Page 21

SEVEREN

“Say that again?” I asked.

“I don’t believe it.” Crux said but it was hard to hear him over the ringing in my ears.

“Rowan’s omega donated my heart,” Skye repeated.

Next to me, Halo’s face broke into a wide smile. “I knew there was something between you two.”

“What do you mean, between you two?” Crux asked.

“Wait, you knew about this?” I demanded.

“I knew about Rowan,” she answered calmly. “I didn’t know about the heart.”

“Since when?”

“The day before yesterday. You might have noticed yourself if you hadn’t been otherwise preoccupied,” Halo spoke coolly, but I knew what she was inferring. If I hadn’t chased Skye away.

Staring at the two of them, at my beautiful omega mate and this unfamiliar alpha, I tried to sort the myriad questions into a neat, orderly line and take them one after the next. “How did you two meet?”

“We met at a cafe while I was… out… the other afternoon,” Skye brushed a curl of hair behind her ear.

“How did you find out about the heart?” Crux asked, which I supposed was the million dollar question.

“We ran into each other at the hospital, after my check up. Put two and two together.”

“What was her name?” Crux asked.

“Indigo,” Rowan said. “Though it was only the two of us, we were registered as The Waters Pack.”

Halo crossed the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of wine. “This calls for a celebration. I think it’s serendipity that they found each other.”

Crux’s nostrils flared in his skepticism and he studied Rowan. “Prove it.”

Rowan faltered. “What do you mean?”

“Prove it.” Crux stepped closer to this new alpha. “Prove this isn’t a shakedown.”

I nodded, Crux had a point.

“I feel it,” Skye said. “Even before I knew about the donation, I felt a connection to Rowan. It’s not something you can fake.”

“This is happy news,” Halo cut in, pouring herself a glass of rose. “Well, maybe not entirely happy. Bittersweet. Nevertheless…”

Then, like reflex, I felt it happen again. I pulled away from the pack. From the bond. From Skye. I closed myself off, recoiled like I had touched fire. The blue in my omega’s eyes went dull as she sensed my abandonment.

My pack felt it as well. Halo stonewalled me while Crux gave me the coldest look any man could muster.

Crux strode to the front door. “Fuck this.”

Skye followed, and Halo took a single step toward our packmate but went no further.

“Wait,” Skye said.

Crux turned to her and even in his agitated state, he was gentle with her. “I won’t do anything stupid. I just need to get out for a little while.”

He placed a kiss on her forehead and cast me a don’t you fucking fuck her up glare, before he was out of the house. His Jeep engine rumbled to life seconds later, and the familiar grinding scuff of tires against our perpetually sandy driveway as he peeled out.

Now it was just the four of us. I stared at this unfamiliar alpha. Standing there. In my territory. In my home. Next to my omega. My scent match. My mate .

Rowan. Rowan Waters.

Halo drew the attention to herself with a single clap of her hands, effectively cutting the tension down to about a quarter of its power.

“I have a business soiree next week,” she announced, and turned to Skye’s guest. “A fundraiser for the Centre of Missing and Exploited Omegas. Rowan, I would love for you to accompany Skye and myself as our plus one.”

“Me?” he blinked.

“Yes. Fancy dress. It’s just an excuse to be seen among good company. Models, fashion designers, magazine editors. Do you have a suit?”

“No,” Rowan stammered.

“That’s fine, we will have Charisma lend you one. Yes?”

Rowan and Skye looked at one another. Skye nodded with a bright smile.

“Yes,” Rowan answered. “Thank you for the invitation.”

“Excellent,” Halo said. “I look forward to showing you off to the gilded masses.”

With a smug smile of satisfaction, Halo poured four glasses of wine.

One had significantly less than the other three, and she handed that one to Skye.

She handed me the one that had the most in it.

The three of them toasted, and Halo touched her glass to mine.

With a cool gaze, she whispered. “It’s just that easy. ”