“I have it on good authority that you’ve been out of custody for at least eight hours. You couldn’t even send me a text?” I could almost see the dissatisfied pout on his lips.
My brother Marlowe was three years younger than me, and far more fragile. Even if he hadn’t revealed as an omega, he would have been fragile. A ball of anxiety with a history of depression, his childhood had been rough. Rougher than mine, because I had a more abrasive personality while he wanted to believe the best of everyone.
“Sorry,” I said. “There’s a lot going on.”
“I guess between having an omega and having the Loranger pack, there would be.”
He didn’t sound bitter—I hadn’t expected him to. Lowe had a pack who loved him dearly despite him not being their scent match. His choice to reject the Loranger pack was the only reason he hadn’t been smothered under the weight of Mother’s expectations.
Marlowe did sound exceptionally curious, though.
“Ambrose and I have been sleeping together for years.” I addressed the elephant in the room first.
Only the soft sound of fabric moving came from down the line. None of his pack were present wherever he was—I doubted they could stay that quiet. Most of those assholes would probably tease me for my secret affair.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked quietly.
“Well, it’s a little awkward.”
“But we’re family. It’s not like I was actively pursuing them. I already had my pack. Unless…”
He trailed off and I cursed.
“God, no. We met unintentionally a year after you’d packed up with your guys. That’s when it started.”
Marlowe laughed. “OK, good. I don’t think I could be mad if you’d been together earlier than that on a logical level, but I might have been mad anyway.”
That was fair. Before he’d formed his current pack, his instincts would have been telling him that Ambrose and the rest of his pack were his. The scent match was a bit of a biological imperative.
“I never saw any of the other members of the pack in any non-official capacity until recently,” I said, explaining further.
“Until the omega, right? They didn’t say anything about the omega on TV. Only that they were investigating whether the dark bond was taken without her consent.”
I hadn’t watched the footage yet, but I’d assumed that was the case. If they’d gotten into details about Kiara, I was sure one of the guys would have told me by now. While I didn’t have time to watch the news relating to my arrest, they’d had nothing but time.
“Oh, and Mercury spoke up for you outside your condo building. That was unexpected.”
Shrugging, I fumbled for an answer when I realized he couldn’t see me. “It was.”
It should probably be a top priority to find out what Mercury had said, but I couldn’t bring myself to. We were in a good place. He’d offered his help. I’d grudgingly accepted. If he’d said anything rude to the reporters last night, I didn’t want to know right now.
Even speaking up for me, I didn’t doubt that Mercury could find a way to be low key rude.
“So are you going to tell me why you dark bonded an omega? I know you would only do it with permission.”
“I did have permission,” I confirmed. “That’s why I’m not in custody anymore. I can’t tell you why I bonded her. It’s too complicated and I don’t want you involved.”
“You sure?” he asked. “You helped me out a few months ago. Mercury and Dash did too. If you guys are in some trouble together…”
If we were face to face right now, he would have been putting on his best pleading pout. He liked to help.
Unfortunately, Lowe was better at helping with baking cupcakes and hosting a yoga retreat. Dealing with a high-powered crime family was beyond the capacity of him and his pack. Well, maybe not his pack. They’d done some contract security work and some less above-board jobs.
I wasn’t going to put them in danger, though. There was no way I was risking it when this whole situation had come about because I wanted to keep them all safe.
“If there’s anything you can help with, I’ll call you,” I lied.
He sighed. Marlowe knew me too well to trust that statement. “Okie dokie. Do you love her, then? Or them?”
