Page 92 of This Pack of Ours

“Fuck off,” I sniffed, but he didn’t, instead closing the door coming further inside.

Asshole.

He sat down beside me, making the bed creak.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” I snipped.

“Moping,” he said.

“What on earth do you have to mope about?”

“Same thing as you, I reckon,” he said, laying back and folding his hands behind his head.

I cocked an eyebrow at him. “You just realized that your best friend, who you’ve been in love with for years, is falling in love with someone else? And you can’t actually be mad about that because they’re better off this way anyway?”

“Couldn’t have said it better myself,” he said, with a hint of bitterness.

“You are such an asshole,” I said, glaring down at him, but he didn’t look mocking or angry. He looked just like I felt; lost. Miserable.

“You’re not fucking serious,” I said.

“Not gonna say it again,” he replied.

“Oh, please. You didn’t even say it the first time.”

“Don’t get all clever with me, cherry bomb.”

We sat in silence, and I gave him a side eye, considering what he’d said. There had been one person he’d kept looking at alotduring my heat.

“Jhin?”

He shrugged again.

“You know, when attending a heat with said best friend, you’re actuallynotsupposed to keep staring at them. Speaking from experience.”

“Oh, fuck off. You were our first heat together,” he poked me, giving me a half-grin. “You know, you almost ruined it by being way too fucking hot. Years, I dreamed of that, and I thought you would be nothing more than another body. I was so pissed when you kept stealing my attention away.”

“Yeah, right,” I said, shoving him away.

“What the fuck is it with you omegas and compliments?” he said. “If I say something, it’s because I fucking mean it.”

I felt my cheeks go hot.

“Just save it, okay? There isn’t a future for us.”

He caught my eye, sitting up.

“Are you sure?” he asked. I hesitated.

“I have no idea how I could join and not be miserable.” I finally said.

“Ah. But I’ll tell you a secret,” he said, shifting closer. His pale eyes were boring into mine, and his scent was sweeping over me, making my heart pound.

“I think the key is finding love with more than just him,” he said, his hand moving to touch mine. I didn’t pull away. “Like, this week. Being a part of your heat. Or with Kit… when I scented him, it was the first time I didn’t think of Jhin. He’s like this… balm. He can’t get rid of how I feel, but he lets me forget. Lets me hope I can find something new.”

His hand curled around mine, making my heart skip a beat.

“Tell me you haven’t felt that with us. Even a little bit,” he said, shifting closer. I could see the flicker of his long eyelashes, the sharp lines of his face and the curve of his full lips.

---