Chapter 21
Violet
After our sex-capades, Skye and I took another shower while Benji cleaned up and finished dinner. And, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to time with our alphas.
My plan was to tell Vinny I was ready for him to mark me, we’d eat dinner, do the thing, and then I’d feel better.
No more bond rot, no more wondering if this could all be my forever, but, our alphas never came to dinner.
Skye had gone to bed already, full after one helping. I, on the other hand, was on my third plate, curled up in my usual spot at the table, bunny tucked between my arm and ribs, its fur smelling so strongly of Vinny it made my bones ache in the best way.
Benji watched me from the kitchen doorway, a dish towel slung over his shoulder, his arms crossed as he smiled in approval.
“The bunny helps, yeah?” He asked.
I nodded, sniffing the top of her head once more.
“It’s Vinny’s pheromones, as long as you keep it close, you’ll feel better,” he beamed.
I nodded again, slower this time, more grateful than I could show. My hand absently rubbed the edge of one ear between my fingers as I chewed.
“And, for the first time all day, you’re not absolutely starving.”
I gave a small shrug, trying not to see his comment as praise, but the corner of my mouth lifted just a little.
Benji’s smile widened as he closed the gap between us and crouched beside me and glanced at my empty plate. “You want more?”
I hesitated for half a second before nodding.
“Good girl,” he praised softly.
My cheeks burned.
He reached over and gently patted the slight swell of my stomach through my dress. “You’re feeding the baby right this time.”
My eyes dropped to his hand, and I covered it with mine for just a second before signing, Thank you.
Benji didn’t say anything else. He just stood, took my plate, and moved toward the kitchen with a little extra sway in his step.
As Benji disappeared into the kitchen, I pushed my face further into the bunny, fully replacing the oxygen in my lungs with Vinny’s scent. I was fully ready to melt into the moment, to fall asleep right there at the table and make Benji carry me to bed, then I heard footsteps.
Lifting my head, I turned toward the sound to see Reed step into the room. His minty scent filled the room, mixing with the scent of nicotine lingering on his skin.
My nose scrunched.
No smoking, I signed.
“Okay, fine. No more.” Reed gave me a faint chuckle as he held his hands up in mock surrender. “You know I only touch cigarettes when they’re offered to me, so maybe take it up with your alpha.”
Reed closed the gap between us, placing his hands on the arms of my chair. Even though I had two alphas, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that Vinny gave him the cigarettes. Serena would never.
My brother leaned in a little too close for my liking, allowing his breath to cascade over my cheek as his eyes bounced around my face, like he was trying to memorize every inch of me.
“I missed you today,” he said, voice low and missing all of his usual playful edge. “I was here all day and we barely spent any time together.”
My stomach flipped and I shifted in my seat, holding the bunny tighter.
You were busy, plus, it’s nice that you’re getting to know my pack, I signed.
His mouth twitched.
“Yeah,” he murmured. “Your pack.”
The word sounded as if it pained him to say.
“I don’t mind them,” he added quickly, like he was correcting himself. “I just…” He trailed off, eyes flicking to the hallway that led toward Vinny’s office before returning to me. “You know I don’t like sharing you, and the last alpha you had… well…”
They don’t need to know about Logan, I signed.
No one needed to know about Logan. The only reason I told Reed about Logan was because he’d demanded to know where I went when I randomly called him after over two years of silence. And the only reason I told Skye was because I knew he wouldn’t tell anyone else.
Reed’s jaw ticked.
“I know,” he said after a long pause. “But I need to make sure they’re not like him.”
He reached out and tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. My skin tingled at the familiar motion.
They’re not, I signed quickly. They’re good to me. Even Vinny.
That should’ve been enough. For anyone else, it would have been. But, Reed was Reed.
“I just worry about you,” he whispered, now moving to stroking my bunny.
I pulled her closer, the bunny was mine, and I didn’t want to risk getting Reed’s scent on it.
“Logan separated us, I can’t let that happen again, Vi.”
And it wont, I signed, more forcefully this time.
Reed stared at me.
“You were mine first,” he murmured, almost too quiet to hear. “You know that, right?”
My breath caught.
“You were my omega, and I was your alpha, from birth. Don’t you ever miss when it was just us?”
I paused, trying to remember those days, for the most part, I couldn’t. But, I did miss being able to talk, and the freedom that came with high school before Logan claimed me, so I nodded.
“If something happens, I have extra room in my art studio,” he added softly.
If something happens.
As if it were inevitable. As if my new home, my new pack, the alphas, beta and omega who made me feel safe and wanted could just up and disappear.
I didn’t want to nod again. I didn’t want to give him anything more.
But Reed was looking at me like he used to when we were kids, back when he fought my battles despite me asking him not to.
I have a home now, I signed, slow and careful. You don’t have to save me anymore.
His face hardened just a fraction.
“Yeah,” he said, standing straight. “I understand.”
But I wasn’t sure he did.
He ruffled my hair before walking out, he didn’t say good bye, and I was glad, because he’d pissed me off with his little comment.
Before I had the chance to fully process our conversation, Vinny stormed into the room. His broad frame was tense, shoulders squared, jaw set tight, and his eyes immediately found mine.
“Violet,” he said sternly. “We need to talk.”
My stomach dropped. Not from fear, exactly.
He didn’t even acknowledge Reed, who was halfway to the door. The tension between them screamed with something unspoken. Reed didn’t look back, and Vinny stepped closer, stopping just short of me.
“Office. Now.” he growled.
He didn’t sound angry at me. But something was wrong, very wrong. I just had no idea what.
Vinny paced in front of his desk, a glass of amber liquid firmly in his hand. It sloshed with each turn, but never spilled. He never drank it either, and I was fairly certain he just needed something to hold onto.
I sat in his desk chair, doing my best to stay completely still as I clutched my bunny. I wasn’t sure if I should sign, or run up and hug him to beg for forgiveness, or if I should just disappear.
“I need you to tell me the truth,” he said, not looking over at me.
I shrank back slightly.
“Were you married to Logan Stellar?”
My gaze fell to my lap. I’d heard before someone died, that their whole life flashes before their eyes.
It didn’t any of the times Logan almost killed me, it also didn’t happen when Serena hit me with her car.
But right now? I saw every good moment I’ve had with my pack flit through my mind, as if my subconscious was tormenting me. Instinctively, I shook my head no.
“Don’t fucking lie to me, Violet.” Vinny snarled, slamming his hand onto the desk. “You let me take you into my house, into my pack, and you didn’t think to mention that?”
I hadn’t meant to lie. I’d just chosen silence. For safety. Not that he’d understand. I didn’t even think Logan would ever come up.
My fingers trembled around the bunny’s ear, and I wished it still smelled stronger.
“You let me care for you,” he hissed, stepping away from the desk like the sight of me physically pained him. “You sleep in my bed. You eat at my table. You’re carrying my kid. And that bastard’s name never came up?”
I swallowed hard and shook my head.
“You’re the missing fucking omega, aren’t you?” His voice trembled now. “The reason I got fucking shot?”
The glass in his hand shattered against the floor before I even realized he’d thrown it. I jumped at the sound, clutching the bunny so tight I was sure her stitches would rip.
Vinny paced again, running both hands through his hair, his breathing ragged. He didn’t look at me. He couldn’t, or maybe, he just wouldn’t.
I couldn’t breathe either, no matter how hard I tried. I just–I could explain, if I only had the words. But, I didn’t, so I couldn’t.
He stopped pacing, turned toward me, and screamed, “Get out of my fucking office! We’ll talk about this later.”
I didn’t move, not at first. It wasn’t that I didn’t understand him, I did. But those words didn’t sound like Vinny.
They sounded like Logan. Like when he’d decide my silence meant guilt for things I may or may not have done. My throat burned with words that would never come, and my fingers twitched with everything I dreamed of saying, but couldn’t.
Instead, a fog of panic stole every coherent thought I could form.
Standing up, I clutched my bunny to my chest and nodded once before turning and walking out the door, and from there, I kept walking.
Not because I wanted to, but because running was what I did best.