Chapter 158: Morning tension

Noah’s POV

This is the most tense breakfast morning I’ve ever had, and I’m saying this as someone who sat, and almost got shot at the table with all the members of the insane Gods family.

My hands shake as I lift the cup of milk to my lips.

Kai is staring at me from across the table and he’s eating nothing. He’s just sitting and staring at me like a human surveillance camera.

His eyes are icy cold as they track my movements. I really don’t know what this gremlin wants from me. He’s making me want to put a fork in his eyes. Wait...what?

I shake my head to focus on eating.

"So..." Lucas starts and the Stiles family turns their head in his direction.

Martha, Roman’s mom, looks sick and tired of us. Lily is visibly angry, and Roman just looks exhausted. My eyes linger on him a fraction too long and I hear Kai draw in a deliberately loud breath.

Right, right...I’m being policed by my husband’s younger brother who thinks I’m somehow cheating.

Elso is just like Frozen’s Elsa. He’s cold and mean for reasons that I, just like Anna, can’t really understand. Fortunately, I’m not Anna.

"Is this how you guys eat around here?" Lucas asks with his mouth full of bread, and Martha bursts into tears.

"Lucas, stop it" I hiss his name.

"I’m so sorry about that, Martha. Lucas struggles with reading social cues" I say, effortlessly sliding into my ’Prince of Winslow’ role to cover for Lucas and Kai’s crudeness.

My tone and expression seem to appease Martha because the soft crying stops and she permits Lily to console her. I feel horrible. I don’t want to do this anymore, but I don’t have a choice.

"This is horrible, Noah. How can you let these people come here again?" Martha asks with tears in her eyes and I drop my head.

I’m sorry.

"Noah is not to be blamed mom. Those people clearly forced him here" Roman says on my behalf, and I look up at him.

"Yes, we forced him, and we will do a lot more forcing soon" Kai says lazily.

"Of course, the damage you’ve done to that precious omega is not enough. You’ve forced him into marrying your psychopathic brother, raped him, forced him to-" Roman snarls.

"Your assumptions are horrible, Mr. Stiles" Lucas says with irritation in his tone.

"Assumption? Look at him!" Roman roars. He is suddenly on his feet, and my eyes are wide open with fear. Roman is a tall guy, but he rarely loses his temper. Seeing him this way is worrisome.

"Look at the ugly marks on his neck, do they look like something a respectable omega with his background would permit?" Roman asks, and I slap my hand over my bite mark and the hickeys surrounding it.

I’m not ashamed of them. I’m just so...confused.

"Noah, did you or did you not want that mark?" Kai asks, and when I open my mouth to respond after three seconds have passed, he shakes his head in disapproval.

"You don’t deserve my brother’s heart" he growls at me.

"And Noah deserves an alpha who has a heart" Roman says and out of nowhere, Kai pulls out a gun. He aims the barrel at Martha’s head, and the room erupts in chaos.

Dear Goddess.

"KAI!" I yell, jumping to my feet and staring at him in disbelief.

"I can afford one coffin; can you afford having no parent?" the youngest Deus asks and I rush to his side. I snatch the gun from him and look at Lucas, begging him with my eyes to say something.

"Okay, Siren two point oh, let’s take a long walk" Lucas says and drags Kai out of his chair.

"My apologies for baby Deus’s behavior, he gets cranky when he doesn’t play his daily video game" Lucas says to the shocked Stiles and takes Kai out of the room.

I drop the gun to the table, shaking with fear at the disaster we just managed to escape. Kai would have murdered Martha on the spot.

"I’m sorry" I whisper.

"There’s no use apologizing for an abuser, Noah. It’s not your fault" Martha says and I don’t know why I’m doing it again, but I hesitate to defend Elias.

"Noah?" Roman calls my name softly and I meet his eyes.

"I’m having a meeting with some of dad’s business partners to discuss take over...would you like to accompany me?" he asks and I swallow.

"Yes, sure" I say and he gets up.

"I’ll go prepare for it. You can eat and get ready when you’re done" the blonde-haired says before leaving me with Lily and Martha.

These two women used to plan dates between Roman and I, now they’re looking at me with pity.

"You shouldn’t have to live with your abuser, Noah" Lily says and I shake my head.

"He’s not--"

"Don’t defend him, dear. Whatever you think you’re feeling is Stockholms syndrome. We can help you get out of there. Once Roman is settled as governor, we’ll work on getting you out" Lily says and I lose all ability to give a response.

I shouldn’t have come here. Really...I shouldn’t have. I’m too emotionally attached to this family to think straight.

Three hours later, I’m in the car with Roman. I haven’t seen Lucas or Kai since the breakfast incident. His phone isn’t in my room either...I guess all progress from yesterday has been set to zero.

Roman isn’t saying anything, and when I peek at him, I realize he’s dozing off.

"Hey...are you okay?" I ask him softly and he nods.

"Just exhausted" he says softly and I move closer to him, offering my shoulder as a resting place. "You can sleep on my shoulder" I say and he drops his head on my shoulder immediately.

His breathing slows after a few seconds, and he presses his nose into my neck. I also relax next to him, and within seconds, I’m asleep too.

The ride continues for a few more minutes and when I open my eyes, it’s because the driver is yelling at another driver.

I turn my head and find Roman looking directly at me.

"W-what’s going on?" I ask and he leans in.

"I want to change things for you so bad" he says and my breath catches in my throat. He smells nice and clean, but not like Elias. Elias’s scent is an odd mix. He smells like what dying peacefully feels like and I love it.

"You don’t have to try changing anything for me, I promise I’m fine" I say and he when he sighs, his warm breath fans my face. He’s really close to me that I could count the lashes on his eyelid if I wanted to.

"I don’t care that he bit you, Noah. I’ll marry you. I’ll make you happy. You’ll get to be the omega you should be. You’ll be comfortable in my home and I’ll love you...I’ll love you like an omega deserves to be loved" he says and when the car suddenly climbs over a speed bump, the distance between us closes.

No.

Roman’s lips press against mine and for a moment...my world stops.