Page 71 of Talk About… Dramay
“So, we’re mates,” I hedged as I followed the procession across town to her house.
“It seems so,” she said, letting out a chuckle that was a mix of shock and exasperation. “Funny, I came back home to confront Cameron and demand he either show me he could be my alpha, or I was giving up on him forever. Hiring you guys was just the petty side of me coming out to make him jealous. What are the chances.”
“Whatever fate was involved, I’m grateful for,” I admitted. “Until I saw you, breathed you in, I had sworn off omegas.”
“Because of the arranged marriage?” she asked gently. I’d given her the quick version, but she wanted to know more. I guess it was only fair. With her hiring us, I already knew a good chunk of her issues, and I’d gained a few more tonight. She deserved to know my bullshit, too.
“My family was all about society and prestige. They only cared about me as far as what my worth was to them. Even growing up I barely saw them until it was to show me off or present a united front at dinner parties and events. During a business deal, they arranged for me to marry the daughter of my alpha father’s business partner. They told me about it like it was just a simple demand. No compassion, no hearing me out.”
She gasped and reached out, her hand resting on my thigh.
“So, you never even knew it was coming? No asking, just telling?”
My answering laughter was hollow. “That wasn’t how it worked with them. I did as I was told, even after I was an adult. It was all about ‘the family’ like they had ever done anything for me other than put me through school.”
“It sounds so… cold,” she whispered, squeezing my leg again. “What was the woman like?”
“Uninterested. We were both only there because we had to be, but we’d both agreed. I figured it would be an obligationmore than a marriage.” I paused, letting some of that anger build up and releasing it. I didn’t need to hold onto it any longer.
All of those choices led me right here. To her. I couldn’t be angry at that.
“The wedding day came and she left me at the altar. The problem was she did it in front of everyone, let it get that far, then told my parents I was too controlling to the point of omega abuse.”
“Oh my god! What a fucking bitch!” Ori gasped again, her anger making her scent burn around the edges. She’d said the same on the dock but now it was with a lot more emphasis.
“Yes,” I agreed. “After that my family disowned me. Said I’d embarrassed them. My father was a hypocrite, the way he spoke and handled my mother was far worse than the shit my ex was describing. In fact, we barely spoke. She simply found a pack and needed a good reason to break it off… at my expense.”
“She cost you everything,” she said, shaking her head. “I can’t imagine ever acting that way. Even after Cameron broke up with me, I would never have talked bad about him. Though, I easily could have.”
“That’s because you weren’t raised in a cold household. It makes you into a cold, desperate person,” I said.
“You’re not like that.” She sounded so sure, but I couldn’t agree.
“I’m pretty sure it did,” I countered. “I’ve skipped every interaction with omegas that I could, avoided jobs and left my pack to handle it. Then, I came here intending to prove them wrong or leave my pack so I didn’t hold them back.”
“But you didn’t. You met me and could recognize you were wrong. I mean, how could you resist my whiskey drinking greatness?” she teased, giving me a smug smile that had laughter barking out of me. Pride glistened in those gorgeous ocean eyes of hers.
“One hit of that scent, one look from those pretty blues, and I couldn’t remember why I’d been so mad,” I admitted. “It all just… melted away.”
She unbuckled, ignoring my protests, and scooted closer so she was pressed into my side.
Thank fuck I restored this old truck with its bench seat.
Her scent surrounded me, swelling with her happiness.
“Cameron destroyed me, there’s no kind way to say that. I could barely function. Yet, I had to get away. I moved a few hours away, found an apartment, and literally fell apart. Weeks turned into months, of me sobbing all day, barely eating, drifting in and out of sleep. I lost weight, was in constant pain, and just let that sorrow consume me.”
“What changed?” I asked gently when she trailed off and took a shaky breath. Now it was me who was holding her closer.
“My omega side hated the mess, hated being so vulnerable. I was a little more hardened and a whole lot more independent. Slowly over the next few weeks I cleaned my place and myself every day, started eating right, and figured out how to move forward. I eventually settled on real estate and took the classes and licensing tests I needed.”
“I heard something about antiques?” I questioned, confused now.
“Yeah, it was too close to my dreams I thought were shattered forever so I had to do something different. Honestly, the reason I settled on real estate was so stupid.”
Her dramatic groan had me grinning like a fool. I felt years younger in a single evening and I was quickly becoming addicted to how she affected me.
“Tell me,” I demanded as we pulled into a long driveway.