Page 41 of Unsubmissive Omega
Darius pushed up onto one elbow. His brows formed a deep V. “I sent you a photo. And lots of information. So you could make an informed decision.”
I shook my head. “Never saw one. I never saw any of it,” my voice was low and sad. My memory of that fateful day was painful.
“Fuck.” He looked pensive. “I’m so sorry. I swear I put together a whole lot of shit for you to look over, including a photo. I wanted you to be sure about what you were doing. Zendius even mailed it for me, rather than just sending it out with the pack mail, because he agreed it was important you get it. He had your uncle’s address, so it made sense. I don’t know why you didn’t get it.”
“Uncle Maxim probably didn’t bother to pass it on. He didn’t tell me anything about you at all. It’s not like I had a choice about what was happening.” It wouldn’t have been out of character at all, the more I thought about it. “And anyway, he wouldn’t have thought an omega warranted that sort of consideration.”
Darius scowled. “I can’t imagine how awful it must have been for you, coming to mate someone when you had no idea who they were.”
I shrugged. “Well, I was expecting someone my uncle’s age, so I was relieved when you weren’t ancient. Anyway, it was still better than being locked up in my uncle’s dungeon!”
Darius cocked his head, narrowing his eyes. I could tell he thought I was making a joke. I shook my head, slowly, willing him to understand I was serious.
“Did he do that to you?” he asked cautiously, brows furrowed.
“No. But he threatened to do it if I didn’t go along with the mating. I’m certain he would’ve too. The dungeon was all set up underground and it wasn’t new or anything. He showed it to me. It had definitely been used before.”
Darius whistled, a long slow pensive sound.
“Not much of a choice then. No wonder you hated coming here. What was it like living there? Did he mistreat you?”
I scowled. “World’s shittiest place to live. The entire family are alphas. I think they felt it was beneath them to have a male omega in the house. I used to lock myself in my room to stay away from them, which was the only way to be safe. Facts - mating you was the only chance I had of getting out of there, so I would’ve agreed even if I’d had a choice. I was planning on running away afterwards though,” I admitted sheepishly.
“I can’t blame you, now I know you had no choice in the matter. No wonder you weren’t interested in dating me.”
“What are you talking about?” I was genuinely puzzled.
“I thought it would be a good idea to get to know each other before you committed to the arrangement, but you refused my invitations.”
“Um... I would have loved to go on a date, although I might have been an asshole on it.” I winced, thinking of my behavior on the one date he’d taken me on, the night of our mating. “I didn’t know anything about this whole affair until I was basically told to pack and be ready to leave.”
“You didn’t get my invitations? You didn’t turn them down?”
I shook my head.
“You had no choice and you were kept in the dark. No wonder you hated me from the get-go,” murmured Darius quietly.
“I didn’t really. Well, maybe a little. I thought you were just another arrogant asshole of an alpha, and when you couldn’t even be bothered to meet me when I arrived… You sent Zendius instead. Because I had no idea what you looked like, I thought he must have been the alpha I was to mate with, which made me feel stupid when he wasn’t. And I felt even more stupid being the only one who dressed up for the occasion! Like you didn’t think it was important, or something.”
“I certainly would have – dressed up, that is - if I’d known you preferred that. But I thought you’d be more comfortable coming casual, that’s why I suggested it.”
“I was told to wear a fucking suit!”
“What?! No! I specifically said, ‘come casual’. I knew it might be confronting meeting an alpha you didn’t know in these circumstances, and I thought it would help you be more relaxed.”
“And for the record, I didnotsend Zendius to meet you. He must have just been in that part of the building at the time. The reason I wasn’t there was because you came half an hour early! IthoughtI had plenty of time to prepare myself before you arrived.”
We looked at each other. My brain buzzed, turning over all this new information. If I could believe everything he was telling me, and knowing him as I did now, I felt I could safely do that, then I’d been a first-class a-hole. I’d jumped to conclusions about him, without even giving him a chance. Someone else had been trying to cause trouble. My suspicions landed heavily on my asshole of an uncle.
I sighed.
“I’m sorry,” I said, laying my head back down on his chest, making him collapse back down on the bed. “I was such an asshole.”
“You’ve got nothing to be sorry for,” Darius murmured, his breath hot against my ear, one hand stroking my head. “You were in a bad situation and you didn’t know who you could trust. I’m the one who should be sorry. Our mating must have been a nightmare for you. I’m so sorry about that.”
“It wasn’t.”
“Wasn’t what?”
