Page 43 of The Omega’s Nest

“It’s not your concern.” I rarely push back on alphas, but fuck this guy. How dare he tell me what to do.

“What do you think will happen to Leo if you kill yourself?” he says, voice sharp.

My mouth drops open for the second time.

“That’s right, Leo sent me.” He extends a hand. “Sergeant Terry Brighton, at your service.”

I blink up at him. Leo sent someone for me? This alpha’s not here to fuck me? Relief and shame bombard me. I’d almost … Oh God. Leo would’ve felt it. What was I thinking?

I extend my hand, and the alpha clasps it, shaking vigorously.

“I’m going to flush that shit down the toilet and then we’re going to have a little talk.”

I nod because I’m not sure what else to do.

He releases my hand and gives me his phone. “Call Leo. He was completely losing it before. Now I know why.” His look is all reproach.

“Okay,” I whisper, that shame magnifying.

I fumble with the phone, find Leo in the recent calls, and hit his contact.

“Terry?” Leo’s voice is breathless and panicked down the line.

My stomach fills with butterflies at the sound of him.

“It’s me.”

“Addie,” he breathes out my name. “Oh my God, Addie! What happened? What was that, before? You felt … you felt … not right.”

“I’m okay,” I assure him, because I don’t want to tell him what I was about to do. What his father tried to order me to do.

“Are you sure? I mean, I know you’re not okay, of course you’re not, but before it felt like I was losing you,” he rambles. Then his voice turns harsh. “Addie, what happened?” It’s flat, but not a command. I get the feeling he’s avoiding that after last time—but it is a demand.

I take a deep breath and speak on the exhale. “Your father was here.”

Leo’s inhale is audible and sharp down the line. “That asshole! What did he do?” And that is edging right up to a command.

I feel Terry come out of the bathroom behind me, the swirl of the water flushing echoing into the room. Glancing at him, he smiles gruffly at me, nods his head. If he’s telling me to tell Leo the truth, then he’s crazy—I don’t know what Leo will do with that information, but nothing good. I won’t let him do anything that could end with him getting hurt.

“He told me to … leave you.” There. That should cover it.

“Leave me how?” Leo says coldly.

I swallow. “Just, you know, leave you alone, I guess.”

After a moment, Leo says, “Addie.” His tone is quiet, dangerous.

I blink rapidly, shame flooding me. I know Leo can feel it because his breathing has gone funny on the other end of the phone.

“It’s okay,” I say quickly. “He can’t command me, no one can anymore. It’s okay. I’m okay.”

“But you weren’t before … You felt like … Addie!” He says my name with so much hurt and anger, I cringe. “Don’t you ever think about that again. You hear me? If I lose you …” His voice cracks, and guilt pummels me.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I thought it’d help.”

I turn my back on Terry, who’s inspecting the contents of my vanity like he’s trying to give us the semblance of space and privacy.

“I thought it’d get you out of this mess I’ve dragged you into,” I mumble.