Page 16 of Unable Omega
This was what I was afraid of. My bear winning the war of consciousness and him hurting someone, whether it was seen as self-defense or not.
My bear didn’t move. I screamed at him. Did everything I could, but he stood and waited for his alpha.
I’d lost the war. Again. I really needed to work on that.
Rob’s giant bear came into view, barreling toward us. He roared so loudly that even if I wanted to move, I couldn’t. His alpha power poured into the space between us, stilling me. I’d never had an alpha use his power on me. I always thought it a barbaric practice but coming from my mate, I knew he would only use it out of care and safety.
Once his bear was in front of me, he shifted to Rob. He was naked, out of breath, and more beautiful than I’d ever seen him.
Contrary to my determination to get away from him, for his own good, calm washed over me. Relief took the place of fear.
My mate was here.
“Shift,” he commanded, taking a breath from clenching his jaw.
My bear dropped the bundle of clothing from my mouth and shifted at his alpha’s demand. I stood in the path of my alpha on two legs again, shaking.
What would he think of me? Would he reject me now?
If he did, making sure he was safe would be effortless.
“Where are you going, omega?” His chin quivered as he spoke. I gasped, watching tears well in his eyes. His pain and heartbreak punched me in the chest. Even though our bond was new, it was powerful.
“My bear can’t be controlled. I had a dream about what I did at the lab, but it wasn’t a dream. It was my memories. He’s dangerous, Rob. He’s murderous, and I don’t know if he’s bloodthirsty.”
“He’s not.”
My words poured out like a whimper. How could he be so damned confident in my bear when I saved none of that for myself. “How do you know?”
Rob stepped forward, slow and calculated. The wind and the birds stopped all movement and sound. The world could’ve stopped moving and I wouldn’t have cared less. Rob wasn’t rejecting me.
Then again, he didn’t know what I’d done.
“Because I just commanded you to shift back, Sage. An uncontrolled animal wouldn’t obey his alpha’s commands. But he did. We can work on your control but he listens to me. He listens to his mate.”
A sob broke free. I leaned forward, bracing my palms on my knees. He was right. I’d been running to make sure Rob was well, but he had full control over my bear. Goddess, I’d been so stupid.
But I wouldn’t go on without him knowing the truth. “I have to tell you what I’ve done. What I did. We can’t have a life without me telling you.”
“Then tell me. Why don’t you put some clothes on, Sage? You’re shivering.”
“It’s not from the cold.”
He nodded. “Then at least come over here when you tell me. I thought I’d lost you. I thought I’d never see you again. I didn’t know…sweetheart, I wouldn’t have survived you leaving. I told you that. I couldn’t breathe.”
In all my haste, I hadn’t calculated what this would do to him. In trying not to hurt him physically, I’d maimed him emotionally.
I crossed the distance between us and fell into his embrace with anoomph. A moan fell from my lips. Every tense muscle in my body released. I melted into my alpha. “Tell me,” he begged. “Whatever it is, we’ll work through it. Markus is our counselor as well. You can talk to him if you don’t want to talk to me. Whatever it takes, but please, please don’t take my mate away. I’ve waited so long for you.”
“Markus?” I asked. “I thought he was the healer.”
Rob nodded and kissed my temple. “He is. Inside and out. We have group sessions and individual ones. It’s good for us to talk about what we’ve been through.”
“Will you tell me what you’ve been through?” I asked.
“I will, but you first. Let’s clear the air. My bear can feel your tension. It’s killing me.”
We sat down in the cool grass, both naked, neither caring. I told him everything I remembered, even the blips of time that didn’t quite connect to the rest.
