Page 43 of His Temporary Alpha Mate
Stunned, I was completely and utterly confused by this turn of events. Axel was an omega.
“I can’t believe it. An omega. Like me,” I said, softly, voicing my shock.
His hold on me tightened as he took me through my grief and sheer horror at what I’d just done.
“Guess we have more in common than we thought,” he said in a wry voice, even as he rested his head against mine.
Time passed. I had no idea how much, as Axel held me and I cried.
Eventually, my tears slowed, leaving me feeling wrung out. Then the words, the questions, flowed.
First, I started with an apology.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked you. Even with you being an omega. It was wrong of me. You’ve got Teárlach, and I didn’t honor that relationship by asking.”
Honestly, I was ashamed of myself for that alone. What had I been thinking? Obviously he wouldn’t pick me, omega or not, because he had to speak to his partner first. If it was an agreement between friends, maybe, yet that hadn’t been what I was trying to do. The blinders were on. I just saw what and who I wanted, and went for it. So stupid!
“D, I get it, okay. You heard Hiroshi ask for beta pairs and assumed.”
“You know what they say when you assume…” I tried to tease. My gut felt like lead. How were we going to get past this? I was so horriblyembarrassed. How could I ever face Teárlach once he found out? I felt like I could throw up from shame.
“You make an ass out of you and me,” he finished. “It’s okay, though. If I could have done it, I think I would have been tempted.” His expression told me he was being honest. He was so incredibly kind. Still, I doubted him.
“Really?”
“Sure. A baby made with one of my closest friends?” He squeezed me close. “That would have been great! I’d have loved to be the one to give you what you most wanted in the world.”
Relief made my limbs like jello. Axel was basically holding me up.
“See? I knew you’d understand.” I clung to him in relief. “Before, there were feelings, but I was ready to take anything just so I could get a baby.”
“But wouldn’t it be better to have a baby born out of love?”
My sigh was long and loud. “Wouldn’t that be nice? I don’t think that’s on the cards for me.”
“What about Larken? You’re close, right?” Axel shifted so he could see me better, back resting against the desk legs.
Guilt flooded my system. Larken. He was going to be so hurt when I confessed what I’d done.
“We are. He offered. Before.” My shoulders shook with the effort of keeping my sobs at bay. “He’s going to hate me when I tell him.”
“He won’t.” Axel reached for my hand to comfort me. “Larken cares about you. He’ll understand.”
“What if I’ve messed everything up and missed my chance?”
“Not possible. You’re a hot commodity in this pack.” He tapped my hand. “All the alphas would love to put a kid in you.”
A laugh burst free. Probably his intention.
“No, it’s true. Larken will forgive this mistake.”
I drew my knees up, wrapping my arms around them. “Like you do? I’m really sorry, Ax. I shouldn’t have asked you and made you confess like that.”
The discomfort from sitting on the floor was a decent distraction from the pain in my heart. This was a mess.
“Hey, D, it’s fine.”
“Will we be okay?” I couldn’t focus on Larken. Putting things to rights with Axel was important. This was my job at risk, not just my place in the testing program. I’d deal with Larken, really make amends once I thought up a plan.
