Page 54

No response.

“If…” I swallowed hard. “If people knew you were my mate, it would have put a target on your back with everything I was doing.”

He remained where he was, his back to me, holding the door.

“I certainly couldn’t let any of my supposed friends know. I mean, Royce had no idea who you were, did he?”

No answer.

“I had to let everyone think that no omega could ever be anything to me. There was no other way I could make sure you––”

“How were you able to continue to spy on them?”

“What do you mean?”

“Were you in disguise?”

“When I broke into their homes and warehouses with my team, yes I was.”

“How did you do that?”

“Pardon?”

“How did you disguise yourself?” he asked me. Clearly his curiosity had gotten the better of him.

I took a breath. “I wore a black balaclava over my face.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes.”

“And they couldn’t tell it was you from you voice or physique or scent?”

I chuckled. “No. Only you notice those things.”

“Doubtful,” he scoffed.

“It’s true, no one else could tell.”

“But you can’t hide in plain sight anymore,” he stated, but didn’t close the door.

“No. I’m sure Royce told everyone it’s been me saving the omegas all along, and he nearly got his revenge by giving me up to Theo. He almost killed me, and if you hadn’t been there on the street to⁠—”

“I did very little,” he choked out, and I could hear the pain in his words. His heart was breaking on the other side of the room.

“That’s not true at all,” I assured him, realizing that me talking wasn’t working. “You were amazing.”

No answer, just an inhale of breath.

“You know, I could really use some tea.” It was my last option.

Immediately, he closed the door, locked it but didn’t set the alarm, and quickly crossed the room to the kitchen. He had to do something for me; the instinct was engrained too deep for him to let a request go unfulfilled.

“Is it okay if I sit at the counter?”

He nodded.

I flipped over the back of the couch, as was my habit, and was pleased that it didn’t hurt.