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“I’m not a different person. I’m just a person who now knows how much better life is when someone isn’t holding her back and making her feel like shit. The reason I’m not the Omega you fell in love with is because that person didn’t exist. She was someone you molded, and not who I actually am.”
True anger was in his voice now. On his face. I felt the pack’s attention on us, and their caution as they saw Beau turn red. “You act like I fucking abused you or something. What the hell, Isolde? We were happy. We could have been happy again if you hadn’t left so quickly. Whatever you think of me? You’re being manipulated. If you don’t see how all of this is your fault to begin with, I can’t help you.”
I laughed. Actually laughed. Thank god it was time to split and stand on either side of the altar, because I needed time to compose myself. It was either laugh like I’d lost my mind or cry because I was so fucking angry at myself for not being able to see through his bullshit. For making excuses over every little thing that hurt me. For letting the love and kindness he’d shown me at thebeginningof our relationship feed my heart far longer than it lasted.
Ellie looked at me as she came down the aisle with an eyebrow raised. Was I okay? I shrugged with a smile. Yes. I wasokay and I wasn’t okay and despite everything working out for the best, I’d never not regret letting it go so far.
Across from me, Beau glared.
Had he truly been this way the whole time and I just didn’t see it? That was hard for me to believe. Even with all the shitty things Beau did, which made him worse than I’d believed, I’d never seen this… poisonous side of him before. I wasn’t sure which was worse—him being able to hide this part of himself, or turning into him at all.
We had to walk down the aisle a few more times to get it right, and we said nothing to each other as we did so. The ceremony part was easy to rehearse, as was the walk back up the center. For the time it took, I kept stealing glances at the pack. They felt better now that I wasn’t next to Beau, but our bonds were still taut with something darker.
As soon as the wedding planner told us we were finished, we were all walking over to the reception area where the staff had already laid out food for everyone and it smelledincredible. Food hadn’t been the highest need on our list this morning.
The guys met me there, Vaughn pulling me into a fierce hug. Harder than it needed to be, considering I hadn’t left their sight. “What?—”
“No, no, no,” Ellie called. “Food first. You guys can be sappy later. You have your whole lives for it.”
“Just a second,” I said. I looked at the guys. “What’s wrong?”
Joel gave me a tight smile. “Nothing that won’t keep for an hour.”
“I can feel it. You’re all amped up, and as much as I know you hate my ex, he’s barely said anything to me and hasn’t touched me. So what did he do?”
They all shared a look, and I narrowed my eyes. “Do I need to stamp my foot? What? I can handle it.”
Joel blew out a breath and scrubbed a hand over his face. “He told us he’d been cheating on you. No details, but it seemed like it was for most of your relationship.”
I waited for the horror and devastation to hit me, but it didn’t. After everything, nothing that came out about him surprised me. It still hurt, but not the way I expected. “I probably should have guessed that.”
Hawk’s shocked expression made me smile. He searched my face. “You seem remarkably okay with it.”
“Okay with it? No. Unwilling to let someone who doesn’t matter affect my life anymore? Yes. It’s already happened and I have you. I’ll be okay.”
The relief from all of them was palpable.
Vaughn kissed my hair. “I love you.”
“Love you too.”
We’d only been away for two minutes, so Ellie didn’t harass us when we sat down. It was all in good fun anyway, but it was a good thing I knew. They felt better not keeping it from me, and I felt better because they felt better.
I was seated near Ellie and Warren, the guys in a line next to me, and of course, Beau and Angela were across from us. Angela met my eyes and smiled for a moment before looking away. None of the anger or vitriol which had been there a few days ago.
Whatever. If I didn’t have to deal with two people hating me, that was just fine.
But Beau? I looked at him and felt nothing. What a fuckingrelief.
I looked at my sister. “Are you nervous about tomorrow?”
“No.” She took Warren’s hand and laughed. “I’m as excited for it as I’m excited for it to be over. Then we can go have fun.”
They were going on a northern cruise for their honeymoon. Where it was cold and they’d probably see icebergs. I questioned their sanity, but Ellie pointed out to me that she didn’t need togoanywhere to hang out on the beach. She wanted something different, and they weren’t going to spend a lot of time outside of their luxurious ship cabin anyway.
“Good.”
“I can’t wait to see the final flowers,” she said. “Everything Ocean’s shown me has been incredible.”
