"No," Kamari said sharply. "Not a stranger. An alpha."
Kamari's previous words came back to me:I'm barely making an exception for you to be here. I won't tolerate alphas ruining the peace.
I winced. His tone was hard and edged like a diamond. "So you'd let an omega walk right in?"
"Yes."
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "Even if they were disturbing the peace, like you said?"
"I'm not playing around with theoretical situations," Kamari growled. "I have real problems."
I glanced briefly at the cavern, full of omegas, then back to him. "So you're saying you attacked me just because I'm an alpha?"
"Yes. I don't know what you're capable of."
I scoffed. "You almost just drowned me, if I was able to drown, so you already know you can overpower me pretty easily. A wolf doesn't stand a chance against an orca."
Something crossed Kamari's expression--maybe a flash of regret--before he scowled at the chaotic waves. A few beats passed before he spoke again, this time in a lower voice. "The omegas in the haven are not lost. They're injured. Most of them are runaways who barely escaped the people hurting them. They're here because they need a safe place to heal and recover."
"I didn't know that. That's..." What could I say?That sucks?That was an understatement. "I can't imagine being in that situation."
"Of course not. Because you're an alpha," Kamari snapped. He stepped towards me. "You're all the same. You will never understand what it's like."
Kamari's sudden anger caused me to stumble back. The dark fire blazing in his eyes reminded me of when Dad blew up at me earlier. Dad had scruffed me and Kamari had choked me. It would be easy to think they were overreacting, to call them crazy or whatever, but their intense emotions were real. Their feelings didn't spawn out of nowhere. Both times I'd done something to catalyze it. Dad was hot-tempered, but he wasn't one to lash out indiscriminately. I didn't think Kamari was that type of person, either.
"You're right," I said, meeting Kamari's gaze. "I won't understand because I'm not an omega. But I don't want to go around fucking shit up just because I'm an alpha. So maybe next time you can just... tell me. What I'm doing wrong, that is."
The words came out jumbled and awkward, which made me feel stupid as hell. It was hard to admit I didn't know something. I hated admitting I wasn't good enough. I was supposed to be the best. But I didn't want Kamari to think I was a total asshole.
A saltwater wave crashed into the rocky outcrop, spraying both of us with droplets. Neither of us blinked.
Kamari was quiet. Was he at a loss for words or was he getting ready to roundhouse kick me right into the water?
"Fine," Kamari finally mumbled.
I figured that was the best response I'd get out of him. I grinned and offered my hand. "Are we cool?"
Kamari seemed surprised. He glanced at my outstretched hand like it was an alien.
"Okay, well, if you're gonna leave me hanging..."
With an annoyed grunt, Kamari put his hand roughly in mine and shook it once before retracting it. I only had a moment to appreciate just how big and smooth it was.
"Happy now?" Kamari asked sarcastically.
"Yup."
Thunder rumbled behind the clouds. The rain poured down on us, soaking us to the skin.
"Zakariel," Kamari said.
I tried not to feel a certain way about how my name sounded on his tongue. "Yeah?"
Kamari's dark eyes bore into me like a pair of obsidian daggers. "If you're telling the truth about being the grandson of Nautilus, then..."
I didn't interrupt when he trailed off. I only had a hunch about what he wanted to say, but I could tell this was difficult for him.
"Could you..." Kamari ground his teeth, tensed his jaw. "Help me find him. And bring him back here."
