Page 58 of Aries
Now that I was presented with seeing my omega after over ten years of missing her, add in several of those years where I thought she might be dead, and my current reaction made no fucking sense.
My alpha was silent, like he’d closed the doors between us. I was dragging my feet, battling what I could only describe as pure terror.
I was terrified that we’d make this drive, find this town… and the name would be a coincidence.
How could I come back from that? I’d barely lived through that news once.
My pack warned me that I wasn’t going to drive long before we loaded in the car. They expected me to fight it, but I couldn’t seem to get myself together long enough for that. I was barely functioning as it was.
“Are you alright?” Thea’s voice was more gentle than it usually was. As far as “typical” omegas went, she wasn’t soft andquiet. Life had hardened her, much the way I feared it altered Aries. Would I even recognize her?
“No,” I said bluntly, looking at her out of the corner of my eye.
She and a few other omegas were with me and Ronan. The others were behind us in the car with Luca.
I hadn’t bothered to ask what their names were, which probably made me a bad person.
Though that ship had sailed long ago. There were too many lives on my hands for me to be considered good in any way.
My only thoughts were of Aries and this mysterious town we were heading for. Our contact threatened us within an inch of our lives to make sure that we didn’t disturb their society. They were a safe haven, and would remain that.
The threat was pretty fucking clear. If they had to take these girls from us and kick us out, they would, with no hesitation.
Honestly, traumatizing these girls was the last thing I wanted to do.
All I wanted was my omega.
“Do you think she’s there after all this time?” Thea asked quietly.
She didn’t move closer, which I appreciated. Her blockers kept her scent at bay but I was on edge.
In fact, everyone but me had taken blockers for this. I refused. They’d have to fucking deal with it.
If my Aries was there, she would smell my scent. It was a way for her to realize who I was.
“I hope,” I said, “but I’m terrified to find out the truth. What if it’s not her? That would mean the fight is over.”
She swallowed and nodded like she understood.
“I get it. My alpha died trying to save me from the assholes that took me. He died for nothing. I wanted to give up, but spite kept me going.”
“I’m sorry,” I said.
It shocked me that I meant it. Her situation was just as awful as mine with Aries. How could I not sympathize?
I guess my heart wasn’t as dead as I thought.
“If this town is what they advertised, then maybe one day I can finally forgive myself and move on.”
I opened my mouth to tell her it wasn’t her fault, but she gave me a sad smile.
“I know it isn’t my guilt to carry,” she said, “but it’s there anyway.”
She turned toward the window. Rain had just started to fall, darkening the interior and covering the glass in small, steady streams.
I’d never considered myself superstitious, but this better not be a fucking omen.
“Breathe, Nikolai,” Ronan said under his breath.
