Page 84 of The Librarian and Her Alphas

I sniffle, tears leaking from my eyes and dripping down my cheeks.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper hoarsely. “I got scared.”

“Did we scare you?” asks Max. “Was there something that made you worried?”

I shake my head.

“My life has been…” I search for the right word. “Difficult, to say the least. I’ve been alone for so long that I’ve never felt I could trust or rely on anyone but myself.”

“But why did you leave us?” Damon growls, and I can hear the heartbreak in his voice. “Leave me? I’ve done everything I can to show you that you can trust me. Was it not enough?”

I left him, just like his last omega did.

I can hear how hurt he is. I can feel the slight tremble in his body as he sits next to me, and shame washes over me.

“I’m sorry,” I sniffle. “I never meant to hurt you. Or Max and Gunnar. I’m just scared that what happened with Zorin and his pack will happen with you, too.”

“We would never hurt you,” Damon declares.

“Zorin made me believe that all alphas had to mistreat their omegas to comply,” I whisper. I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what I have to say next. “When I met you guys, I thought you would be the same—flattering me to get me to stay with you, then abusing me once you had me marked.”

Tears roll freely down my cheeks, but I don’t wipe them away.

“I thought it would be better to get away, to escape,” I continue, my heart aching, “than to be stuck in a situation I could never change once marked by alphas. I just wanted to be free.”

“Lena,” Damon says, turning his body toward me and placing a tender hand on my face, tears in his eyes.

It’s so unlike him that my heart aches at the sweet gesture. He dips his head until we’re at eye level and wipes away the tears on my cheeks with his thumb.

“I’m so unbelievably sorry for everything you’ve been through, darling,” he murmurs, his dark eyes earnest. “No one should ever be treated that way. You deserve so much more, and I want you to be happy. I’ll understand whatever choice you make, whether to stay with us or to leave. But more than anything, I want you to know that I would never hurt you. You will always be safe with me.”

My heart soars at the sincerity on his face. His words are simple yet heal a part of me I didn’t know was still bleeding. It feels as if I’ve been waiting my whole life to hear them.

I lean in, my heart racing as I close the distance between Damon and me. The warmth of his breath mingles with mine, and I can hardly believe I’m about to do this.

I place my lips gently against his. Our lips touch, and my heart flutters wildly at the contact.

I haven’t kissed anyone on the lips since I was with my last pack, and I’ve avoided it every time the alphas wanted to try.

Damon seems surprised for a moment, but then I feel him relax against me, and his lips respond to mine with a soft warmth that ignites something deep inside me.

As we kiss, my heart swells. It’s tender, unlike anything I’ve experienced before.

A connection sparks between us, the taste of hope mingling with the lingering uncertainty and fear of my past. I lose myself in the kiss, savoring the feeling of being wanted and cherished—something I had almost forgotten was possible.

Eventually, I pull away, slightly breathless but feeling like I could do anything now. Damon looks taken aback, and a rush of shyness washes over me.

“Wow,” he says simply.

“I’ve wanted to do that for a while now,” I whisper, my cheeks heating with a blush. I feel both vulnerable and exhilarated by my boldness. A giggle bubbles up from my chest and catches in my throat as tears build up in my eyes.

To break the tension, I lean in again, planting a quick, playful peck on his lips. He kisses me back hard until my breathing accelerates. After the kiss, his smile widens, and instinctively, I try to hide my face, overwhelmed by the surge of emotions.

Damon gently lifts my chin, refusing to let me shy away.

“It was worth the wait,” he says softly, his gaze steady and sincere. His usually dark eyes are bright with emotion, a warmth in their depths that I haven’t seen before. “That was the best kiss of my life.”

“Really?” I ask, my heart lifting.

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