Chapter 56
The sun was extra warm today, and the sky seemed a bit brighter, and for a moment Sonnet could pretend that three weeks ago her life hadn’t collapsed on top of her.
Being with Scarlett helped, and she was so happy to spend her time with her best friend once again.
Today, they went to one of their favorite cafes.
Sonnet got a cinnamon roll and an iced cupcake latte with sprinkles.
Scarlett stuck with her usual plain Jane iced americano and ham and cheese croissant.
“Take the picture already,” Sonnet laughed as Scarlett kept maneuvering the table.
Scarlett was big on keeping her social media and blog up to date on what she was doing and thinking.
“Done! There, it’s all yours.”
Sonnet rolled her eyes playfully. “Great, now my sprinkles are all sinking to the bottom.”
“Boo hoo. Now, you were telling me about a book.”
“Yeah, I think I want to write one. My dad talked to me about it, and I just haven’t been able to stop thinking about it ever since. All these articles are about my mother. It just kills me.” Sonnet took a long sip of her coffee and sighed. “Do you think I could do it?”
“Oh, please. Sugar, you could do literally anything. You need to stop being the only one who holds yourself back! I say write the damn book.”
Sonnet smiled. “I’m still thinking about it.”
“Mhm. You forget I know you. I’m like inside your mind.” Scarlett wiggled her fingers at her before they both began to laugh. “I’m just happy to see you outside and smiling. Summer called me when she and your mom went over to see you, telling me how you were doing. How’s your heart doing?”
“A little better each day. Felix says it’s because I’m with them that fated mates can sync even before bonding and help calm nerves. He’s been reading all these books,” Sonnet laughed. “I think being with them has helped, though. I honestly don’t know what I’d do without them.”
“I’m just happy for you. I was worried at first but seeing how they’ve stepped up for you has made me happy. I only have one last question for you. Is it true that sex with your fated mate is like the best thing ever?”
“SCARLETT!”
“What? I’m curious!”
Sonnet could feel her face heat up and tried to fan it.
She was only thankful they were sitting outside, so no one else could hear Scarlett’s vulgar question, though it wouldn't have made a difference to Scarlett. She had no shame. In fact, she was one of the few omegas’ Sonnet had met who embraced her sexual needs loudly and proudly.
“You’re shameless,” Sonnet scolded, throwing her napkin at her. “If you must know, we haven’t done it yet.”
“Really? Man, I would have jumped their bones.”
“It’s complicated. Their pack dynamic was complicated, and my dynamic with my omega was complicated. We spent all our time trying to settle in with each other that sex wasn’t even on my mind.”
Scarlett sighed. “I wished it wasn’t always on my mind.”
“Scarlett.”
“I’m just saying. You know, those clinics they have set up for heat cycles aren’t that bad, but I can’t wait to be nailed by an alpha. Hey, you should ask your mates if they have any hot, single friends.”
Sonnet ignored her and took a long sip of her coffee, but she agreed that she was lucky to have her mates. Sonnet never went to any heat cycle clinics. She hated the idea and, to this day, felt strongly that there had to be better ways to help single, lonely omegas through intense heat cycles.
That’s another good point we can make in your book.
“I’m kind of nervous,” Sonnet admitted. “My heat cycle is coming soon now. I can feel it. I’m having more heat spikes, bloating more, and having these terrible mood swings. I’ve never felt this intense before a heat cycle before, but I know it’s because of how important this one is.”
“What part makes you nervous?”
“All of it.”
Scarlett’s smile was warm and understanding.
Her chin was resting on her hands, and she looked solely at Sonnet, not letting anything else distract her.
“I don’t know anything about the bonding ceremony, but I know it’s supposed to be one of the best experiences for an omega.
You remember school, don’t you? It’s been ingrained in our minds how special and perfect the moment between an omega sealing her bond with her chosen mate or mates in your case. ”
“I know it’s going to be special, but what if I mess up. What if I don’t bite them correctly, or what if I make a mistake while doing…you know…it.”
Scarlett tried and struggled to keep her expression neutral.
“I really don’t think you need to be worried.
You’ve said it yourself; you’re now at a point where you have good communication with your omega and trust her.
Just remember that. She’s got your back.
Your omega will ride you through all the fun, sexy parts, and then you’ll come back into consciousness for the bites, and you can’t do that wrong.
Seriously. It’s all instinct. You and your omega will know exactly what to do, babes. Trust.”
You hear that? You think you’re going to be able to handle riding us through all the fun, sexy parts?
Girlie, I’ve been waiting this whole time for those parts!
“Well, when you say it like that, it doesn’t sound that bad.”
“See?” Scarlett flipped her hair. “Just listen to me, and you’ll be just fine, Sugar.”
“Whatever, Spice.”
Scarlett stuck out her tongue and went to take a sip of her coffee, but her eyes went wide, her face pale, and she began choking on her drink. Coffee went all over the table like she was a whale spraying water.
“Scarlett—Are you okay?”
She shook her head violently and pointed behind her.
Sonnet frowned and turned in her seat, only to come face to face with Juliana. She was hiding behind big sunglasses and an even bigger hat, but there was no denying who she was from her presence alone.
Juliana slid her sunglasses slightly down her nose. “Is this seat taken?”
“Yes,” Scarlett wheezed, still trying to recover. “Leave…go… Oh, God… Someone get me water.”
“Put your arms up to open your lungs,” Sonnet whisper-yelled before looking back at Juliana. She wasn’t in the mood to talk to this woman, and her omega was demanding she throw her coffee at her, but there was something in Juliana’s eyes. Sonnet didn’t know what, but she waved to the chair. “Sure.”
There was an awkward pause, the only sound being Scarlett painfully trying to recover from her choking incident. When she did, she scooted her chair closer to Sonnet protectively and tapped her nails onto the table relentlessly.
Juliana smiled, looking around the secluded outside space and removing her glasses. “I’ve never been here before. Are they any good?”
“Can you just get to the point of why you’re here?” Scarlett snapped.
My thoughts exactly.
Shh.
“I wasn’t planning on being here. I have an appointment and simply crossed your path by accident.
” Juliana shrugged her shoulders like it was no big deal, but she kept fidgeting with the watch on her wrist. Her eyes were oddly gentle and sad when she looked at Sonnet.
“How have you been, Sonnet? Since the party?”
“You mean since you outcasted Sonnet as the city’s next paid whore, demonized her mother, and told her in the worst way possible she was dead?”
“Scarlett,” Sonnet hissed, reaching for her hand under the table.
Julianna sighed, her eyes looking around as if trying to find words on the walls and floors.
“I’ve been thinking about the party ever since it happened.
It’s been like a nightmare for me. I’ve never been well-liked, and for good reason, I suppose.
I’ve always done my own thing my own way, but I’ve never been terrible before. I was terrible to you, Sonnet.”
“No, shit.” Scarlett rolled her eyes before slouching in her seat. “Sorry, sorry.”
“Can I ask you why you said all those things to me in the first place?”
“I was jealous,” Juliana admitted, taking a long exhale.
“I don’t know why. I’ve known even before those boys met you that we weren’t compatible.
But like them, I tried to make it work, and all we ended up doing was hurting each other, and my hurt turned to humiliation and then loneliness.
It’s hard to let go of what is eating at you until, after a while, you just let it.
” Juliana leaned towards Sonnet, her expression like stone.
“I’ve got some work I have to do, but I don’t want to be a terrible person.
I am really sorry I chose to let my bitterness hurt you and your pack.
I want you to know I’ve been working hard to help shut down some of those articles, and I promise I’ll never write one of my own again.
It’s not much, but it’s what I’m offering right now in exchange for, hopefully, your forgiveness. ”
Sonnet sat with her words for what felt like forever.
For a split second, she wanted to hold on to her anger like a two-bladed grudge and wedge it deep inside Juliana’s back.
But it took a few seconds longer to understand that Sonnet didn’t hate her.
In fact, she could almost understand her.
She appreciated her apology, and she appreciated her actions to change even more.
After all, it was one thing to issue an apology out of guilt; it was another to own the consequences of your actions and learn from them to better yourself.
“I forgive you, Juliana. And I really hope that after you find yourself, you find an alpha to love you the way you deserve.”
Juliana’s face tightened as she tried to hold back tears. She cleared her throat and put her sunglasses back on. “Well, I'd better hurry off to my appointment. Thank you for your time, Sonnet.”
Juliana strutted away like the model she was, leaving Sonnet and Scarlett staring after her in disbelief.
Scarlett let out a long, heavy sigh. “You’re a much better person than I am, Sugar.”
She wasn’t too sure about that, but Sonnet had felt recently, especially after learning of her mother’s death, that life was too short to hold on to so much anger and sadness.
Her heart wasn’t that big, after all, and if she let those emotions consume her, there wouldn’t be any room left for her mates and the people and things she loved.
Her phone rang, and a smile fluttered across her face as she read the message.
“Let me guess, your mates are howling at you to come home?”
“No,” Sonnet laughed. “But they do want to pick me up. Apparently, they have a surprise they want to show me.”
“Oh! Message me when you find out what it is.”
“Of course!” Sonnet pulled Scarlett into a tight hug and didn’t have to wait much longer for her four mates to come walking over, smug smiles on their faces, and excitement buzzing in the air.