Page 15 of Aries
After another hour of deep silence, we finally arrived back at the compound. Luca was waiting as I parked the car, his eyes flickering to mine and then the man that stood next to me.
Obviously, he knew everything. Our pack was close and I had no intention of keeping secrets. He knew exactly where I went and why.
The real test would be getting past my father. I told him more than once of my intentions, but Victor Crowe didn’t seem to think that it was necessary to bring his ‘bastard children’ into the fold.
I froze outside, staring up at the house as the two men who made up my pack waited.
“He’s not going to be happy to see me, is he?” Nikolai asked, his voice still hollow.
There was no sense in lying to my brother, so I didn’t.
“No, but I don’t care,” I told him firmly. “You shouldn’t, either.”
“If he tells you to throw me out of this place?—”
“He won’t,” I cut him off. “Despite what my father thinks, he’s not the only one with leverage and support in this family.”
“It’s not him you have to worry about, anyway,” Luca said pointedly. I groaned internally, not ready to cross this bridge but I had no choice.
My brother looked at me and Luca, then back at me, and raised a single eyebrow. His silent and grumpy way of asking me who the fuck Luca was and what he meant.
“This is Luca, my pack mate,” I introduced him. “Luca, my brother Nikolai.”
They each gave one of those imperceptible nods and nothing more, but I didn’t question it. I knew this was right.
I was standing by this decision.
“And he’s speaking of our other brother, Alessio. He’s a fucking snake, trust nothing he says. Ever.”
“Noted.” Just like that he trusted me.
The world always talked about meeting your omega and how impactful that was. But finding a pack was similar. Thebrotherhood that formed almost instantly was just as strong of a connection. I knew the moment that I met Luca who he was to me, and when I was looking into my father’s illegitimate children, Nikolai was the only one who stood out.
With everything, I was careful. I didn’t dive in and seek him out. I watched, surveilled, did what I was good at, and the more I saw, the more I knew I had to seek him out.
Nikolai was pack, even though he’d all but given up on life.
After he settled, I’d ask the right questions, find the right resources, and track my omega down.
I had all the information I needed in my pocket. The rest I’d learn over time.
“I need a fucking drink,” I said, rolling my shoulders and clapping my brother on his back.
He jumped, tossing the glare my way, but I simply grinned back, leading him to the parlor.
“This is one big ass house,” he finally said as we walked in through the garage.
I’m sure he thought so. I saw the trailer he grew up in. I couldn’t help but wonder why Victor chose to lower his standards and fraternize with someone so out of his league.
We all knew his standards were bullshit, but he swore by them. My father fought his way to his riches, stepping on the backs of others. He used violence and blackmail as a way to control the world, and his men were no different.
As we walked further inside, I tried to see our place from my brother’s eyes. The marble floors were polished, the art on the walls more money than he could fathom. Everything was meticulously placed and cleaned to perfection. The staff he had yet to see worked day and night to keep this place running and were paid handsomely for their silence.
They were just as loyal to Victor Crowe as his men.
The hallway branched off to the west wing and I followed it down to the side of the house that was mine. Far away from Alessio and his constant string of women and fuckboy friends.
There was a reason I was first in line for the Crows. Not just birth order, but the fact I worked hard, had standards, and didn’t have my head up my own ass.
