Page 47 of Omega Ruined

Olivia stepped into the room, closing the door behind her. She was dressed in the warm flannel pajama set that we'd bought her early on, though they were nearly too small now that she'd filled out a bit. I made a mental note to order another set in her size.

"Are you busy?"

"Not now. Have a seat." I gestured at the sofa along the side of the room.

Olivia went to the sofa and sat down, tucking her legs under herself. "We need to talk."

"Okay." I steeled myself for what she had to say. It couldn't be good if she'd sought me out alone like this. "What's up?"

"We got off on the wrong foot, for obvious reasons," she started. "I know you weren't thinking about me or omegas in general, apart from being a cure for your pack. And you were right about that, since the guys are obviously doing really well."

"They are," I said. "Thank you for helping them. I can never repay you for that."

"Well, the two of them are bonded, but that splits the pack. Don't think I haven't noticed how you mope around when I'm with them. And Zephyr is patient, but he's also getting anxious about not being bonded."

I waited, unsure of where she was going with this.

"I think it's time to bond the two of you. We're all settled in our bonds now and I'm feeling more stable now."

Olivia's hands plucked absently at the flannel she wore, as she waited for my response.

"Are you sure you want to bond with us? Neither of us will force it and I know how you feel about me," I told her.

"I don't hate you. And you're the leader of the pack I love."

The words sent a knife through my heart. She loved my pack, not me. Ouch.

"Okay, that doesn't mean you need to bond me." Why was I trying to talk her out of this? I was crazy. For a moment, I wanted to take it all back and just walk over and bite her now.

"It does. Also, I like you," she admitted. "I hate what you did. I don't like that you think of omegas as useful to you, rather than as people. But overall, you're decent."

"Thanks for the compliment."

"You bought me, that's not something that just goes away. But I want to be part of this pack and you're part of it, so…"

"I'm the consolation prize," I said bitterly. "Well. My answer is no. I won't bond you. But you're free to claim Zephyr and vice versa. I'll stay out of the bonds."

"Why?" She looked confused.

"Because you don't really want me. You want my pack. And in order for them to be happy, I would do anything, including living without an omega. You can be theirs, but not mine and we'll still be a pack."

Olivia bit her lip, studying me. "You're miserable."

"I'll try to hide it better." I rubbed my hand over my face. "Look, I get it. I didn't do things the right way. I fucked it all up and everyone hates me for it, but it did get the resutls. I don't know what else I could have done."

Her lips turned down. "I know you don't. I wish I could make you understand, but I can't."

We sat in silence for a while, then Olivia stood up. "I'm going to go talk to Zephyr. Thank you for letting me bond them."

I watched her leave while my heart cracked in my chest. She was going to take the last thing I had away from me. Zephyr and I had been together off and on for years and now he would finally be claimed by an omega. He wouldn't need me any longer.

My heart was heavy as I leaned on the desk, trying to think of how to put things right again.

Chapter twenty-five

Zephyr

Talking to Kienan had been depressing, but the man still didn't get it. I was still wary of him after being here for several weeks and that didn't bode well for the future. I was actually pretty relieved he'd rejected my offer to bond him. Maybe he could find someone else.