Omega’s Refuge (Rambling Cow Dude Ranch #1)

Chapter Seventeen

“Are you serious?” I asked, voice wobbling. He didn’t look like he was joking, but what he was saying seemed outlandish.

“I’m completely serious.” His cheeks were flushed but his gaze unflinching.

“Why would you think we’re… fated mates?” I felt foolish even saying that out loud. “And how would you prove such a thing?”

His gaze dropped to my birthmark. “Because of the mark on your hip.”

I laughed gruffly. “My birthmark makes you think we’re fated mates?”

He nodded. “Yes.”

“Why?” Rex had always struck me as a practical type. It was hard to wrap my head around the fact he was now telling me he believed in fated mates.

“My grandmother was deeply into folklore and the concept of fated mates. She wholeheartedly believed the old stories passed down through generations. In fact, she insisted that she and Granddad were fated mates.”

I frowned. “Did she?”

“Yep.”

“I guess the older generation definitely believe in that stuff.” I hesitated. “ However, people our age don’t usually believe in fated mates.”

“It’s true our generation is far more skeptical,” he murmured. “But since meeting you, I’m a believer.”

“Rex,” I said, feeling confused. “I don’t get why a random physical mark on my body would convince you to believe in fairytales.”

“I don’t think it is a fairytale.” He leaned toward me, his expression earnest. “It’s not just the mark. I’m telling you, something was different the minute I met you, Tanner. I wouldn’t say that if it weren’t true.”

Judging by his tone and expression, he absolutely believed what he was saying. “I’ll admit our attraction was instant, and it’s not like anything I’ve felt before.” I wrinkled my brow. “But I find it difficult to believe we were destined for each other.”

He lifted one shoulder, seemingly unconcerned by my skepticism. “I get why it’s hard to believe. But my grandmother always said I was destined for a blond, blue eyed omega with a birthmark shaped like a perfect star.” He hesitated. “She also said that omega would be with child.”

“She actually said that to you?” I blinked at him in disbelief .

“Yes.” He grimaced. “I didn’t believe her at the time. I was just a kid, and the idea of a pregnant mate didn’t thrill me, fated or not.”

I studied him, mulling over his words. To be honest, the idea of being fated to him didn’t bother me. While I found it hard to believe, it wasn’t an unpleasant thought. In some ways, it was almost comforting. It had unsettled me how quickly I’d moved on from Steve. I’d felt shallow for bonding with Rex so easily and guilty that my connection to him already felt stronger. However, if we were fated mates, there’d be no reason to be guilty.

Do I actually believe his theory?

“You sincerely believe we’re fated?” I touched the star on my hip, frowning. “Simply because of this mark?”

“As I said, it’s not just the mark. There’s also the pregnancy, and the way I feel about you.” His voice was hushed. “The pull toward you is intense. Unshakable. I’ve never felt this way about any other omega.”

My chest tightened as our eyes met. “I know you believe what you’re saying, but it’s still really hard to accept. I see why the universe might pick you, but I… I don’t see why the universe would deem me worthy of a fated mate.”

He scowled. “Of course you’re worthy.”

“But there are so many braver, smarter omegas out there. Why me ? Why give me a fated mate? If fated mates truly do exist, shouldn’t that sort of thing be reserved for the best of the best among our kind?”

He sighed, reaching out to take my hand. “Tanner, you really don’t see yourself clearly at all. You’re amazing.”

“But I’m really not,” I muttered.

He tilted his head, his gaze intent. “I don’t agree.”

“I can’t imagine what would make me fated mate material.” I rubbed my jaw. “I’m nothing special.”

He frowned. “Do you know why fated mates would exist?”

I considered his question. “I assume fated mates are designed to pass on the best qualities of our species.”

He nodded. “Yes. Exactly. I believe the best qualities we can have are kindness, loyalty, natural intelligence, creativity. You possess all of those things, Tanner.”

I cupped my stomach, frowning. “But… how does all of this work if I’m carrying the child of another alpha? Wouldn’t that mess up the whole fated mates theory?”

“Why would it?” He frowned.

“Well, if I’m supposed to be with you and we’re supposed to pass on the best qualities, how does that jibe with me giving birth to Steve’s kid? He most certainly doesn’t possess great qualities. Why would the universe allow me to get pregnant with his child?”

He hesitated. “I’m not sure. I… I don’t pretend to have all the answers, Tanner. But I will say this, that child will be half yours too. We can make sure your qualities are encouraged.”

“I guess,” I muttered.

He smiled. “In the long run, whether we’re fated or not is of no consequence. I’m officially your alpha now, so who cares if you believe in fate? No matter what, I’m going to take care of you and the baby.”

My chest squeezed. “There you go being nice again.”

His smile faded. “You seem to think you’re the only one getting something out of our arrangement. You accepted my bite and now I get to have what I’ve wanted for so long: an omega and kids.” He moved to lie down again. “Now, come here. We need sleep. You especially.”

I slipped into his arms, allowing myself to relax against his warm body. Despite all the drama of the day, I felt surprisingly content. I’d never felt anywhere near this peaceful when I’d been with Steve. Was this how an omega was supposed to feel when they were claimed by their alpha?

It occurred to me that, if Steve hadn’t run off with Tony, I wouldn’t be in Rex’s arms. Steve’s betrayal had brought me this new found happiness. If Steve hadn’t been a cheapskate, or if he’d been faithful, Rex and I would never have reached this point with one another.

So, in a twisted way, I owed Steve for the joy I now felt.

****

Returning to Billings wasn’t nearly as depressing as I’d expected. As I entered my old apartment, I felt nothing but relief at the idea of ending that tumultuous chapter of my life with Steve. The small space smelled stale, and felt more cluttered than I remembered.

I moved through my apartment, surrounded by my things, but there was no pang of regret that Steve was no longer in my life. To be honest, I felt like a stranger in my old apartment. I didn’t belong there anymore because I now felt bonded to Rex. The ranch felt like home, not this cramped, stuffy apartment.

Steve had taken all of his stuff, and even some of mine. But I wasn’t going to worry about that. I could replace CDs and knickknacks. It was well worth losing those material things to get Steve out of my life for good. Whatever connection we’d shared over the years was truly severed now. Since Rex had claimed me, I felt nothing for Steve but pity.

“Did you ever get a confirmation from the movers?” Rex murmured, interrupting my thoughts. He was by a corner bookshelf, carefully placing my books in a cardboard box. I found it amusing that every now and then, he’d pause and start reading, seeming to forget all about packing.

“Yep. They’ll be here any minute to take the remaining stuff to storage.” I surveyed my furniture and stacks of boxes, feeling a pang that I couldn’t bring it all with me. But I comforted myself with the knowledge that one day Rex and I would buy a home together and I’d once more have all my things around me. “Hopefully the fact I’m on the third floor won’t be a problem.”

Rex smiled. “They’re movers. I’m sure a few flight of stairs isn’t going to deter them.”

“I hope not.” I ran my hand over the back of the couch, caressing the soft brown suede material. “I remember when I bought this sofa. It was the first thing I purchased when I moved into this apartment.”

Rex stopped what he was doing to study me. “Is it weird being back here? Does it make you homesick?”

I shook my head. “I’m not exactly homesick. I do miss having my things, but I don’t have any urge to stay here. I… I like living on the ranch.”

He smiled, looking pleased. “Yeah?”

I nodded. “Absolutely. The fresh air and beauty of the ranch makes me happy.” I patted my stomach. “It’s good for the baby too.”

He nodded. “Much healthier than living in the city. ”

“Yes.”

“We shouldn’t stay here any longer than necessary. I should get you back to the ranch as soon as possible.”

His gaze was so intense, I laughed and looked away. “I’m not going to spontaneously combust just because I breathe some smog.”

“No,” he said softly. “But it isn’t good for you. As your alpha, I need to keep you safe.”

My cheeks warmed at the heat in his eyes. Ever since he’d claimed me he’d become much more possessive. Not in a creepy controlling way, but in a protective way. I wasn’t used to an alpha looking out for me the way he did, but I kind of liked it. It made me feel special.

There was a knock on the door and I startled slightly. Pressing a hand to my chest, I laughed sheepishly. “That must be the movers.” Since I was closer to the door, I went to open it. When I found Steve standing on the front stoop, my first reaction was shock, which quickly morphed into anger.

“What are you doing here?” I demanded. I hadn’t been sure how I’d feel running into Steve. After all, we’d been friends for so long and then lovers. I’d worried if I saw him in the flesh, there might be lingering feelings toward him. He’d been my alpha, after all. But the only thing I felt was irritation. He’d managed to destroy the fondness I’d had for him .

He didn’t look as cocky as usual. He looked tired and there were lines beneath his eyes. But he forced a bright smile. “Come on, babe, is that any way for you to greet me?”

I grumbled, “I’m not your babe .”

“Sure you are.” His smile faltered. “You’ll always be my babe.”

I squinted at him. “Are you drunk? I don’t understand what you’re doing here. You already got your things.”

“I came by to talk to you.”

“Well, we have nothing to talk about.” I frowned. “And how did you even know I was here?”

He shrugged. “That’s not important.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Are you stalking me or something?”

He laughed. “No. I’m not stalking you, T.” He leaned against the door jamb, giving me one of his most charming smiles. “Look, I know I fucked up, okay?”

“Okay, well, thank for acknowledging that.” I started to close the door but he blocked it with his foot. I was worried Rex would overhear us and come to check things out. The last thing I wanted was Steve and Rex coming face to face right now.

“Come on, T, let me tell you what I came here to tell you.” He pushed his lips out in a pout.

I gripped the door, my anxiety about Rex coming over increasing with every passing second. “I heard all I needed to hear when we spoke on the phone. You know, the day you abandoned me at that dude ranch.”

He rolled his eyes. “I didn’t leave you in the middle of nowhere.”

I sputtered, “Uh, yeah, that’s literally what you did.”

“What I’m saying is I left you somewhere you’d be safe. I didn’t dump you in a ravine out in the desert.” His mouth tensed. “I knew that fucking cowboy would be only too happy to soothe your broken heart.”

I kept my expression blank, praying he didn’t notice the fresh bite mark on my throat. He’d freak out if he saw that Rex had claimed me. I wasn’t sure what to do to get rid of him. All I wanted was to shut the door on Steve, literally and figuratively. But he seemed in no hurry to leave, and it was only a matter of time before Rex came over to see what was going on.

“Look,” I said as calmly as possible, “We have nothing to say to each other. It’s over and I wish you nothing but the best, okay? May you live happily-ever-after with Tony or whoever else you hitch your wagon to.”

“I don’t want Tony.”

I laughed gruffly. “Did he dump you? Is that why you’re here?”

His cheeks tinted pink. “No, it was a mutual parting of ways. ”

“Pfft, sure it was.” I shook my head.

He waved his hands impatiently. “I don’t want to talk about Tony, I want to talk about us.”

“There is no us.”

He gave an exasperated growl. “T, let me explain why I did what I did.”

I crossed my arms, feeling annoyed and anxious. “There’s no point in listening. There’s no reasonable explanation for all the shit you’ve put me through the last year. We’re not good together. It’s that simple. We gave it a good try, but it didn’t work out. Let it go, Steve.”

“No.” He let out a harsh breath. “I can’t just let you go. We’ve known each other a long time, T. I claimed you. You at least owe me a conversation.”

I gritted my teeth. “I don’t owe you a thing. Not after how you behaved.”

Ignoring me, he continued, “What happened was I got scared, T.” He leaned forward, his expression earnest. “We were fighting so much, it spooked me. You didn’t care that I wanted to leave that ranch, and that really hurt me.”

“It doesn’t matter. It’s over and done with now.”

“It matters to me.” He started to take a step inside, but I pushed the door and stopped him.

“You don’t need to come in. You don’t live here anymore.” I gave an edgy glance over my shoulder. I was positive Rex would appear any minute and then all hell would break loose. I needed to get rid of Steve ASAP. “Just go, would you please? We’re finished and there’s no changing that.”

His face fell. “Why are you being so cold? That’s not like you, T.”

I exhaled tiredly. “Steve, we’ve been down this road too many times. I don’t have the energy for it anymore.”

“You’re just throwing everything away? Even our friendship?”

I scowled. “What kind of a friend treats someone the way you treated me? I forgave you over and over, but it meant nothing to you. You never changed. I’ve had enough.”

“Just like that you don’t care about me anymore?” He truly did look wounded.

I grimaced. “Look, I… I still care about you as a person, and want you to be happy. But that isn’t going to be with me, Steve. That’s just a fact.”

His jaw tensed. “You know I love you, Tanner. You’re the only omega I’ve ever loved. I’m not going to just give up on us.”

“You have to. We’re finished.”

He slumped. “Don’t just shut me out. We should talk and work through things. That’s what couples do, Tanner. They don’t just give up when they hit some bumps in the road.”

I widened my eyes. “Jesus, Steve. We didn’t just hit bumps. We crashed off a cliff and burst into flames. We’re never going to fix things. You have to accept that.”

“I don’t want to accept it.” He exhaled and his gaze dropped to my throat. His expression slowly changed from dejected to furious. “What the fuck happened to my bite?”

Instinctively, I covered the bite mark on my neck, uneasiness shifting through me. I hadn’t expected to run into Steve so I hadn’t bothered hiding Rex’s mark. Now, seeing the rage in his eyes, I regretted being so careless.

When Steve’s gaze shifted behind me, I knew Rex must have finally joined us. Anxiety spiked through me at the fear things would escalate now. When I turned, sure enough, Rex stood behind me, his face a cold mask. He didn’t speak, he just put his hand on the small of my back, studying Steve.

Steve glared at Rex. “You’re a long ways away from your ranch, cowboy.” His surly tone made the word “cowboy” sound more like “asshole.”

Rex gave a hard laugh. “Yeah, I’m not actually chained to the ranch. Believe it or not, I’m allowed to leave.”

“Well, maybe you wouldn’t mind leaving right now while Tanner and I talk about our relationship. This isn’t any of your business.”

A muscle worked in Rex’s cheek, but he didn’t correct Steve by saying he was my alpha now. I had a feeling he was waiting for me to set Steve straight. I, however, was hesitant to say anything that might get Steve more worked up. All I really wanted was for him to leave.

“We don’t have a relationship anymore, Steve. I told you that. You should go. The movers will be here soon and we still have a lot of stuff to box up before they arrive.”

Steve’s mouth thinned. “Wow, T, you’re cold-hearted as fuck.”

My face warmed. “Sorry, but what is there really left to say?”

“Seriously?” He chuffed. “You don’t think we have stuff to talk about?”

“No,” I said stiffly.

He leaned in, his lip curling as a malicious gleam lit up his eyes. “You don’t think maybe we should discuss the fact that you’re pregnant with my baby ?”