Page 58 of Waiting for Fate
Orion hums, beating eggs and grating cheese into the same bowl. He’s very task focused as he works, cautious even. “You’ve heard I used to sing for Shattered Horizons. A story I will share later. Keep things light until after we eat.” My heart races faster when he winks at me.
Slowly, I nod my agreement, shoving aside my curiosity for the sake of his comfort. Whatever happened between him and his old band must weigh heavily on him.
“California was where I moved after we split. While living there, I discovered a passion for marketing and graphic design. I enrolled in a local college and got a degree, all while working at the label’s office to support myself.”
“Soulbound is a true diamond among simulants. They genuinely seem to care for their bands and staff.”
Orion steps closer, his ozone scent washing over me as he drains a pot of pasta into the sink. Out on the water, it feels like I’m surrounded by remnants of his scent, but nothing compares to the real thing. I take a deep breath, letting him coat my senses before he moves away.
“Do you miss California?”
“Yes and no,” he says. “New York has always been my home. Being back, surrounded by the familiar, is comforting. But California has its perks. The warmth being one of them. I am not looking forward to a Northeast winter.”
Laughter spills from my lips at the pinched look on his face. The slight scrunch of his nose. My alpha does not appear to be a fan of snow.
“I’ve never been a fan of the colder weather,” I admit once I’ve caught my breath. “Looking out the window to watch snowflakes fall to the ground can be breathtaking, but as soon as I have to touch the snow, I’m out.”
He chuckles, voicing his agreement as he dishes the pasta onto two plates. I take one from his hands, ignoring the downturn of his lips. As sweet as chivalry is, I am perfectly capable of carrying my plate to the table.
With a bottle of wine in one hand and his plate in the other, he follows me. I slide onto the cushioned bench, dancing happily when he takes the seat beside me. Close enough our arms occasionally brush, which is still too far away.
Swirling pasta on my fork, I take a bite and moan. Whether it’s the burst of flavor or knowing he poured his love into the dish, it tastes magical!
We eat in silence, enjoying the peaceful night breeze and each other’s company. Being here with him feels right, proving I am right about the connection between us. Orion Walker is Fated to be mine.
After dinner, we head to the front deck of the boat where he has a plush blanket laid out. We settle side by side and stare up at the sky. We’re still too close to the city to truly see the stars, but a few of the brightest peek through.
“The band I am going to help, Belemorph, recently lost their omega in an anti-designation attack in Los Angeles.”
Turning to study his face, and my breath catches when I see the devastation written there. I heard about the attack, but wasn’t aware one of our bands had lost someone. To lose a bonded mate… It’s unimaginable. Bonds snapping can destroy an omega. We aren’t built to handle the pain of losing a piece of our soul.
“That’s…” I trail off. There are no words to describe something so awful.
Orion gives me a sad half-smile. “Their manager is worried their grief may lead them to try to take their own lives. He thinks I can help, because…” He takes a long breath, those amber eyes locking onto mine. “Because I experienced the same loss six years ago.”
I’m fairly certain my heart stopped beating. The anguish in my alpha’s eyes is too much to bear. I want to wrap him in my arms and soothe his despair, but after hearing he had a bonded mate, I’m unsure my comfort would be welcome. I don’t know how to react when I’m dancing such a perilous line.
“What happened?” I choke out the words, fighting with my warring instincts.
He scoops me up, pulling me to rest against his side. My purr rattles to life soft and barely audible over the sounds of the water, but he feels it. The tension slowly melts from his body, his arm tightening around my shoulders.
“I met Serenity in middle school. She was a sweetheart. The classic image of a good kid. With perfect grades and not a blemish on her record. Getting to know her, I quickly learned the truth: she was very good at covering up her tracks. That girl had the freest spirit buried beneath her carefully crafted responsible persona.”
Jealousy tries to worm up my spine, but I crush the feeling. Orion belonging to another woman is a tough pill to swallow, knowing this story leads to them bonding eventually, but it is in the past. Acting irrationally over his relationship with someone no longer in this world would be terribly selfish of me, regardless of how my instincts feel about the matter.
“When she presented as an Omega, I knew she was meant to be mine. I’d been in love with her for years by then. Feelings she reciprocated. After we graduated from the academy, I bonded her. It was everything.Shewas everything.”
The longing in his voice cuts me. I cannot fathom the pain he must still feel with the hole in his chest where her bond used to be. I never would have survived being in his shoes.
“I was away for the weekend. My old band, Shattered Horizons, had a show in Maryland. Ren was working at the Natural History museum and wanted to stay behind to help with one of their events. On her way home, there was an accident. I was on stage when it happened. It was… unbearable.”
Tears track down his cheeks, dripping onto the blanket below us. I reach up and gently wipe the one closest to me away, blinking wetness from my own eyes. “Orion… That’s… I’m so sorry you had to experience that.”
He turns so we are face to face, and pulls me closer. “I need you to know why I’ve been struggling with our connection. Part of me feels like finding a new omega is an affront to Ren’s memory, but the bigger part of me is terrified I will lose you, too.”
Silence blankets us. Words escape me because there is no magical fix for Orion’s fear. There are no guarantees in this life. Loss is always a possibility.
“I want to try,” he whispers, his breath warm against my temple. “I cannot promise it will be an easy journey. My grief is everlasting and my fear often consumes me, but you are worth the risk, Bea.”
