Worse was how he looked at Luca. As if his entire world had instantly imploded. And how Luca looked at Nash.
“Aw, you broke your boyfriend’s heart.” Dekker’s laughter cut the air. A serrated blade across raw bone.
Reese had never wanted a gun so bad in his life just to put a bullet through the man’s face. Instead, he gave Dekker his back.
There was no color left in Luca’s cheeks. Reese took him by the shoulders and turned him around, but he wouldn’t quit staring at Nash.
Reese held Luca’s face. “I swear to you, Luca, Nash would have never hurt Koda. He couldn’t have hurt him even if he’d wanted to. And he would have never wanted to.”
Luca swallowed several times.
“All Koda’s betas would have died a million deaths to protect him. Especially, Nash.”
Luca said something, but it was barely and exhale.
Reese leaned closer.
“Nox.” Luca sucked in a choppy breath. “He couldn’t remember his name, and I thought the tattoo on his wrist was a word.”
Reese nodded because he didn’t know what else to do.
“He said he loved Koda. He said all of them did.”
“He told you the truth.”
“And Koda love them.”
“Yes, very much.”
“Then why would he do that?” A hint of anger creased Luca’s forehead.
“Because Na—Nox didn’t have a choice. Koda didn’t give him a choice.”
“Why would he hurt him like that?” Luca twisted his hand in the material of the coat, close to his heart. “Why?”
“It happened quick.” Reese could only hope it didn’t hurt.
Luca pulled at one of Reese’s hands. “Let me go.”
“Please, Luca.”
“Dr. Dante, please let me go. My brother hurt him, and Nox needs me.”
Reese was so caught off guard he didn’t try to stop Luca from pulling away. He walked over to the wall where Nox had collapsed.
For a moment, Reese was back at the Utah Facility, watching Koda comfort one of his betas. Depression and anxiety had been common while they processed the realization they were no longer dead, and they could never go home, and they were no longer human.
“Tell him how to give me the ichor,” Dekker said.
“What?”
“The ichor, Dr. Dante. Since you know so much, tell him how to give it to me.”
“I can’t.”
Dekker’s eyes went blank. Somehow it was far more frightening than any amount of sharp teeth.
“I can’t because I don’t know how.”