Page 26 of The Packaged Deal
I don’t hear anything else he’s saying. Wind roars in my ears like I’ve stepped into a tunnel. He’s leaving? He’s leaving me? Why does nobody want me? I drag my hand from Adrian’s and stand up. The room has gone painfully quiet, but I clear my throat and try to force a smile as I pace away from him.
“You’re leaving?” I ask in a cheery tone and turn back to face Adrian, the big fat liar.
He stares at me, and I see the truth in his face.
“You really are leaving. Were you going to tell me?” That comes out a whine, but I can’t help it. He’s mine. I sniffle back tears and bite my cheek as I fight to get control of myself.
He looks away.
“I see. Perhaps Trevor really is all I deserve,” I murmur to myself.
Kandi stands up and looks between the two guys. She’s outraged, and I feel a spark of kinship for the beautiful beta. “You didn’t tell her? What the fuck, Adrian. Why wouldn’t you tell her?”
They don’t look at her. Sven and Adrian stare at each other, keeping their secrets. My two very idiotic alphas. How lucky am I?
“Ah, I believe that would be my fault, wouldn’t it?” I say and clear my throat. “You see,” I turn to face Kandi and lean in conspiratorially. “They are my alphas. My scent matches.”
Kandi looks from me back to Sven, to Adrian, and then back to me. “No, they would have-” She breaks off, her face clearing of expression. “You lied to me!” Kandi says in such cold agony that I instantly regret telling her the truth.
“Kandi, wait!” Sven says, but the beta is furious. Her face turns red, and she shoves Sven’s chest hard.
“You lied to me.”
“No, I never lied.”
“What’s going on between you and Adrian?” Kandi snarls.
“Nothing,” Sven says urgently.
Adrian slumps, the hurt evident in every line of his body. “Nothing,” he confirms in a pained whisper. “Nothing is going on. Sven and I are…nothing.”
“Is she your omega?” Kandi asks.
Sven doesn’t look at me. “Not if I don't claim her.”
I snort a shocked laugh, but I feel worse than I did when Trevor was hitting me. At least he only hurt my body. Sven apparently has a whole new set of powers. He’s breaking my heart and soul with his callous words. “You might be the Lone Alpha, Adrian, but I'm the unwanted Omega. Fuck you both.”
I turn on my heel and stalk towards the front door. I'm not sure where I'm going, but I'm sure as hell not staying here.
Adrian stops me before I get out of the house. “Wait.”
I pause, my back stiff. “You were leaving?” I can’t hide the hurt in my voice.
“I'm sorry, Jade. I can’t stay here. I just can’t. You deserve better.”
Pain lashes me, and I sniff and reach for the door handle. “I need to go.” I whirl back and stab a finger into his chest. Damn, I wish he wasn’t so tall. “I deserved the truth, and I deserve a chance to be happy. A chance to be me. How do you know so perfectly that we wouldn’t be happy together, Alpha?”
He swallows hard, and his eyes shutter. He’s not going to answer my question. Great. Fine.
“Where are you going?”
“I've made friends here. I have somewhere to go. Don't worry about me, Alpha. I'll be fine.” I open the door and walk out, willing him to come after me, begging him to come after me.
Spoiler. He doesn’t. Tears track down my cheeks, and I sniffle as I walk down the road of his street. I have one place to go, but I don’t know how to get there; I have no money, no phone. Trevor is out there.
Not for the first time in the last five weeks, I'm aware of my mortality, my fragility. I'm smaller than average, weaker as both a female and as an omega. I'm vulnerable. I adore being an omega, especially being free from my mother’s iron control, but with freedom comes vulnerability.
I used to feel safe in the world, annoyed by my parents and shy, but I was safe. After the Omega Meet where I started standing up for myself and choosing my own eclectic clothing and style, I discovered that safe and doing what was expected meant different things. People like an omega who obeys.