Chapter 35
Chapter
Thirty-Five
My phone rang, and I reached out, grabbing it from the nightstand next to me. “Hello?”
“Marcus, are you still asleep?”
Taking a deep breath, I sat up and tried to blink the sleep out of my eyes. It was definitely later than I normally woke up. The time different between Fiji and here was throwing me off.
“Sorry. Did you go over to your parents’ for breakfast?”
“My sister invited me.” Ebony laughed over the line. “I didn’t want to subject you to her that early in the morning.”
I smiled softly. “You know I don’t mind. Kids were never a problem for me. I love them. Your sister is just a tired mother of five with another one on the way. You need to give her some leeway.”
Ebony snorted. “Yeah, well, it’s chaos.”
Getting up, I stretched and cracked my neck. It sounded terrible, and even Ebony heard it over the phone. She hissed before laughing.
“That was a good one.”
“I’m getting old.”
She continued to laugh. “If I have to hear that you’re getting old for the next two hundred years before you’re actually old, then I will make you gain even more weight.”
My jaw dropped. “You little…don’t you dare.”
Shaking my head, I went into the bathroom and put the phone on speaker before brushing my teeth. “When are you coming back?”
“Marcus, was that even English?”
Pulling my brush out and spitting, I repeated my question to her.
“Oh. It shouldn’t be very long. Maybe another hour.
We need to get on the road to the clinic.
Only two more times and then we can finally go home.
” She paused for a moment before letting out a growl.
“I can’t believe your family. That they would treat you like that.
You only wanted to reach out. You looked so broken last night. ”
I stared at my reflection. Her saying that confirmed that yesterday wasn’t a dream. My lips pursed as I took a breath. Summoning my dragon forward, I watched as my eyes shifted color and horns grew out of my head. He really was there. Even today, the fire in my core felt stronger.
“I’ll figure something out. I don’t…”
“…want to talk about it. I get it. I’ll be home soon. We can do something after the shot. Something you want to do. Whatever it is. Something that would make you happy.”
I tried to smile, but it just wouldn’t come to my face. “Sounds good. I’ll see you in an hour. I love you.”
“Alright, my mate. Be good.”
The call ended, and I slammed my fist into the mirror. It shattered, the shards covering my hand, cutting into my skin. My scales were fine, and I shook off the glass. Damn it all.
I closed my eyes, reaching for my bonds. It was amazing to feel my dragon, even if he was grumbling angrily. The other bond, the one that was shut down when I went to sleep, was open again. Reaching out, I slipped into it. I opened my eyes, seeing them shine.
Did you sleep?
His amusement came through the bond before his words did. A little. About two hours. You slept in late.
Two hours? In what world is two hours getting sleep? That’s a nap at best.
He laughed again. It is in my current world. I might take another hour nap later, but that depends.
Why did you drop the wall?
I don’t normally have it up. Your dragon was beating down the wall anyway while you were asleep. I let the bond open to shut him up.
I let out a sigh. Sorry. I didn’t even know he could do that.
You did. You just don’t remember.
Snorting, I shook my head. It was such a flippant way to say that all my memories were false, and I had forgotten everything that had been important to me before. At least today he seemed more alive.
How are you still linking me? Is she not there?
Again, the abhorrent emphasis on ‘she’ was spine-tingling. Ebony went to her sister’s for breakfast. She’ll be back in about an hour, so we can go to the clinic.
He said nothing the entire time I got dressed and made breakfast. I was sitting at the table, sipping my coffee, finished with my omelet, when I felt his presence again.
Welcome back.
Sorry. I have other obligations that take priority over speaking with you, Marcus. If anything, Lai and Beau would put me on lockdown if they found out I was.
I chuckled. I don’t understand why they were so hateful. Well, I guess I kind of understand. Considering you live with them…but I don’t know why they are so angry.
There was a moment of silence, and I thought he moved back, but there was a quiet sadness that was coming through. I put down my mug, staring down at the liquid as I waited.
They see the pain I go through. It’s a lot normally. What has happened over the past month has been so much worse. They are watching me die.
I realized what he meant. Because of me.
Yes. His inner voice was quiet.
The pain of my betraying our bond. I swallowed. You feel every time…we have sex.
Colton let out a soft chuckle. Yes, Mar. I know when you have sex with her. Every single time. Sometimes it drives me to my knees; sometimes I’m able to power through it. His voice turned quiet again. I wouldn’t wish this pain on anyone.
I wondered how akin it was to the night terrors. Night terrors that apparently didn’t exist. Or did. I didn’t know anymore. Shaking my head, I picked up my mug and took a sip.
I’m sorry.
He hummed. I’m not going to ask you not to do it. I can understand. Ebony was the winner of the battle and the war. I was the idiot.
You’re not an idiot, Colton.
You are still going to that appointment. Still going to inject poison into your body. The serum that Dylan created specifically to break our bond. Colton let out an incredibly long sigh. If Dylan knew he was about to kill me, I wonder what he would do.
My brow furrowed. Dylan? Who’s Dylan?
Alpha Dylan Genesis. He’s my old Alpha. He knows I’m an Omega, and he’s gotten it into his head that I am his.
Just like Ebony feels with you. We aren’t people with our own feelings to them.
They think they own us. For them to use.
For them to discard when they get what they want.
His grand plan was to give you to Ebony, break our bond, then mark me, have me push out pups for him, then kill me.
Kill you? That doesn’t make sense.
This time Colton’s laugh rang pure. No kidding.
Nothing he does makes sense. He’s obsessed.
He will kill me because he doesn’t want anyone touching me.
He would have killed you if it weren’t for Ebony.
She stopped him; the two of them worked together to bring an end to our bond.
He paused for a moment. And they succeeded.
Just Dylan won’t get his side of the bargain.
Because you’ll die.
The words tasted horrible. My heart felt for this wolf, even if I was torn about what to feel about a mate bond. A stronger feeling of pain and anger burst from my dragon. He made his feelings known, and I heard Colton chuckle.
It’s okay. I’ve accepted it. I’ve had time to accept it. Honestly, I never thought I would see you again. Even having a small moment with you was more than I ever thought I would get.
I swallowed hard. What if…I don’t do the injection? What then?
I mean, you can see how they will react. It will be bad. They have been working on it for a long time. If you tried to break the cycle, they would freak out. They shouldn’t if it was…what did they say it was? Fertility treatments? He barked out a laugh.
Shaking my head, I took a sip. I thought I was broken. That my dragon was already gone. Now, I feel him, and I don’t know how to feel. Ebony and I had been trying for so long to have kids.
Colton’s connection flickered for a moment.
I hate to tell you this, but Ebony knows about me.
She knows I’m your mate. She knows that when an Alpha and Omega are mated, they cannot have pups with anyone else.
Not to mention that you only started having sex over a month ago.
Not years. We weren’t even mated for that long.
Everything he was saying didn’t make sense. I don’t understand.
It’s okay, Mar. You don’t need to. Just do what you feel is right. I’m not going to tell you what is right. All choices have consequences, good and bad. It will always alter your path, and people may get hurt. Still, you can’t regret your decision.
His presence left, and I leaned back in my chair. He looked so young, and yet he was telling me this. Despite him saying he lost. Saying that he would die. I narrowed my eyes and then reached out to him again.
Colton, in the photos in the album, you were pregnant. Those were from last year, though. Did you…? I let the question hang in the air.
Beau and Lauren have already agreed to take our daughter and adopt her.
My heart sank into my stomach, and the omelet felt like it was threatening to come back up. I set my coffee mug down, my hands shaking too much to keep the liquid in the mug.
Our daughter?
Yes, Marcus. Our daughter. Her name is Kayla.
The pain got worse, and I grabbed the front of my shirt, trying to take a full breath. That’s…the name…
Yeah. We spoke about it before she was born. It was perfect. She’ll be Beau and Lauren’s. Maybe if they let you keep your memories after everything is done, you can visit her.
Colton’s tone told me he was saying it with a smile on his face. I didn’t know how I knew, but I could picture it. His soft look as he smiled. Maybe even looking down at…our daughter.
Kayla what?
He snorted. She’s a dragon, Mar. She doesn’t have a middle name until she shifts.
How…do I have a daughter…? That I don’t remember and don’t know about.
Colton was quiet for a moment. She’s almost three months old now..
I don’t know…I-I… Panic and pain were rolling through me.
Breathe, Marcus. It’s okay. Just take it a step at a time. It will be okay. I promise. No matter what you choose, it will be okay.
I barely got myself under control when I heard Ebony pull up. Grabbing my dishes, I took them to the sink and rinsed them as she walked in. Her smile was bright as she came over to me. She bumped me with her hip.
“Everything okay? You look a little pale.”
My lips pursed. “I think I actually had a nightmare last night. I feel a little off today. Extra tired.”
She frowned, pulling my head and putting our foreheads together. “You don’t have a fever.”
I shook my head. “I’m not sick. I just…honestly, I think I need to speak to the doctor today. Maybe see about putting off the next two injections until later.”
The look on Ebony’s face twisted, her panther coming forward. It was shocking, and I took a step back, unable to understand where the anger was coming from. I only wanted to talk to the doctor about whether they had tested it with those who still had their bonds.
“Do you not care about us? About being together? I thought…I thought you wanted this, Marcus.” Her accusation hit me hard.
“No, Eb. You know I want to have kids. You know that. I just had a few questions for the doctor. Maybe put it off if there were issues that came up.”
She shook her head. “That’s not how it works, Marcus. Not that you would know. Most of the fertility stuff falls to the female to worry about.”
“Ebony…”
Her hand covered her face for a moment before tears replaced the anger. “Do you really want to quit now? I told you this would be it. I know it. Then we get to go home. Away from everything and everyone.”
I stared at her for a long moment. “Let me get shoes on.”
Instantly, Ebony smiled brightly. “Good! I’ll be right next to you, Marcus. We are in this together.”