Page 59 of Waiting for Fate
A sob catches in my throat, and I bury my face against his chest. I hadn’t wanted to admit I was afraid he would reject me, but the thought lingered at the edges of my mind.
“I-I want that. To try.”
Rough fingers grip my chin, tilting my face up. One thumb caresses my lips, pulling at the soft flesh until they part. His mouth brushes against mine, the faintest feathering of a butterfly’s wings. An unspoken promise is written in his eyes. To stay. To try. For me.
“Sweet omega, thank you for giving me a chance.”
“Whatever you need, however long it takes, I’m here. I’m yours.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
DRIVING INTO NEWYork City after work is terrible. As much as I love the nightlife here, I will take Starburgh traffic any day of the week.
I am meeting my omega mentor, Ayla, for dinner. The bistro she chose is adorable. Round marble tables and white steel chairs sit on the sidewalk. A long bench designed with the same pattern as the chairs runs from the side doors to the front corner. Each chair and bench has patterned cushions affixed to it, adding a pop of color.
It is social media worthy, which is precisely why she chose this spot. Ayla has made a living with her travel blog, ‘An Omega’s Search For Fate’, earning a decent following and enabling her to live comfortably without a pack.
She’s also one of the many omegas who had a Fated connection manifest at the age of twenty-one and is waiting until she meets them instead of settling with a chosen pack. We’ve lamented her long wait many times over the three years we’ve known each other.
How she hasn’t given up after almost a decade of patience, I don’t know. I can barely handle waiting a few months for my mates to get their heads out of their asses, let alone years!
“Bea! You look incredible!”
I give Ayla a little spin, showing off my periwinkle shorts and matching blazer. Soulbound may have air conditioning, but even their system struggled to combat today’s high nineties heat.
“Me? Look at you!” Ayla’s style is what I would describe as fantasy chic. She always dresses like she’s going to traipse through a forest and wander into another realm. Her white, puff sleeved dress has light blue floral details. The fabric sweeps around her calves while dipping low on her chest. It exudes sensual innocence.
“Sit, sit! We have so much to catch up on!”
I take the seat across from her. A server comes to take our drink orders, leaving us with menus to look over.
“Tell me everything! I’ve missed a lot since you graduated in May!”
Smiling, I dive into a brief recap of life on tour, Omen’s identity being outed, and chasing my dreams as a band manager. Ayla is attentive, dancing in her seat and cheering my successes.
“That sounds wonderful!” she says as our drinks are dropped off. We pause long enough to place our orders, but as soon as the server walks away, she’s bombarding me with follow-up questions. “What happened between you and those gorgeous bodyguards you mentioned?”
My bottom lip pushes into a pout. I miss Ridley like crazy. It’s only been a week since he left, but my chest feels hollow without him by my side. “It turns out they are my Fate matched mates.”
Faster than I can blink, I’m pulled into a tight hug. “Oh my gosh, Bea! That’s amazing!”
Giving her a tight smile, I shake my head. “It is, but it’s also very complicated. They were called away for work, and I don’t know how long they will be gone.”
She gives me an understanding nod. Omegas aren’t built for separation. It’s hell on our instincts to go without our mates after we’ve met them. Her head tilts in consideration. “You don’t seem to be struggling.”
Sighing, I tell her about Orion and our date the night before. When she learns he too is leaving for a few weeks, she lets out an indignant huff. “Fate really seems determined to test your mettle! I’m sorry you are in this situation. Hopefully, your mates will return soon.”
I switch gears as our food arrives, asking about her life. She spent the summer traveling across Europe searching for her future pack. Unsuccessfully, if the sadness in her light brown eyes tells me anything.
Dinner is light and fun, despite both of our longing for our mates. We laugh and catch up. It’s exactly what I needed after the hell the past few weeks have been.
“Thank you, Ayla! If you aren’t traveling for a while, we should do this again!” I tell her as I hug her.
Her arms tighten around me before she pulls away. A sheepish look takes over her face. “I am leaving again, actually. I, uhm, I signed up for First Glance Pack.”
My jaw drops. “You-“
I am a jumble of mashed words as I try to get past the initial shock. “You’re not going to wait for your Fate matched mates?”
