I lifted my chin, met her gaze. "Yes."
"Are you sleeping with them?"
"That's none of your business."
"It IS my business!" Her voice cracked. "It's my business when my daughter is spreading her legs for two different Alphas like some common..."
My hand moved before I could think.
The slap echoed through the dining room like a gunshot.
My mother's head snapped to the side, her hand flying to her reddening cheek. Complete, shocked silence followed. Even I couldn't quite believe what I'd just done.
My palm stung. My hand was shaking.
But I didn't apologize.
"Don't you DARE call me that," I said, my voice trembling but firm. "Don't you dare."
My mother touched her cheek, her eyes blazing with fury and something else. Something that looked almost like fear.
"Get out of my house."
"Gladly."
"Get out and don't come back. Not while you're making these choices. Not while you're with them."
I grabbed my purse from the chair, my whole body shaking. "Fine."
"Reina, wait..." Kia started, but I was already moving toward the foyer.
My mother followed, her voice rising. "You think they actually care about you? You think this is going to work? Two Alphas sharing one Omega?"
I spun around. "Maybe it will. Maybe it won't. But it's MY choice to make. Not yours."
"Dual-bonds are a myth, Reina!" She practically spat the words. "What you're doing is just... it's just two men using you until they get bored or until they kill each other fighting over you!"
"You don't know that."
"I know that Category Red Omegas destroy everything they touch! I know that you're going to tear those boys apart just like you almost did twelve years ago!"
"Then maybe that's my choice to make too!" I was crying now, couldn't stop the tears. "Maybe I'd rather risk destroying something than spend the rest of my life alone and suppressed and pretending I'm not dying inside!"
My mother's face crumpled for just a second, and I saw something that might have been pain flash across her features.
But then her mask slammed back into place.
"Get out," she said coldly. "And when they destroy each other over you, and they will, don't come crawling back here for sympathy. I won't say I told you so. I'll just close the door in your face."
The words hit like physical blows, but I didn't let her see how much they hurt.
"I won't need to come back," I said quietly. "Because I finally figured out what you never understood."
"And what's that?"
"The difference between being alone and being lonely." I met her eyes. "You've been both my whole life. I'd rather risk everything with them than be safe and miserable with you."
I walked out.
