Page 146 of Broken Dreams

“She didn’t tell you to be cruel, but to solidify her story,” Cian comments. “Which brings me back to you, Christian.”

“Hold on there, Cian,” Everest says gently. “As someone who has personally, epically fucked up with his omega, I will say that I feel for the guy. Emotions run high, leading us to be the biggest bag of dicks possible. Quinn needs to be the one to decide if she can forgive him.”

“By the same token,” Aiden grumbles, “being that Quinn is with the Kelly brothers, kidnapping probably won’t help you.”

I can’t help my chuckle, because I know kidnapping is the wrong move.

“Quinn has a pack, but she’s also my scent match. I don’t want to take her away from them. Her choices are her own, I just want to earn her forgiveness for not doing more to get her out of Slick Dreams,” I say. “I can’t think about anything else, and am taking a hiatus away from my business so I don’t fuck up and accidentally piss someone off. It’s a little silly to admit this to you all, but I can’t get her nor Linus out of my head.”

“As someone who has two omegas in their pack, I will say that it’s incredible,” Everest says. “They’re best friends, Flynn adores Wren, and she just fits in our pack. However, it wasn’t always that way. It’s a pretty twisted, fucked up story, which is why I will say I think there’s hope for you, Christian.”

“I don’t think it’ll be easy, though,” Aiden grunts. “Omegas have a way of twisting you up in knots, and making you walk through hell once you’ve fucked up. Don’t think that I don’t seewhy you made sure Everest and I would be at this meeting, Cian. You could have chosen anyone else.”

“Yes, but you’re the biggest idiot in your pack,” Cian says easily. “Corbin feels for Christian, which means that I have to put aside my own anger as much as I can. Logistically, I don’t think you can ever be the alpha you need to be for them, Christian. It’s up to you to prove me wrong.”

With that being said, he stands. “Good night, gentlemen. Christian, this will probably be the easiest of the meetings,” he says. “If you can survive them and get the blessings of the men for your bid to officially relocate, then we’ll discuss a party invitation where I know your omegas will be in attendance.”

I can’t muster a response before Everest stands as well, walking out behind him.

“Fuck,” I whisper as the men around me chuckle under their breath.

I feel as if I just received both a blessing and a curse tonight, and I’m unsure how to feel about that. Cian Sullivan hates my guts.

CHAPTER 29

One week later

LINUS

Gazing out at the end of summer from Pack Mohan’s back patio, I sit in awe at how beautiful it is here.

“I know that look,” Wren says softly next to me.

Our packs finally were able to work out a time for us to meet, and I have to admit that I’m glad Callum thought of this with Quinn. She’s inside putting together a snack with Flynn, and you’d have thought we’d all been friends for ages.

We just kind of clicked, even though I was nervous about coming here. My experience with other omegas hasn’t been the best. They’ve all been clingy, petty, and bitchy.

“What look is that?” I ask, glancing at her.

“The look of someone marveling over the beauty of the world,” she murmurs. “Not only that, but someone who hasn’t gotten used to the privilege everyone else takes for granted.”

“Yeah,” I grunt. “No windows, no freedom, and filtered air all day is no way to live. I could go on, but I won’t.”

“Meh. It’s important to find people who not only understand you, but don’t think you’re a downer when you’re caught reminding yourself that you’re free,” Wren says. “You and Quinn are both so different from me.”

“How so?” I ask.

“I was scared of every alpha in sight,” she explains. “Timid, stifled, I hid the second I could in this house, and refused to come out.”

“I don’t get those vibes from you,” I say honestly. “I get quiet determination instead. If you were scared then and you understand my awe of the world and its little wonders now, then it means you’ve gone through some shit.”

“I’ll attest to that,” Flynn says warmly, walking outside with Quinn next to him with food. “The way you start doesn’t have to be the way you continue. I’m working on that myself.”

People work through their emotions and demons in different ways. Sometimes, you can’t even tell there’s anything wrong outside of the shadows that seem to creep in when they remember something that hurts them.

I know the feeling well.

Quinn snuggles up against me as she eats a cookie, something neither of us would imagine doing at Slick Dreams. Food wasn’t something Bret enjoyed spending money on, so he’d give us the minimum to survive. It also gave us the bodies people wanted.

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