Chapter 19 #2
Wouldn’t they? They had no issues with it ten years ago. I suppose we didn’t have a deal in place, though. I wasn’t given the chance for negotiation, bitten and claimed before I could protest.
“What allergy?” Liam crosses his arms, frowning. Then his eyes widen in realization. “Shit. Babe, I didn’t even think about that. I just wanted you to have the best and that was the first one Helios offered.”
The first one they offered. He didn’t even think. The lack of consideration would seem strange coming from the alpha reminiscing on the years over the birthday brunch. Except the alpha from then was the outlier. This is closer to normal Liam, caring about the brand first.
“We can exchange it right?” Cole asks, frowning at the admission.
Liam shifts from foot to foot, not meeting my eyes. The sage scent turns sheepish. “Can’t. No returns or exchanges.”
They’re all looking at each other now, trading meaningful glances that exclude me entirely. Another conversation I’m not privy to. I watch them from my spot on the bed, waiting.
There’s a weariness in me, anticipating their next words. As of late, with the way their announcements have been, no news is good news.
“Ari,” Liam finally says. “Amy really loved that bracelet.”
For a group that believes omegas should be seen and not heard, they sure are waiting for my response often this morning. Silence is the only one they receive. There has to be more, he wouldn’t be telling me this for the sake of letting me know.
“We were hoping,” Cole continues. “She might be able to borrow it.” His voice is gentle, like he’s coaxing a kid into sharing with her sibling. But Amy is no sister of mine, nor am I a child. “But if you can’t wear it regardless, could she possibly have it?”
“You came into my room at,” my eyes travel to the windows, roughly estimating, “five in the morning for this?”
“No!” Usually it would be Ian or Liam doing the talking. I wonder if they planned for Cole to be the talkative one in advance, whether because of us being close or him having the most gentle demeanor. “We came to check on you. None of us thought you would be awake.”
“I wasn’t. You woke me up.” And that doesn’t change the fact they asked the question before even saying good morning.
Liam stops leaning on the wall, standing up straight. “It was the only thing she commented on during her heat. She thought it was beautiful.”
If that’s supposed to tug at my heartstrings, it isn’t working. The heat was one thing. She can’t control its arrival. But my birthday gift too? The date and my company wasn’t enough?
“Would you let her have it then, since you’re allergic to it anyways?” Liam tilts his head. “We’ll get you another gift.”
“No.”
Even if I wanted to give it to her, which I don’t, it’s long gone. It’s Claire’s possession now, not mine to give.
“Just for a day, even?” Cole asks. He reaches out a hand, pets my hair. I don’t lean into the touch.
First it was borrowing it, then letting her have it. These goalposts never stop shifting. “What’s she going to do with it for a single day?”
They exchange another glance. I get the sense they’re deciding how much information to share with me.
“Heats are difficult.” Ian says, finally. “Aftercare is important, particularly in a new home. The plan was to take her to dinner tonight as reassurance.”
It strikes me as particularly disgusting they also offered to sleep with me tonight, despite knowing they had plans with her. Plans where she would be wearing my birthday present.
“We’ve bought you so much jewelry, babe.” Liam speedily continues after Ian. “Years and years of gifts. Amy has next to nothing. We’ll make sure she takes good care of it. You’re so much older than her, can’t you be a bit mature about this?”
“She didn’t want us to ask you.” Cole strokes my hair. “She made us promise we wouldn’t.”
“You’ve always been so sweet and generous, since the day you joined the pack. We thought you would understand.” Liam looks at me expectantly, like that will seal the deal.
Amy’s a smart woman. I can picture her now, laying face to face with the alphas on the pillows, close enough to feel each other’s breaths. Slipping out how much she loves the bracelet in her exhaustion, how she’s always wanted something like it.
Then slapping her hands to her mouth, making the alphas promise not to ask me that.Effectively sealing my fate as the villain for declining. That’s just a guess.
Or it could be the work of my alphas, simply taking the opportunity to give her the environment they’re so obsessed with. It’s impossible to blame her entirely.
Not when the three men are staring at me expectantly. Sweet and generous, they said? How much do they expect me to give?
“Maybe I’ve changed.” Or maybe they’ve changed, I think but don’t speak aloud.
Saying Liam’s consideration was the outlier in his behavior may have been incorrect. They’re still capable of doing so. Only for another woman. Their kindness extends to someone newer and shinier, not me.
Ian’s scent spikes, its notes of whiskey turning sour. “Forget it. I wouldn’t have expected you to be so selfish.” He fixes me with a gaze that even in my apathetic state makes the omega instincts in me wither.
“Selfish?” I echo. “I’m your scent match, not her. It’s in my instincts to be possessive. You knew that when you brought me here and bonded me.” I don’t say without my permission, but the chill in the air makes it clear they understand the unspoken part. “Now you’re punishing me for it.”
“Like it or not,” Liam’s green eyes have turned hard. “Taking care of Amy is as much of an instinct for us as taking care of you is.”
“Even at my expense?” As if on cue, my stomach grumbles. I look pointedly at the protein bar wrappers on the floor, the Ziploc bags of day old sandwiches. “Is pushing me aside an instinct for you guys too?”
Ian sighs, runs a hand over his face. “Enough. You’re clearly tired. We’ll talk about this after, when you’re less emotional. We have enough on our plates as is without being late.”
“Ha!” The sound comes out of me without thinking, sharp and sarcastic. What a way to prove my point. “Back to normal, pushing me aside for work. You’ve just started doing it for Amy too.”
Cole opens his mouth, but Ian stops him with a sharp glance.
“Drop it,” his dominance bleeds into the words. Cole looks at me once, then lifts the hand that’s awkwardly been in my hair. He knots his tie himself, then gets up, making the bed creak at the loss of his weight.
They turn to leave. Ian’s hand is on the doorknob when he pauses and looks back over his shoulder.
Strangely, a small part of me is hopeful. The scent matched, eighteen year old omega part that lives in the bond, still smitten and charmed despite everything. She expects him to change his mind, or maybe offer her some sort of solace.
“Don’t say anything to Amy about the bracelet,” Ian barks for good measure, then lowers his voice. “She didn’t want you to know, and she’s still settling in. It’s important that she doesn’t feel unwelcome.”
Then they’re gone.
The remnants of the girl from ten years ago takes her last breath and goes still.