra wasn’t watching.

Everything Axel wanted was right there, his developing love for someone he never thought he would find reflected in that shy smile and the sweet little kisses he always planted in Cassandra's hair when she did something cute. Lucas even noticed the way his brother seemed unable to focus on anything at all for more than a few seconds at a time if his omega wasn’t pressed up against him.

They both agreed to go together and up their mutual research schedule. Lucas could happily have spent all day wandering up and down the aisles of a library lined with rows of priceless books, but he knew if the pair-bond legend really was true, then Cassandra and Axel were running out of time.

Gabriel’s warning kept scratching at his subconscious like a parasitic infestation that just wouldn’t go away.

“They’re good for each other,” Lucas added when they reached the exit, hoping he had not misjudged.

Gabriel pushed the door open, inhaling when a blast of cold air buffeted his face. He pulled his jacket tight. Gabriel wondered if he should tell Lucas about the impending threat of something lurking in the shadows, just waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

He decided against it.

There was no way he could try and explain what terrible thing he had done and impossible to justify sharing Cassandra’s closely guarded secret with a man he hardly knew. He had no idea what the hell he was thinking when he strode into LaVey’s office.

"I hope so, Lucas. I really do.”

***

LaVey made his way across the dingy basement with his hired accomplice at his side. His loyalty would only last as long as the paycheck he got every month, but LaVey didn’t seem to care. He could buy a hundred men like him if he wanted.

Rio could be just as easily replaced as his designer suit.

They gradually threaded a path through to the main display area. Rio followed LaVey over to the bar and took a seat on one of the stools. LaVey waved his hand and someone hurried to set down a half bottle of whisky and two glasses next to his arm.

The other man scanned the dark corners of the room. Even for a hardened criminal like himself, the whole place made him very uncomfortable. There were people in some of the larger recesses at the back with their bodies hardly covered at all. Any hint of modesty they may once have possessed, had long since departed.

Some of the more seasoned workers called them the pens. A tasteless joke when they were crudely handcuffed or tied up with a length of silken rope. Dangling helplessly from strategically placed poles that offered some of the less discerning clients a much better view.

Some of them looked barely old enough to be out of high school.

Rio tried very hard not to let the distaste show on his face when LaVey passed him a drink. It wasn’t like most of them actually got paid for some of the humiliating crap they were forced to endure. LaVey had them performing for hours at a time, just for a hot meal and a place to lay their weary heads at night.

Rio turned his face away from the sickening display. He made a deliberate attempt to focus on the man that took care of his bills.

“So, why do you need me?” He asked. There was a pause that seemed to go on just a little too long.

“Because you have a certain look that I need, Rio.” LaVey replied, taking a large sip of amber nectar. He closed his eyes in subtle pleasure while it slipped down his throat. “You’re kind of big, and you would probably pass for a bit of virile competition in a pinch.” LaVey sniffed, looking Rio up and down to satisfy himself he would be able to get the job done. "Yes. I think you’ll do.” He said, dipping in his pocket to reach for the scrap of paper he dropped in there earlier. He handed it over discreetly.

There were a few clients and some of the younger girls LaVey trusted not to try and make a break for it just wandering around. He had no desire for anyone to overhear him discussing his latest business venture with someone who had such a fierce reputation.

“Do for what?” Rio asked, already tired of waiting for LaVey to tell him exactly what he wanted him to do. He opened the folded paper, still examining the address when LaVey leaned in and smiled.

“Bait.”

***

Rio slowly drew out his wallet and slipped the paper in to keep it safe.

It wasn’t his place to question orders, but that was a little vague, even for LaVey. He was going to need a bit more information than that.

Rio forced himself to knock back the rest of the whisky so he didn’t offend his boss and slammed the glass down on the counter, body shuddering in response to the sudden rush of alcohol.

LaVey turned his head to make sure they weren't being watched. He had no intention of telling anyone exactly why he wanted Cassandra so badly. Rio followed him to the office.

He was about to get an offer he couldn’t refuse.