21. Chapter 21
Cassie
Inside the Confessional
I was in the spotlight, really not wanting to do this confessional.
“Rough day, huh?” the producer prompted.
The voice was fake-casual, like they weren’t the ones who’d orchestrated the entire nesting challenge debacle.
Our team had dropped rank a few spots after the audience votes, and I didn’t blame anyone watching for thinking we weren’t the best team.
We didn’t seem very cohesive after Ash and I were at each other’s throats.
I crossed my arms tightly across my chest. “You could say that.” The camera zoomed slightly, waiting. They wanted a breakdown. I could feel it, like heat radiating from the lights overhead.
“What’s it like sharing a nesting room with another omega?” the voice asked, sugary sweet. “Especially one as unique as Ash?”
I scoffed. “Ash is great. It’s just that two omegas will always have two different preferences. They can’t share a nest, that’s all.”
A pause. Then, with theatrical innocence, “But you have the same preference in alphas, isn’t that right?”
That hit me in the gut. Yes, we wanted the same alphas. I knew it, Ash knew it. And if we were fighting over a nest, then in the real world… There could only be one.
“Do you think he’s angry with you?” The voice asked, dragging me into reality.
I wanted to be snarky, but the truth was I felt like absolute garbage.
I’d stormed out on someone who had never deserved it.
I’d let my instincts override my empathy, and now, watching the footage back, all I could think about was how pale Ash looked at the end, how his hands had trembled slightly when he picked up the blanket I’d tossed aside.
“I don’t know. I just… I was overwhelmed. And when I’m overwhelmed, I get loud. Ash gets quiet. And I think I forgot that doesn’t mean he’s unaffected. He’s just different.”
Behind the camera, someone sighed. Maybe it wasn’t the goldmine of drama they’d hoped for, but it was real.
And for once, I didn’t care how it would be edited.
I wasn’t feeling well either. The lights were too bright, the overwhelming anxiety of losing my temper in the challenge, and then losing rank after voting, it was really getting to me.
“You know, what? I don’t have time for this.” I muttered, yanking the mic off as I got off the seat. One of the crew tried to stop me, but someone pulled him back, just shaking their head as I walked out of the confessional room.
I had somewhere to be, and that was with Ash. things had been awkward between us ever since the challenge, and I didn’t want him to feel like I didn’t care. I didn’t want him to feel anything but wanted, and I couldn’t wait another second to tell him that.
I raced down the halls of the villa, ignoring the various cast and crew scattered throughout the rooms. A few of them gave me a glance, but I paid them no attention.
Where could my team be? I looked around, checking in the pool area first. We had a day with nothing scheduled, no challenges or voting.
Usually the day after a vote was a free day, so they could be anywhere.
I nearly crashed into Leo as I rounded the corner, my pulse racing. He caught my elbow instinctively, and I looked up at him.
“Whoa there, sunshine,” Leo said, tilting his head slightly as he took me in. “You alright? You look flushed.”
“I’m fine,” I said too quickly, brushing back a strand of hair from my face. “Have you seen Ash?”
His easy expression shifted slightly. “No,” he said, and just that one word made my stomach knot tighter. “He wasn’t with us this morning. Why? Is everything okay?”
“I just need to find him,” I said quietly, my stomach churning. Leo didn’t press. But the way he watched me told me he already knew something was off.
“Hey, you don’t look so good. What happened?” He asked, and I turned away from him. I could see Rys headed toward the gym.
“Nothing. I don’t feel good. I’ll head back to the suite to lay down for a bit.” I said, pulling away from him. I felt dizzy and out of it.
“Let me walk you back.” Leo offered, but I shook him off of me.
“No, I’m fine, really!” I said, quickly scurrying away.
I needed to go back to my room and regroup.
As I walked through the villa, a few of the alphas in the adjacent rooms lifted their heads instinctively.
I ignored them, my goal to get back to the suite and find Ash.
But with how I was feeling, I wasn’t sure I could even do that. Something was seriously wrong.