Page 9

There’s a sudden release of energy leaving my body, and then… relief . I also feel a bit sad—and fearful—but I mostly feel empowered for the first time in months.

That is, until I see the entitlement on Derek’s face.

“Sure. You’ve said that before,” he chuckles. He fucking chuckles. I hear Rory give an omega growl from behind me. “We both know it’s not. So, how about we go get some lunch and talk this through?”

His nonchalance makes me pause. I didn’t expect this. I thought he’d throw a tantrum, not… dismiss me. It should be firing me up, but instead, it causes me to feel… guilty?

“Stacia.” Rory’s voice reaches me in the fog. When I turn to look at her, she’s looking at me with expectant eyes. I hear her words again in my head.

Please let this be over.

I hold onto those words. My best friend believes in me. I have to start believing in myself again, too.

“ No , Derek.” I turn back to him, his apathy withering at the expression on my face. “I mean it this time.”

“Stacia—” He starts to say, but I cut him off, steel in my words.

“Your number is blocked. You are not allowed to stop by. You’re not allowed to contact me. I don’t want to see you. Do you understand?”

My omega preens inside of me. How long has she been waiting for me to catch up, I wonder?

I suddenly feel ashamed. I wasn’t even paying attention to the deepest most innate part of myself. Where have I been?

“Stacia… let’s talk about this.” His surprised expression is bleeding with deception before he turns his attention to my best friend. “Can you please leave the room?”

I hear her scoff. “And give you the opportunity to make her feel like this isn’t the best decision of her life? No thank you .”

He looks back at me, desperation on his face. “This isn’t fair, Stacia. I deserve more from our break up than your best friend watching and ridiculing me from the sidelines.”

I feel Rory move in closer. “You can’t manipulate her anymore, you slime ball.”

“What did you just call me?” he spits, the aggression that lays below the surface finally peaking through.

“Oh, I see I’ve hit a sore spot,” Rory taunts.

Derek’s face turns scarlet and his fists clench at his side. “You’ve always been a nosy bitch, constantly trying to get between us. You call me a manipulator, but I see what you’re doing. I see how you’re jealous of what we have, just another lonely omega wishing she had an alpha’s cock!”

“ Enough! ”

It takes me a second to realize the word came out of me .

There’s silence and I realize my command was laced with a bark. Derek’s fury is palpable. It’s practically sizzling off of him. My own rage meets his, our counterparts hissing at each other in an intense stand-off.

“What you just said was unacceptable ,” I finally say. “I don’t want to be with someone like you. I don’t think I ever did. This girl”—I point to Rory— “means more to me than anyone in the entire world. And what you just said to her… you’re repulsive.”

“Stacia, please.” He tries to put longing back into his tone, but his tactic won’t work on me.

I feel full of steel, the anger on my best friend’s behalf overriding whatever hesitation I had when we stepped into this frat house. “You are nothing to me. You never were.”

I see the venom stirring in his face, but before he can respond, someone steps into the living room.

“You ready to go?” the mystery alpha says to Derek just before I notice he’s holding a hockey stick.

Gosh, I never want to see another hockey game again.

“Can you give us a minute?” Derek says to them, frustration lacing his words.

“No, it’s okay, I think you’re done here,” Rory says before placing a grounding hand on my shoulder. Her presence is all I need. I avoid Derek’s eyes as we retreat.

“You can’t be serious, Stacia. This is what we do, this is how our relationship has always been. You can’t just run away from what we have.”

I feel bile rise up my throat.

“It’s over,” I repeat, more to myself than anyone else as we round the door.

Derek tries to call after me, but more frat members start to walk into the doorway, separating us.

I catch Sam’s eyes on the way out and I realize he had a hand in this, helping us with our departure. I try to flash him a proper smile, saying thanks .

He understands and nods back, saying anytime .

When we finally get outside, I feel like I can breathe again.

“Are you okay, Stacia?” Rory asks, her hand still secure on my shoulder. I realize I’m bent over, the adrenaline finally subsiding and leaving behind a mountain of emotions.

“Yeah.” Although, I’m not sure if I am. “I can’t believe he said those things to you. You didn’t fucking deserve that.”

She gives me a sad smile, her hand continuing to soothe me. “I know, but Stacia… you don’t deserve that, either.”

No, I don’t. Everything he just said about Rory was bullshit. So obviously bullshit that it was almost comical. But the things he has spat at me in the past… didn’t feel that way. They felt real, like my insecurities were being confirmed by someone outside of my own head.

I let him talk to me that way, I realize. I didn’t allow it just now, towards Rory, but I’ve let it happen many times towards me .

I’m not sure what I’m supposed to take from that, yet; it feels like quicksand that I’m not quite ready to step into.