Page 196 of The Omega Exchange: Omnibus
Plus Two
Chapter One
Melody
Icurl deeper into my bed and wrap the fuzzy blankets tighter around me. My tiny apartment doesn’t have a nest, but my bedroom is small enough that most of the time I can make do.
It’s strange, but I always make my own bird-style nest on top of my mattress when it’s a tough day.
Today qualifies.
I’m not sure why I thought Ben might call or show up.
It’s only Valentine’s Day.
Then again, I haven’t seen my ex since Christmas, so I have no idea why my system convinced me he’d show up to offer some grand romantic gesture.
I don’t even want that, not really. Coming out of a ten-year-long relationship is complicated.
I bury my face in the pillow and breathe through the tightness in my chest. It’s really hard, but I’ll hate myself if I give into the loneliness.
I can’t count the number of times I’ve almost broken down and called him. Part of me is desperate to tell him exactly what I think of him, which isn’t much. The rest of me is still in love withthe asshole. Being an omega is ridiculous. He’s never treated me right, and yet my system craves his acceptance and approval.
Growing up I was told that being an omega is a gift. Everyone went on about how rare we are and how packs spend their entire life searching for their omega, and when they find them, they love and cherish them above all else.
What a load of crap.
I’ve never once felt loved or cherished.
But I did see the way the alphas at The Exchange in North Carolina looked after their omegas.
It would be a blessing to find a relationship like that.
Being hung up on my ex is getting me exactly nowhere.
I know he’ll never be able to treat me like the alphas at The Exchange did their omegas.
I’m pretty sure it’s because I didn’t demand it from the beginning, and now it’s too late to go back.
This is why I have to start fresh. I wish The Exchange had found an immediate opening for me. It would be way easier being there than it is being here alone.
They didn’t have a spot for me, so they sent me back to Texas to wait for a location to have a space open up. Initially I hoped to find a match before heading to one of the franchise locations, but the closer I get to my heat, the less likely that becomes.
At this point, I told them I’ll take any opening at any location, even if I won’t have an initial match. Scent cards aren’t an exact science, and who knows what might happen in person.
I’m not willing to risk going through a heat here at home.
Omegas who try to ride out a heat without alphas are in for a world of pain and suffering that’s difficult to comprehend. I’ve handled days of that on my own before, and even the thought of doing it again makes me curl up tighter into the fetal position.
I’m so damn lonely, but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.
I just have to hold on for the spot in New England.
Connor Hastings is the owner of the North Carolina location. He told me that he’d keep searching for somewhere with an immediate spot, but at most, I’ll be heading to dreary New England in just under two weeks.
I can hold on that long.
I should have stayed in bed and pretended to be asleep. Not that I could have slept through the ridiculously loud banging or the obnoxious sound of Ben’s exhaust as he pulled up.
