Chapter Four

They were in the textile district, and a bodyguard left from the front, watching them and guarding the door when they entered it. Lexa was amused.

The building was full of fabric samples.

A rail-thin woman came from the back. “Grigory, is this the lucky one?”

Lexa raised her brows, and Grigory grinned. “Cousin Sascha, this is my treasure, Lexa. Lexa, the textile mistress of all you see around you, Sascha.”

Lexa nodded. “Hello, Sascha.”

“Oh, she’s tall. That’s good, eh? You won’t break your back in half.” She flapped her hand at Grigory and spoke to Lexa next. “He really needs a good woman who isn’t always grabbing for his wallet. I think he thinks handing over jewels is foreplay now.”

I would cover you in jewels.

She blushed bright pink.

“My treasure needs a proper nest. What can you show us in fabrics and pillows?”

Sascha looked at her. “What do you like?”

“Uh, I haven’t had a proper nest before, but I like super-soft throws that feel like fur. Velvety fabrics that feel like peach skin, and anything that is like rose petals.”

“I like this one, she doesn’t know what she needs, but she knows what she wants. Can I make some suggestions?”

“Please.”

They were hauled behind the counter, and she was wrapped in bolts of fabric and a few she didn’t want to climb out of. Grigory helped his cousin get her out of her favourite fabric. She lunged for it and whined desperately, stopping the two alphas in their tracks.

When she realized what she had done, she stopped and backed up. Her hands in fists at her sides. “I am sorry. I don’t know what that was.”

Sascha touched her cheek and then hugged her. “It’s okay, treasure. You can have it. I will have a throw made up today, laundered and sent over as soon as we can. It will tide you over until the rest arrives tomorrow.”

The woman was nearly the same height as Lexa, but Lexa felt like a child being held by a wizened grownup. Her heat had to be close if her instincts were going to make her pitch a fit over a blankie.

“I’m sorry. I don’t... I’m sorry I made a scene.” She was mortified. Her hormones must have been surging with the cessation of the suppressors, or maybe it was being surrounded by attentive alphas.

“Ah, such a polite little piroshki. Grigory is the lucky one. Here I thought you were just one of his women pretending to need a nest. It is a common enough roleplay. But, here is your perfume, and you are definitely an omega in need of a nest.” Sascha smiled. “We will give you our best, and I definitely know what your favourite texture is. You can wrap yourself in it for a moment while Grigory and I discuss other things.”

Lexa dove into the fabric and chortled to herself against the pillow stack that she had chosen. She felt... good. The fabric calmed her right down.

The cousins spoke in rapid-fire Russian. The language sounded both angry and drunk at the same time, with a slight romantic element. It was complex. She ignored them and relaxed in her blankie fort.

She chortled again and curled up in the pillows. She let herself drift off, and it was only when light was hitting her that she woke up. “You broke my fort.”

Grigory laughed. “I will buy you a new one.”

He picked her up, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Did you finish your discussion?”

“Yes. She is overcharging me tremendously but making the blanket and a few other items as a gift to you. She has not seen a true omega in some time.”

Sascha laughed, and to Lexa’s shock, she handed her a cookie. To Lexa’s personal perplexity, she ate it. “Thank you.”

Grigory grinned. “Now, Natalya and then the doctor, I think. Then back home.”

Sascha had the fabric in her arms. “It will be there before she is.”

Grigory chuckled and carried Lexa out to the car. He held her, and they headed to the fashion district.

“My family thinks that the omegas are blessed, and they need to be pampered. My mother always said if it wasn’t for my fathers’ insatiable appetites, she would be as big as a house with all the cookies and cakes and sweet treats she is given.”

“So, you are familiar with omegas.”

“Oh, yes. There are none born to my family, but my mother is definitely one of the blessed ones.”

She blinked. “Oh. So, am I going to get food everywhere I go?”

“And in the mail and delivered by courier and carried in by visitors.” He chuckled. “Between my family and Delun’s, you are going to see a lot of visitors.”

“Oh.”

She blinked. “Where are we going?”

“To see Aunt Natalya. She’s a master seamstress, and she will increase the quality of your wardrobe by just touching it.”

She opened and closed her mouth. Her clothing had two categories. Sturdy and sparkly. There wasn’t anything in between.

Natalya had been spoken to by Sascha. There was a design book. Grigory picked his favourite looks, and Lexa ate cookies and drank sweet tea.

When it came time to measure, she remembered that she was missing a critical piece of underwear. “My pardon, Natalya, but one of my mates has absconded with my panties. I am afraid I am in a commando situation.”

Natalya pointed at Grigory. “Not this one. He wouldn’t dare mess with a woman’s wardrobe.”

“Right. So, um, is he going to stare at me the whole time?”

Natalya chuckled and shrugged. “Probably. All off.”

She sighed and removed her jacket, her blouse, her shoes, bra, and finally, her skirt hit the floor.

There was a low growling noise, and she ignored it as Natalya chuckled. “You have skill at ignoring men.”

“He’s just going to get worse when I turn around. Then, the purring will start.” The measuring tape slid around her breasts, and Natalya called out information to an assistant while taking care of the hips, butt, and waist. More information in Russian and the young woman left the room.

“Now, what do you normally wear.”

“All covered up or all exposed. I am a motorcycle courier with an evening job at the Shattered Diamond. All covered up is more relaxing.”

“No tattoos.” Natalya went behind her and gasped. “Oh, you poor thing.”

“Oh. Right. Sascha couldn’t tell you because she didn’t see it.”

Delicate fingers moved over her scar, and she sighed. “It was a few years ago. It has mostly healed.”

Natalya hugged her. “Poor little chicken.”

She didn’t know how to hug the woman back since Lexa was naked and turning would flash the goods to Grigory. He was still offering a low growl that was fairly constant.

The measuring was done, and she scampered back into her clothing. Skirt first, then bra, then blouse, and jacket. The last thing on was the shoes.

She looked at Grigory, and there was still heat in his eyes, but it was banked heat. He was waiting.

The call to the physician happened while they waited for Natalya’s assistant to return. They were making time on the calendar for her assessment.

She exhaled. “Well, this is a weird day.”

Grigory grinned when the assistant arrived and handed him a large bag with an elegant ribbon handle.

Natalya nodded. “We will have the first outfits in a few days. We will talk with Sascha and get some comfortable loungewear.”

“Please, label it. I tend to confuse lingerie with loungewear and the other way around.”

“Of course, little chicken.” The older woman’s eyes crinkled at the corners. Natalya touched her cheek and lifted her chin. She shot off a blast of Russian at Grigory.

“There is time, Natalya. We are not trying to gild her.” He answered in English, and Lexa was wary.

“What are you talking about?”

“She said, a woman so perfect and yet she has no jewels? I am a cheap bastard, and my parents will beat me.” He grinned. “And my mother will not sleep with my father for the shame of creating a child like me.”

“Ah, so, lots of shame. Got it.” She giggled.

Natalya kissed her cheek and more Russian.

Grigory smiled. “Girl made of gold.”

He offered his hand. “The doctor is expecting us, treasure.”

She nodded. “Right.” Her shoulder’s slumped, and Natalya barked at Grigory.

Lexa jumped and shivered as the alpha sounded off. She had heard an alpha bark before, but watching the older woman’s face as she realized what she had done was priceless. Grigory folded her in his arms. “Aw, she isn’t mad at you, treasure. She is just an angry woman with a big mouth.”

Lexa got another cookie, and then, she and Grigory were on their way back to the car.

“How many cousins, aunts, and uncles do you have?”

“I have seven aunts, eight uncles, forty-three cousins, four sisters, and five brothers. My parents are of a group of four. One omega, three alphas. I have eighteen nieces and nephews, and they are all excited to visit you.”

She nibbled her cookie while in the car. “At the same time?”

He chuckled. “My parents will come first to meet you. Then my siblings with children. After that, we throw a big party, and everybody shows up. Delun’s family and mine. They are comparable in size.”

“Oh hell.”

“It will be quite the party. We will invite the neighbours but not until you want to consent to a bonding. You choose the pace, treasure.”

She fidgeted. “If I bond with anyone and they have to leave, can someone stay with me?”

He cuddled her close. “Of course, they can. We will not leave you alone after bonding, treasure.”

She sighed. “Okay. Good. That will make things easier if we get along.”

He chuckled. “I think we are getting along fine.”

She glanced up at his broad but elegant features. “You know what I mean.”

He smiled. “I do, but I want to hear you tell me all about it.”

She looked in her hand. “Oh, look, a cookie.” She nibbled at it with wide eyes and leaned her head against his chest. It was a good cookie.

He chuckled and patted the outside of her thigh.

They drove through the city, and when the SUV stopped, she started shaking. Grigory cuddled her sweetly and kissed her forehead, temple, and lips. “Don’t worry, treasure. Arthur is meeting us.”

She looked out the window, and the alpha in question was waiting. The driver came around and opened the door. Arthur came to the door, and Grigory just handed her to him.

Arthur chuckled. “They got you with the cookies?”

“Crumbs?”

“Crumbs.”

Grigory got out of the car, and he said, “I can take her now. She’s nervous and shaking.”

Arthur shook his head. “I have her.”

“I can stand up. I have been terrified of a doctor before. I still went.”

Arthur set her on her feet.

She stiffened her legs and straightened her shoulders. “Let’s get this over with.”

Arthur chuckled. “That’s my girl.”

Lexa took Arthur’s hand, and he smiled. “He has described a few plans of attack for the damage. I will let him explain them.”

She nodded, and Grigory came with her, a hand on her lower back. She looked at him, and he smiled. “The arrangements have been made. We are yours. Whether you do anything with us is up to you.”

She stared at him. “That is not my experience with alphas.”

“Arthur chose alphas that had patience as well as the ursa characteristic. It was one of his key search criteria.” Grigory murmured it in the elevator.

“Why can’t you just say bear?” She muttered it as the elevator arrived at their floor.

Arthur squeezed her hand. “Because ursa is cooler.”

They walked into the office, and a beta receptionist showed them into an office. Delun was waiting there, reading his phone, his elegant suit fitting in with the expensive décor.

She looked at him and huffed. “You.”

He smiled. His amusement was nearly palpable. “You.”

He held out his hand, and she walked over, taking his hand as he pulled her to stand between his knees. “Hello, golden girl.” There was an expectation in his eyes, and she kissed him softly, feeling heat blooming in her as their kiss went from polite to intense. She clutched his hand and heard the door open. Delun didn’t let her back away. He kept going until there was laughter from the men with them.

He released her hand and kissed her lightly. “Good girl.”

The air around them was heavy with roses and cardamom.

Arthur put his hand to her waist. Grigory was smiling with his eyes shining and a distinct focus on her. He wanted his turn next, she could tell.

The doctor looked a little nervous. “Hello, Miss Adders. My name is Dr. Willet. I have been given your file, and I have to say it is a challenging case. May I see the scarring?”

She got out of her jacket, unbuttoned her blouse, and slid the fabric off her shoulders, bowing her neck. He immediately started to prod at the marks.

“Can you feel this?”

She blinked at the dull ache. “Sort of.”

“What about this?” A sharper prod made her gasp. “I will take that as yes. May I add some electrical monitoring equipment?”

“For a scar?” She tilted her head toward him.

“Humour me?”

She nodded. “Sure.”

He opened a pack and wiped the scarring down with alcohol before he attached the monitors. Some of them were snagged into the skin. “Right. Since you have your men here, kiss one of them. The judge seems like a good choice as you are already synched to him.”

She looked to Delun, and he smiled, holding out his hand again. She took his hand and hung on while she kissed him. His free hand moved up her thigh, and there were sounds and chirps from the monitor. She gasped when the doctor called a halt, but Delun pulled her back for another kiss. She laughed against his mouth, and he smiled.

When he let her go, she turned to the doctor.

He smiled. “Good news. It isn’t a dead mark.”

Grigory caught her. Arthur stumbled into the desk. “What?”

“Oh, it is buried, but it isn’t dead. It is just covered with a lot of damage. Whoever made the initial mark wanted it to stay, and it sank deep, right next to the spine on either side. Excellent placement.”

Arthur nodded. “Thank you. I adjusted the bite for the size of her shoulders. I wanted it to be pretty.”

“The damage stopped the direct connection, but it’s still there. So, now for the other good news, a few rounds of dermabrasion or acid washing should remove the damage and leave the skin smooth.”

She opened her mouth and asked, “Why couldn’t he feel me?”

“While the placement was good, as he was younger, he didn’t set the mark properly and didn’t remain with you to create the bond. So, the mark was placed, but the connection was muffled by the damage within a few hours. He had been lured away, and that means the aftercare was interrupted. He fucked up.”

Grigory was stroking her, and she realized that she was crying. She reached back and pulled at the monitors. Grigory held her hands, and the doctor removed them.

Arthur wanted to hold her, but Grigory shook his head.

Delun nodded. “When can the first procedure occur? I am sure you understand the urgency here.”

Dr. Willet nodded, but he asked, “You received treatment at the Omega Centre, didn’t you?”

She nodded. “I did. And no, I don’t know why they didn’t check for the existing link, though I suspect that they were bribed to look the other way and tell me that the connection was dead. It follows a pattern of behaviour that successfully kept Arthur and me apart.”

Dr. Willet smiled. “You are together now.”

“Yeah, that connection is going to go over like a lead balloon in some circles.” She looked at Arthur, and he was still shocked.

“I second the judge. When can we start?”

He called for his receptionist and explained that an urgent appointment was needed. She identified an opening, and Lexa was booked.

Lexa blinked. “Tomorrow?”

Dr. Willett nodded. “First thing in the morning. We will take off an eighth of an inch of tissue, wrap you up, and then we see how much more has to come off.”

Delun nodded. “I will come with her.”

She trembled. “So, you think we will be able to uncover the original mark?”

“Yes. It is still weak, but it should be able to be revived with a little concentration and a second bond bite. I would have to consult a specialist, but once the interference is gone, it should be possible to wake it up.”

Grigory chuckled. “Congratulations, you have had an omega all this time, Arthur.”

Arthur looked sick. He knew a bit of what she had been through, and it was eating him.

She leaned into Grigory with a hand on his chest. “It does explain a few things.”

“Really, treasure? Like what?”

She blinked back tears. “Why I always felt I could use it, even though it didn’t respond.”

He cuddled her carefully. “That must have been distressing.”

“Yes. That is a word for it. Fighting instinct for five years has been tiring. It was confident he would come.”

Grigory whispered, “He did.”

She paused and looked at Grigory, who was looking at her serenely. She glanced at Arthur, and he smiled weakly. “The moment I saw you in that video, I hunted you down.”

She blushed. It had been a favour for a friend, and it had led to this. They had just needed her to act like a best friend to Olivia’s romantic lead, and then, they had split into two warrior goddesses fighting off alphas. It had been fun and had ended with a jump off a cliff. Ford had organized it, and Olivia’s mates had had collective panic attacks when they saw the footage. Ford had laughed his ass off.

“You are not going to like the next video.” She bit her lip. “It’s for the song that brought me to court.”

Arthur asked, “The one about that night?”

“Yeah. Ford still has to call me with the schedule. He’s excited. This is one where the alpha doesn’t look good at the end, and the omega has a spine.”

Grigory was pleased. “You write songs?”

“Sometimes. I don’t get the credit, but it pays the bills. It let me quit dancing.”

Dr. Willett smiled. “Well, I will see you tomorrow at eight. Get a good night’s sleep tonight.”

Grigory nodded. “She will.”

Arthur huffed with laughter, and Delun nodded. “I will return to work, but I will bring takeout for the household at five.”

She blinked. “Um, okay.”

Delun stood in front of her and held out his hand. “Kiss me goodbye, Lexa. I have to go back to work.”

She frowned. “Is this a thing?”

“It is. I just made it up.” His eyes were sparkling. “Come now.”

She got off of Grigory’s lap and took Delun’s hand. He caught her head and kissed her until their scents were mating-hot and spiralling around everyone in the room. He pulled back, kissed her forehead, and murmured, “Accept that we want you whole and happy. All of us.”

She nodded, and he left.

Dr. Willett stared at her. “All that scent for a kiss?”

She gave him a droll look. “Mine or his?”

Grigory chuckled, and Arthur laughed. Dr. Willett blushed.

Lexa sighed. “Get used to it. If he heals the wound tomorrow, it is going to be much, much stronger.”

The other two laughed. She was given gel packs for aftercare on her skin the next day, just to make sure she was ready.

They left the office, and there were a few stares, but that was mainly because Grigory was holding her up against his chest. She toyed with the idea of playing dead but didn’t feel that the doctor would appreciate her sense of humour.

Arthur’s car took him toward the house, and she and Grigory followed. He kissed her softly and thoroughly, telling her she was a good girl, a clever omega, and a brave woman.

She really needed to hear that.