Knot Without You: An Omegaverse Romance

Chapter 28

Chapter

Twenty-Eight

Leaving Maverick isn’t hard, and not because I’ve changed my mind about him; I’d be happy to explore our connection some more. Maybe I’m a fool for believing he wants to explain things properly, but it won’t stop me calling, texting, and catching up when he asks. Plus, the man kisses like a demon.

Walking through the crowd, I send off a text to King, letting him know I’m heading back to Unity after catching up with Maverick. I know he’ll have his phone switched off and that’s okay, it’s more important to me that the message is there waiting. From the get-go, I’ve told King all my secrets.

I stop dead in realisation, and my stomach drops to my feet. He does know all my secrets except one fucking huge one…I haven’t told him about Tyson. A wave of guilt has me swaying on my feet.

Big Tom appears next to me, his hand on my back pushing me forward.

“What happened?” he asks quietly. “You see something I need to know about?”

I shake my head. “I seriously think I need help,” I offer without explaining myself.

He takes control of the situation in his stoic way, steering me without panic through the crowd of people, out the front doors. He waits until we’re away from the crowd before he speaks again. “I’m going to go out on a limb here and take a stab at what’s got you scenting all guilty and distressed.”

Keeping pace with him as he walks through the carpark means my legs are working overtime. And I speed up so I can look at him, to try to get a bit of a hint at where he’s going. Big Tom hasn’t offered me any insight since he suggested I not sit on Maverick’s bike.

“All right, tell me.”

He looks behind us, making sure we’re not being followed, and when he looks back at me, he rolls his eyes at my impatience. “You’ve got a lot of balls in the air, one of them’s bound to fall down eventually, but it doesn’t mean you ain’t a good juggler.”

Immediately I catch on to what he’s saying, and I shake my head disagreeing, “Yeah but it’s a big ball I dropped.”

“And I still reckon you need to focus on being able to juggle in the first place.”

“How do people do this pack thing?” I ask, genuinely interested because from where I’m standing it’s freaking hard work, and I’m doing a terrible job.

“No disrespect but you’re kind of doing it your way.”

My eyebrows pop up, “Hey?”

“Most packs are already formed for starters. I’d put money on that big fancy school of yours working with the government setting it up like that in their cookie cutter world of theirs. You ever been to a meet and greet that’s unpacked Alphas only?”

“No,” I answer, surprised I’ve only just seen that’s exactly what does happen. Unity always pushes Omegas to established packs.

“You ever seen a pack you liked at one of those events?”

I sputter out a laugh, all but confirming I haven’t.

Big Tom looks back at me smugly, knowing he’s right. “For some people it works, obviously. I guess I’ve always thought you would find your pack a bit like the way you live your life.”

“Pardon?” I heard him, but what has me interrupting him is the insinuation in his voice, which sounds a lot like admiration. It’s unexpected.

“Since the day I took you on as a job, you’ve been a fucking good person to me and Tonka. You’ve never been a brat, trying to sneak out without letting us know. You go out of your way to be polite, which you didn’t need to do because I get paid good to watch you. Don’t get me wrong, you’re stubborn as a mule sometimes, but you’re a good sort.”

“I honestly don’t know what to say.”

“Guess that means I keep talking, huh? You make your own way, and that takes guts. It doesn’t mean you don’t stumble, and stumbling is important because it forces you to see what made you trip up. But you always get back up, Tristan, and just go for it until you’ve got what you want.”

For the second time in a few minutes, I stop dead in my tracks as his words sink in. And I’m kind of shaken because I never saw it like that, and I didn’t think people saw me like that either. It’s eye-opening but it doesn’t make me feel any better about the issue at hand.

“I didn’t tell King about Tyson,” I admit, and the guilt from before bubbles up again.

“Don’t you reckon you’ve had a fair bit of other shit going on since you met Tyson. And seriously, whenever you and King get together, I’m surprised you both remember how to talk.” He chuckles.

“And that means?”

He waves me on because we’re out in the open. “You’re good to each other, and for each other. I know you share something with Maverick, and maybe it’s the same with Tyson. Life isn’t fucking peachy straight up, sometimes there’s things in your way to test you.”

“So philosophical!” I shoulder bump him, and we get close to where I parked.

Big Tom doesn’t say anything until I’m sitting in my car. “I have to be honest though, I think King is going to have a real issue with the Tyson thing.”

I look at him before I screech, “Are you serious? I was feeling okay, and now I feel sick again. Oh my god, thanks a lot!”

He rolls his eyes and waits until I stop whining. “King won’t be happy for a number of reasons and none of them have to do with you not telling him. I’ll even put money on it.”

He holds out his hand, and I eye it suspiciously without reaching for it. “What are you doing?”

“We’re shaking on a bet. If King reacts how I think he will you give me”—he looks off thinking for a moment—“you sort me out a table at that fancy restaurant that’s always booked out. Food and drink for two.”

I look at him in shock before my mind locks on what he wants. My phone is in my hands and the number for Roda’s is on my screen. “Big Tom, you should have told me you wanted to go there. I can get you a table anytime you want. When? And do you want their set menu, or you want to order your own?”

Big Tom pushes my hand down. “Tristan… you just proved my point you’re a good person. Now back to our bet. If King doesn’t react the way I think and you win, what do you want?”

I say the first thing that pops into my head. “You tell Raney.”

He throws his hands up and rocks back on his heels. “No chance. You two idiots should have done that already. You’re on your own there. But how about I do a big cook-up for you and your pack if you win.”

“I don’t have a pack!”

“Yet. But you’ve got all these Alphas trying to make amends including getting their shit in order for when the time is right for you to talk about packing.”

I snort out a laugh, “Okay, I’m not sure I agree with you. Anyway, how do you know?”

“I’m an Alpha who’s been there and done that, but I also got a pair of fucking eyes in my skull and see things you clearly don’t. Now get, you got things to organise.” Big Tom ends our conversation and then he shuts the door of my car before walking off all casually like he’s not freaking imparting life lessons like Yoda.

Before we’re pulling out of the venue, I’m leaving a detailed message on King’s phone about what happened at the hospital a few weeks ago. I have to call back a couple of times to tell him everything, but by the time I’ve finished explaining, I’ve stopped crying and I feel a hundred times better.

Until I get back to Unity, to an empty suite. And then my mood dips again.

I walk around Raney and Heidi’s rooms and list all the things missing from their rooms but more than that their essence is missing from our unit. The four of us have been talking heaps about our time at Unity is ending, initially it was exciting now I’m heartbroken. I know our friendship is a life-long one, these girls are like the sisters I never had but not seeing them daily is going to take some getting used to.

Sitting on my bed feeling sorry for myself, I send my girls a message in our group chat letting them know I love and miss them. No one responds, and I can see none of them are online but that doesn’t make me feel better, it just reinforces my mood. I lie down to stare out the window and contemplate life but something under my pillow makes a rustling noise. I quickly remember the envelope I stuffed under there before.

“Courting gift my ass. Ten bucks my mysterious texter has levelled up and started sending me paper threats,” I grumble out loud. Sliding my finger under the seal, a folded piece of paper falls out, along with a check. The check is made out to cash, so it doesn’t give me any clues as to who is sending me money, when I open the note, I get my answer.

Tristan,

I’ve written this a hundred times after watching you walk away. I deserved your anger because you’re right, I did lie. It was an awful move on my part, and I knew going into it you’d be hurt. I also knew ending us before we even started was the wrong decision, but I had to do it.

I’m hoping you give me the chance to explain. I’ll be away for a few days but will have my phone if you want to reach me.

I hope (I’m begging really) you give me an opportunity to explain why I did you wrong.

Stay safe. And I am so sorry, Tristan. I really am.

Tyson

PS. Can you give this check back to Dean. It’s not for the full amount because I needed some money to do what I should have done a while ago (I promise this will all make sense soon).

Reading his note is like being dragged backwards through time. All the reminders of him and what happened fill my head, so vividly too. I can literally feel his presence next to me as I sink into remembering what I tried so hard to forget. And I didn’t forget a thing. Tyson’s dark blue stormy eyes steal my breath away. I’d be able to describe all his features in detail if asked, including how silky soft his hair was. Of course it’s the same with his scent, but in that regard my mind teases me, making me almost believe I can taste his sweet lemony scent. Admittedly, it’s the lemon meringue version and not the citric sourness from our goodbye.

Part of why I just shut away all memories of Tyson is because Big Tom was right, it’s been a shit show ever since. Though the bigger reason is because I’m still heartbroken and in shock.

My emotions keep rising and pitching and it’s exhausting because a voice in my head decides to remind me it’s not just Tyson who makes me sad. Maverick and King are a part of it too because while all these Alphas say we’re packing, or they’ll fix us, I’m still alone and tonight that voice is completely neurotic but it is the loudest too.

Picking up my phone, I’m not slow at putting two and two together because I’ve been an Omega for forever but sometimes you really do forget the obvious signs of your cycle. Triple checking on when my last heat isn’t something I have to do but at least it confirms again why my brain is so bonkers tonight.

Taking a long, hot shower I use all my favourite things to pull myself back into alignment, but even after trying all my usual favourite soaps and lotions it isn’t until I’m pulling on one of King’s hoodies and climbing into my nest with the empty water bottle Maverick gave me and my note from Tyson, that I start to feel better. The sense of relief is so deep, it has me swiping happy tears away.

Turning on the fairy lights so my nesting room is dim and cosy, I all but bury myself under every nesting blanket I own, but it’s the little pieces of them that comfort me the most.