Page 79 of Shattered Omega

When I ducked under to join her, it was to find her curled up with the glow of her phone as she cupped my ring in her hands, staring at it.

When she’d snatched the ring, she’d vanished in the bond. I don’t even think she’d closed it. I think she’d just… got lost. I could still feel her present, but she was nothing but a buzzing tangle of instincts and hormones.

She glanced up at me as I joined her, then returned her gaze to the ring she was cupping so carefully it was as if she thought if she moved too suddenly, it might burn her.

I think the little hexagon diamond design might have done her in. This was some Lord of the Rings level shit.

“Are you… okay?”

“Uh huh…” Her lip trembled though, the same quivering smile that I’d seen the day she’d found her registration card.

“I don’t believe you, Gem.” I needed to bench my nerves. This was a gift I wanted to give her, no matter how she received it. It wouldn’t be worth much if its value changed for how she responded.

“Well…” She swallowed. “I’m just focusing really hard.” She returned her gaze to the ring with intensity.

“On what?”

“Not crying.”

I smiled. “You can cry however much you want.”

“Really?” she asked, glancing at me. “It’s not… s-stupid?”

“No.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

“Oh, thank God.” She burst into tears, hugging the ring close. “Because it’s the most… m-most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.”

“So it’s… good tears?”

She dragged her arm from across eyes, fixing me with a wide-eyed stare, and sniffled. “Y-Yes.”

Okay.

Relief flooded my system. I don’t think I’d been this nervous in… well, ever.

She tugged the blanket back from over our heads and snuggled closer. I kept spotting her glance at the ring before ripping her eyes wildly away, as if she didn’t know how to look at it.

Fresh tears tracked her cheeks with that sweet smile.

“It’s… well, it’s from all of us. But I know Ransom wanted to do the shelves, and Umbra said it wouldn’t be proper if you didn’t get it all at once and that I had some…” I scratched my head. “Some making up to do.”

She giggled.

“Can I put it on?” I asked.

“You want to wear it?” She frowned, peering up at me.

I snorted, taking her hand and slid the ring onto her ring finger. Her expression went from a smile to pure terror, but it fit perfectly.

I stared at the diamonds glinting beside the beautiful rich tan of her skin. A claim so far beyond the necklaces the academy provided.

“It’s…” Her breath caught and then she looked up at the ceiling again, expression crumpling. “It’s uh… it’s perfect. Like a little n-nest that goes with me everywhere.”

I couldn’t contain my smile at that as I tugged her closer. “I’m sorry I didn’t make it special the first time,” I breathed, holding her close. To be honest, I didn’t even think this was good enough. I’d just dragged her to a cold field in the middle of the night thinking it might be romantic.

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