Page 49 of Omega Forged (Hartlock Omegas #2)

Walden

One Week Later

Lights spun as the assistant led us to the podium. My feet were concrete, and I had to force each step. I was there to open a new community hub for Designated children. But all I could think about was Tully and the empty room she’d left.

Let her go?

I could have laughed at how absurd it was, but she was serious and that frightened any humor from my stiff bones.

“Do we have any news on Tully?” Lloyd asked in a soft voice.

“She’s adept at disappearing.” I shook my head.

My pack was not happy with me and who could blame them? Tully walked out of the gala without looking back once, and we hadn’t seen her since. All our frantic phone calls and messages went unanswered.

As I took the small step up onto the podium and stared out at the expectant crowd, my heart raced.

I cleared my throat, trying to remember the speech I’d written.

Becoming the mayor of Starhaven was my dream.

Wasn’t it? My hand trembled around the mic stand.

It was a natural progression, and I was ready for the responsibility.

I could bring an energy and dedication to the city that had been lacking for years.

I liked our current mayor, but he was looking toward retirement rather than innovation.

“Good evening, all. I want to thank everyone for being here to celebrate Starhaven and this brand-new facility. This will be a space for all Designated children to have fun, and feel safe.”

My pulse hammered as I thought I spotted Tully in the crowd.

She turned her face in my direction and I sagged, it wasn’t her.

I should have gone after Tully at the gala, but I wasn’t thinking.

My tongue was reciting my speech, and I hadn’t realized the bitter coldness of her dwindling esteem was real.

I continued, “Starhaven is in my blood and I’ve known since I was a boy that I wanted to create a legacy that stood the test of time. The children of this city are special and deserve to have their dreams within reach. We all want to protect this space and the community we’ve built.”

Pan stood to the side of the stage and his nose wrinkled ever so slightly. Sweat sprang on my upper lip and my stomach churned.

“I stand here today, as an alpha, ready to do whatever it takes for the next generation.”

Did he blame me for Tully walking away?

“I will be the leader the Designated of Starhaven deserves, focusing on local business, greater opportunities, and a council that listens and takes action. We can continue to make this city one of the g-greatest.” A knot swelled in my throat as I thought I saw Tully in the crowd again.

“I hope you will join me, as I’ll need your support, but I can’t wait to build a future we can all be proud of. ”

Applause warped my ears, and I turned my back on them as nausea washed over me.

Why would she be here? She didn’t want to be in the public eye and I’d lied to her for my gain.

I didn’t feel pride at this moment. Not with my omega walking away from me.

My chest tightened and I couldn’t fill my lungs.

“Are you alright?” Pan said, grabbing my arm as I stumbled down the steps. I pulled away, ignoring the flash of hurt on his face. A security guard waved us past to where Roger loitered. He was managing my campaign for me.

“Your speech was good, if short.” He searched my face. Did he see the sweat beaded on my hairline? “Tully didn’t come?”

“She wants nothing to do with us,” I choked out.

With me . Not after my betrayal. Her hurt face flooded back and my ribs strangled my breath out of my lungs.

Roger pulled out his phone and sighed. “That’s a shame, because she’d look good on your arm for the next few events.”

I looked at Pan, with his clenched hands jammed under his arm-pits. I wanted him around me, as well as Tully. But I didn’t know how to put that into words. Ajax gripped my arm as I swayed. The light swirled and I let out a soft noise.

“Walden, shit.” Ajax caught me as I sagged forward.

Pan and Lloyd swam in front of me.

I slurred, “I-I can’t breathe.” Panic surged through my body. “C-can’t breathe.”

Pan’s hand was sweaty in mine and his thumb stroked my skin. The room was too crowded, but the nurse was kind enough to turn a blind eye. She was a fan of our pack, apparently. A tentative knock on the door drew our gazes and Tully’s head poked around a crack.

She chewed her bottom lip. “Can I come in?”

“Of course, Tully. Please.” I held out my free hand, thinking she would come to me.

But she loitered in the doorway, fidgeting with the sleeve of her oversized peach jacket and sweatpants.

“I got your message.” Tully looked to Lloyd and then back at me. “You had a heart attack?”

The ache in my chest intensified, and I rubbed at the flimsy hospital gown. In the space between the ambulance ride to the hospital, the ER check in and myriad of tests, Lloyd had been messaging Tully. After a week of unanswered calls and texts, she was here.

The burn in my lungs intensified, and my breath became short.

“Y-you came,” I whispered.

“Lloyd made it sound like it was an emergency.”

“What?” My chest ached like her words were an ice pick.

“So I need to fake a near-death experience to get a text back, is that right, angel?” Pan’s sneer was quick to cover up the tremble of his chin.

“Congratulations on announcing your campaign. But what happened?” Tully ignored the pointed comment and tried again.

Congratulations. For what ?

I tried to find a spark of pride for what I’d achieved.

The years of discipline, sacrifices, and dedication to Starhaven, and the Baylark legacy.

If I became mayor, it added to the honor and prestige I worked so hard to make happen.

That was the important thing. Creating something that carried on after I was gone.

So why did it feel like I was already dead?

“I-I thought I was going to die. There was a pain in my chest,” I explained. “Thank you for coming.”

That meant something, didn’t it? Anger drove her away, but Tully returned when she realized I was hurt. I held out my hand again, hoping she might take it and help my heart stop racing. My chest twinged again, and I winced just as Dr. Asegar walked in.

The beta doctor looked up from her notes with pursed lips and her gardenia scent turned sharp.

“None of that, please. We need strategies for whatever set off your panic attack to make sure you don’t end up here again.” Dr. Asegar eyed my monitor and jotted down something.

I rubbed my chest as Tully’s expression soured.

“I thought you had a heart attack?”

“It felt like I did.” It still felt that way.

“Did you do this on purpose? Fake an emergency to get me back in the room with you?” Tully’s eyebrows jammed together.

Pan’s hand strangled mine, and Ajax let out a soft noise. The chemical scent of the hospital made my stomach turn.

“We wouldn’t do that, Tully,” the burly man insisted.

Lloyd moved in her direction. “Let us explain, please.”

Tully put her hands up. “Don’t, please. I thought you were going to die.” Her voice cracked, and she wrapped her arms around herself.

I grunted as my breath escaped my lungs.

Dr. Asegar interrupted. “He’s completely fine. But if Mr. Baylark doesn’t manage his stress correctly, it can lead to more serious conditions. Starting with working less.”

“I just announced I’m running for mayor. Less work is unlikely,” I complained, regretting it as soon as I did.

Tully rubbed at the corner of her eye, smearing some of her make-up. Was she crying?

“I will make time for the pack, for you,” I insisted to Tully as Dr. Asegar left to continue her rounds. “Please, can we talk about us now that you’re here? I don’t like knowing you’re somewhere in Starhaven that might be unsafe.”

“You don’t know how to do anything but work, Walden. And it doesn’t matter, I’m not yours to make space for now.”

My ribs pulled tight, and I wheezed. Pan placed his hand on my chest with a worried noise.

“Tully, the gala invitation wasn’t malicious. It wasn’t some scheme where we tracked you down and seduced you into attending so I could further my career.”

My chest felt like it was going to crack open. All my unsaid protestations hammered in my throat.

“Tully, we need you. I need you,” Lloyd whispered as he waited, and waited for her to go to him.

But she took a step back. She rubbed her chest this time. The regular beep was the only sound.

“This pack isn’t complete without you, Tully, please,” Ajax tried, but she shook her head.

The starkness of this moment stripped me of all bravado. I crumbled to dust on the inside. Tully was drawing away from us and I couldn’t fill my lungs. She was my oxygen, my sweetness. If I didn’t have her… I couldn’t even linger on the horrible thought.

“I’m sorry,” I wheezed. “This is all my fault. Tully, I’m an idiot who got caught up and didn’t think about how it would affect you. I’ll do better next time. Open communication, clear boundaries. Whatever you need.”

She fidgeted and her eyes glazed with a faraway look.

“At first, I was furious with you all, and thought it was a cruel joke. But I cooled off by the time I packed my things. I think it’s a case of right pack, wrong time. Because I can’t be the mate of a mayor. Look at me.” She swept her hand down herself with a self-deprecating scoff.

“You are—” I started, but Tully cut me off.

“Not interested. You might be happy to work yourself to an inch of your life and live under the scrutiny of the city, but until a month ago, I was in hiding. In our heat bubble, everything was perfect, but we can’t stay there forever. We can’t pretend there are parts of our lives that don’t mesh.”

“Don’t do this.” Pan rose to his feet with an anguished cry. “You can’t leave me.”

Tully’s eyes glimmered with unshed tears and one of them tracked down her cheek, unleashing a flood.

“Why?”

“You give me hope, Tully. You fit in this pack, don’t—” Pan’s voice cracked.

“Don’t throw us away over a stupid mistake,” Ajax supplied for his brother.

“I can’t spend more of my life making myself fit in a space that wasn’t made for me. You thought you knew best and hoped I’d be desperate enough to forgive the manipulation.”

“You’re twisting this into something malicious,” I argued through gritted teeth. A band wrapped around my forehead and throbbed.

“And you’re still not listening.” Tully glared at each of us. “I let Chase bully me into being the omega he wanted. I will not do the same thing again. That’s something I can thank you for. I finally feel strong enough to accept I’m meant to be alone.”

Tully swiped at her cheeks, taking the arguments from my tongue. She was done with us. She was done with us ? How could that be? How could I survive her leaving?

I became fire as she turned on her heel. Flames tortured my lungs and too-tight ribs. It was a thief, taking the color Tully created and turning it black.

“Please, stay,” I croaked.

Tully looked at each of us, pausing for a moment as if to mentally say goodbye. Lloyd pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes at what he saw in her gaze. Finality.

“If I stayed, the voice in the back of my head would always be there to poison our perfect beginning. I can’t be the omega you want because I’m not the omega I want to be. I need to stand on my own, rediscover a passion that makes me independent.”

“It’s over, for good?” Pan choked, and his palm was slick with sweat in mine.

“You follow your dreams. I’m going to work on discovering mine. One day we’ll find our happiness, but it won’t be together.”