Was it me?
Was I too aggressive?
I thought omegas liked aggressive….
I shake the thought from my head, then move to the kitchen island where Tansy is getting her breakfast ready. The open space seems to help. Her shoulders loosen a little, and her breathing evens out.
“Hey,” I say quietly as she turns, getting a bowl. “Are you sure you’re okay? Did I say or do something wrong?”
“No,” she says quickly, fingers hovering over a drawer before she pulls it open for a spoon. “I just—” She cuts herself off, brow furrowing like she’s trying to find the right words. “I’m just being weird.”
I step to the other side of the island, deliberately putting it between us. She clearly needs space right now. “I’m sorry if I scared you back there. I didn't mean to be pushy or anything like that.”
Her brows knit, confusion flickering across her face. “You didn’t do anything wrong.” She opens the fridge and pulls out a container of blueberries and a tub of yogurt. “I think I just…” she shakes her head as she sets everything on the island. “I panicked, I guess.”
I nod, even though it twists something low in my chest. I don’t like her answer. It’s filled with a million unsaid things, but I don’t want to push. “Okay.”
Tansy presses her mouth into a thin smile, then gets to work on her breakfast. She scoops yogurt into the bowl, movements a little clumsy, like her hands are still shaking. I reach for the berries on the counter and slide them closer to her without a word, keeping my fingers clear of hers.
“Thank you,” she murmurs.
She drizzles the honey slowly, watching it spill in thick, golden ribbons across the yogurt. When she speaks again, her voice is quieter, more thoughtful. “You and Grason are very different than I thought you’d be.”
I still. “Different?”
She adds the berries one by one, arranging them carefully before she answers. “I always thought alphas were supposed to be forceful. You know, aggressive.” Her voice drops to a whisper, “Mean.”
Her words sit heavy between us, and my jaw tightens before I can stop it. “Did they teach you that at Danvers?”
Tansy shrugs, small and helpless. “It’s just what I’ve seen.”
I don’t know what to do with the anger that flares in my chest. It’s so sharp and sudden, but I push it down, keeping my voice even. “Not all alphas are like that.”
“I know,” she says quickly, glancing up at me. “Or, I’m starting to.”
“You know,” I angle my head down, trying to look smaller, less intimidating, “if you want space or don’t want to be touched, all you have to do is say the word, and I’ll back off.”
Her eyes widen at that. “Really?”
“Yes,” I say without hesitation.
Tansy blinks, clearly caught off guard. A small, genuine smile flickers across her face, like what I said means more to her than she expected. Her shoulders loosen, and she lets out a slow breath.
But then her gaze drops, and that sweet smile fades. Not all at once. But gently, leaving behind something quieter. Sadder.
Tansy stares down at the bowl in front of her, thumb tracing the rim as her eyes soften.
“Hey, you got sad again.” I resist the urge to reach out and touch her.It’s fucking agony.
“I didn’t mean to,” she forces a fake smile. “It’s hard to find alphas who are actually nice.”
I narrow my eyes on her pretty face. “What do you mean?” I ask softly, even though I want to demand she tell me immediately who the fuck hurt her. But I keep my anger in check.For her.
“I don’t know,” Tansy shrugs, then shakes her head. “Imean, it’s notjustalphas. Even betas,” she adds, like she feels silly admitting it. Her fingers tighten around the spoon. “There was a guy at the black market. He touched me in a way that was…” she shudders like she can feel his hands on her right now. “He was gross.”
My vision goes sharp around the edges. Every muscle in my body locks down, fury slamming into me so fast it almost steals my breath. I force myself to stay still, to keep my voice level.
“What was his name?” I ask.
