Once the door is shut behind them, I pull my phone out and text Nick.
Plum:I need you.
I knowhe read the message, but he doesn’t reply. I’m about to call when the door opens, and both alphas walk in. They flinch as Kai’s scent hits them.
“I don’t know what to do,” I confess. “I can’t let him suffer.” I shake my head, panic starting to set in. “If I go in there, what happens?”
“What do you want to happen?” Nick asks, calm as always. When he moves closer, taking me into his arms, I relax against him. It only lasts for a second though, as I freak out and force space between us.
“I want him to be okay. I don’t want him to…Fuck.All I know is I want his suffering to stop.” I throw my hands up, looking between the two of them. For a long moment, I’m not sure why I’m so panicked.
“Are you okay? How can we help you?” Benson asks, reaching for me, but I stop him. I want to say that I don’t even know what’s wrong with me, but that’s not exactly true. I do know; I’m just trying to avoid facing it.
It’s now or never, really. I can’t go into that room with Kai until I know how these two feel. Until I tell them how I feel. Maybe I’m wrong about them, but I’ll never know if I don’t try.
To think, it’s been less than a week, and everything has changed so much.
“If I don’t get this all out now, I might never say it.” I hold my hands up to keep both alphas back as I take a deep breath, eyes falling shut. “I told Kai that we lied,” I confess, peeking one eye open. Nick looks unfazed. Benson looks shocked. Their scents tell me they’re both nervous.
“Well, fuck,” Benson frowns, taking a small step back.
Is he panicking because he thinks I’m about to end this situationship? Or is it something else?
“Look at us, omega,” Nick barks, and my eyes snap open. “Say it,” he commands, and I swallow hard, trying to fight the alpha’s dominance.
“What’s happening right now?” Benson asks, and I cover my face with my palms, spinning away from them. My ability to resist the alpha command breaks, and I mumble against my palms, muffling the words.
“Stop hiding from us, Plum,” Nick demands, and I shake my head.
No, because now I’m second-guessing myself and everything I’ve been feeling. Kai’s burning scent is fucking with my head. I can’t think clearly, but this has to happen now.
“Plum?” Benson asks softly. The worry in his voice is what finally gets me to turn around. “Talk to me, baby, you’re scaring me,” he begs, and I feel so guilty for dragging this out.
“I don’t want you to be my fake boyfriend anymore!” I yelp, and his eyes go wide. His shoulders slump, and he tips his head forward, looking down at the ground.
“Oh, right. Of course. You told Kai, so you don’t need us anymore. I get that,” Benson murmurs, and I bite my bottom lip. He looks so disappointed, and it rips through me.
Shit. I’m doing this all wrong.
“Is that it, Plum?” Nick tilts his head as he watches me.
“No.” I shake my head, meeting his eyes, hoping he sees me for who I am.
“You don’t want us to fake it anymore?” Nick asks, uncrossing his big arms and stepping toward me. I gasp, looking up into his intense, dominant eyes.
“I don’t.”
“Because you want it to be real.” Nick smirks, the look in his eyes going from serious to sexy in a blink. I nod, unable to look away from Nick, as Benson steps up beside his brother. I swallow thickly, glancing between the two alphas. Benson looks so hopeful.
“I never needed you to save me. I can save myself, just like I can take care of myself,” I say, lifting my chin. I’m taking my power back, being the person I never should have forgotten I was. “But I want both of you, and I want it to be real, not just look real. I don’t want to fake it anymore.”
“Good.” Nick grins, but Benson stares at me like he can’t understand what I just said.
“Real?” he asks, and I nod. “Am I dreaming?” he questions, chuckling as he scoops me into his arms next.
“And Kai?” he asks, glancing at the bedroom door behind him.
“I don’t know,” I whisper again, shaking my head.
