CHAPTER 58: VIKTOR? IN LOVE?

Luka leaned closer, snapping Viktor out of his thoughts as his voice sounded curious. "Struggled? Is that why he’s very weak? Wait a minute... The file says he was born with a weaker constitution, but being a dominant omega is rare for someone like that. How does that even work?"

Viktor’s lips pressed into a thin line.

"It might be rare because it’s powerful. And also dangerous." He scrolled to the end of the file, his eyes darkening. "This is confidential information. No wonder nothing comes up online and dominant omegas."

Luka pulled out his phone, typing "dominant omega" into a search engine. The results were empty... government sites, medical journals, all locked or vague.

"Yeah, you’re right," he said, pocketing his phone. "So, what’s the plan? You gonna go after him now?"

Viktor closed the laptop with a sharp snap, handing it back to Luka.

"I can’t go after him. Not now," he said, his voice calm but edged with something unreadable. "I’ve got other things to deal with first."

Luka raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Are you serious? I thought you’d be halfway to the Voss estate by now, kicking down their door again."

Viktor’s gaze flicked to the window, his expression unyielding.

"I’m not giving up on him. But I’ve been chasing Elias for too long. I’ve got responsibilities piling up... meetings, deals. Also, I’m seeing Father tomorrow, for one."

Luka laughed, the sound sharp in the quiet car. "Father? You haven’t seen that old man since the twins were born. What’s it been, seven years?"

Viktor rolled his eyes, his voice dry.

"Don’t remind me. It’s not my fault he decided I should take over the family business when I’m not even the oldest. He’s been on my case ever since."

Luka laughed again, leaning back with a grin. "Yeah, well, you’re the one he trusts to run the mafia, not me or Ivan. You’re stuck with it."

Viktor’s hand twitched, as if tempted to smack his brother.

"Keep laughing, Luka, and I’ll shoot you myself."

Luka stopped, but his smirk lingered, his eyes glinting with amusement. Viktor groaned, rubbing his temple.

"Just tell the driver to head back to the house."

The car pulled away, the city lights blurring past. Luka glanced at Viktor, his tone more serious. "What if Elias finds someone else while you’re off playing mafia boss? Are you cool with that?"

Viktor stared out the window, his smirk faint but sharp. "If he does, I’ll just have to try harder. Win him back."

Luka raised an eyebrow. "Win him back? You still thinking about locking him up like you said before?"

Viktor was quiet for a long moment, his gloved fingers tapping the armrest.

"I’ll figure that out when I get him," he said finally, his voice low. "First, I need to see him again."

Luka smirked, leaning back, but his mind drifted to their past.

’Viktor’s changed,’ he thought, his gaze softening. ’Growing up, Viktor had never known what a real relationship looked like. Their father’s three wives had been a mess, each vying for his attention, but Viktor’s mother was the worst. She’d used her son as a pawn, forcing him to study endlessly, locking him in rooms for days, even staging an accident to make him seem "worthy" of their father’s notice. None of it worked, and in her desperation, she’d let Viktor be taken by a criminal syndicate when he was just sixteen.’

Luka’s chest tightened at the memory.

’The criminals had locked Viktor with omegas, using their pheromones to trigger his rut over and over, a cruel torture that broke something in him. The omegas hadn’t wanted to hurt him... at least, not all of them... but the criminals had forced their compliance, killing those who resisted as a warning. When Viktor was finally rescued two years later, he was a shell of himself, his hatred for omegas and their pheromones so deep it made him sick. The twins, Dante and Dario, had been born through a surrogate, a cold arrangement orchestrated by their father to ensure Viktor’s lineage without forcing him to bond with an omega. Viktor never knew the surrogate’s identity and told the twins their mother was dead. It was a lie to shield them from the truth.’

Luka shook off the thoughts, focusing on the present.

’I guess Elias was different... the first omega Viktor had tolerated, even cared for, since his trauma.’

Luka wanted to help his brother, to see him find some kind of peace with Elias, but the Voss family and now the government were in the way.

’It’s not gonna be easy,’ Luka thought, glancing at Viktor, who was scrolling through his phone, his expression unreadable. Luka smiled faintly, muttering under his breath, "Still keeping an eye on him, huh?"

"Shut up," Viktor shot him a hard glare.

"Yeah, okay," Luke pulled an invisible zip across his lip.

.

.

The next morning, in the Voss estate. The dining room was warm, filled with the scent of coffee and fresh pastries, but Elias didn’t linger to have breakfast since he had a morning class. He stood in the hallway, adjusting his school bag, his body thrumming with a new energy. The suppressants Dr Patel prescribed were working, keeping not just his pheromones in check but his heat at bay. He felt stronger than ever as if he was ready to face the day. But a small part of him hesitated, his thoughts on Viktor.

’What if he finds me? And kill me?’

Mrs Voss’s voice broke through his thoughts as she stepped into the hallway, her expression kind. "Elias, you sure you don’t want to eat with us? You’ve got school."

Elias shook his head, managing a small smile. "Thanks, but I need to see Lila before class. I’ll grab something later at school."

Mrs Voss nodded, her eyes softening.

"I heard Viktor’s out of town, visiting his father. You don’t need to worry about him for now."

Elias’s shoulders relaxed, relief washing over him.

"Good. That means he’s not trying to kill me for a while," he said, half-joking. He checked his phone for the time, his heart racing. "I gotta go. Thanks, Mrs Voss."

He hurried out, forgetting his phone on the dining table. Mrs Voss looked confused, her brow furrowing as she turned to Jace, who was pushing his eggs around his plate.

"Jace, what did Elias mean by ’kill him’? What’s going on?"

Jace sighed, dropping his fork.

"He thinks Viktor’s after him to hurt him. But that’s not it. Viktor’s... obsessed with him. Maybe even in love."

Mrs Voss’s eyes widened. "In love? And you didn’t tell Elias? Why not?"

Jace’s jaw tightened, his voice low.

"If I tell him, he might go back to the Drago house. I don’t want that. I want him to stay here, with me."

Mrs Voss shook her head, her tone sharp. "That’s selfish, Jace. You need to tell him the truth and let him decide for himself."

Jace bit his lip, nodding reluctantly. "Yeah, I know. I’ll... I’ll try."

"Good," she said and kept eating.

.

Unbeknownst to them, Elias had returned for his phone, pausing just outside the dining room. His hand flew to his mouth, his cheeks flushing as he overheard Jace’s words.

’Hold on! Viktor? In love? With me?’

His heart raced, a mix of disbelief and something else... excitement? He didn’t believe Viktor could love him, not after everything, but the idea that Viktor wasn’t out to harm him sent a strange thrill through him. He felt heat surging through his body as he tried not to recollect those intimate moments between him and Viktor.