Page 75 of Selection

Wolf blinks hard, and his footsteps falter, but he doesn’t stop walking. “I’m surprised you’ve thought about it, but I won’t deny that the thought crossed my mind a time or two when I was with her the other day. I didn’t think I would ever hear it from you.”

“Yeah, I know. I love Kaz. You know I do, but pack loyalty should come above all, you know?”

“I know. I also know Kaz hasn’t been doing that recently. He hasn’t been putting us above all.”

“Still, breaking our bonds? Are we really talking about this?”

“Can you see yourself choosing another Omega?” he asks quietly. “Because I can’t. I’ve already chosen and even considering someone else feels like…a fucking crime against my nature. I can’t do it. I love Kaz too, but he needs to think this through.”

I blow out a deep breath, agony slicing at my insides like I’m being flayed alive, but there’s nothing for it. He’s right. I’ve already chosen too, and if Kaz doesn’t shape up and choose her, then Wolf and I may not have a choice.

“No, I can’t see myself bonding with another Omega.” I nearly choke on the words as I try to get them out. “If Kaz doesn’t choose her, we might have to consider an alternative.”

Wolf grunts, but I feel his pain mingling with my own, just as intense and just as fucking heartbreaking. “Guess you’re more like your father than you thought, huh? You realize the whole world will detest her for this when word gets out, right? The Omega who broke up the Royal Pack. Can you imagine what they’ll do to her?”

“No, but we wouldn’t stick around to find out. It would kill her, and this isn’t even her fault. She’s not forcing us to do anything. In fact, she’s the one who made the deal with Kaz to spy for him instead of asking him to keep her in the running.”

“Yeah, but people will want someone to blame and it ain’t going to be the future king.”

“True that.” I sigh. “Okay, so if it comes to this, we’ll get her out before the news breaks. We’ll go someplace else. Leave the country and go somewhere far away. Somewhere no one knows who we are and where they don’t care enough about monarchies and royalty to find out.”

“I mean, sure, we could try, but we’re going to have to go pretty fucking far.”

I nod. “Have you got your phone on you?”

He frowns. “Of course.”

“Good. So do I.” We’ve been walking so fast that we’re breaking through the trees surrounding the field already. “Reception’s not bad out here. Let’s do some research, finish that flask, and then we can go find her?”

“Yeah, okay.” Although he’s agreeing with me, his voice is ragged. He’s just as conflicted about this as I am.

But the thing is that we can’tnotchoose her. To the two of us, Maddie already is our Omega and we’ll do whatever it takes to keep her. To protect her. To love her.

Even if we have to break our own hearts to do it.

TWENTY-FIVE

—

M A D D I E

Tears blurmy vision as I stand in front of the door leading to the pack quarters. My date with Kaz is over, but I feel like we just had an hour-long breakup. Even though all we did was talk about the other Omegas and Wolf and Tai, when he left, I could tell he was torn up.

Which tore me up even worse than I was before.

And that’s why I’m here.

Kaz and I talked about everythingbutus. If today is the last time I’ll get to speak to him, then I need to be honest. I was planning on telling him how I felt during our date, but things went a little sideways when he asked me point blank why he’s been feeling like Wolf, Tai, and I are keeping secrets from him.

I told him everything that’s happened between the three of us because we haven’t been keeping secrets. I don’t think Kaz realizes how deep our feelings toward each other have grown. He knew a lot of what I’d said, but I don’t know if he’s pieced it together because of their bond or if they straight-up told him.

Either way, the one thing I haven’t done is the thing I’ve returned back here to do.

Just as I’m about to knock, the door jerks open. An incredibly pissed-off Kaz appears, apparently on his way out. He slams to a stop when he sees me standing there with my fist already raised.

His gorgeous face is all sharp edges right now, set in a scowl that makes it look like it’s been permanently etched onto his features. His cheeks are flushed with obvious anger, and the veins in his neck bulge so much that he looks more like Wolf than he does himself.

“Maddie? What are you doing here?” His voice is harsh, like I’m the last person he wants to see right now.

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