Page 9 of Claimed Omega

Heat climbed through me, and I needed release like never before. Staring at his parted lips, the quickening of his breath, all I could think about was his mouth brushing against my inner thighs. A tingle danced across my clit at the thought that left me short of breath.

“We should go into another room and talk.” He offered me his hand, his mouth breaking into a small smile, the glint in his eyes hopeful.

My breath caught because I knew the moment I went to a room with him, I’d throw myself at him and fuck him like a maniac. It hurt insanely how much I wanted to spread my legs for him, to beg him to knot in me, but I was torn and pissed at him. Until we spoke about what he’d done, I couldn’t have sex with him, and right then, that was all I could think about.

“Not now,” I grumbled and stood from the couch, pushing past his offered hand. It hurt me to pull away from him, and I couldn’t look back, or I’d see the ache in his eyes. I didn’t for a moment think he marked me for malevolent reasons, but I needed my future Alphas to not treat me like everyone had my entire life.

I moved to the window, mechanically eating the sandwich, barely tasting it. I struggled with arousal, with the ache deep in my gut of my rising heat coming for me like a monster from my nightmares. Finishing my food, I set the plate down while I struggled to breathe. Guilt and annoyance rushed me, moving as fast as the arousal swallowing me. Maybe I should have just gotten it over and done with it… fucked him, then we could have talked. I chided myself internally that I’d give in so easily.

I was no longer the girl I had been at the Institute. I was strong and a fighter.

Wincing when a shadow fell on me, I thought it was Viper, but the scent of muscadine grapes, fruity and sweet, came over me, caressing me and calling to the desire inside me.

“I’m here for you,” Aspen purred softly.

“Her heat is coming on more aggressively,” Daniel explained as though I wasn’t standing there.

Viper growled and disappeared around the corner, then the front door banged shut.

“Where’shegoing?” Daniel asked, setting his plate down on the coffee table.

Emotions flared—anger, frustration, unbearable desire. It felt like all the air had been sucked out of my lungs, and I couldn’t take another breath.

“Little Omega,” Aspen started, reaching for me, but I realized if I didn’t speak with Viper, I’d be a complete mess. I wouldn’t sleep, knowing he was that upset, or worse yet, he would leave the apartment and endanger himself.

“I have to speak to him,” I murmured, rushing across the room and out of the apartment. The dim light flickered overhead as I glanced over the railing at the spiral staircase. Two floors down, Viper was sitting on a step, arms on his bent legs, head hanging low between them.

My heart quivered at how worked up he got me. We had to sort this out.

Aspen stood in the doorway behind me, watching cautiously. His protectiveness was everything I wanted.

“Just don’t leave the building,” he suggested. “We have cameras around the place, and there’s no one else living in the building.”

I offered him a smile of understanding, then made my way down the concrete steps, my stomach practically in my throat. I hated confrontations, but what I hated more was being in an argument with someone when we could talk about it.

Viper didn’t move when I sat down next to him. Desire flared at our proximity. Swallowing hard, I ignored the urgency to reach over and touch him, to ask him if he needed me as if his life depended on it.

Instead, I let the silence consume us.

When he finally lifted his head, twisting it to look at me, shadows swam under eyes that glistened. It struck me hard to see a powerful man like Viper close to tears because I was mad at him. On my way down the stairs, I’d been on the verge of turning back around, and I was glad I hadn’t. The white elephant in the room was hurting us both, and I had to understand his side.

“You found out what a fucking jerk I am,” he croaked.

“Thelma told me at the cabin.” Clenching my thighs together, I licked my lips as I reminded myself I was pissed at the Viper, even if I was dying to reach over to him and straddle him there on the steps. It was difficult to be in heat and desire a man who you’re mad at. “I’m guessing I don’t have to tell you that what you did was wrong, that you took away my choice just like my father and the Institute did. Surely, you know that?”

“I’m not going to give you any excuses, Trinity. I fucked up so badly and don’t know what I’m going to do now. Losing you isn’t an option, but I’m screwed in the head. Better you know the truth about me and decide if I’m good enough for you.”

“So, what?” I said, staring down at my hands, noticing I still had some blood under my fingernails. “That excuses you?”

“Fuck no, that’s not what I’m saying.” His voice shook, and there wasn’t anger behind his words, only a broken man who struggled to hold on. “Something’s wrong inside my head. I lost Lillian, my first Omega, so abruptly, I convinced myself I wouldn’t find another one… that I couldn’t go through that pain. Then you did something to my heart I never expected. You took it without me realizing it until it was too late. I hate admitting it, but I was scared to hell I’d lose you, too. I wasn’t thinking straight…” Pain and heartache flowed from his voice, his eyes softening, then he moved a couple of steps down in front of me, kneeling on a stair as he faced me.

“From the first time I joined you in your nest, something possessive and desperate controlled me. At that moment, I realized I loved you, that somehow, whatever cruel god was looking over us had given me one more chance.”

“So, you marked me?” Anger flowed through my question. Part of me wanted to wring Viper’s neck, while another part remembered the horrifying story of how he’d lost his Omega in the traffic accident.

For a moment, he just stared at me.

“I don’t expect you to forgive me easily, but I’m hoping you do, eventually.” He pleaded with his eyes. “Panic and obsession came over me, so I decided in a split second that I couldn’t bear to lose you. I marked you in a moment of compulsion. I’m sorry, a billion times over. I’m sorry for taking that decision from you. I can’t take it back, but I wish I could.” His head dipped, and he smacked the side of his temple with the palm of his hand. “I’m going to make it up to you. I give you my word.”

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