Page 12 of Unbreak Me

He caught up with me when I was almost leaving the aisle, 20 yards from Day’s booth.

"Please wait, Mr. Wilson!"

"For what?" I retorted over my shoulder without even stopping.

"Please, just a second—stop!"

"I don’t feel like it. I don’t intend to!" I snapped, speeding up my pace, but he firmly grabbed my arm and turned me toward him with ease.

This guy had strength, I had to admit, and I didn't consider myself a weakling—I spent long hours in my basement gym. But his hand felt like it was made of steel.

"Mr. Wilson, literally just a moment. Please, give me a chance!"

I looked up at him. Yeah, up. He was so tall that I had to tilt my head back to look into his luminescent turquoise eyes. Strange contact lenses—very unprofessional to wear in his workplace. It wasn't a ‘vampire party’ at the nightclub, after all.

"This is the story of my life, Mr. Nolan. Omegas mistake me for a beta, and I’m written off right away. I’m tired of being misgendered. Of explaining my gender. Explaining why I am different."

"Mr. Wilson, Day’s on suppressants—he can’t sense you, especially inside that booth. I’ve been off suppressants for a few days myself and am freshly starting to regain my sense of smell, but I can certainly tell you’re an unmated alpha! So good news, we don’t have a problem!"

I sighed and grimaced, sniffing him as well. He was a mated alpha, a hint of his omega scent present in his pheromones.

"Just my height doesn’t match an alpha, huh? Do I have to explain it to you, too?"

"It’s not my concern; people come in all sizes. All alphas don’t have to be the same height—" he paused, perhaps not wanting to sound too patronizing. "Sorry, I just wanted to say—give Day a chance. He puts up a tough front, but he really wants someone to choose him—"

"No, I’m not going where I’m not welcome!"

"Please, Mr. Wilson. That’s irrational; Day can’t smell you! He wouldn’t reject you if he knew—"

"Well, I won’t correct his mistake. Please let me go!"

Pitifully, my pride won, once again.

But he still held onto my arm, even tightening his grip. "Mr. Wilson, I strongly urge you to talk to Day. I have a feeling this could be IT for you!"

I scoffed. "What are you babbling about?!" Finally, I yanked my arm out of his grasp and stepped back. Although I had afeeling that he let me go, if he hadn’t, I would probably still be trapped in his hold.

"Please leave me alone, mister! I’m going!"

He pursed his lips, seeing me turning away. "Why did you even stop at that board? Something happened there, right? Something compelled you to read his details!"

Not expecting him to say this, I hesitated, glanced back and stopped half a step further.

"Just curiosity; I saw he’d smoked, and I thought maybe he really didn't want his contract to be bought."

"Day only gives off that impression, but he really wants someone to choose him despite everything. He's hurt and proud, humiliated to be here. We insisted on it. He deserves a chance. He wants to be chosen despite… what he presents there, in the booth," Nolan said softly, almost with a pleading tone.

"You know what? I'd also like someone to choose me despite everything, but I don't have that luxury!" I blurted out.

"Please, just give him a chance!"

"Please just leave me alone!"

Suddenly feeling like a tantrum-prone teenager, I turned around quickly and walked away, heading in a random direction and leaving Nolan in the middle of the aisle.

What the fuck was going on with me? Immensely and unreasonably agitated, I strode toward the cafeteria, which wasn’t crowded at this hour. I ordered a juice and a sandwich, my lips bitten almost to blood. I had trouble controlling myself, but I didn’t know why.

Sitting in a corner for half an hour, fighting off weird waves of nerves running through my body, I felt both sadness and humiliation.

---