"I asked a few people to keep an eye on him and keep him company. I trust that they will."
Storm and Damian exchange looks.
"Eliano, that's not what I meant. I honestly believe you are True Mates."
"Well, I have the same suspicion," I say suddenly, surprising myself. "There was something that happened that, in my opinion, confirmed it beyond doubt. But Salt does not believe it, so it does not really matter right now."
"Eliano, remember that Salt is a beta. Because of that, the Pull will not start between you two as quickly as it would between an omega and an alpha. But it will start eventually, I promise you. You will begin to feel a longing you cannot control, and so will he. It will be torturous."
"We will see. When we parted, one of the last things he said to me was that he was ending our relationship, that he hated me," I blurt out before thinking it through.
"Damn!" Damian mutters, looking intrigued by the turn the conversation has taken. He steps closer and looks at Storm as if asking for confirmation. "That’s Mate Rejection! Could it be that?"
"Definitely," Storm murmurs.
"Storm, how could this even be possible between True Mates?" Damian asks, staring at him wide-eyed.
"It is," Storm says after a moment, his expression strange. "I can imagine exactly how it went down. I have already seen such a case. I know of one more Einarson. My own brother, Skye is the True Mate of Salt’s half-brother, Soren Einarson."
I blink. "Wait, what? Rewind!"
Storm laughs. "You did not know Salt was one of seven sons of a notorious breeder who left a trail of pregnant omegas behind him?"
"I heard something about it, he was a colonel, but—"
"It’s true. Salt and my brother-in-law, Soren are related."
"The fuck? Crazy coincidence!"
Storm leans in and shows me a picture of a young beta on his phone. The guy looks like Salt’s twin.
"Their situation was very similar to yours. They broke up for two months, but Skye suffered physically more and more; finally, he simplyhad tofollow Soren. I am telling you this because with alphas and betas, it takes longer. Counting on the True Mate Bond to fix everything usually means months of separation and continuous, rising suffering. But I can see how it may be confusing since it does not hit as fast or as hard as it does with AOs."
I snort in irritation. "I’ll deal with this TM thing later. I came here with a task to complete. Like I said, I hope to get some closure on Wednesday, but I’m not sure about anything beyond that. We’ll see what happens."
The silence hangs for a moment, then I add in a lighter tone, not wanting to drag the mood down too much, "The fact that your brother is the True Mate of Salt’s brother is an interesting coincidence, I will admit. That makes us, in a way, sort of family. Like co-brothers-in-law or something."
Storm laughs awkwardly. "Yeah. Something like this." He hesitates. "I hope whatever you are doing right now does not get you into trouble. And remember, if you need help, just say the word."
"Thanks, but I do not want to drag you into anything that could later put you at risk. Legally."
Storm frowns. "Eliano, please be sensible. Nothing is worth committing a crime and ending up in prison for years."
I grimace. "That is exactly what I tried to tell Salt, and it is what caused the rift between us. I want to handle this legally, but I need to make sure of a few things first."
"I am glad to hear that. Remember my offer to help. After all, we’re almost family now, right?"
"Yeah. Co-brother-in-law. Thanks." And I give him a crooked smile.
???
On Wednesday, Ennio pulls up in front of Storm’s house to pick me up.
When I get in, I immediately notice he is dressed differently than usual. Instead of his elegant, perfectly tailored suit that always looks immaculate, straight off a designer rack, he is wearing a black tactical sweater and black pants, the kind commandos wear. I have to admit, it suits him. It matches his overall presence, which has always felt stern, almost military.
Out of all the omegas I know, Ennio has by far the least ‘omega energy’. He comes across more like a beta soldier, harsh and cold, always on suppressants to hide his pheromones and on hormone blockers to keep his heats under control. I’ve never seen him date anyone. He spent years fighting in omega cage matches, did two years in the military, and he’s the best sniper in the family. Even Anzo respected him a lot. Ennio certainly did the Ferros a favor by expanding the family business into real estate development, which brought us fat millions.
"Where did you usually park?" Ennio asks right away as we merge into traffic.
