Page 46 of Sweet Omega
Were they going to pretend this hadn’t happened too?The thought coiled tight in Ludiin’s chest.
He wasn’t sure he could, when the memory still burned on his skin. But he knew he had to. Tarymn was his stepbrother.
Chapter 9
Tarymn
Tarymn hammered the punching bag, each strike sending a jolt up his arms and through his tightly coiled muscles, as if sheer force could pound the aggression out of him. Beat it into submission. Force himself back under control. A low growl rumbled in his throat as the alpha inside him paced like a caged animal, testing the walls of his restraint, shoving against it. Demanding release.
He clenched his jaw until it ached, refusing to give in. He hated this, hated that there was a part of him that thrived on chaos, that moved without thought, without reason. And with Ludiin… he’d almost…
Fuck.Why?
He drove himself harder, his fists thudding into the leather until the bag swayed violently, until his arms burned, until sweatpoured down his skin in heavy rivulets, until exhaustion finally cut through the haze. Only then did he feel something like himself again.
Letting the bag swing idly, he dropped onto the mat. Flat on his back, he stared up at the ceiling, lungs dragging in air, heart pounding too loud in his ears. He didn’t let his thoughts drift where they wanted to go.
It will never happen again,he told himself, forcing the words to stick in his brain.
Rolling to his feet, he grabbed the drying cloth he’d left on the mat and wiped his face and chest. Hunger gnawed at him, so he padded toward the cooking station. But the moment he opened the door, he stopped short.
Ludiin was there.
The omega looked up from his plate, eyes wide, the faintest hitch in his movements.
Fuck.
The tension Tarymn had been working out slithered right back into the room, coiling around his ribs. Without a word, he moved to the counter, scanning the array of dishes the maids had set out for dinner.
“Where is Luci?” he asked, the silence pressing too thick around them.
“I think he went out.”
So, it was just the two of them. Great,he thought, scooping food onto his plate before sitting down.
Ludiin’s gaze trailed over him, as if watching a predator in a confined space. Tarymn knew he’d crossed a line, knew he’d frightened him. Hell, he’d frightened himself. He’d never lost control like that before.
Ludiin continued to stare at him.
“What?” he snapped, the word sharper than he intended.
“You couldn’t put on a shirt? It’s… weird eating with you half-naked,” Ludiin finally said, breaking the long silence.
Tarymn glanced down at his bare chest and let out a low laugh.
“What’s so funny?” Ludiin asked, frowning slightly.
“Nothing,” Tarymn said, still chuckling. “I didn’t think you’d be here after…”
Ludiin’s cheeks flushed.
“That was…” Tarymn started, but Ludiin quickly shook his head, cutting him off.
“Please, can we not talk about it?” he said barely looking at him. “I don’t think I can.”
“Okay,” Tarymn murmured. The silence that followed was heavy, thick enough to make the room feel tense and awkward. “We should find something to talk about,” Tarymn said after a few seconds. “The silence is killing me.”
Ludiin tilted his head, studying him as if searching for the perfect topic, his eyes soft and thoughtful. He looked so endearing in a way that made Tarymn’s chest tighten.
