Page 78 of Lilacs and Leather

Lucas: She’s got a point. This isn’t something that we should dump on someone we’ve only known for a few months.

Lex: It means that this is pack business, and if we have even the slightest suspicion that this omega will run off after learning it, it may not be worth it.

Me: Her name is Lydia, not ‘this omega’

Rhett: Lydia has been through a lot, and it’s not my story to tell, but she will understand. Maybe more than most people would.

Lex: From a legal perspective, I’m not even sure it’s something we can disclose right now.

Rhett: Are you serious, Lex? This is our personal lives, not a business merger.

Me: She’s going to think the worst if we don’t tell her something.

Lucas: Maybe that’s better than the truth.

Me: No, it isn’t.

Rhett: No. She trusted me with her baggage. It’s not fair to hide ours.

Lex: What makes you so sure that she’s not going to bolt when she finds out?

Rhett: Her ex tried to force a bond on her. More than once.

Me: Can confirm. I’ve seen the marks. She was vague with the details, but she said it didn’t take. Didn’t know about the multiple incidents though.

Rhett: She wasn’t vague with me. He’s a right bastard, and he put her through Hell.

Lucas: Fuck.

Lex: Holy shit.

Rhett: If you don’t trust her yet, fine, I get it. But I trust her. She’s not going to bolt.

Me: I do trust her. Just worried about how she’s going to take it, especially after how she was earlier.

Rhett: Cross that bridge when we get there, not before. If we explain ourselves and why we haven’t said anything before now, she’ll understand.

Lex: This is a pack decision, unanimous or bust.

Rhett: I vote to tell her. Obviously.

Lucas: My gut says she’s good. Tell her.

Me: I don’t want to lose her this soon, but she deserves to know what she’s getting into. Tell her.

Rhett: Lex?

Lex: Yeah. I don’t want to be there when you do. But yeah. Tell her.

I lean back in the driver’s seat as the group chat goes quiet. I’d driven back to the pack house and dropped off the flowers before heading out again. I’d finally stopped driving, parking in the lot of a nature trail near the edge of town, staring off into the middle distance while the pack exchanged rapid-fire messages.

The whole situation, from not giving Lydia a head’s up about the article to having to call a vote to decide if she’sworthyto know about the skeleton in our closet, makes me sick to my stomach. I agree with Rhett and would have just told Lydia in the middle of the street if I’d been able to. But the situation with Seth doesn’t just affect me.

As if summoned by my thoughts, my phone starts to ring, Rhett’s name appearing on the screen on my dash. I answer with my car’s Bluetooth, closing my eyes.

“I saw the flowers in the dining room. Where are you?” Rhett asks.

“Brighton Park. I needed to drive,” I answer dully.