“Yes,” he confirms. “And I already have an omega.”
My heart plummets to the pit of my stomach. He doesn’t know how badly that hurts coming from him. Because I haven’t told him, because he doesn’tknow, but the sting stays embedded in my skin all the same. He’s still avoiding my gaze, and I snap before I can think better of it.
“Look at me,” I bark at him, and the alpha immediately meets my eyes as his head zaps toward me by the command. His eyes widen, surprise twisting in his features by the control I just obtained from him.
From the most powerful alpha in this fraternity.
But I don’t care about that. All I care about is this conversation. “Do you notseeme?” I ask, my hands going to my chest where my omega resides. “Am I really just your roommate to you? Have you ever thought that I could be something more? Something that webothwant?”
He looks at me with hesitation, his body still locked into my demand. “I don’t know what you mean,” he finally says, and I know it’s a lie because there’s a slight murmur in his words. An imperfection that gives him away.
“What do you want, Sam?” I inquire. “What do youreallywant? I know a few things. I know you want Kit and Thatcher to figure out their shit. I know you want more justice in the world. I know you hate your job, but feel most comfortable when you’re working on a case or trying to solve a problem.”
Sam blinks at me with fear. “Stop?—”
“We need tofixthis, Sam. And I don’t mean just some drunken kiss, I meanallof it. Thatcher is struggling with his sexuality. Kit is home by himself all the time, waiting for you to get back from somewhere that you don’t even want to be. And me…” I shake my head.
I don’t know where the words came from. Maybe my omega has been observing more than I was, but something about my wordsfeelsright. I feel strong as I refuse to back down, looking him square in the eye. “I have been trying tofixit all on myown. So, pull your head out of your briefcase and fuckinghelpme.”
My body doesn’t linger there for another second as I march right out of the door. When I pass his body, his scent is singed, and not like a wonderful newly-baked apple pie, butburntlike the edges are black and crumbling around what could have been a wonderful dessert. I don’t try to inhale it anymore. The distress in it will make my resolve collapse, and my omega will try to comfort her alpha, but I don’t feel like comforting him right now. I amangry, and sad, and rejected, and those feelings follow me throughout the rest of the night.
THIRTY-ONE
Playing: “Got Me Started” by Troye Sivan
Normally,I like to be in the throes of whatever party we attend, but sitting here with Thatcher is better than anything else I could be doing.
My mission to find him was borderline selfish. I wanted to dance, drink, and have a good time. I also wanted to share that with Thatcher. But when I found him lingering in a spare room upstairs, all of that went out the window along with my sanity, because he lookshottonight.
His black T-shirt is definitely a size too small as his muscles strain beneath it. His pecks are pointed, his jeans are perfect, and I am an omega in heat, apparently.
I wince. That’s probably not a joke I should make anymore, since now I know omegascanjust randomly go into heat without bond mates.
Thatcher sits with his ankle propped up on his knee, leaning back like he doesn’t have a care in the world as henurses his whiskey sour. He looks every bit as beautiful as the day we met.
The memory of that day pops into my brain as I move towards him. The way we both smiled and hugged, trying not to let the disappointment show. We were so excited to meet each other, but when we didn’t have that immediate reaction to each other’s scents, the way that scent matches often talked about, hope seemed to dwindle fast. His eyes lost that twinkle, and I’m sure it reflected in mine as well. Still, we felt the pack mate bond and I was content with that. For a time.
Now that I know he wants to try again, I am more determined than ever to keep him. The feeling in my gut that told me he was mine wasn’t manufactured in some perfect fairytale that obscured my intuition. It wasreal, and I was patient. And now I feel like I’m reaping the rewards.
Every day, he’s made me at least one meal or snack and invited me to sit with him and watch historical documentaries that he knows I would love. New historical magazines and books have also been left outside my door. No note, no declaration. Just a single layer of mint lingering on them from Thatcher’s scent. Courting gifts that I’ve long awaited and am now finally getting.
I am the most giddy omega to ever live.
When he sees me, his mouth morphs into a lazy smile, and that is enough to make me see stars. My grumpy alpha cracking from the mere sight of me is enough to send butterflies soaring through my whole body.
“I thought you were living it up with Sam,” he comments when I get closer. “It’s not often that he lets loose like this.”
“He went to the bathroom and then got distracted, I think. I came to find you.”
“Are you going to make me get up and dance?” he asks, his tone teasing. I can tell that he would prefer I didn’t, but I canalso tell that he would definitely do it if I asked, which makes my inside grow warm.
“No, I’d like to sit here with you instead.” His cheeks flush slightly as I sit beside him and relax my body, which actually did need a rest after standing for the last hour and a half. “I need some quiet time.”
“I’d say that isn’t true, but you do spend a lot of time playing your quiet games.”
I give an incredulous laugh. “Quiet games?”
“You know.” He fiddles his fingers around, like he’s trying to figure out what to say. “Those farm games. The simulation ones.”
