Page 20 of Omega's Refuge

Like so many of your promises.

His eyes were dark and difficult to read. “Why did you take me back?”

Surprised at the question, I hesitated.

“Was it pity?” he asked.

“No.” I frowned and reached for his hand. “I love you. I told you that the night you came to see me and ask for forgiveness.”

“Youstilllove me?”

“Yes.” I sighed. “Steve, why would you doubt that?”

He bit his bottom lip. “I worry you have regrets.”

His words made me uneasy. “Why? Do you have regrets? Do you wish you hadn’t come back to me?”

He didn’t respond immediately, which only gave me more concerns. Eventually, he said gruffly, “Relationships are so much work.”

A chill ran through me. “Right. Of course they are.”

His gaze was fixed on the bite mark on my throat. “I remember the night I gave you my bite,” he murmured. “It felt so right at the time.”

I slowly pulled my hand from his clammy grip. My heart thudded against my ribs, and I felt breathless. “But not now?”

He licked his lips. “Making things work with us is definitely harder than I thought it would be.”

“What are you saying?” I asked softly. “You want to split up?”

His cheek flinched. “No.”

“Then whatareyou saying?” I felt sick holding his confused gaze. “Because it sounds to me like you regret coming back to me. You regret giving me your bite.”

“I don’t regret that. I love you, T.” He wrinkled his brow. “But… don’t you ever wonder what else is out there?”

His words were like knives in my heart. I was so hurt, I couldn’t even speak. I just stared at him, my eyes stinging with unshed tears.

He exhaled and sat up. “I don’t want to break up. That’s not what I’m saying, T.” He pulled me into his arms, but I kept my arms limply at my side. “I’m just tired, and I hate this place. It’s messing with my head, that’s all.”

I wanted to believe him, but my gut swirled with stress. I wanted to pull away and scream at him that he’d once more wasted my time and broken my heart. But instead, I stayed where I was, inhaling his familiar scent and trying not to give in to my roiling, angry emotions.

His warm mouth found mine, but I couldn’t muster any affection or desire. I felt numb. I pulled away and stood near the bed, watching him with my heart aching. I didn’t know what to think about all the stuff he’d said. I felt like puking, and I just wanted to go to sleep and pretend things were fine.

But of course, they weren’t.

He patted the mattress. “Get back on the bed with me. You’re misunderstanding what I’m saying, T. I’m just tired and stressed out. I’m not articulating my feelings well. You know how I get when I’m exhausted.”

I didn’t move, even though I wanted to believe him. It would be so much easier if he was just tired and confused, but still in love with me. I didn’t want to go through the pain of breaking up again. That had been horrible. Gut wrenching. I’dbeen so happy when he’d come back to me. Wary, but happy.

“Babe,” he whispered, “Don’t look at me like that. It breaks my heart. Come here. I didn’t mean anything by the stuff I said. I love you and I want to be with you.”

I had two choices: reject him or go to him.

“T, come on,” he coaxed. “Let me show you I love you.”

Instinctively, I moved to him. He was my alpha still, and it was hard to ignore him when he pleaded for me to come to him. I felt robotic as I got on the bed and laid down beside him. He took me in his arms and held me tight. My eyes burned with tears, but I refused to let them fall. There was a lump in my throat the size of a golf ball, and I was scared and uncertain of what came next.

He stroked my back, and I just stayed where I was, listening to his racing heart beneath my ear. He rumbled words of comfort, but I felt empty hearing them. I closed my eyes and tried to relax against him. After all, he was my alpha, and I was supposed to trust him above all others.

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