Page 100 of Talk About… Rivalry

“I’m not going to,” I promised her. The lie was bitter on my tongue but I forced confidence in my voice.

It was the first time that I lied to my best friend. I knew that with the echoes of that dream, the sound of their voices telling me they were leaving, that there was no way I could stay.

Bennett

Something was wrong.I could tell from the moment that I woke up. I was usually the first to rise in this house and when I made my way down the stairs to the kitchen, Sidney waseverywhere.

Her scent was so strong that it nearly brought me to my knees.

It was laced in the cloying sweetness of an omega in heat.

“Sidney, where are you?” I demanded, walking around and calling out her name.

When she didn’t answer, I ran up the stairs, pushing open her door to find her bed empty, her covers were twisted in a weird way like she had been thrashing about her bed all night.

There was a damp night shirt thrown on the floor.

The worst part was that when I looked around half of her things were gone.

I didn’t bother to be subtle as I ran down the hall, slamming my hand on the others’ doors.

All three of them stumbled out, Maverick the grumpiest of all.

“What the fuck, Bennett?” he demanded. Then his hazel eyes widened as he breathed in deep. His hand slammed against his chest, digging his fingers in as he breathed in the scent that had now crept up the stairs. Our entire house smelled like our omega.

And she was gone.

Sidney was in heat and she ran.

“Where is she?” he demanded. They knew from my reaction that she was gone, that something was off.

“Gone,” I said. “She packed some of her stuff and left.”

Taylor let out a whimper that shattered my heart. I reached out just as he started to collapse, pulling him to me and crushing him in a hug.

“We’re going to find her. I promise. Stay strong for me.”

He nodded against me, a small sob escaping.

“We’re going to go search downstairs to see if she left anything,” Leo said, grabbing Maverick to spur him into action. They headed down, giving me a moment with my shattered omega.

I swiped the tears trailing down Taylor’s cheeks. His blue eyes were shining even brighter with the moisture.

“Baby, listen to me. I’m going to find her. Do you trust me?”

“I do. But she…” he trailed off.

We’d all seen it. The random moments where Sidney had second guessed herself. She doubted us over and over again thanks to the demons of her past.

I thought we’d made a breakthrough, that things were settling after Taylor’s playful night with theNerfguns.

Leo told us how great their date went yesterday. Sure, he didn’t tell us the details, but it was clear that they’d had sex and had solidified their relationship.

Yet, now here she was running.

What happened between us going to bed and then waking up to find her gone?

“Avery, we have to call Avery,” he said. “Maybe she ran there.”

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