“They immediately claimed we were firing them for being Omegas. Tried to threaten us with discrimination lawsuits and said they’d go to the media, ruin our reputation, destroy our business if we reported the theft to the police.”
His arms stiffen by his sides. “We had every right to press charges. Could have sent them to jail, but we didn’t want to ruin their lives over it. So we just let them go and told them to leave Mistberry Cove and never come back. We’d keep quiet about the theft if they kept quiet about being fired.”
“The anonymous email didn’t mention any of that,” I whisper.
“Of course not. Because that version doesn’t fit the victim narrative.” His voice is bitter.
“It’s easier to claim discrimination than to admit you got caught stealing, and apparently they’ve been spreading rumors ever since, poisoning the well, making us look like villains.”
I feel sick and nauseated.
“I stand by what I do on my station,” I say quietly, trying to hold on to some shred of dignity. “Giving Omegas a voice. But I could have approached this field research differently. Should have. I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry.”
He doesn’t respond.
“Jasper,” I start again, reaching toward him even though I know he won’t take my hand. “Look, I never meant for any of this to?—”
“You need to tell the others,” he interrupts, his voice hard. Final. “Come clean with all of them. That’s your first priority. Everyone deserves to know the truth about who you really are.”
He’s not moving closer, not offering any comfort, but keeping that distance between us, and it’s gutting me more effectively than any knife could.
“It’s only fair,” he adds.
I square my shoulders, trying to find some dignity in this complete disaster. “You’re right. I have nothing else to hide, and then I’ll be out of your hair. Out of all of your lives.”
Silence.
The kind of silence that feels like a door slamming shut, and my heart shatters completely. Just breaks into pieces inside my chest.
Because I knew this was coming, knew that when the truth came out, I’d lose them, and I should have done something about it earlier.
But knowing doesn’t make it hurt any less or make it easier to breathe. I sit here on this broken-down boat in the middle of the cold Atlantic, soaking wet and freezing and falling apart, watching Jasper use my phone to make a call that will bring my entire world crashing down around me.
And I curse myself.
For lying from the very beginning. For being a coward who hid behind a disguise instead of being honest. For waiting too long to tell the truth. For letting it get this far. For falling in love with four men I was never supposed to want, never supposed to have.
For believing, even for a moment, that I could have this. The cold seeps deeper into my bones with every passing second, andI don’t know if I’m shivering from the temperature or from the fear of what comes next. Probably both.
The boat rocks gently on the waves, and I close my eyes against the tears that won’t stop coming.
This is what I deserve from the consequences of my choices.
This is the price I pay for lying to the people who are my scent matches.
And I have no one to blame but myself.
20
DYLAN
“And that’s everything. The whole truth. I have nothing left to hide.”
Anita’s voice cracks on the last word, and my chest feels like someone’s crushing it in a vise.
We’re all in the meeting room, the biggest one with the massive windows overlooking the harbor. The heaters are cranked up high, making the room almost too dry. Anita and Jasper are in fresh clothes from the Wilde Charters collection we always keep on hand. Even if they look big on her, she’s warm, especially in the oversized winter jacket.
She’s sitting on one end of the room in a chair at the round table. We’re spread out across from her as if we’re interrogating her, and I fucking hate it.
