“Remember how I said I was too kind? My compassion became my downfall. Somehow, in her warped, fucked up mind, she thought because I defended her, stood up to my father when he abused her, that it meant that I cared about her. I didn’t. I couldn’t stand the woman. I hated how she treated my brothers. But she didn’t see that, she saw only what she wanted to see.”
Stepping back, I try to keep myself from shaking because this is it, this is the part of my fucked up story where I tell her everything.
“Alpha...” Nova’s voice is soft and I nearly sob at the sound. “Come here.”
Turning around, my wild eyes lock on hers. She holds her arms out this time, and I go right into her hold.
I have no idea how she can sense that I need it, but she takes my face into her hands and pulls me forward, kissing me softly. I groan into the kiss, my cock thickening in my jeans.
The need to touch her, kiss her, consume her is overwhelming.
“I’ve got you,” she murmurs against my lips and I nearly break. Resting my head against her shoulder, I let her hold me as I take steadying breaths before pulling back to look at her while I speak.
“I didn’t sleep with her, Nova. At least... not willingly.”
Nova gasps, eyes going wide with understanding as her blue eyes swim with tears.
“Will...” I hate how fucking broken my name sounds on her lips.
I shake my head. “She took my kindness for granted. She saw me as her savior and I wasn’t.”
“You don’t have to tell me,” she says. “It’s okay.”
“I want to. But I just... I don’t want you to think of me any differently,” I rasp.
Her face goes hard. “I will never let what she did to you change how I feel about you, Will. You are strong, kind, loving and an amazing brother. You’re an amazing Alpha and I’m fucking proud to call you mine. Do you understand me?”
Fuck.Fuck! I can’t break down. Not now. Not here.
“I love you.” Nova grabs the waistband of my jeans and pulls me closer before gripping my chin. “And nothing will fucking change that. My Alpha. Mine.”
“Mine,” I whisper, eyes flicking back and forth between hers. I’m so gone for this girl. She’s so fucking strong, caring, and loyal. She gave us a chance when we didn’t deserve one. She could have called the cops and been free of us. Despite how we met, how things happened, she stayed and chose us. It’s only fair that I spend the rest of my life choosing her.
“Yours.”
Chapter 17
Will
Eyes closed, I shudder, barely holding myself together. I need her. I need her so fucking bad, more than I’ve ever needed anything in my life.
Opening my eyes, I tell her everything. I tell her how Julia would come into my room at night and guilt me, manipulate me. How she told me I was a good boy, a sweet boy and how she was so grateful that I was her hero, and that she wanted to repay me. When I told her no, she’d cry and manipulate me more. How she knew I’d be an Alpha just like my dad, but I’d treat Omegas better. That she wished she could have an Alpha just like me. Then, she’d touch me. Even though I got hard and got off, I hated every moment. After, I’d puke and shower in water so hot it left burn marks.
“It all stopped the day I presented as an Alpha.” My voice is deep, the pain of everything I just told her showing. I’m trembling with rage right now, trying so hard to keep it together when all I want to do is hit something, scream, kill.
I’ve never wanted to hurt Julia more in my life than right now. Voicing out loud everything she did to me somehow makes everything feel more real. I tried to block it out back then, to push it to the back of my mind.
“She came into my room that night, this fucking look of glee in her eyes,” I scoff, shaking my head as I start to pace. “Like she thought my being an Alpha would change everything.” I stop and look at Nova. She’s quiet, her eyes on me but it’s not sadness in her gaze, or pity like I expected. It’s rage. She’s pissed. For me. And that makes me fall for her even harder.
“It did change everything. But not the way she thought it would. When she tried to initiate things, I stopped it. I told her no more. When all her usual bullshit manipulation tactics didn’t work, she turned to anger. She said I was just as bad as the other Alphas. When I tried to defend myself and confront her about what she did to me, she told me that I wanted it because I had reacted to it. I spent so many years thinking the same thing until I realized what she was doing to me was no different than when a man did it to a woman.
”Why should I have to put up with it? She didn’t take my no for an answer and tried again. This time, I did something I told myself I’d never do again. I used my Alpha bark on her. With all the pent up rage and resentment I had towards her, I ordered her to never touch me again. To stay the fuck away from me. She did. She had no choice. Any time I thought my orders were wearing off, I made sure to remind her. We spent a few more years there and not long after Ian turned eighteen, we decided we had to get out. We were all adults, and my father no longer had any control over us. At least not legally.”
Nova stares at me for a good minute. Her body shaking, nostrils flaring and eyes glassy.
My hands shake at my sides, wanting to go to her but afraid of scaring her away.
“Get over here,” she says through gritted teeth, her voice thick.
