Page 33 of No Strings Attached
My inbox is flooded, comments on my last videos ranging from support—
You’re still a badass, Omega or not!—to hate—Faking it all this time? Pathetic.
My heart’s in my stomach, heavy with the weight of all the attention. I never wanted this. I just wanted to have fun, to climb, to live. A text from Leo catches my eye:
Just checking in on you.
I sigh, leaning back against the wall, and call him, knowing I’ve slowly been pushing everyone away, including him.
Leo picks up, his teasing voice immediately filling my ear. “Fancy hearing from you. How are you? I’ve been seeing the aftermath of whatever the fuck is going on, and the only reason I’m not over there is because we’ve got our hands full.”
Laughter and a kid’s squeal echo in the background, followed by a door closing, muffling the noise. I manage a smile, picturing his chaotic house, his mates, and kids. “Yeah, I’m okay, I think. I just have to figure out where I go from here.”
“You sound tired as fuck. Maybe take a break?”
“It’s not that,” I push out, my honeydew scent thickening with the memory. “I just had my first heat.”
Silence stretches between us and then Leo’s voice bursts with excitement. “Congratulations! Are you okay? Do you need me to send someone to help?”
Before I can answer, Jamie peeks his head into the room, his blond hair a mess around his shoulders, the Alpha wearing oneof my oversized shirts. “Sweetheart, breakfast is ready and then we’ve got some good news.”
Leo’s voice perks up through the phone. “Who is that delightful voice?”
My cheeks heat, a flush creeping up my neck. “That’s my Alpha.”
“I think we’ve missed a couple of steps, brother. Let me see him.”
I groan, rolling my eyes, but wave Jamie over as I switch the call to video. He plops into my lap, his citrus scent enveloping me, just as Leo accepts the video call. My brother’s face appears, his red hair and beard a mirror of mine, his grin wide. “Holy Jesus, he’s adorable.”
From the background, Hawk’s voice calls out, gruff but playful. “The only people you’re allowed to call adorable are your Omega and your kids.”
Leo waves him off, laughing. “You weren’t supposed to hear that, Alpha. The door is closed!” He turns back to us. “I’m so happy for you, Elias, really. We need to meet up. Maybe Christmas? That’s not too far, right?”
“Yeah, I’d love that.”
“Let me let you go,” Leo says. “Seems like you’ve got good news going on, but don’t be a stranger. Don’t let all those comments get to you. You’re stronger than you know, and now you’ve got yourself surrounded by wonderful people. Also, call Dad.”
I sigh, my heart twisting. “Which one?”
He snorts. “Any of them, probably Isaias, though. He’s going to want to hear you’re doing alright. You kind of… disappeared after I graduated.”
“Yeah, I know,” I say, my voice quiet, guilt creeping in. “I’m sorry.”
We say goodbyes, and I hang up, setting the phone down, my hand lingering on Jamie’s thigh. Jamie twists to look at me,catching the worry in my eyes. “Leo is wonderful and before you say anything, we areabsolutelyspending Christmas with your family. Olivia and I don’t really speak with ours, so this is perfect. Now, food and then good news.”
I smile and grab a pair of discarded pants from the edge of the nest, slipping them on. The fabric’s loose enough that it doesn’t bother my skin, still sensitive from the heat. Jamie makes a quip about putting more clothes on, suggesting that there's someone else than just Olivia in the kitchen but I brush him off. More clothes sounds like a nightmare. I move to the kitchen and plop into a seat at the table. Jamie follows, and I drag him into my lap, a possessive move that feels right, since the lawyer is sitting just across the table.
Olivia snorts and takes a seat beside me. She puts a soft hand on my arm, her berry scent calming my nerves. “This is our lawyer, Reggie,” she says, nodding to a man in a crisp suit across the table, his face kind but serious. “He’s a friend of the family, too. He’s been walking through your contract the past few days we’ve been out of commission.”
She slides a plate of toast and eggs toward me, alongside a glass of orange juice. “Eat while we talk, okay? As much as I don’t want to, I can’t hold this meeting off any longer. Warren and Tristan have been demanding one.”
I nod, my throat tight as I take a bite of toast, the buttery warmth bringing me back to reality. Reggie clears his throat before speaking. “While the contract was broken, it doesn’t just disappear. Talks have to happen to rectify what was destroyed, and compensation must be given.”
I swallow, the food sticking in my throat. “At this point, I just want to go back to doing what I love without all the bullshit.”
Olivia’s eyes soften, her hand squeezing my arm. “And you can absolutely do that. You don’t owe anything to anyone, not even us.”
I sit back in my chair, Jamie’s weight warm in my lap, and sigh. “Whatever gets me out of that contract the fastest,” I tell Reggie. “I don’t want to deal with either of them, especially Warren.”
