Page 121 of In Doubt
Something inside me snaps. I’m no longer afraid. I’m pissed off. So fed up with this bullshit. So over it.
“And you are just another arsehole who spews a whole load of crap he knows nothing about. I thought you were my friend.”
Aiden takes a menacing step towards him, but I hang on to his hand, holding him back.
I’m not wasting another breath on this knob. I can’t believe I never saw him for who he truly was before.
I tug on Aiden’s arm, attempting to pull us both away, but he won’t budge.
“Stay away from our omega,” he says to Carl, his voice full to brimming with disgust. “Don’t even look her way. If you do, I will fucking kill you.”
Aiden takes my hand in his and we walk away, leaving Carl to his shadows.
I’ve had this all wrong. The whole time. All these months.
Safe and comfortable turns out to be a ruse. An arsehole lurking behind the reasonable mask.
The stars begin to twinkle above me and I think of another starry night. Of another man.
A man who seemed like an arsehole but isn’t. Grumpy maybe. Arrogant, definitely. But kind, caring and good.
I draw my gaze down from the sky, to Aiden. All my doubts vanish as he meets my gaze with his warm brown eyes.
32
Giorgie
The night has now fallen completely and we sit outside the villa bathed in glittering starlight, mulling over our situation.
“I know fuck all about archeology, but your evidence seemed pretty convincing,” Dylan says. “And aren’t there more tests and research you can do to prove you’re right?”
“It doesn’t matter,” I mutter. “My theory isn’t palatable to the people who count. The professor told us to drop the whole thing.” My stomach churns and I feel like I might vomit.
“But I thought Weaver was radical and progressive? Why would she care what others think?”
“It seems she’s only radical when it’s safe to be. Giorgie’s theory stands in direct opposition to one of the most high profile archaeologist’s in the world. Weaver’s not prepared to put her neck on the line.”
“What does this mean?” Aiden asks, dropping into the seat beside us.
“That I don’t want to work for her,” I spit with venom. “Fuck, I’m not sure I even want to work in this field any more.”
“Me neither.”
Everyone is silent and the anger and hurt come crashing through my body again. I don’t know whether I want to scream or cry. The people I thought I could rely on, who I trusted and respected, have let me down. Professor Weaver. Carl.
“You shouldn’t give up so easily,” Aiden says quietly and I lift my gaze away from the rippling swimming pool to meet his. He’s leaning over his knees, fingers laced together, brow drawn.
“What other choice do I have? I’m not prepared to forget about this theory. To just work on some other project. And none of the other researchers will be any better than Weaver. There won’t be anyone who’s prepared to let me study this – not if it puts them in the path of Lichenstein’s wrath.”
“But your theory is right, Giorgie. You know it and Jake knows it.” My gaze flicks to him, standing behind Levi, his arm hooked around his packmate’s. “I’m so fucking tired of people telling us how alphas and omegas work. Telling us it’s been that way since the dawn of time. One meek little omega bowing and submitting to her all powerful alpha. I’m sick of being told living in a pack is wrong. That sharing an omega is wrong. That loving my packmate the way I do is wrong. I want you to publish your theory, your evidence and show the world you’re right.”
I stare back at him. I want that too. I want the world to know that omegas have a say. They have a choice. And they always have done.
Jake is right. We’ve never been despised and abused by alphas – not the majority anyway. Alphas have always worshipped us as we have them. As equals. With respect. With love.
But I don’t see a way I can publish my theory.
“He’s right,” Jake says beside me.
