Page 22 of Alpha's Two Omegas

“Yes. You said it yourself, I can’t commute all that way. I’ll find somewhere nearer to Central. Waggoner said he’ll talk to a few people he knows so I don’t get lumbered with someone unbearable.”

“But—”

He raised his eyebrows, waiting for me to finish that sentence. I couldn’t.

I wanted to screambut you can’t move out! What will I do without you? Why are you leaving me? Let me come with you, please. I wanted to know why we were suddenly so distant when we’d spent our lives so close.

Ronnie spoke, his voice soft, surprised. “C-congratulations. I’m really pl-pleased for you.”

He didn’t look fucking pleased. He looked as devastated as I was.

As I watched his face, two large tears spilled over his dark lashes and slid down his cheeks. I heard Alder gasp and he was suddenly crouching in front of Ronnie’s chair, taking the little omega’s hands in his.

“Ronnie, what’s the matter? Don’t cry, there’s no need to cry.”

“I’m so-sorry,” he said, taking a deep, shuddering breath.

Alder was leaning in close, his face not far from Ronnie’s, whose head was bent to conceal his tears.

“It’s alright.” Alder’s voice was soft and comforting, like I’d never heard it before. “Don’t cry sweetheart. Dry your pretty eyes.”

And that was when I realised: Alder was leaving because he was in love with Ronnie.

Chapter 10: Ronnie

Alder had asked us to be happy about his promotion – he’d said it was good news, so clearly he was happy – but I just couldn’t summon up the will to be pleased about it. He was moving out. I felt like I’d only just got here and found both of these men and, sure, my attraction to them was inconvenient but I thought I’d been doing a pretty good job of handling that. They didn’t know about my crush on them, at least. And we were getting on really well.

And now everything I’d just come to rely on was being ripped straight down the middle. Our home wasn’t going to be home without Alder.

I tried to congratulate him, I really did, but the tears were starting to come and I ducked my head. That had always annoyed my father, when I cried. He said I needed to toughen up and not be such a wimp, and so I tried taking a deep breath. It didn’t work. Those hot tears leaked out of my eyes faster as I pictured coming home to this house without Alder in it. It would seem so empty. Even Ty, who filled easily twice the space Alder did, wouldn’t be able to make up for his absence. Alder just… shone.

“Dry your pretty eyes.”

I realised that was Alder’s voice, talking to me in soothing low tones. His hands were holding mine and I clutched at them tightly.

“What are you crying for, sweetheart?”

Even when I opened my mouth, I couldn’t speak. The tears were still falling and I gave a sniff. To my mortification, Ty’s hand reached out with a tissue and wiped my cheeks, and then my nose. Wow, I was really looking great, huh?

Alder’s thumbs stroked along the back of my hands where I was clutching them. He was kneeling in front of me, leaning into my space, watching my eyes. There was a moment – just a flash of a second – where I thought about just leaning forward and pressing my lips to his. It wasn’t like it could hurt. Alder was already leaving, and at least I’d have got a kiss before he went.

Except he would be staying until the end of the semester and Ty wouldn’t be happy about it. They might even throw me out, if I made Alder uncomfortable with my crush. So I didn’t lean in to capture his lips with mine.

Instead, I gave a hiccup. My crying was abating and I could see Alder clearly through my drying eyes.

Ty’s arm slid along my shoulders, a warm, comforting weight. He was crouched next to my chair right beside me. I was sure that, if I could just lean into him and close my eyes, everything would turn out alright. Ty would take care of it. He’d sort Alder out and stop him leaving. Or he’d pack us all up and take us with Alder. He wouldn’t just… let Alder go.

“There, that’s better. No need to cry.”

Alder was still using that sweet, comforting tone and I found myself leaning forward, bending towards him without even meaning to.

“What brought that on?” he asked.

Ah. I’d forgotten for a second there that Alder always asked the best questions. And by ‘best’, what I obviously meant was ‘worst’. Alder seemed to know by some weird insight when I was lying. He looked straight through me and could somehow justtell.

“I, um, I’m sorry.”

Ty’s deep voice rumbled in my ear. “There’s no need to be sorry for showing emotion. That’s never wrong. You cry if you need to, but you talk to us about it afterwards.”

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