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“Good.” Bertram guided him forward, keeping a brisk pace. “You made a smart choice. I’d much rather you behave than the alternative.”
“Raven was right to ask me to tail you,” the omega grumbled under his breath. “You weren’t able to stop the experiment because you want it to happen, don’t you? Raven thinks you’re innocent, but I know better. Your family was the one who came up with the idea in the first place. Only an idiot would believe that you aren’t in on it as well.”
So that was it, was it?
Bertram’s temple twitched, but otherwise, he remained cool and collected. He continued onward, keeping a hand on the omega to make sure he stayed close. “As much as I’d love to have this conversation right now, I’m afraid I’m on a bit of a tight schedule. We’ll have to put a pin in it for the time being lest my driver leave us behind.”
The omega wheeled around on him as best he could, what with Bertram gripping his shirt. “Where are we going?” he demanded.
“Where?” Bertram chuckled. They made it through the doors and out into the passenger pickup section, where his ride was waiting. “Where do you think? I’m an Amethyst dragon in Aurora. It only stands to reason that I’d be going home.”
* * *
The omega was silent and surly on the drive to Reynard’s estate. He kept his arms tightly crossed and his head turned to look out the window, never once acknowledging Bertram, who sat beside him. Should this have been a routine mission, Bertram would have plied the lad with polite conversation until he let something slip, but right now his mind was elsewhere—Reynard was in danger, and yet again, Bertram was unable to help.
It seemed he’d been especially helpless lately.
What a miserable feeling it was.
Traffic was surprisingly merciful, and it wasn’t long before the dramatic silhouette of Reynard’s dusty old Victorian appeared on the horizon. The car slowed upon its approach and turned up the long driveway, and as it did, Bertram threw off his seat belt, then unbuckled the sulking omega beside him.
“What are you doing?” the omega demanded, tearing his gaze from the window to glare at him.
Bertram pretended not to notice. He fed the seat belt carefully back into its holster, making sure not to hit the omega with the buckle. “You’re coming with me.”
The omega reeled back. “Are you insane?”
“At this point? Probably.”
The car arrived at Reynard’s lair, coming to a gentle stop. As it idled, Bertram set his hand on the door handle, but did not open the door. He eyed the omega warily. “If you say anything about our business or about Raven to my family, I will end you,” he said. “Do not think for a second that our shared allegiance to the Vanguard is enough to keep you alive.”
The omega rolled his eyes. “Dramatic much?”
“This is serious.”
“Look, just because I’m willing to put my life on the line to serve a cause I believe in doesn’t mean I actually want to die. I’m not dumb. I’m not going to say shit.”
“Then it seems we understand each other.” Bertram opened the door and stepped out, then walked around the car and opened the door for his omega captive. “Come, now,” he said. “We must make haste. Time is of the essence, and I’m afraid we’ve squandered too much of it already.”
* * *
Bertram was not the first of his brothers to arrive, but he was not the last, either. He showed himself upstairs and found Reynard’s bedroom, where the Drake family had begun to assemble. Using a subtle wave of his hand, he gestured for the omega to sit, then went to Reynard, who was hovering by the bedside, drained of color and despondent, his eyes bloodshot with worry. On the bed was a small white-haired omega—a true Diamond if there had ever been one. The poor unconscious creature was heavily gravid and deathly pale. Everard and his mate, Harrison, flitted around him, Harrison poking and prodding at his belly as though pushing on the unborn eggs.
He was an odd one, that omega-beta, but his emotions were easy enough to read.
He was distressed… and perhaps a little afraid.
Bertram left him to his work, stepping around him to see Reynard, who startled when he approached. Bertram couldn’t blame him. It had been a long time.
“Hello, brother,” Bertram said solemnly once Reynard looked him in the eyes. “I came as soon as I could.”
It was all he was able to say before Sebastian and his mate Peregrine entered the room, shifting the attention onto themselves. Peregrine swept forward, jingling as he went, and wrapped Reynard up in his arms, kissing his hair. Sebastian spared Bertram a quick glance, then pushed him out of the way to take his place at Reynard’s side, and just like that, Bertram was back to being forgotten.
It was how it had always been, and how he’d once wanted it to be.
But now it stung.
Pushed out of the picture, he watched from the background as everyone else talked.
