CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO - Lyla
I cried on Artemis for a long time. Maybe an hour. Could have been more. Time blurred, and she grew tired of me sniffling and went to patrol the suite.
Grabbing a blanket, I curled up on Mariska’s comfy reading chair. No more tears came. I was hollow. Even that throbbing ache from my heat became background noise.
I’d been ready to tell Ozzi that I was willing to give him and Jason a chance. I pushed away my fear of becoming like my mom and told myself that these two Alphas were different. I’d convinced myself that they were kind and open-minded, but I was wrong.
Ozzi’s family was matching him up with an Omega who he had never met.
There was talk of dowries, good breeding, and houses.
I’d heard of such things, but I never knew anyone, not even at Omega school, who went through it.
But, then again, I was the troublemaker and brat.
My few friends were also rebels, and we barely made it to graduation with the mischief we caused.
I’d always been angry for those Omegas who were forced into marriages. No one had ever tried it with me, but we were a sisterhood. We had to stand up for one another.
And Ozzi didn’t. He shrugged off his family’s actions as if they were an everyday occurrence. Even if he didn’t agree with them, he wasn’t doing anything to stop it. Here he was knotting me knowing full well he’d be introduced to an Omega at his parents’ house who could be his future wife.
What the fuck?
That wasn’t respectful. Not to me nor to the other Omega. I didn’t have to put up with that shit.
At some point with all my emotional ranting and raving, exhaustion took over and I fell asleep.
I dreamt of myself as a child but I was Cinderella, doing all the housework so my mom could spend time with her mates.
Then as me now, living with seven dwarves who had heads like Artemis.
Finally, me in the future, old and alone, but still fighting against Alphaholes as Maleficient.
I woke up, nearly falling out of the chair, and took a minute to realize where I was and that it was in the wee hours of the morning. Also, I watched way too many Disney movies with the girls.
Artemis sat beside me and whimpered. I checked her food and refreshed her water without turning on any lights. The moon reflecting off the snow outside made the room bright enough. She showed no interest in the bowls, and then I realized what I forgot.
Crap. “I’m so sorry, Artemis.” I scratched her behind her ears. “Let me borrow some of Mari’s clothes and I’ll take you out.”
I was a bad doggie auntie. I’d made a promise to Mariska, I’d take care of Artemis.
Though that meant leaving the suite and going downstairs where Ozzi would likely be waiting.
Hopefully Artemis would be enough of a deterrent to keep him away.
I wasn’t ready to see him. I never wanted to talk to him again.
Though, I guess, I’d have to tell him and Jason to leave Primrose House. Even if my heat wasn’t finished, I didn’t want them here anymore.
I pulled on a pair of Mariska’s sweatpants which were short for me, but I stuffed my feet into a long pair of woolly socks and they covered my exposed ankles. Then I dug out the Christmas sweater I made for her last year stuffed back in the top of her closet. It made me smile. My grinchy bestie.
Artemis sat by the door waiting for me. “Such a good girl.”
Because I didn’t want her tearing any Alpha’s arm off, I put on her leash and took in a calming breath. Be brave, Lyla.
I cracked open the door and peered into the corridor. The nightlight was on in the center of the hall near the top of the stairs. Everything was clean and quiet. No sign of any Alphas.
I scurried down the hall and then the stairs.
Artemis’ nails clicked along the hardwood.
Instead of turning toward the front door where I would see into the living room, I turned us in the other direction into the small sitting room and through the dining room, so I could slip into the kitchen to go out back.
There wasn’t a sound. Not a single snoring Alpha or chatter from the TV. Did Ozzi leave? Something in me said he wouldn’t. Neither he nor Jason were the types to give up easily. Yet, if he thought he was trying to show me respect, he might have left.
I opened the backdoor and let Artemis off her leash. The yard was fenced in, so she could go out herself and I didn’t have to freeze. She raced out and went immediately to do her business.
While she was out, I put on the electric kettle to make some hot water for tea. I didn’t need a sugary coffee at four in the morning.
It then hit me. It wasn’t just any morning, it was Christmas Eve morning.
I almost wanted to cry again that this didn’t feel like Christmas.
Miss Eloise and I would be in full celebration mode for weeks, but she was in the hospital, and Mariska would be leaving in four days. Not to mention my insane situation.
I peeked out at Artemis who was sniffing around the perimeter and would likely do another twenty laps before she was done. Only then did I lay my head on top of my arms on the counter and tried taking in several calming breaths.
“Are you okay?”
The voice made me jump and scream. My heart nearly flew out of my chest.
Jason. It was only Jason. Standing in the doorway between the kitchen and living room.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” He moved forward as if he was coming to comfort me, but then stopped before he neared the island of which I was on the other side of.
Artemis was suddenly at the door, barking crazily. Mariska had trained her well as a guard dog, but it was only adding to my stress.
I went to the door and let Artemis see me. “I’m okay, sweetie. You go back and do your thing.”
She woofed a few more times and stood staring at me for half a minute. Then satisfied that I was actually all right, she loped through the snow to the back of the yard. I watched her for another minute and let her see me there to make her more at ease.
Jason was quiet the whole time. He stood where he was wearing only his boxers and socks.
His blond hair was slightly mussed and his gorgeous eyes were half-hooded, but that didn’t mean he’d been sleeping.
It only meant he was one amazingly hot Alpha.
I wanted to run over and let him wrap me in one of his all-encompassing hugs and kiss me like the sex demon he was.
Fuck. It was going to be so hard to tell him to leave.
“You know, when I let Artemis back in, it’s best if you aren’t in the room. She doesn’t like Alphas.”
“All right, but we need to talk.” Jason not being his usual jovial or horny self was a bit intimidating. Or maybe the fact I knew what we had to discuss was making me anxious. “Ozzi told me what happened.”
Let’s see how much of what happened was twisted by an Alpha’s point of view. I put my hands on the counter and leaned forward. “What did he tell you?”
“He said he was an absolute idiot.” Okay.
Maybe it wasn’t so twisted. “He told me that you saw the texts his mom sent and realized that his family was kinda shitty. That’s just his parents.
They put a lot of pressure on him to do his familial duty and continue the Vakalis line.
He thinks it’s bullshit, and so do I for that matter, but he loves his family.
He already feels like he disappointed them by not becoming a doctor, so he’s trying to be the son they want for their sake. ”
I knew that feeling. I loved my family, but things were messy there. I may not have been under the same pressure as Ozzi, but he could at the very least say no. Just a simple no. End of matchmaking campaign.
Yet he didn’t say no. He barely even seemed to blink at it. That thought riled my anger again.
“I understand tough family relations, but the whole thing is more than just bullshit. It should be a crime to do that to Omegas.” My voice was rising, and I caught it just in time before I started to shout. I didn’t want Artemis tearing through the door thinking she had to come in and save me.
Jason nodded and folded his arms. “You have to see it from his perspective.”
“And what does that mean?” I folded my arms too. I could look big and intimidating. Well, furious anyway. “There is only one way to see it. Trading off Omegas like they’re property is wrong. I don’t care from which perspective you’re looking at it from, it’s still wrong.”
“No one’s disagreeing with you.” Jason sighed and ran his hands through his unbound hair. “Just… fuck. I’m not great at explaining things like Ozzi. You know he’s falling for you, right? That I've long since fallen.”
My breath hitches, and I swallow funny. Fallen for me?
“From the way your eyes are bugging out of your head, I’m going to say that you haven’t noticed.
” He moved forward and leaned on the counter opposite of me.
His scent slithered in, wrapping me up like a ribbon and tying tight around my heart and soul, and oh no, my pussy.
I clenched my legs together and hoped I wasn’t suddenly perfuming like crazy.
“Ozzi would never take a mate he didn’t love.
Not even for the sake of family.” Jason went on, never breaking eye contact.
“The two of us have never scent matched with the same Omega before. He hasn’t even scent matched with anyone.
Yet the two of us are more than a match with you, baby. We’re meant to be.”
If only this was a fairy tale. The two handsome princes and the extremely fashionable princess who were destined to be together. But I couldn’t have these princes, and the universe wasn’t going to give me forest animals to help with the housework.
“Scent matching means we’re physically compatible, not anything else.” It was all biology. Powerful, yes, but in the end, it took a lot more to have a truly happy relationship.
“We’re more than just scent matches and you know it. We haven’t even known each other for a week, and we’re so good together.” Jason reached a hand across for me to take. “Ozzi and I will dedicate our lives to taking care of you. You make our pack complete.”
My throat constricted and tears threatened. To be with them, to be a pack, fuck, I wanted it so much.
“We’ll do whatever it takes to work this out.
” His voice cracked with emotion, and I didn’t dare look at his face.
If I did, I was a goner. “Everything will be all right. We’ll talk it through, spend lots of time making up, and if you let us, we want to claim you.
Fuck, I’ve wanted to mark you as mine for days now.
” He let loose a low growl and my knees nearly gave out.
“In my heart, you’re already mine. I want a life with you.
Living here in Fond du Lac, Christmases as big as you want, and all our kids running around like maniacs on the holiday sugar high.
You’ll be an incredible mom. It’ll be the best life. ”
Mom. That’s the future he was seeing for me.
He almost had me. I was so close to saying yes.
Fuck this. I’m not becoming my mother.
I wrapped my arms around myself, too hurt to even cry, and walked to the backdoor. “Get your stuff and leave. I don’t want to see you or Ozzi again.”
Jason straightened and blinked, shaking his head. “Baby, you don’t mean that. What’s going on?”
Him calling me baby ripped something open in me and I exploded. “You see me as the future mother to your babies? Is that all I am as an Omega? Do you and Ozzi think that Omegas don’t get a say in their futures because really deep down all we want to do is breed more Alpha sons for you?”
My shouts brought Artemis back to the door. She clawed at it, barking like she’d gone feral. “Get out before I open this door.”
“Lyla,” Jason stepped toward me, but I put a hand on the doorknob. “I’m not giving up on you.”
His face at once determined and heartbroken. I didn’t say anything more as he left the kitchen and went into the living room. I gave him a few minutes to get dressed and gather his stuff. Artemis tried to break inside the whole time.
I finally heard the front door open and close. Only then did I let Artemis inside.
She burst in, snarling and barking. Running around the kitchen and then looking into the living room, she was satisfied there was no threat and trotted back to my side.
I had closed the backdoor and collapsed to my knees, crying.
A mom. Was that all Alphas really thought Omegas were good for?
I was so stupid. It was my fault that I let myself fall for two Alphas I barely knew. Even if I did let them knot me, I should have protected my heart better.
Artemis licked my cheeks and I hugged her. She was cold and wet, but I didn’t let go. I needed her support as I bawled.
Nothing would ever be the same again. Miss Eloise would have a long recovery and Mariska was going away. I haven’t heard from Emberlee. Maybe she decided to stay with her family. Ozzi and Jason had messed me up in a way I’d promised myself to never let any Alpha do.
To top it off, it was Christmas Eve and I was alone.
Well, I had Artemis with me, and I could go to the hospital to see Miss Eloise and Mariska, but fuck. The thought of being without Jason and Ozzi left me cold and deflated like an empty stocking.
Santa had given me coal this year, and I deserved it.