My mind flits back to a conversation I had with Cole,‘Damon’s made mistakes in his past that he’s afraid of repeating.’
Is this the mistake he was referring to? We’ve all made mistakes, but hurting an omega is not a little one that can be brushed under the rug. He left an omega blind in one eye. That was a vicious assault leaving lasting damage. What kind of maniac does something like that? Everything I feared about alphas is turning out to be true.
“Does Sabs know?” I ask.
Damon and Laz grew up together. She vouched for the Silverwoods, and I’m positive she’d never put me in a position to be hurt, but the guys keeping this from me has me questioning everything.
“No.” He shakes his head. “My packmates are the only ones who know. And Cole’s dad, who covered it up.”
“Why are you telling me this? You didn’t have to.”
“If you’re thinking of joining the Silverwood Pack, you need to know what you’re really signing up for.” He shoves a hand through his hair, his expression an unreadable mask. “You’re in danger every second you’re around me. Unlike the others, I believe you deserve to hear the truth.”
“Were they planning on keeping it a secret forever?” With my mind a jumbled mess, the thought involuntarily leaves me. “Or were they all waiting to knot and bond me before dropping this bombshell? Is that why your pack hasn’t bonded before? Am I just a random omega from out of town you all felt you could trick?”
Damon buries his hands in his pockets. “I?—”
“Save it!” I hold up my hand. It doesn’t matter anyway. “I need to leave. Now.”
I stumble over to pick up my shoes and grab my purse from a hanging hook before throwing open the cabin door. A burstof icy wind hits me. It chills my bare legs, but it beats spending another second with Damon and the three alphas who lied to me.
“Faye, wait!” Damon follows. “It’s not safe out there.”
I rummage in my purse for my phone. No cell signal. That figures.
“It’s not safe in the cabin either,” I snarl, pushing his chest hard. “Get away from me!”
His face falls. “At least let me get Frank to come to drive you home?” He holds out a blanket. “And take this. Please.”
“Fine,” I agree, but only because I don’t want to freeze to death. “But you can wait inside. I don’t want to be anywhere near you.”
“Good.” He nods, like this is what he’s been waiting for all along. Lucky for him, he’s finally getting what he wants. Me gone. Forever. “I guess this is goodbye, then.”
“Yes,” I reply coldly. “It is.”
When he returns inside, I move to the swing seat. After forcing my bare feet into my shoes, I pull my knees up to my chest. Shivering, I wait, hoping I don’t get frostbite or hypothermia, until I hear wheels crunching over gravel and see headlights appear down the drive. Although my stomach cramps are worsening, I’ll take enduring the rest of this heat alone over staying. I blink away tears, refusing to let them fall as Damon watches me from the window, like a predator hunting his prey.
How could something so good turn bad so fast?
Frank jumps out of the car, looking genuinely shocked to see me.
“Are you okay, little lady?” The look of concern etched on his kind face makes it even harder to hold back tears, but I bite my lip and put on a brave face.
“P-please can you take me home?”
“Of course, little lady.” He opens the door for me, nervously looking up at the window where Damon’s watching. “I’ll play some music on the journey. How does that sound?”
I force a smile. “Thank you.”
We don’t speak for the duration of the drive, but Frank’s gaze keeps darting to the rearview mirror to check on me. I stare out of the window. The mountains, that seemed so inviting before, now feel desolate and foreboding.
I sniff, hugging myself and getting a waft of Damon’s scent from the blanket and a hint of Cole from underneath. I might have forgotten that I was wearing Cole’s T-shirt if it didn’t smell so good that it hurts. How is it fair that my body still craves them after what I’ve learned?
Luckily, the journey doesn’t take long, and as soon as Frank pulls up outside Stella House, Delilah runs down the porch to greet me, wearing pajamas with a rabbit pattern.
“Frank messaged Sabs to say you were on the way.” The moment she wraps her arms around me, I fall against her. “The others are at a party, but they’re coming home soon.”
I can’t hold the tears back now that I’m in Delilah’s comforting embrace. I sob uncontrollably, shaking like a leaf.
