Back in the apartment, everything feels wrong. The lights are too bright. Pancake watches from the counter, tail flicking. Mypalms are raw from gripping the elevator railing. Rob is already home.
“You got fired?” he says as soon as I close the door.
“Not fired?—”
“But you will be. Jesus, Wren.” He runs a hand through his hair. “Whathappened?”
I try to explain. I tell him the truth. Every detail. His expression shifts from one of concern to one of coldness.
“You’re telling me,” he says slowly, “that this Alpha billionaire—who had everything to lose—just assaulted you in a meeting room?”
“Yes.”
“You sure you didn’t… I don’t know… lean into it a little? Omegas don’t always realize?—”
“Don’t say that.”
He throws his hands up. “You wear balm, but that doesn’t mean you’re not giving off signals. I know how you get when you’re stressed.”
“That isnotwhat happened.”
He stares at me, like he’s trying to decide if I’m lying or just stupid. “You’ve always had this thing, Wren. This… neediness. I try. Itryto be enough, but it’s like you’re wired to crave something I can’t give.”
His voice breaks at the edge. Insecurity slips through.
“You think I don’t notice how you look at other men? How you always sleep on the edge of the bed?”
“Rob—you’re a Beta,” I say quietly. “You don’t understand.”
His mouth tightens. “Exactly. I don’t understand what it’s like living with someone who has to drug herself just to be normal.”
“I told you that the meds…”
“Enough about the fucking drugs, Wren!” he cuts me off. “I told you from the start that my ex was a Beta. You convinced methat this wouldn’t be a problem, but you never miss the chance to remind me that I’m just a Beta in your eyes, huh? You should have been with an Alpha from the start. I can’t believe I didn’t listen to my mother when she told me this was going to be a problem.”
The mention of his mother is like a slap to my face. I knew Rob’s entire family was made of Betas, and I knew for a fact that his mother had this notion that an Omega would be promiscuous and unfaithful and cheat on her precious son.
She was wrong. I thought he was on my side.
I’ve been nothing but faithful to Rob. How can he not see that?
“That was uncalled for,” I mutter, blinking my tears away.
“I can’t do this anymore, Wren. This isn’t working.”
No, no, no.“Please, Rob, let’s just talk about this…”
He completely ignores me. I watch as he picks up his bag, angrily huffing as he moves. Pancake bolts under the table.
The door slams.
I stand in the silence, shaking. Then the pain starts.
It’s not grief, not exactly. It’s lower. Deeper. A burning that starts between my hips and spreads like fire through my veins.
My skin goes hot. My breasts ache. My thighs clench.
“Oh no,” I whisper. “No, no, no?—”
