Page 80 of One Wild Omega

Quinn stopped by once. Bellamy twice. He didn’t speak to any of them, just lay in bed and feigned sleep. By the eighth day, he had no more water or bars left. Hunger began to truly gnaw at his stomach—to a point he couldn’t ignore it any longer. He didn’t want to deal with company, so he lay in bed as long as he could. Until he couldn’t take it anymore.

When he heard Raimy taking a shower, he silently stumbled to the kitchen, his body aching, and searched for something simple. Something he could toss in his mouth before slipping between the sheets again—and hopefully Raimy wouldn’t see him up and about.

“Hungry?”

Tanner turned toward the familiar, deep voice.

Fitz sat in his living room, a laptop on the coffee table before him. His hair was disheveled, like he’d been running his hands through it over and over again. A coffee mug sat beside the laptop… as well as plate of crumbs.How long has he been here?

Tanner didn’t say a word. He glared at the alpha taking up too much space in his living room. How had he not sensed Fitz was there? There were too many questions in his mind not to ask. “Where’s Raimy?”

“He had a meeting with a client and needed to take care of a few things, so I took over guard duty.”

Guard duty? Fuck you, Richard.“Who’s in the shower?”

Fitz smirked before rising and heading toward the bathroom. “No one. I figured you might come out if you thought no one was watching.” He disappeared into the bathroom, and the water stopped a few seconds later. He reappeared a moment later, looking smug. “Seems I was right.”

Tanner tried to ignore his alpha’s scent, but it wrapped around him like a sweet fog, trying to force him to feel things he was in no mood to feel. “Why can’t you all just leave me alone?”

Fitz ignored his question. “So how about pizza? I haven’t had lunch yet, and I’ve been craving a slice or two all day. Megentos? They deliver here, I think.”

“I’m not hungry. I also don’t need a guard dog.”

Fitz lifted his stare, defiance in his eyes. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“This ismyhouse. I can call the guard and have you removed.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“Try me, Walker.”

Fitz wandered closer, not breaking eye contact. “I’mnotleaving you alone to wallow in the muck,McCreary.”

“That’s none of your business.”

“Webothknow it’s very much my business.”

“Get out!” Tanner screamed.

“No!” Fitz barked. “If you want to wallow, go for it. I can’t stop you. But I sure as fuck won’t leave you alone. I shouldn’t have left the last time.”

Tanner glared at Fitz, fighting back tears.

Fitz walked a little closer, stopping inches from him. “I know you feel lost. But there are too many people who care about you to leave you drifting in this sadness. And while I know it’s unbelievable, I’m one of those people, even if you don’t want me to be. So scream. Cry. Tell me you hate me. Tell me to go fuck myself. I have broad shoulders, and I can take a whole lot worse than whatever you can dish out.”

“Go fuck yourself,” Tanner mumbled. He felt the tears stinging the backs of his eyes.

“Is that the best you can do, McCreary?”

“I hate you!” he said with a little more strength than the first.

Fitz’s nostril’s flared, and he took another step closer, until they were almost toe to toe. “Where’s that acid tongue I’m so accustomed to? It didn’t just leave you.”

“You’re a fucking asshole.”

“Better,” Fitz crooned. “More.”

“I hate you so much that my blood boils! Just looking at your ugly face makes my skin crawl!”

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