So I bite down on my tongue, tasting metal. And I say nothing.
Theo wavers. His hand reaches up. He swipes over his face. “Fucking hell, Kenny. Just tell me. Please.Say it.”
I focus on his face. On his eyes.
Such beautiful green eyes. I always thought so.
Let him hate me. Let them hate me, and miss their pack brother. Telling them the truth would destroy them. More so now than before even.
Because I’m their mate.
More tears spill down my face.
But I keep my mouth shut, even as the push turns into pain. Pressure, building in my head, telling me togive in. It’s unnatural for an omega to defy an alpha bark.
But I’m not an ordinary omega. Not anymore.
I see the moment panic filters into Theo’s eyes. When it registers that I’m not giving in, not telling him what he wants to hear. “Ken? Stop it. Whatever you’re doing.”
The familiar pop echoes in my ears. The flow of warm blood, sticky and hot. “Kenny – shit. Her nose is bleeding. Let her go, Theo.Now.”
But Theo’s eyes are sharpening, dark brows drawing together as he stares at my face. His skin pales. “What the hell is that, Kenny?”
Black. Black is what he’s seeing. Poison.
The low whine slips from my throat, and he flinches back. “Enough. Just – you don’t have to. Stop. Whatever you’re doing, Ken, stop.Please.”
I almost fall forward, my hands slamming out into the grass-strewn ground.
Hands on my face. Oscar, shouting at Theo. Theo shouting back, his voice strained. Max, dabbing at my nose, asking me questions. And Jake, staring at the black-streaked tissue.
His eyes meet mine, and I know.
He knows something.
I shake my head in silent request, pushing out of Max’s hold. Raw words spill from my throat. “Let me go.”
Theo steps toward me, but Oscar is there, his voice a whip. “Don’t touch her.”
“I’m not…,” Theo falters. “Kennedy? Are you alright?”
No. I slip free from Max, backing away from them. My eyes slip to the truck. Theo’s gaze follows. “I don’t care about the truck. Did I – you’re still bleeding.”
My head feels hazy. I hold up my hands when they move toward me. “Leave me alone.”
One step. Two. “Just – enough.”
“Kenny.” Jake keeps his voice low. Coaxing. “We need to take you to a doctor, sweetheart. Your nose hasn’t stopped bleeding.”
My laugh startles all of them. It sounds too high, too loud, for our conversation. “No doctor.”
I used to be able to outrun all of them easily. With a grin on my face as I raced past them, tapping whatever we picked for a finish line and claiming stupid prizes. They always let me name whatever I wanted.
A hug. A back rub. Playing with my hair. Once, I got Theo to try eating frogspawn and laughed myself hoarse when he gagged.
I slide my eyes to his pale face. I don’t want to leave things like this, not really. I would have preferred a quiet exit. But I let myself look at all of them. Max and Jake are still talking. Max drops down to his knee, reaching for my leg, and I step away.
I can’t even feel it. Not when everything else is raw, blistering agony.
