Page 162 of Rough and Rugged

“No, there’s no way, Zach would have never let me.” Gunnar’s eyes widened at me using my ex’s name.

“What do you take daily that someone could have switched?” Gunnar asked.

I shrugged, “Just my iron pills, that my doctor prescribed.”

Gunnar looked at me, confused, “You don’t have low iron. Your health is perfect according to your labs. Do you have them with you?”

I nodded. “In my bag, wherever that ended up.”

Gunnar went to the corner of the room and grabbed my bag. Rifling through it, he pulled out the pill bottle and emptied the contents into his hand. “Yeah, these are one hundred percent birth control, I’m surprised your alpha didn’t notice your scent change. How long have you been on these?”

I thought back, “A month after moving in with Zach. I went in because he fractured my wrist. My doctor insisted on them when I’d said I fell. Oh my God, he knew, he knew this whole time that he was beating me, and he did it to keep me safe.” I said, as the realization hit.

“Who is your doctor? I need to send him a bottle of scotch.” Gunnar said as he dumped the pills into the garbage.

“Hey! Shouldn’t I still take those? I don’t want kids. I don’t want another alpha.” I said, lying through my teeth. I wanted an alpha, and it was Gunnar.

“No Jules, we need you to heal, otherwise it’s going to take weeks.” I shrugged at his argument. “Jules.”

“Gunnar.” I said back.

Gunnar threw his arms up in the air. “Dammit Jules, you’re just as stubborn as when you were a kid!” Gunnar said.

I sighed and bit my lip, fighting back tears. “What am I going to do, Gun? I have nowhere to go?”

Gunnar just smiled at me. “You’re living with me, of course.”

Shaking my head, I met his eyes. “An unmated omega and an alpha under the same roof? That’s not a smart idea, even for us.”

Gunnar growled and huffed, “Fine.” He crossed his arms and looked at me. “How did you know I wasn’t mated?”

“I can still smell just fine. Plus,” I pointed to his neck, “No mating bite.”

“Touché,” he said back. “I’ll find you a place to stay. You’re going to be in here a few more days anyway, so that’ll give me time.”

Chapter Four

Gunnar

Afterourtalk,Julianfell back to sleep and I left to go in search of a place for him to stay. I needed the walk after everything he had told me. I desperately wanted him under my roof. I wanted to protect him. But he was right, an unmated alpha and omega under the same roof was a recipe for disaster. As soon as he went into heat, I’d be on him.

Walking down the street from the clinic, I headed to Mama Lydia’s. She was basically the town’s resident grandma; she was pushing seventy, but for a dragon that was still young. Her hair was turning white, and her tanned skin was wrinkling. Being an omega herself, she took in runaway omegas. So I went there hoping she had room for Jules.

Reaching her bungalow, Mama Lydia opened the door before I even had a chance to knock. “I was expecting you.” I just smiled at her while shaking my head, kissing her wrinkled cheek as I walked in. “The boy they found. He’s a dragon?”

I nodded, stopping in the entryway, “Yes, and an omega who was put on birth control without his knowledge.”

Lydia clutched her heart. “That poor thing.”

I shook my head, “No, his alpha was beating him. His doctor saved him from a life as a breeding mule.”

Lydia still held her heart. “I repeat, that poor thing.”

I nodded this time. If I met the alpha, I’d kill him. “His name is Julian. He needs a place to stay, Mama.”

She was already nodding. “Of course, I have an empty room for him.” I nodded back, but a pit was forming in my stomach. He belonged with me. “Oh, that is a face.” Lydia said with a small laugh. “You know and care for him.” Damn woman was a witch.

Sighing, I nodded. “He’s my ex-stepbrother. I haven’t seen him in ten years. But even then, I’d felt connected to him. And now I want nothing more than to take him home with me.”

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