Page 15 of Sweet Omega
He hefted the box into his arms and walked toward the narrow staircase that led to the third floor at the end of the hallway, dropping it at the top landing. Then he went back for another. And another.
The repetitive motion helped. Kept him from spiraling. From thinking too hard.
“What are you doing with that?” Hym’s voice broke the quiet as he appeared at the other end of the hall.
Tarymn glanced up, box in hand.
Hym stared at him for a long moment, nostrils flaring slightly as if he’d caught a scent that didn’t belong. Tarymn held his breath, waiting. He knew exactly what Hym had picked up. Ludiin. His scent clung to Tarymn like a brand. Hym’s gaze sharpened, but he said nothing. Just looked at him.
“That’s Ludiin’s stuff,” Hym said after a while.
“Yeah, and it’s clogging the damn hallway. I could barely reach my room,” Tarymn replied curtly. “You couldn’t find a place to put this junk?”
Hym smiled sheepishly. “I hadn’t gotten around to it yet. He’s… kind of a genius, you know? Builds machines and all sorts of tech stuff.”
“I figured,” Tarymn muttered, turning away and carrying the box up the stairs. “He can use the third floor as a workspace.”
Hym blinked. “He can? Wait. Why are you being nice?”
Tarymn shot him a sideways glance. “Can’t I be nice?”
“No. You fucking left.”
Tarymn paused at the top of the stairs, the words hitting harder than he expected after what just happened with Ludiin. The omega could have died tonight because no one was here to look out for him. He wasn't here. If he’d come back just a second too late…
Tarymn turned slightly, his voice quiet. “And now I’m back. I’ll do what dad wanted. I’ll be their guardian.”
Whether he was ready or not. Whether it tore him apart or not.
And if Ludiin asked, he’d tell him everything that happened tonight. Then they’d pretend it never happened. He clenched his jaw and turned toward the stairs.
Chapter 3
Ludiin
"Tarymn?"
Ludiin’s eyes flew open, heart pounding as he scanned the dim room for any trace of the alpha.Was it just a dream?He blinked up at the ceiling, chest tight, his thoughts spiraling into a frantic blur.
No. It wasn’t a dream. He had felt it. Tarymn had been there.
To be sure, Ludiin leaned closer, pressing his face into the sheets. He inhaled.
There.
He wasn’t imagining it. Tarymn had been with him. In this room. During his heat.
He had touched him.
Ludiin’s stomach twisted. He’d begged him to. Desperate and disoriented, consumed by the intensity of his first heat, hehadn’t just asked—he’d clung to the alpha like he was drowning. God, he’d practically thrown himself at him.
Oh Ludiin… what have you done?
Ludiin slapped a hand over his mouth as a broken, horrified moan escaped. His chest rose and fell in sharp, uneven breaths, panic pounding against his ribs as the full weight of what he’d done came crashing down on him. “I messed up everything …” he whispered, wishing he could disappear into the mattress.
A knock sounded at the door, then creaked open before Ludiin could say anything.
His heart slammed hard against his ribs at the thought of Tarymn coming back to his room.
