Page 24 of The Beta's Bargain

He ignores me while I war with myself. Just walk away, Gray. Leave the omega who hates you alone. But I can’t. He’s ours. He’s mine. I've missed him.

I can’t stand this. I can take his hate, his rage, his despair, I can take it all, but I can’t handle his apathy.

I’m feeling dangerous. Needy. I want him to look at me. See me.

I stare at him as I walk towards him, daring him to make eye contact in the mirror. He refuses, and it just enrages me a bit more.

“I love you.” I whisper. “I love you.” I say it louder. “I fucking love you.” I shout.

He doesn’t even flinch.

“I miss you. You are the only one. You’re my only one.”

He doesn’t respond. It hurts, but I don’t blame him. We’re losing him.

I reach out to touch his shoulder, but he jerks away from me. He explodes off the machine and charges me. Gold eyes glint with fury and spark with hurt. It rips me apart. I hit the wall hard and stare at him as he cages me in.

“I love you,” I whisper. The desperate sound is the most honest thing I’ve ever said.

He trembles, and the fury builds until I think he might hit me, but he doesn’t. Instead, he closes the distance and presses his lips to mine, hard. Our teeth clash. I taste blood. I don’t care. It’s a kiss from my omega. Lemon fills the air, and I would happily drown in it. I grip his ass, dragging him closer to me. The hard bulge in his shorts rubs against mine.

I moan. It’s ecstasy. It’s heaven. It’s home.

He’s there and gone. Tearing himself away, putting space, too much space between us. He picks up his stuff. I watch as I try to get my brain online and then panic when I realise he’s leaving. I grab his arm before he can disappear.

“You still love me,” I smile at him, triumphant.

He closes his eyes, and a look of disgust crosses his face. It’s like a knife in my chest. He yanks his arm free.

“I just wanted to shut you up.” His deep voice growls. “You smell like Silas.” He snaps defensively.

I laugh and beam at him. He shoots me a dark look full of warning, and I hold my hands up and zip my mouth.

I have to bite my lip as he stalks away, leaving the gym with that bloody aura of ‘you can’t touch me’ that’s had me hard since I first laid eyes on him.

He still loves us. I lick my lips and taste him on my skin. I knew he still did. The last few months of him freezing us out, it’s finally thawing.

My omega kissed me.

What a beautiful morning. What a wonderful day!

I bounce into the penthouse and unfurl the bond a little bit. Silas sits up, his head turning in my direction from the breakfast table, while Falcon stalks out of the bathroom.

I grab my tablet and bring up the security footage from the gym and show my pack. Twin blasts of yearning and despair mingled with the sweet notes of hope fill the air.

“He hasn’t moved on,” I whisper. “We still have a chance.”

Falcon sits down and watches it over and over.

I sit down opposite him, Silas at the head of the table between us. “Now, about the beta-”

eight

Onyx

The opening speech of the great Omega Meet is flowery, pretty, and so boring I wish I was in my bed sleeping. I wonder if watching paint dry would be more interesting. I spend half the time listening to Falcon and Silas speak wondering who wrote it for them because I find it hard to imagine that they wrote it. It’s too facetious. It doesn’t sound like them at all.

But, finally, they wrap it up and declare this event started. There is a polite sound of startled applause before the alphas return to the table that I’m once again shackled to. Only then is the food brought out.

---