Chapter 27
Sonnet thought she had done something wrong towards the end of her bliss, when pleasure and pain morphed into each other, and her omega allowed her a viewing window, and Zayden flinched.
She reached for him, for his touch, his validation, his comfort, and he flinched.
She could feel her omega recede back into her, shoving herself inside her ribcage and lurking painfully into the shadows around her heart.
Sonnet didn’t want to leave the bathtub. Like her cowardly, sensitive omega, she wished she could hide between the white walls and under the water, but she was picked up and carried to her bed by the same alpha that left her feeling rejected.
She hummed, wanting to push him away, but she was tired. All she could do was pout as he dressed her in his shirt and tucked her under the covers. Then, he joined her.
She didn’t mean to tense up when Zayden wrapped his arms firmly around her and tucked his face into her back shoulder, hiding like an embarrassed child.
What that what had happened? Was he embarrassed rather than disgusted?
That’s kind of sweet.
But not as sweet as her Jude. He came sweeping into the room, changed into a fresh pair of sweats and a shirt, his scent dominating the space and the dorkiest smile resting on his lips.
He threw himself onto the bed, tucking wet strands of her hair behind her ear and smirking when Zayden gave a possessive grunt.
“Are you okay?” Jude asked.
Sonnet hummed again. Inside her, her omega was peeking out, curious at their warm reactions to her comfort and well-being. They didn’t mess up. They were okay. Out of sync but doing just fine.
“Yes.” She kissed Jude’s hand softly. “You’re the best.” Zayden growled. “Both of you!”
Jude scrunched his nose and kissed her face. “You should rest and I’ll go into town to get us food.”
Zayden finally looked up and rested his chin on her shoulder. “Felix and Kai have the car.”
“I’m going to jog. I, uh, still have some energy left.” Jude’s cheeks flushed and he looked away, embarrassed. “I’ll go to the grocery store and pick up some stuff.”
“Hey, message Felix. Let them give you a ride back home.”
Jude gave Zayden a salute and Sonnet one last kiss before taking off, leaving her alone with her mysterious, complicated lead alpha who, in this moment, seemed more relaxed than she had ever seen him before.
Even his breathing was balanced, like there wasn’t this weight sitting on his chest and restricting the air from getting in and out of his lungs.
Our alpha is carrying heavy things. I think they all are.
Mhm.
Sonnet turned in his arms to face him, his eyes open and tired, looking into her for answers she wasn’t sure she had. But she had questions, too.
“Why did you flinch?”
Why didn’t you want to touch me?
“Because…” He faltered, froze, and tightened his grip on her.
His eyes were so intense, so real; she felt as if she was floating amongst violent waves.
“Because unlike Jude, I know I wouldn’t be able to hold myself back and give you and your omega the gentleness you both deserved, especially to be vulnerable like that with us for the first time.
Believe me,” his voice was raspy now, “I wanted to touch you.”
A purr rumbled up Sonnet’s chest and she blushed. But then her question was met with one from Zayden.
“Why did you flinch?”
“I flinched?”
“Yes.” Zayden titled her chin upwards; a frown creased into the corner of his lips. “Before you finished, you flinched, and it looked like you were trying to painfully hold yourself back from it.”
“I don’t remember,” she lied, the faint, blurry memory cursing through her mind and her omega wincing with regret. “My omega is who you should ask.”
“You and your omega don’t talk?”
Oh, freaking nugget balls.
She looked away and considered pushing him off the bed and making a run for it, but Zayden’s legs were much longer. All she could do now was massive damage control.
Sonnet smiled, trying her best to swallow her anxiety and let the acid in her stomach consume it all. “During my heat, I’m not on the front of consciousness. It’s my omega who runs the show.”
“Oh.” Zayden’s brows were furrowed together. “I thought that was only during heat cycles, not spikes. I’m still trying to learn. Felix has it all figured out, though.”
They’ve been learning about omegas?
That was the sweetest, cutest thing ever, and very bad.
We need to get it together and work out whatever is wrong before they figure out, we aren’t like other omegas!
Her omega said nothing. Typical.