I blame myself for saying anything. I should've kept my mouth shut.
“I didn’t know that’s what you were talking about,” Myrick finally whispers, like the silence is killing him too.
Rhett doesn’t reply right away. He turns slightly, stepping toward the foot of the bed, like he needs space to think. “You want him in our pack?” he asks, voice carefully neutral.
“I didn’t say that,” Myrick says, but there’s no force behind it. He knows it’s not entirely true.
Rhett runs a hand over his face, then down the back of his neck. Some of the rage lifts from his shoulders, and when he speaks, it’s clear he’s using all his self-control to rein himself in. “Myrick, we don’t even know this guy. Why on earth would you want to add him to our family?”
“He’s a good alpha. Strong and protective,” Myrick says. “And he’s been good to us. To Charlie. And Autry. You can’t deny that.”
“I’m not denying anything.” Rhett’s voice is still even, but it’s growing quieter in a heavy way, like he’s hurt. “But I only brought Oli in to help claim Autryat the Morder. That was it. I didn’t think I was handing over the key to the damn front door.”
The room is silent again. Myrick shifts, uncomfortable, clearly regretting saying anything at all. “You told me to date,” he says simply. “You spent months telling me to find a new alpha.” He hangs his head, and a single tear slips down his cheek. “I didn’t mean to catch feelings for him. It just happened.”
I’m so shocked by the sadness pouring off of the beta, I’m frozen in place for a second.
“I thought I was allowed…” Myrick trails off, and my heart breaks.
“Myrick.” I fling my arms around him, trying to snuggle the sadness out of him, but his arms hang loose, not holding me at all.
“I’m not mad,” Rhett whispers as he moves toward us, but his posture is still tight and angry. “I…I wish I’d known you felt this strongly. You should have talked to me about it.”
My chest aches at the weight in my alpha's voice. I want to say something to make this better—like that Oli is a good, calming alpha that could really round our pack out—but there’s no way I can say that.
Omegas have very different relationships with their alphas than betas do. Just because Myrick is allowed to date, doesn’t mean I am. In fact, me saying anything would probably only make things worse. So I stay quiet.
“Rhett,” Myrick swallows hard. “I didn’t mean to?—”
“It’s late,” Rhett cuts him off. “We’re all tired and worried about Charlie. Let’s talk about this tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow?” Myrick looks up at Rhett, searching the alpha’s face for even a scrap of hope. But Rhett doesn’t give him any. He simply shakes his head, a quiet, final gesture that says it all—it’s not going to happen.
“Excuse me.” Myrick pulls out of my arms, then rushes into the bathroom, shutting the door. The shower turns on and a muffled cry slips under the door.
Rhett doesn’t look at me right away. He sits down on the edge of the bed, elbows on his knees, staring at the floor like it holds all the answers.
Not sure what to do, I sit down next to him and take his hand.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, wishing I had just kept my big mouth shut.
“It's okay.” Rhett squeezes my hand, then releases it. “It’s been a hard few years for Myrick.” He lets out a heavy breath. “We had a packmate that left us, and he’s struggled ever since.”
A thousand questions barrel through my mind, but I keep all of them sealed up tight. After all, if I ask about their past, they might ask about mine, and I can’t go there. Not tonight. Maybe not ever.
Instead, I look at my alpha, watching as he stares at the floor like he’s lost in a memory he doesn’t want to relive.
“Do you not like Oli?” I ask softly.
Rhett doesn’t answer at first. He takes his time, thinking it over before rubbing his face hard. “It’s not that I don’t like him,” he says. “I don’tknowhim. That’s the problem.”
I nod, but something in my expression must push him to continue.
“He’s twenty-five, Autry,” Rhett says, like that explains everything. “Alphas that young are still figuring themselves out. They’re unreliable. Sometimes even violent.”
I swallow hard, hearing the subtext loud and clear.I don’t trust him not to hurt you.
It’s a little ironic considering the things Oli said aboutRhett. Maybe that’s what all alphas think about each other until they get to know one another?
