CHAPTER FIVE: THE STEADIEST OF THE THREE

Xander Caldwell

I watched the scene unfold before me with simply a light smirk. One hand wrapped over my chest while the other danced over my lips.

Both Cyrus and Lucious were steps ahead of me, Lucious the closest, closing in on the omega. He grabbed him by the throat, tightening his airflow. The omega's survival instinct set in, his face reddening as life began to strip away from him.

He hit Lucious's hands, thrashing about, but not once did my brother buckle.

"You…bas-tard…"

I almost chuckled. Almost. The omega's bravado amused me. Perhaps I could have awarded him for stirring my steadiness if he were part of our court. Out of the brothers, I was the most steady, yet this omega had caught my attention.

The sound of the omega's hammering heartbeat excited my brothers, especially Cyrus. Known as the barbarian between us, it was no surprise.

Then Commander Serena entered our circle. "Sire."

I turned. The scent of the omega's blood had triggered my monster's hunger. My eyes, red and dangerously darkened, settled on Commander Serena.

She bowed deeply. "I apologise for my interruption, sire. But there is something important I must report."

I breathed in slowly. "Approach."

She whispered close to my ear, causing me to raise a brow. With a single wave of my hand she walked away, and I turned to find Lucious on the verge of sucking the life out of the omega. I snapped my finger.

"Brother, you can play with your pet later. We must discuss something right away." I turned toward the path to our tent, where Commander Aldric stood waiting. The man's rigid composure blended him with the air like a camouflage. I gave the order once. "Get the omega out of here."

Commander Aldric moved to grab the omega by the arm, dragging him away, but not without his resilient thrashing.

"No, let me go. I said, let me go." His eyes burned with such rage. "I'm not your fucking pet."

"And now he curses." Cyrus said, grinning. "Oh, he's fun. Perhaps I might replace him with Sebastian."

The Omega paused for a heartbeat, having heard that then continued his tantrum.

I had said it before and I would say it again, this omega was something else entirely.

"By any means necessary, Commander Aldric." Lucious's voice rose above everything else, stern in its usual manner.

I rolled my eyes and turned away just as Commander Aldric's fist connected with the omega's jaw. He collapsed and was dragged off.

"Ew, you spoiled the show." Cyrus mocked, dipping his hands into his pockets.

Arriving at the tent, we took seats around the war table, where maps, scrolls, and miniature wooden territorial sculptures were scattered.

"What is the matter?" Lucious began.

"First, we have a traitor in the kingdom. How else did the hollows find us?"

"That's obvious." Cyrus snorted. "I'm the dumb one yet I figured that out, and you're supposed to be the smartest of us all."

I tilted my head but remained composed. Growing alongside Cyrus for centuries had made me immune to his endless sarcasm.

"The lower harbour of Areth was attacked." I paused. "By hollows. Someone knew we were not home."

"Impossible. Hollows cannot survive water. It burns them." Lucious countered.

"Except they have evolved, or someone transported them. Either way, someone is calling for war. We must be ready and we must be smart."

Lucious slammed his hands against the table. Neither of us flinched. Typical. "We head back to Vael then. We cannot risk leaving the kingdom unprotected. The crown cannot be threatened."

True.

"But we came here for a reason." I countered. "Remember?"

Lucious's eyes narrowed. Cyrus, on the other hand, darted his gaze between us as though he were a stranger to this conversation entirely.

Lucious stood and walked toward the opening of the tent where sunlight pushed through. He placed one foot on the beam of light and exhaled sharply.

"That Alpha is dead. He is of no use to us now." He murmured.

"A member of his pack is alive. The omega."

Lucious turned and scoffed. "And you think he will be useful? You think he knows anything?"

"We will not know until we simply ask."

"Or we can invade his mind. That little thing looks to me like an open book." Cyrus finally spoke and it was uncultured.

"We are not barbarians, Cyrus. Please."

"Regardless, whatever you intend to do—end it tonight. By dawn, we must be on the ship heading for Vael." Lucious said it and meant it.

I smiled and said nothing. My mind had already returned to the omega. Lucious knew me better than anyone, perhaps even more than Cyrus did. I was always a step ahead, and that was why nothing ever caught me unguarded.

A grunt pulled me back just then.

"I-please, I didn't do anything. I-I—" A young red-haired lad was dropped at my feet. 

Commander Serena stood behind him, hands behind her, ready for my next order.

The sight tickled Cyrus, who drew close and savoured the lad's fear. Lucious stood at a distance and simply watched.

"What is this?" he asked.

"The bait." My lips tugged to the side.

I bent to meet the lad's eyeline. The moment he looked into my eyes, he shuddered and froze in place. His entire body locked.

"You are connected to us and to the omega, are you not?" I whispered. My hand reached slowly until I felt his skin, and I inhaled sharply.

For Blood God's sake, my wolf would slip at this point and yank my fangs into this omega's neck. Their blood in this part of the world was differently alluring. No wonder Cyrus had been more unhinged than usual. Unlike in Vael, people here were naive, pure, and it stirred something deep in my core.

Like Niall. My little fighter omega.

The omega before me trembled. "Please, please don't kill me."

"Your name is Cole, is it not?" I held his gaze, capturing him entirely. "I need to understand the coincidence. How did Niall end up with us that night? Did you arrange it?"

I exhaled and gripped him by the back of his hair. "Did Emrys send you and Niall to us?”