Page 37 of Daughter of Garnet

I roll my lips inward and shake my head. I can’t. Ilota told me not to tell anyone, and, no matter how much I want him to make this turmoil go away, I’m not going to disobey an order from a Goddess.

Darkness falls over his expression, and he releases my hair as he shoves me against the bookshelf.

"You know, I'm losing my patience here. I'm not known for being a forgiving man. This is the last chance you'll get. Lie to me again, and I’ll let you rot, no matter how much you beg me.” He takes a few steps backward, like he’s afraid to be too close to me.

“Zoe Ansell. Are you an Omega?”

I swallow several times, trying to moisten my dry throat. I know my eyes are screaming at him, admitting what I’m too scared to. But the fury on his face makes it clear that that is not enough for him. He needs my words.

“No.” The lie tastes like ash on my tongue.

“Pathetic. Whatever happens, remember that you asked for this."

As he stalks away, what feels like a tether between the two of us pulls tighter and tighter. It’s an ache, a physical need to have him turn around and come back to me, to touch me and soothe me and tell me this is going to be okay, that we’ll figure it out together.

But that is not who Dominic Bradly is. He is cold and cruel.

He turns the corner, completely out of my sight, and the tether snaps.

CHAPTER 19

Zoe

I don’t know how long I lay on the floor of the library with my body too heavy to move and my chest aching.

I watched him leave. Every step he took was a punch to my gut, and yet I didn’t stop him. How was I supposed to? I couldn’t admit the truth. A literal Goddess forbade me from it. He wouldn’t accept anything less than me admitting what he already knew.

Why does he have to be so stubborn?

He knows what I am. We both know he knows and that my denial was a lie. Why were the words so important to him? Couldn't he tell I was withholding for reasons out of my control?

Was he looking for an excuse to hurt me?

My body is sore and tired, but it has nothing on my weary soul.

So much has changed in such a short amount of time. How did I go from being someone most would never look twice at to the chosen one of a Goddess? The only Omega of a dead element?

This may be the worst thing that has ever happened to me.

And why did it hurt so fucking much that Dominic walked away from me? He made it very clear he doesn't care about me. He's punishing me, even though he knows I can't tell him what I am.

Hot tears drip down my cheeks, not of heartache, but of missed potential.

Trails of what could have been if I told him the truth.

He said I needed an Alpha, and he would be that for me.

But he left.

“Zoe?”

How am I going to face everyone? I won’t be able to keep my designation hidden forever. If Warren had been around when my teeth changed, my secret would be out, and I don't know if I can trust him to keep it.

I should be able to, but I can't. If Dominic's reaction from the beginning is any indication, no one is going to take this news well.

Given the way my body is changing, I doubt it will be secret for long. Everyone will take one look at me and know what I have become, and I will let my Goddess down. I won’t be able to fix whatever's broken. I've never been particularly pious, but having a Goddess speak in my ear changed that.

I don't know exactly what she needs to do, but she wouldn't ask if it wasn't important.