“Yes, we can,” Sinclair murmured, raising a single brow.
I glared at all of them, settling on Elias.
“Fuck,” Elias shouted, hands slicing through his hair. He turned, storming down the hall and out of view. What was his problem?
Sinclair scoffed and shook his head.
He dipped, his mouth nearing mine. I pulled away, and his lips touched my cheek. Instead of retreating because I avoided him, he lingered, pressing harder to my skin. Before I could shove him, he was retreating, that stupid smirk on his face.
“Rest up, you’ll need it.”
What did that mean?
I stayed sitting,braced against the headboard with my eyes sealed. Sleeping had been a struggle. Fuck,breathinghad been a struggle. I couldn’t keep track of how many days it’d been.
“Eat,” Elias repeated gruffly, hovering near the end of the bed. He’d come in and placed a plate beside me, hosting a bagel, cream cheese, and fresh fruit on the side. “Come now, Briar. Fuckingeat.”
Before I could conceptualize getting up, I was already on my feet.
“Get out,” I snarled, shoving at Elias’ chest. He staggered back, his chest heaving, eyes wide and filling with panic. “Get out, you poor excuse of an Alpha,” I hissed and slammed the door in his face.
“Briar.” His voice came muffled by the slab of wood. “I’m sorry, Briar.”
“Prove it and leave me the fuck alone.”
I stayed silent, holding my breath. After several beats, the door remained shut. I returned to the bed, curling under the covers. I’d eat the fruit later.
I rottedin bed for days in this same position. Arms and legs splayed, eyes on the ceiling. The fog in my head was beginning to lift, my thoughts turning less sluggish as if I was coming back to life. I sat up, and a few strands slipped loose from my ponytail. How long had it been since I showered? Groaning, I scooted off the bed.
Bags lined the wall across the room. About ten medium-sized paper bags. They’d been sitting there since Kyan and Sinclair brought them in yesterday. I passed them without looking. The only thing I’d taken from everything they’d purchased was the thick, warm blue blanket, now bunched near the headboard.
Once I entered the bathroom, I turned on the shower and tugged Kyan’s sweater off, hanging it on the hook and placing the towel on top. I climbed into the tub, under the spray.
I exhaled, embracing the sensation of pelting water.
The door slammed open, and Sinclair yanked the curtain aside, his chest heaving. He scanned my body in quick, frantic sweeps.
He pulled on my arm, and water sprayed onto his shirt as he continued to study every inch of bare flesh.
“I’m not going to do it again,” I bit out, freeing my arm from his grip and covering my breasts with my arms.
Shame nipped at my gut. The initial pain that drove me to allow the shadows to win wouldn’t get me again.
I wouldn’t allow my emotions to drive me that low. Life may have seemed hopeless, but I was a fighter. I always had been.
Sinclair exhaled, his breathing leveling out.
Still, he didn’t leave, so I finished washing myself and dragged my body out of the shower, dried myself, and tugged Kyan’s shirt back on. I hated the comfort it brought me, but my Omega instinct wouldn’t allow me anything else.
I climbed under the blanket, ignoring Sinclair’s looming presence.
Chapter 24
The doctor had come to see Briar a week ago. Since then, she hadn’t left that bedroom. I stayed near the end of the mattress, waiting for her to acknowledge me, but like she did every time, she rolled onto her side, nestling deeper under the blankets.
I left her alone, when all I wanted was to slide into her tight cunt and claim her until she softened. But I couldn’t shake off the self-directed disgust eating at my stomach. Her scowls, anger, and even worse, the betrayal shining in her deep browns causing this sickness.
Long sleepless nights of thinking about the strong-willed Omega—ourOmega—had me going mad.
