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CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

~Arcay~

I STARED AT the viewing screen. After Lendel had my orders to release Clay, I had skulked around like a coward. Avoiding Clay tore my already broken heart in two, but I could not bear to see him off, to have to say goodbye. It was too painful.

If Clay had shown me one thing, it was that I was not as strong as I once thought. If I was there when he boarded that ship to say my final goodbye, I would have done everything in my power to stop him leaving. I was not strong enough to let him go. So instead of bidding farewell to my omega, I hid.

The moment Clay realized what was happening, I almost lost my nerve. His distress cut through me until I could barely stand, and I had to fight myself with all the power I had not to run to him and snatch him up into my arms. I was weak. Pathetic.

But I knew his distress was caused by the shock; soon, he would be happy again. He was free.

As I watched the stars, a small dot detached from the ship and flew in the direction of the wormhole. The tugging on my chest confirmed what I already knew to be true; Clay was on that ship. I pressed my hand against the glass as if I could reach out and touch the retreating ship. It glinted in the starlight once, and then was lost. My eyes followed its projection for a long time.

Goodbye, Clay.

Even though I could no longer see the ship that carried my omega away from me forever, the bond between me and Clay still connected us, even as it grew weaker with distance. Soon, it would become uncomfortable, and it would continue to do so the further apart we got until it was eventually too much to bear. I had seen alphas entirely lose their minds if their bonded omega was kept too far away from them for too long. I did not care if the bond hurt me, but I would not let that happen to Clay.

A deep longing filtered through the bond. Homesickness for his planet I was sure. He would be happy soon, and I…I would accept my fate.

I did not know how long I stared at that spot between the stars before I turned away.

Clay was gone forever, and I sent a prayer to the stars. Give him a long and happy life.

It took everything I had left not to fall to my knees. My soul was shattered, but the knowledge of his distant happiness would be enough to keep me going until I did what I needed to do.

He was free, but not entirely. I could not allow our bond to continue to chain him to me. And there was only one way to break a soul bond.

I left the viewing area and went to confront my fate with all the courage I could muster, knowing that I was doing this for him.

I was doing this for Clay.