A bitter pain was welling up her throat. "I didn't want to be one of your Omegas you kept in reserve because I gave you your son. And I sure as hell did not want my son being used in your Alpha pack political games."
Luthor laughed cruelly, "I'm the Alpha, Sharon, and I will do with my son what I want."
Her response was like a whip crack, "Like hell you will."
The stench of his rage filled the air, an undertone of ozone to it. "You don't speak to me like that. Not if you don't want me to discipline you right here, right now."
The memory from seven years ago passed through her head like a specter, a specter that was as thrilling as it was frightening. He could do anything to her that he wanted to. Her body still craved him, and she hated that.
"Punish me however you'd like, Luthor, I don't care."
He took a deep breath, and as if he could sense all the ways he was impacting her, some of his anger seeped away into something more.personal. The tip of his mouth curved up, just the tiniest bit. "If I recall correctly, you enjoy being given orders."
She glanced swiftly into the back seat, where Alexander slept on, before speaking. "We both know that, though, I did that during the heat doesn't count—"
"But it does."
She tensed, fighting the need to just agree with him, to demand his dominance over her.
She recognized her hesitation, minor as it was, pleased him, for his lips twisted into a real smirk. "You still have some fight in you, Sharon. That's good." His voice dropped to a growl. "I love it when my prey fight back."
She glared at him. "You're going to find that this prey will be a lot more trouble than you're worth."
"You know what? I love the way that sounds. You're doing so well already on your first punishment, anyway."
She tensed. "The kidnapping?"
He grinned, and this time he was. "No, little Omega. That's just half of it. You have committed the crime of running from your pack and taking my heir with you. To make sure it never occurs again, I'm going back to Tenzclaw with you, where you'll marry me and do as I say like the good Omega that I know you can be."
She stalled. "W-What? I won't marry you, Luthor! You can't force me to!"
"Actually, I can," he said, "The Alpha can exercise his right to marry whomsoever he chooses. And you know why that is, don't you, Sharon?"
She had to squelch a sob, her body too hot, too overwrought by his nearness. She could smell him everywhere around her in the tiny car, sense the heat of his body, his mastery, the possibility of excitement when he talked of the night of her heat.
"Because an Alpha can claim a mate. Any Omega he desires, whoever she is. If he desires her, he claims her. And you are not so different, little Omega." He leaned in closer, his voice dropping down to where it was little more than a low growl. "You are my mate now, and forever will be."
"You're crazy!"
Luthor had expected her to be angry, but not to yell so loudly the windows nearly shook.
"Do you really think that you can intimidate me into marrying you and living at your beck and call like the rest of your pack?" Sharon's eyes blazed. "You're crazier than I thought."
"Sharon—"
"You can't order me around!" Sharon leaned forward in the passenger seat. "And I won't allow you to try to punish me by attempting to make me do this!"
Luthor gritted his teeth. "You need to understand that I am now your Alpha, and as your Alpha, I am responsible for you—"
She pulled on her cuffed wrist again and again, so hard that Luthor flinched in the driver's seat. "Let me out of here, you maniac. I am not going to marry you!"
"Stop it! You're going to hurt yourself."
"Like I care!"
Alexander rustled behind them. "Mama?"
Luthor swore under his breath. Sharon quickly leaned around the seat, "Go back to sleep, baby. Mommy's okay. Go to sleep, sweetie."
"No," Alexander said stubbornly, rubbing his eyes, "Where are we going?"
"You know," Luthor said quietly, "You really oughtn't to lie to children like that."
Sharon turned around in her seat to glare at him. "Shut your mouth!"
"Mommy, you're not allowed to say 'shut your mouth'! That's being rude."
Luthor laughed, his head shaking. His son had his back and did not even know it. Hearing him talk had Luthor's heart start to speed up, and it was odd to discover that he was.anxious? Alphas were not anxious, as a rule, but being reunited with your estranged son after seven years was probably an extenuating circumstance.
Alex attempted to reassure her.their.sleepy, confused boy as Luthor got off at the next exit and pulled into a 24-hour gas station. He listened as she told him they would be gone from home for a bit, but that it would be a sort of adventure. Luthor liked hearing her speak to him, the gentle way she reassured him, and told him as close to the truth as she could without getting too far into specifics. He had never doubted that Sharon was a good mother, even though she had stolen his heir from him, but it was pleasant to see it in person.
At least Alexander had lived a full, love-filled life when he was away from his pack.
Luthor pulled the vehicle over, undoing his seatbelt, and spun around to look at the child in the backseat. He was another person now that he was conscious, his face mirroring his mother's so strongly it was almost funny. His eyes shifted from Sharon to Luthor, and Luthor hated that he could see a thread of fear there.
It's nothing, Luthor told himself. He doesn't know who you are. It's only natural to be afraid of a stranger.
And it wasn't, was it? If he'd staked his claim on Sharon when she originally came to him, he'd have had Luthor as a father from the day he was born, and he wouldn't have feared him one bit. Sharon and Luthor had both denied him in their own ways, and now Luthor would never have the chance to make it right with him.
However, he extended his hand to him. "Hello, Alexander," he said. "I'm Luthor."
"S.Luthor?" His tiny fingers brushed against Luthor's. His fingers were warm and pure. Luthor didn't think he knew his scent was swirling in Luthor's mind, and that his touch was as if it had roused Luthor's body from a seven-year sleep. "Why are you driving Mama's car?"
"That's for your mother to answer. I'm going to go in and get some snacks and give you guys a minute to talk, okay?" Luthor said as quietly as he could, but even that made Alexander's eyes grow wider. "It'll be alright," he reassured him. "I won't be gone long, I promise."
Alexander nodded, though Luthor could tell he was still reluctant, but Sharon twisted around in her seat and drew their son into her in an effort to soothe him. She didn't even look at Luthor when she spoke to him, but the tension in her voice had Luthor clenching his teeth.
"I know this is going to be confusing, my love, but just listen, and I'll explain everything."
Luthor got out of the car as he claimed he would, even though he wanted to linger and hear what was being said. He did not trust Sharon as far as he could throw her, but if there was one thing he'd grant her an ounce of it for, it would be how she parented Alexander. He suppressed the angry, resentful voice in his head that said if she'd had a chance to date him, she'd also know how to be a parent to him, but there was no turning back the clock.
At the gas station, Luthor made a pit stop at the bathroom and then filled his arms with whatever he thought a seven-year-old might like—gummies, granola bars, candy, soda, and a few bottles of water. The clerk at the register looked him up and down when he realized how much food he had and raised an eyebrow.