“Just tired,” I say, knowing full well how lame of an excuse it is.
What have I done that would make me tired? I do nothing. I go nowhere. Layla knows this, so I’m not surprised when she slips me the side eye. But because we’re not alone, she doesn’t pry.
The cat is out of the bag. Now that she knows I’m distracted, I can’t hide it, and I feel her eyes on me between her turns, judging me. Wanting desperately to know what’s really going on.
I’m sure conversations are happening, but I can’t concentrate on them. Layla pokes me every time it’s my turn, and everyone laughs. Even me, trying not to make things more awkward than I already have.
“I think I should get him home,” Layla says at the end of the next round.
Home.
Now that is laughable.
This isn’t our home. It pisses me off that she calls it that.
“Sutton,” Razyr catches me on our way out. “I was wondering if you would drop by the med comb tomorrow. My tests on the samples I took the last time you were here have not offered much more information about your designation. I would like to take more and maybe run some other diagnostic tests.”
“Uh, yeah. In the morning?” I ask.
“See you then,” he says with a polite nod as I follow Layla out the door.
“Seriously, what’s going on with you?” Layla says when I catch up with her, marching down the corridor toward our room.
“Don’t worry. I think it’s just a little cabin fever.” It’s not a lie. I do think that’s a big part of why I feel like shit. Razyr asking me to stop by the med comb tomorrow made me feel surprisingly better.
She’s quiet until we get to our room. The second the door closes, she spins on me and says, “Don’t you dare do this to me again, Sutton.”
“Do what?” I ask, even though I know playing dumb with her never works.
“Just say it. You’re unhappy.”
I take a step and reach for her. “Layla—”
“No.” She backs away from my advance.
“You’re not going to charm me out of this. You’re not happy here. Just admit it.”
“So what if I am? It doesn’t change anything. You still can’t leave the Center without being bonded to an alpha. Either I suffer the boredom of being an outcast in this place, or I leave you here again. It doesn’t make a damn bit of difference how I feel because it doesn’t change a goddamn thing.”
“What makes you think you’re an outcast? Everyone loved having you there tonight.” She gestures in the direction of Razyr and Angie’s room.
“I’m not one of them, and my scent on an omega? They’re only tolerating it for your sake. I can tell that they expect me to step aside when Zayd comes back. You belong here because there’s no question about what you are. There’s no place for me here. I’m nothing. I don’t belong.”
Layla huffs and proclaims confidently, “You belong with me.”
“But that’s not good enough for them.”
Layla plants her fists on her hips and stomps her foot. “I don’t give a good goddamn what’s good for them. Honestly, I’m sick of playing by their rules. You’re my husband. And whatever we decide to do, they’ll just have to deal with it.”
“We can’t leave the Center. My mark isn’t enough to keep you safe out there.” She finally softens enough to let me near. I rub my hands up and down her arms.
She lets her arms slack at her sides. “But you’re miserable here.”
“We can’t leave. No matter how determined you are, I don’t think they’d let you. You’re too precious.”
She rolls her eyes and sneers. Then she grumbles and says, “Unless…” She sighs heavily. “I was bonded with an alpha.”
I consider it for a moment, waiting for jealousy or anger or some other emotion to scream at me. When they don’t, Iconfront her with the absurdity of her suggestion, “If you think Zayd will be okay to bond with you, then let you go with me, you’re crazy. Besides, I couldn’t do that to the guy. After everything he’s done for us? He deserves to be able to bond with his own omega. That would be cruel.”
