Page 18 of The Omega Switch: Part 2

“And I saw that you were given the smallest room, insufficient for an omega.” I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. I knew I had the worst room, but didn’t think about how it affected my designation. “The way they underfed you, and made you work so hard. All of it was excused away, but we had no idea how much they were doing to you that we couldn’t see. We still don’t know the extent of what you went through. We hadn’t realized they didn’t even celebrate your birthday.” Elias said, his voice cracking.

I sat back, confused. My family always brushed over my birthday. That was normal to me. And yeah, it sucked that Arabella was always given more. But I’d grown used to it, and told myself it made me resilient. But maybe Elias was seeing things that even I hadn’t.

His voice grew quieter. “But I should have seen it even without knowing. How you always looked for permission before talking. The way your family insisted you didn’t eat in front of others, when I could tell you were hungry.” He looked up at me then, and the pain in his eyes was almost unbearable. “I saw every one of those things, and I just didn’t understand what they meant.”

My fingers tightened around my cup, and I stared into my coffee for a long time before answering.

"...Neither did I." The words surprised me. "I didn't think of it as abuse." My voice sounded strangely distant, as though I were admitting it for the first time. "I thought… I thought my family was just hard, or different, I guess." My throat tightened. "It wasn't until I left, until I hit absolute rock bottom, that I finally saw things for what they were. Healthy people don’t live like that.”

I was quiet after that, processing what Elias had told me, my own memories now shown in a different light. Elias let me process. I suppose he could tell I was grieving again. Finally, when he finished his coffee, he spoke.

"Is there anything I can do?" His eyes looked into mine, and I swore this man could see into my soul. I bit my lip. I was still angry, still devastated that he hadn’t seen me when I needed him. But maybe some part of me wanted his help.

"The only thing I want you to do is go back in time and listen to me. Prevent Hunter from barking at me and breaking my heart. You all could have just seen me, instead of listening to my crazy family. You all abandoned me, and that broke my heart. But now, I don't even have one anymore. Thanks to you and your pack.” I said, my words bitter.

Elias hung his head. “I’m so, so sorry, Ivy. Trust me when I tell you that that was the worst mistake of our lives. We are paying for it every day. I understand if you don’t want anything from me. But if you ever do, I’m at your mercy.” He said. I watched him sit there, realizing he looked almost as bad as Ronan.

“Actually, there is something you could do.” I finally said. His head snapped up, his entire attention focused on me.

“Anything you want, Ivy.” His muscles flexed under his shirt. I knew he was sincere, ready to jump if I snapped my fingers.

"If I need you..." I chose my next words carefully. "Then I want you to be there."

He answered immediately.

"I will."

I wasn’t done yet. I leaned forward, looking him straight in the eyes. "I might not ever need you, and that's likely the case. But understand something. If you ever make me doubt myself again..." My voice remained calm despite the tremor in my chest. "If you ever dismiss me, believe someone else over me, or make me question my own reality..." I held his gaze. "Then I'm done. And I'll ask you never to contact me again."

He didn't argue.

"You won't have to ask twice." He said.

I felt something in me release, like a pain I’d carried that finally went away. Elias had done everything I could have wanted. He didn’t cross any boundaries or try to get into my space. Maybe he had changed. But whether it would be enough, I didn’t know.

Before I could overthink it, I stood up, ready to end the meeting. He looked up at me but didn't move. Something inside me softened. Maybe I’d never need him, or ever want to see him again. I wanted, just this once, to know what it felt like to touch him. So I closed the distance between us.

When I wrapped my arms around him, I felt him freeze in complete surprise before he very slowly returned the embrace. His arms rested lightly around me, holding me as though he was afraid I might run away if he held too tightly.

I realized it was the first time we'd ever truly touched. His scent was gone beneath the descenter, but it didn’t matter. My body still found comfort in him. Maybe it wasn't his scent I'd missed after all. Just him.

But I wouldn’t tell him that, not yet.

When I finally stepped back, he nodded at me awkwardly, but his eyes were brimming with joy. It made me feel a little high on power. I’d never had this effect on anyone before, as far as I could remember. Maybe, I could allow myself just a little hope. But then, I shook the feeling off. He’d ruined it - and I didn’t think I could ever, ever forgive him. No matter what he did to make up for it.

Chapter 11

Hunter

The atmosphere in the house felt lighter lately. Elias was smiling again. He wasn’t completely happy again, but something about him felt lighter, without a doubt. He looked like he’d finally had a full night's sleep.

Ronan was better, too. He was still miserable, but something had changed after he saw Ivy. He was finally eating full meals. After they’d visited her, somehow both of them came home looking slightly more alive. I hated myself for being jealous.

It’s not that I didn't want them to see her. I thought for sure she’d slam the door in their faces and ban our whole pack from ever speaking to her again. I had low expectations when Ronan went to see her, and from what he said, she had some harsh words and nothing but apathy toward him. But I was grateful she'd allowed it. Ronan had come home from his first conversation with Ivy looking like someone had broken his heart, and healed it at the same time. He'd told us very little because he considered most of what she'd said private, but he'd told us the important part.

She hadn't forgiven him, or us. We had let her down in a way that was nearly impossible to recover from, and she looked truly happy on her own. But she hadn't told him never to come back either. For Ronan, that was enough to sustain life, though he still held a worried expression when any talk about her family came up. I knew he’d worry about her until the day he died, but that’s what happens when you finally find your match.

Elias had returned from his meeting with her carrying a combination of grief and hope. Ivy allowed him to sit with her and listened to his apology. But after everything that happened, she miraculously told him that if she ever needed him, she wanted him to be there.