Page 13 of One Wild Omega

“So he couldn’t scent you. He had no idea you were his.”

“Well,duh,” Tanner mumbled. All he wanted to do was sleep. The conversation needed to be over and fast.

“Exactly!Duh.You’re upset because he didn’t know something you’re actively hiding from him. That makes absolutely no sense, Tanner. You can’t be mad at him for not realizing who you were.”

“I can be mad that he shoved me to the floor.” He paused a moment. “You’d think there would have beensomething. My alpha feltnothing.” He paused, his stomach turning. “No, not nothing. From the look in his eyes, hehatedme?” Saying it out loud only made it hurt all over again. A wave of nausea overtook him once more, and he lay back against the couch’s pillows. “If I was his… why did he hate me?”

“Hateis a strong word. He doesn’t even know you.” Raimy paused, looking thoughtful. “It had to be one big misunderstanding.”

“You didn’t feel him pushing you,” Tanner spat. “There was no misunderstanding.”

“Look… once he learns the truth, things will change.”

Tanner sat up straighter. “Yes.Everythingwill change. And maybe I don’twantthings to change.”

“I’m going back to that bar… and I’m going to get your alpha’s name for you. Consider it a last-minute birthday present. It’s the least I can do after pulling you away from the man of your dreams.”

“No,” Tanner mumbled, already half asleep. “You already gave me a present. One I love. Now, I just want to go to bed. Come to bed with me… I’m exhausted. It’s my birthday. And I don’t want to sleep alone.”

“It’s tomorrow already.”

Tanner growled under his breath. “Just come to bed with me. I don’t want to be alone on the dayaftermy birthday, either.”

“But…your alpha, Tanner. By tomorrow, you’re going to regret not knowing something about him.”

“You’re right. He’smyalpha. So letmedecide what to do, Raimy. And I decide Idon’twant to know him.”

Raimy sighed. He didn’t look like he wanted to agree, but he did. “Okay. It’s your choice, I suppose. I just hope fate brings him back around again and you haven’t missed out.”

The look in his alpha’s eyes came back to him.Missing out?Perhaps not. Maybe fate had shown him all he needed to see.

They crawled into bed together, cuddled close. All he’d wanted was sleep, but suddenly Tanner couldn’t turn off his mind, no matter how much he tried. As the minutes passed, all he could see was a replay of his alpha pushing him away. All he could feel was the shame of that denial.Scentexor no, there’d been no reason for his alpha to be so rude.

Iwasa bit forward.

But then that was Tanner’s personality, even when not drunk. He said exactly what was on his mind, and it often came back to bite him on the ass. But this? It was a whole other kind of fiasco. He tossed in the sheets, unable to force the thoughts from his head.

Why am I so upset? It’s not like I’m ready to bow down to some alpha and pop out babies right now.

“I could go back later, after we wake up,” Raimy suddenly whispered. “Maybe someone knows him there.”

Apparently, Raimy couldn’t sleep, either.

An image of the alpha’s face came into his mind. Tanner closed his eyes. “Just leave it alone, Raimy.”

“But… he’syour alpha…”

“Honestly, I’m nowhere near ready to have an alpha in my life right now. Ijustturned twenty-one. I’m not finished with school yet. I have a plan, and an alpha would just get in the way of everything I want for myself. Maybe it wasn’t our time. Not yet. Fate might bring him back to me someday… when I’m ready. Until then, I don’t have an alpha. I have me. I have you. I have my friends. That’s all I need, Raimy. I’m happy without him.”

Raimy eyed him, the streetlight from outside pouring in and giving them a little light. “Fine. If that’s what you want…”

“It’s what I want,” Tanner said, sensing that his words—while true—were also a lie.

Chapter Three

Fast forward six years or so…

“Hello.” A manservant smiled down at Tanner as he opened the door. “How are you, Mr. McCreary?”

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