Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
There’s a knock at the door, startling me. Thankfully, my hands are empty of any possible projectiles. As soon as I finished talking to Kai, I ran inside and headed upstairs to the guest room so I could clean up before anyone spotted me looking wrecked.
“Plum?” Sable calls through the door, and I jump, rushing over to open it. “Plum, what happened?” she asks as she pulls me into her arms. “Are you okay?” She’s frantic as she leans back, keeping her hands on my shoulders as she searches my face for answers.
“Yes. I’m okay now,” I say softly. There's no point trying to hide anything from my best friend.
“Thank fuck, because Kai isn’t. He looked like he was in pretty bad shape. Did you two have a fight or something? Stella had to ask me to give Bee a ride home because Kai can’t even drive. Val won’t let him out of his sight, either. I nearly lost my shit looking for you,” Sable explains.
“It wasn’t a fight.” I wince. “Maybe it was; I don’t know. I needed space, and he followed me outside, so I snapped. I didn’t mean to be so harsh. Is he okay?” I ask, unable to ignore my concern for the beta.
“Uh… I don’t know.” Sable is the one wincing now. “He looked lost? Like the lights are on but no one is home, kind of thing,” she explains. “Honestly? He looks like someone who just lost their mate.”
“Well, fuck,” I mutter.
“I have to take Bee home, but I can come back after, if you want?” Sable asks, but I shake my head.
“No, I’ll be okay. Tell Bee I’ll call her soon. I don’t think I can face her right now.”
“Okay, text me later so I know you’re okay,” she says, pulling me in for another hug.
Sable and I say our goodbyes as Benson and Nick come up the stairs.
“I don’t want to push you, but I need to make sure you’re okay,” Nick says, and Benson nods.
“I don’t want to be alone, but I can’t talk about it right now,” I murmur.
“We can give you space, or we can stay with you. We don’t need to talk about anything until you’re ready. I can put on a movie, if you want?” Benson offers.
“Okay,” I agree.
I want their comfort, but there are too many thoughts rushing through my head right now for me to have a rational conversation with them. Tomorrow morning, hopefully, my head will be clearer, and I can tell them about confessing to Kai that this was all a lie.
Even though, in moments like this, things between us don’t feel so fake.
I lie awake in bed for so long, the TV on and both alphas passed out beside me, that eventually I can’t take it anymore and jump out of the bed.
Grabbing my phone, I call Stella. I feel guilty for waking her in the dead of night, but I know I won’t let this go if I don’t get answers.
“Plum?” she says, voice rough from sleep. “Is everything alright?”
“Is Kai with you?” I ask. Part of me is annoyed that the moment I finally feel like myself again, my thoughts are filled with concern for the beta. I couldn’t think of anything else, and it kept me awake until I caved.
“Yeah. We brought him to his apartment.”
“Is he okay?” I hold my breath as I wait for her answer.
“Plum,” she murmurs tentatively, pausing before continuing.
“Your breakup was really hard for you. I know it fucked you up pretty badly. I don’t want you doing something that might hurt you again.
You got through it once all alone. He’ll be fine eventually too,” she says, but when I don’t respond, she sighs.
“If you really want to know, I’ll tell you. ”
“Fuck. Just… Open the door when I knock,” I demand, hanging up the call. Her avoiding the answer is enough to tell me that no, Kai is not okay. I pull on a pair of black leggings and a pink hoodie from my luggage and head for the door.
“Do you want us to go with you?” Nick asks, startling me. It takes significant effort not to scream, but I manage to hold it in as he turns on the nightstand light. Both alphas are sitting up and watching me attempt to sneak out.
“No. Yes. I don’t know.”
“Going to see Kai?” Benson asks, and I wince.
“Yes.”
“Figured. Nick will drive. We’ll wait for you in the car.”
The drive to my apartment is silent, but their scents are soothing. Once I’m outside Kai’s apartment door, I take a deep breath.
I don’t know what I’m doing here. I knew Kai was messed up after our conversation, but the nagging feeling in my gut makes me think he’s worse off than I realized. I guess I assumed that if he could leave me once, this time would be easier.
The door swings open before I can even knock, and Val stands there, hair a mess, looking frantic.
“I’ve never seen him like this,” Val says, pulling me inside. “I know things between you are really fucked right now, but you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t care.”
“Hi,” Stella says, pulling me in for a short hug. “For the record, I don’t think you owe Kai anything, and if you turn and walk away right now, I wouldn’t blame you,” she adds, glaring at her fiancé.
“He’s been different since he got back to town.
Not himself.” Val shakes his head. “It’s like every negative thought he’s ever had about himself turned him into someone else.
The guy I picked up off the ground is the closest he’s come to the person I know, but in the worst fucking way.
He’s…” Val shoves his hands in his hair, and Stella can’t take the sight of him in pain any longer as she wraps her arms around him.
Her scent tries to soothe the alpha, but Kai’s is already so strong in the air that it’s futile.
“Here. My apartment is across the hall. Take my keys and go there. I’ll come get you if I need you,” I tell them. Val shakes his head, protesting, but Stella manages to get him to follow her.
Once the door is shut behind them, I pull my phone out and text Nick.
Plum: I need you.
I know he read the message, but he doesn’t reply. I’m about to call when the door opens, and both alphas walk in. They flinch as Kai’s scent hits them.
“I don’t know what to do,” I confess. “I can’t let him suffer.” I shake my head, panic starting to set in. “If I go in there, what happens?”
“What do you want to happen?” Nick asks, calm as always. When he moves closer, taking me into his arms, I relax against him. It only lasts for a second though, as I freak out and force space between us.
“I want him to be okay. I don’t want him to… Fuck. All I know is I want his suffering to stop.” I throw my hands up, looking between the two of them. For a long moment, I’m not sure why I’m so panicked.
“Are you okay? How can we help you?” Benson asks, reaching for me, but I stop him. I want to say that I don’t even know what’s wrong with me, but that’s not exactly true. I do know; I’m just trying to avoid facing it.
It’s now or never, really. I can’t go into that room with Kai until I know how these two feel. Until I tell them how I feel. Maybe I’m wrong about them, but I’ll never know if I don’t try.
To think, it’s been less than a week, and everything has changed so much.
“If I don’t get this all out now, I might never say it.” I hold my hands up to keep both alphas back as I take a deep breath, eyes falling shut. “I told Kai that we lied,” I confess, peeking one eye open. Nick looks unfazed. Benson looks shocked. Their scents tell me they’re both nervous.
“Well, fuck,” Benson frowns, taking a small step back.
Is he panicking because he thinks I’m about to end this situationship? Or is it something else?
“Look at us, omega,” Nick barks, and my eyes snap open. “Say it,” he commands, and I swallow hard, trying to fight the alpha’s dominance.
“What’s happening right now?” Benson asks, and I cover my face with my palms, spinning away from them. My ability to resist the alpha command breaks, and I mumble against my palms, muffling the words.
“Stop hiding from us, Plum,” Nick demands, and I shake my head.
No, because now I’m second-guessing myself and everything I’ve been feeling. Kai’s burning scent is fucking with my head. I can’t think clearly, but this has to happen now.
“Plum?” Benson asks softly. The worry in his voice is what finally gets me to turn around. “Talk to me, baby, you’re scaring me,” he begs, and I feel so guilty for dragging this out.
“I don’t want you to be my fake boyfriend anymore!” I yelp, and his eyes go wide. His shoulders slump, and he tips his head forward, looking down at the ground.
“Oh, right. Of course. You told Kai, so you don’t need us anymore. I get that,” Benson murmurs, and I bite my bottom lip. He looks so disappointed, and it rips through me.
Shit. I’m doing this all wrong.
“Is that it, Plum?” Nick tilts his head as he watches me.
“No.” I shake my head, meeting his eyes, hoping he sees me for who I am.
“You don’t want us to fake it anymore?” Nick asks, uncrossing his big arms and stepping toward me. I gasp, looking up into his intense, dominant eyes.
“I don’t.”
“Because you want it to be real.” Nick smirks, the look in his eyes going from serious to sexy in a blink. I nod, unable to look away from Nick, as Benson steps up beside his brother. I swallow thickly, glancing between the two alphas. Benson looks so hopeful.
“I never needed you to save me. I can save myself, just like I can take care of myself,” I say, lifting my chin. I’m taking my power back, being the person I never should have forgotten I was. “But I want both of you, and I want it to be real, not just look real. I don’t want to fake it anymore.”
“Good.” Nick grins, but Benson stares at me like he can’t understand what I just said.
“Real?” he asks, and I nod. “Am I dreaming?” he questions, chuckling as he scoops me into his arms next.
“And Kai?” he asks, glancing at the bedroom door behind him.
“I don’t know,” I whisper again, shaking my head.
“Go talk to him. Whatever happens, we’ll be out here if you need us. Maybe your head doesn’t know what it wants, but your heart brought you here for a reason, Plum. We’ll talk about us in the morning.” Nick presses a kiss to my head, and Benson releases me.