Page 82 of The Omega's Fake Mate

Stepping through the curtain, I went to the door to let everyone else in. My siblings streamed in first, and then Zander. I hung back with him, watching as the others approached Rhys.

Quietly, Zander took my hand and I leaned on his shoulder.

“Need me to get you some coffee?” he asked.

I shook my head.

“Hot chocolate?”

“Now you're talking.”

“All right, let me just—”

“No,” I cut him off. “I'll come with you.” There were enough visitors in this room even without me and Zander and now that I knew Rhys was safe, I could be persuaded to give him some space, even if only for a few minutes. Besides, I needed some room to breathe too. Somewhere I could unload for a moment.

“Okay.” Zander led me out the door and down the hall. “How is he?”

“Awful.” I shook my head again. “It's all so...” I didn't even have the words to express how terrible it all was.

“Was it his husband?” Zander asked as we waited for the elevator.

I snorted. “Might as well have been. He says it was his husband's brothers, because he tried to leave.”

Zander said nothing in return, but I saw his eyes turn to slits. I didn't have to explain to him how horrible this was, heknew.Other alphas might have come up with some ridiculous excuse how it was Rhys' own fault for running away, but not him.

It was why I hadn't cringed on the inside when his mother practically demanded that we get married.

“I'm going to book us into a hotel for the night,” Zander said when the elevator finally arrived on our floor.

“What about your dog?”

“I'll ask Kade or Griff to take care of her. I'm sure they won't mind, considering the circumstances.”

I nodded, stepping onto the elevator. “What about your store, though?”

“Who cares about the store?”

I stared at Zander as the automatic door closed behind us. I was almost ready to propose to him right then and there, but I couldn't help teasing him instead. “Who are you and what have you done to my boyfriend?”

“Hey, I know there are more important things than my bookstore, okay? Besides, I feel... responsible.”

“You do?” How could he feel the same way as me?

He sighed. “I'll explain to you when we have some privacy.”

“Okay,” I said slowly, wondering what he meant. Whatever it was, though, it was weighing heavily on him. I could tell by the tension in his shoulders.

With everything else going on, I told myself not to worry about it.

I really should have, though.

30

Zander

When we checkedinto the hotel that night, Nick looked torn between passing out in exhaustion and staying up all night worrying about his brother.

I was tired too. I'd driven to the airport and back, and then to Massachusetts, berating myself all the way. I shouldn't have listened to Rhys when he told me everything was all right—evenifRhys was a grown man capable of making his own decisions. I should have known better. Instead I had failed Nick and him both.