Page 20 of Broken Bonds

“Kid, you’re standing in Lake and Van’s bar. Their baby.”

My eyes widen in disbelief, and I look around again, observing the place with a renewed outlook. It’s rustic, but comfortable. Though this bar is nothing special, it has a cozy, safe atmosphere that makes you feel right at home. One can’t help but feel like they’re in a second home when they enter, despite the fact that it’s a bar.

The place is surprisingly clean and polished, with the floors free of alcohol residue and the countertops and tables free of any garbage or debris. The pride I feel in my heart when I think of my brother and all he has achieved is immeasurable. I only wish I could have been along for the ride.

“After they moved to the area several years ago, the two of them purchased this place. Brought me in to manage it not long after they opened so they wouldn’t be gone away from Ramsey too much.” She looks around, a proud grin tilting her lips up slightly. “I was just about to shut the doors and lock up when you three walked in. Don’t feel right having her open with my boys gone. I’m not sure what poor Ramsey will do now. Those boys were all she had, other than Jillian. ‘Bout had a stroke myself when she called and told me the news, so I can imagine that poor omega feels like she’s dying right about now. Can’t be good for the babies.”

She mutters that last little tidbit low enough I can recognize I wasn’t supposed to hear it, but I do, and my chest squeezes becausefuck!They didn’t just leave an omega behind.

They left apregnantomega behind.

And not just pregnant with one baby, because of course not.

The universe just can’t stop fucking shitting on my day.

She’s carrying multiples and just lost four alpha bonds.

This is… bad. So fucking bad.

When I look back at the woman my brother looked up to, there’s a faraway look in her glassy eyes as she tries to hold back her tears. Eventually, my brain catches up with what else she said when she was talking about them buying this place.

Ramsey.

Their omega’s name.

How lucky my brother was to have found that love. From the way this woman describes them all, they loved her, and she loved them very much.

If I feel like the other half of my soul is missing, how does she feel missing even more pieces of hers?

I swallow because I’d imagine she’s experiencing a soul split, something more painful than being physically ripped in two from what I’ve heard. It’s a phenomenon that occurs when an alpha or omega loses one or all of their bonds, quite literally splitting the soul with each bond broken. The more bonds severed, the worse the split is, and most barely survive only losing one.

Ramsey just lost all four of her bonds.

I glance at Forde from the corner of my eye, noting the way his hands are clenched and resting on top of his thighs. His jaw clenches so tight I nearly wince, worried he might crack a tooth.

Forde lost someone several years back when they went through a soul split. He was there to watch it all and came back home with a haunted look in his eyes that hadn’t been there before and full of sorrow after watching them deteriorate no matter how much he tried to help them. He’s been carrying around a fuck-ton of guilt ever since.

I need to meet Ramsey, and soon, so I can decide what to do. No way am I leaving this place if things are as bad for her as I’m imagining.

I finally look back at the beta woman, deciding to worry about one thing at a time. For tonight, at least.

“Will… Will you tell me about him? His life?Theirlives? I’ve been looking for him for almost a decade, and this was never the way I expected our reunion to go. I’d really like to know about who he grew up to be.”

My throat is tight, and it’s difficult to swallow as I ask her this favor, hoping she says yes. Right now, she’s the only one that can tell me anything. She might not be able to tell me as much as Ramsey will be able to when she’s ready, but it’ll be enough to feed the hungry part of my soul that’s craved information about Lake for so godsdamn long.

Her lips are pursed as she stares me down before flicking a quick glance at Forde and Rion on either side of me. She nods her head before walking away and giving an ear-splitting whistle that echoes in the nearly empty bar, making me wince at the sharp sound.

“Alright, everybody out. I’m shuttin’ her down until Ramsey knows what she wants to do. I better see every one of you at that funeral for our boys and their omega, ya hear me? I mean it, Bask. You too, Terry or I’ll never serve the two of ya anotherlickof alcohol again!” she calls out as the few men that were sitting along the bar get up and shuffle towards the doors.

Two burly men stop and stare at her with parted lips and wide eyes, huffs falling from their open mouths as they sputter in outrage.

“Now, Bell, that ain’t fair—” one of them starts to say before shutting up abruptly when he catches the look of thunderous fury on the beta woman’s face.

Even I’m a little afraid of her right now, so gods help this poor fool.

Her eyes narrow into thin slits, and she points her finger threateningly at the one that spoke as she steps closer to him, poking him hard in his chest. She’s much smaller than him and has to tilt her head up to be able to look at his face, but it makes her no less intimidating. The man shrinks under her poking, stepping back as she continues to jab her finger into his chest, following him with every step until he’s backed up against the wall by the door.

“Don’t you go whining to me about what’s fair, Bask Monroe! Not when my boys are dead and gone, leaving poor Ramsey behind to suffer. After everything they’ve done for most of us, the least they deserve is a proper godsdamn send off. You’ll be there or I’ll make sure your liquor-soaked veins dry up good and damn well until you’re so sober you’ll actually be able to smell the manure your wife keeps smothering her poor begonias in!”

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