“If you’re going to reject me, please just do it now,” I said flatly as I tamped down my desire to be held.
Every good thing I’d ever had in my life had been taken from me. I needed to be prepared for the same to happen with my alphas. They would leave me, and I would be back where I was before we met—leading a lonely, fearful life cut off from almost everyone.
“What?” Cam’s voice echoed through the bathroom. “What are you talking about?”
“You deserve better.” My throat felt swollen as if the words were fighting me, unwilling to be spoken out loud.
There was a long silence broken only by the softdrip dripof water.
I held my breath. This was it, the moment he realized they were all better off without me.
“Okay, baby girl, there are a lot of twisted thoughts running through your head right now. I know you’re probably not going to believe me, but I’ll say it, anyway. I willneverreject you. I willneverstop loving you. You are stuck with me, with all of us.”
He was right—I didn’t believe him. I kept my cheek pressed into the tiled shower wall, refusing to turn around.
“Can I hold you?” Cam asked hesitantly. Before I could gather my thoughts and tell him to leave, I found myself nodding.
He engulfed me in his arms so quickly it was as if he knew I was on the verge of changing my mind. My back pressed against his chest as he pulled me onto his lap. I squeezed my eyes shut, hating how perfect it felt to be held by him.
Cam rocked me back and forth, his face pressed against my wet hair. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. So sorry this happened. I’ll do anything I can to make it right.”
I leaned into his chest on pure instinct and then clenched my jaw when I realized what I’d done. I needed to fight my omega’s desires. She urged me to get closer, to wrap my arms around him and scent mark his throat. But I couldn’t trust her, couldn’t do what she wanted.
We sat on the shower floor until a shiver rocked through me, the cool air hitting my damp skin. Cam dried me off and dressed me before bundling me up in a blanket. I retreated further into myself.
It hurt too much to feel.
I hid behind the solid brick wall I’d built in my mind.
And I stayed there.
ChapterSix
Josie
Days passed.
I sank deeper into the darkness, numbness covering me like a blanket. I clung to the void, grateful not to feel. If I stayed here long enough, would I simply disappear?
The only sign of time passing was my daily rotation around the house: nest, couch, kitchen, and back to my nest.
At least one of my alphas was with me at all times—holding me, touching me. But I couldn’t feel their touch.
The first leaves were changing color outside the window. The world moved forward steadily, persistently, uncaring that I wasn’t moving with it. I was frozen, floating outside of my body.
I wasn’t sure I ever wanted to return.
Unfortunately, the numbness didn’t follow me into my dreams. There, I felt it all. The fear and agonizing despair consumed me until one of my alphas shook me awake, a scream still on my lips and tears streaming down my face. I did my best to stay awake, feigning sleep so I wasn’t a bother to them.
They said nothing had changed between us. I was still their precious omega. But everything had changed.
Glen Jacoby had changed me.Ruinedme.
And I could never be put right again.
ChapterSeven
Theo
