Page 101 of Sweet Omega
“Ludiin, listen…” Tarymn rasped, stepping forward.
Ludiin flinched, holding up a hand like a shield. “No. Please. I can’t…”
“Don’t shut me out,” Tarymn pleaded, the desperation in his tone cutting through the stillness.
“Why not? You did. You left me to drown in this. You made me feel so alone. You…” He choked, his lips trembling.
Tarymn’s whole body tensed with the need to close the distance, to drag him into his arms and hold him, but he forced himself to stand still. His hands curled into fists at his sides, nails digging into his palms until they stung. The silence in the den pressed down on them.
Tarymn’s chest ached with the certainty that he might lose his mate and there was nothing he could do to stop it.
So, he swallowed down his fear, and chose the only thing left to give: the truth.
“I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you as my mate from the moment we met,” Tarymn bit out. “The signs were there. But I was… blind,” his throat bobbed as he swallowed, “too caught up in what happened with my dad to see what was right in front of me. And by the time I finally realized you were mine, it was too late. You were already hurting, already running from what you felt. And I…” his voice wavered, “I respected your decision, even though it was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”
He dragged a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. “I wish I could make it better for you, erase the pain, rewrite the past. But I can’t. This… this is us. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Ludiin said nothing. He only stared back at him with wide, glassy eyes, looking so lost, so breakable.
Tarymn longed to go to him. Hold him. Instead, he turned toward the stairs. His boots scuffed softly against thefloorboards. He stopped at the second step, shoulders tight. “And Ford,” he said without looking back, “that alpha won’t be your model anymore. I’ll be your model.”
Ludiin blinked. “What? You can’t just…”
Before the words could form, Tarymn was there. He closed the distance between them in a heartbeat. Fisting Ludiin’s shirt as he dragged him forward and crushed their lips together. The kiss was hard, fierce, a clash of desperation and possession. It stole the air from the room, left Ludiin trembling against him.
When Tarymn finally pulled back, Ludiin swayed, lips red and parted, eyes glassy with shock and desire.
“I can,” he said, voice rough. “And I just did. No alphas for you.” His gaze burned into Ludiin’s. “I’m your alpha.”
“You’re not,” Ludiin whispered.
Tarymn leaned in until their foreheads nearly touched. His voice dropped to a dangerous murmur. “Yes, I am.” He pressed a kiss to Ludiin’s forehead, then stepped back, forcing himself to move away before he did something stupid. Again.
Ludiin needed time. Space.
Tarymn would give it. He’d give him everything.
But God help him, he prayed it wouldn’t take another five years.
He prayed.
Chapter 21
Ludiin
Ludiin’s knees buckled, nearly giving out beneath him. He staggered to the workbench, fingers clutching the wood, the only thing keeping him upright. His chest rose and fell in uneven breaths as tremors rippled across his body.
He couldn’t believe it. Couldn’t wrap his mind around what had just happened or what Tarymn had just done.
This was a dream, right?
Right?
Desperate to wake up, Ludiin pinched his arm hard. “Ouch.” The sting tore a soft moan from his lips. Not a dream.
Tarymn was his mate. His fucking mate.
Ludiin pressed a trembling hand to his chest, his heart pounding wildly, as though it might burst free.
