“Aw, Opal,” Cindy says, keeping her eyes on the road. “Maybe this can be a good thing. Now that you know, you can look for a pack that does want you.”
The statement is said with good intentions, but all it does is crack my heart open even more. “I can’t picture myself being with any other pack.”
“You’ll have to eventually,” she reasons. “You don’t have the privilege of avoiding your heats like omegas who choose not to bond. You’ll need alphas to help.”
Everything feels so heavy, and I release a sigh. “I don’t even want to think about my condition right now, Cin.”
“I know, but it’s a factor you have to consider. Maybe if you’ll let me finally set you up on that last date…”
I pull my hand away from hers, fury bubbling under my skin. “I told you. I don’t want to go onany moredates.”
“But this might be what you need! Maybe you’ll fall in love with someone else.”
“I can’t believe this.” I shake my head. “Take me home.”
“What?” She darts her eyes at me briefly before looking back at the road. “Opal?—”
“Turn here,” I instruct her as I cross my arms over my chest. “I can’t fucking believe this. I actually come to you for help, and all you want to do is continue to push my boundaries.”
“I just want what’s best for you. Obviously, this pack isn’t it. I mean, seriously, Opal. What did you expect? They already have an omega! You know that means the pack has everything it needs.”
I stifle a scream, the emotion threatening to fall out as she enters my neighborhood. The silence feels suffocating as I try not to explode on my childhood friend. When she pulls in front of Pack Langley’s home, she says, “You can’t avoid this forever, Opal. You have to make some hard decisions.”
I get out of the car and turn back to look at her one more time. “I know I can’t avoid this forever. But I just told you that my scent matchesrejectedme, and all you can think about is setting me up with someone else. Why can’t you justbe therefor me? Where is my friend who used to take on the world with me?”
Her mouth gapes open and shut, like she doesn’t know what to say.
“Forget it. Have a nice life.” I slam the car door, unable to keep my emotions in check as I stroll up to the driveway, hoping my scent matches aren’t inside waiting for me.
The house feels colderthan ever when I walk through the door. Since moving in, I’ve felt warm and safe and protected. It was finally the way I had imagined it in my wildest dreams, and I didn’t want to wake up. Being here now, in this empty house with all the lights off, there’s something so ominous within the cracks.
I sit on the couch, not bothering to turn on any of the lights as I sit and ponder. All of their scents linger in the area, andnow my own is being added. My lychee aroma mixes perfectly with theirs, the fruity texture making friends with both mint and melon. The creation is mouthwatering, and it makes me heave a sad sigh. I have half a thought to get off the couch so my scent isn’t embedded in the material, but a meow comes from beside me, and Jemma jumps up, slow in her movements as she climbs on my lap to get comfy.
I sigh. I guess there is still a bit of love here, after all.
My instinctual reaction is to let her love all over me, but then fear sets in. I may not be able to see this sweet fur baby much longer, so giving her any kind of love will break my heart when I ultimately have to leave. Still, she looks at me with expectation. Despite knowing it’ll hurt when I have to stop, I rub her head, my heart pinching while I watch her preen with joy as I finally give her the love that she wants.
“I messed things up, Jemma,” I tell her, but that doesn’t deter her. She just purrs at my pets, letting me maneuver her into a more comfortable position. She rubs her face against my palm, showing me how she wants her cheeks rubbed. “I should never have come here. Even though it’s the first time I’ve felt wanted in a long time.”
My phone lights up beside me, and I turn to look at it once again, expecting another text from Rory or Stacia or Kit. Instead, it’s Sam, and the texts make me do a double take, a whole new emotion flowing through me. In fact, the entire text chain from him shines back at me, and I just stare at it in shock.
Sam: Opal, please pick up Kit’s call. We need to talk.
Sam: I am sorry that things happened the way they did. Kit explained to me what you thought happened and I promise I would never do that to you.
Sam: Your scent was the best thing I could have hoped for in that moment, and I wish I had the chance to show you what it did to me.
Sam: The rut took over so quickly and I regret not being able to control it better. I would never be angry at discovering you’re my scent match. Please, tell me where you are.
Well, shit.
Suddenly, my sadness turns to embarrassment as I realize what actually happened. My fear of being rejected caused everything to become distorted. He wasn’t angry, he was inrut. And my panic attack wouldn’t let me see it for what it actually was. My getaway was rash and completely unnecessary, which is a whole other can of worms that I need to sort through later.
I pull my phone back up to text him, to let him know I’m home so we can talk, but then a call comes in, and I answer without checking who it is. Cindy’s face shows up on the screen, her dark hair pulled back as she squints. “Are you sitting in the dark?”
A wet laugh wants to escape, but my anger towards her is still very much present. “It seemed appropriate.”
She hums. “I think we should talk, but can we do it in person?”
