“It doesn’t matter. It’s my fucking life!”
“Your life that you don’t let anyone into. Fuck, Piper. What else do I have to do to be your partner? Or will I just always feel like the Alpha you allow to share your space?”
She blinks at him and physically jolts like he smacked her. “I don’t treat you that way.”
“You’re so in your own fucking head all the time you can’t even see how other people see you. You’re the smartest person I know, but right now, you’re being so goddamn stupid. You should have filled out that form weeks ago. You should have quit surgery to focus on studying. You’ve been out from under your father’s thumb for months. I’ve given you space, supported you, gave you a place to live, but I still don’t feel like you want me.”
“I do want you,” she says softly, shaking her head.
“You have a funny way of showing it,” Alexi says, storming past the both of us. He gives me a soft look before opening the front door. He sighs deeply, not looking back and just says, “I’ll be back later.”
The door slams shut, and I have to shake my head to take in everything that just happened. I look over to Piper who has her arms wrapped around herself. I’ve never seen her emotional before. But I watch as she breaks, tears streaming down her face as she slides down on the floor.
“Piper,” I say softly as I get down and sit in front of her, opening my arms. I’m surprised when she takes the affection, wrapping her arms around me and placing her face on my chest.
“I-I—” she says between tears, and I pet down her hair and try to think of what to say.
“It’s going to be okay.”
“I didn’t realize I was hurting him,” she says softly.
“Alexi is strong, and he’s upset right now, but he’ll be back.”
“I should have known that this would happen, that I would ruin everything.”
“Hey, you didn’t ruin anything,” I say.
“Why can’t I do anything right? I don’t deserve you or Alexi. I don’t deserve any of this.”
I wish I could say Alexi was wrong, but it’s clear that Piper spends a lot of time in her own head, and she’s clearly in there pretty deep now.
I grab her face and force her watery eyes to look at me. “You deserve everything, and I’m so thankful you’re my scent match.” She shakes her head in my palms and is about to tug her face out of my hands.
Fuck it all.
I lean forward, bringing her lips to mine, and it’s like the world tilts on its axis. She doesn’t pull away, her fingers lacing in my hair as she kisses me back. All of these weeks of built up tension and need are behind the kiss. My heart is thudding in my rib cage, and all I feel is need.
Complete and utter desire fills every inch of my body.
I fist her hair roughly, and she whimpers, doing the same to me.
Piper pulls back, the green of her eyes almost completely taken over by her pupils. “Owen, your scent.” I’m leaning forward to kiss her again, and her hands push against my chest. “Owen, baby, I think you’re going into heat,” she says softly.
“No, I can’t,” I say, leaning forward to kiss her again.
“I’m so sorry, Owen.”
I lick my lips and try to gather my thoughts—I can’t. My only thoughts are about my Alpha and how I want her to bite me, make me hers. I can’t help the noise that escapes me when I realize Alexi isn’t here. I need his bite just as badly.
“It’s okay, I’m going to take care of you,” she says. I blink at her, and some of the fog in my head clears.
It’s over for me. I’m going into heat. Alexi and I will probably miss our first playoff game. I’m going to lose everything I worked for. I stand up and tug on my hair from the roots, the pain centering me before I walk back to my room.
“Owen,” I hear Piper call, but I ignore her, shutting my door and locking it.
I’ve never been a destructive person, but right now, it feels like my only outlet.
I begin destroying my room, throwing everything off my dresser, removing the bedding from the mattress and flipping it. My fist connects with the wall, and I hear Piper pleading through the door. I tune her out.
