I wonder where they are. If they’re at Jake’s, the way they planned it.
I wonder if they kept the room. The one they told me would be a nesting space. Theo showed me around once, both of us blushing, avoiding each other’s eyes. Eventually, another omega will have that space. A space that I sketched out, offering suggestions on flooring and bedding for Jake to look at while Max pointed out possibilities over my shoulder and the others offered their own feedback.
But it’s not going to be mine.
Of course they’ll move on. They don’t want me, but that doesn’t mean they can’t choose someone else. Very few matings have a true bond.
And it’s not like I’ll be here to see it.
The pain pierces my head, a clap of thunder in my skull. Rolling to my side, I grip my skull with a whimper. Warmth on my face has me brushing my fingers against the top of my lip. When they come away wet, I reach for my lamp. It takes me a few seconds to find it, to slap it on.
My nose is bleeding. Badly.
I scramble out of bed, the ache in my head growing stronger as I stumble to the bathroom for tissue.
It doesn’t stop. Not for a long time.
Long enough that the sink is full of bloody, black-streaked tissue when it finally eases off. I carefully flush it away, cleaning up the bathroom until there’s no trace of blood to be seen before I make my way back to bed.
But I still feel it on my skin.
In my nose.
And wrapped up in the scent of rust, of copper, of metal, is something fresher that makes my stomach churn more than anything else possibly could.
Mango and mint.
Max
Iwatch as Kennedy disappears into the forest, the darkness swallowing her up.
Waiting, long after she’s vanished from view. Finally, I force myself to look away. To move around the truck, climb in, and turn around on the narrow track, making my way back down the mountain toward the main town.
It’s… difficult.
Much like my mate.
Kennedy Traylor is ours. There’s no denying it. Even now, my newly acquired bond strains in my chest, pushing me to go back, to make sure she walks through the door safely.
She made it clear that she won’t welcome it, and I don’t blame her.
I meant what I said. Six months ago, I would have dropped to my knees and thanked every god I could remember to have Kenny as mine. I would have worshipped the ground she walked on, fought a fucking army to keep her safe.
But a lot can happen in six months. And I fucking hate how much my silence hurt her. I could see it in her face, even as she tried to hide it.
I’ve always been able to read her. And that knowledge plays in my head as I park up and head inside.
I can hear the shouting from outside.
Theo turns to me as I walk in. “Where the fuck did you go?”
I drop his keys in front of them. “I took Kennedy home.”
All three of them stiffen. Oscar speaks first. “What?”
“I wanted to speak to her,” I repeat, my words steady. But my grip is tight on the back of the chair. “I think we’re missing something.”
“Missing that she’s a murdering bitch,” Theo snaps. The tension rises, and Oscar pinches the bridge of his nose, throwing out a hand as Jake steps forward.
