Page 78 of Want It All

It could never be enough, because he’d taken the most precious thing in the world from me.

‘Alpha?’ Rose said again, her voice breaking through the memories, desperate.

What if I hurt her?

I staggered to my feet, stumbling backwards. I hit Tristan with my shoulder on the way; his expression was half imploring, half understanding. ‘I’m sorry,’ I choked, tearing my eyes away from him, away fromthem, and stumbling, shirtless and barefoot, to the door. ‘I’m sorry. I can’t.’

Myscentmatchclosedthe door behind him with a thud.

I stared at it, waiting for it to open again, waiting for Byron to walk back in with a smile and anotherI’m sorry– with a different meaning this time – and claim the little omega he’d wanted so desperately for months.

One heartbeat.

Two.

Three.

Byron didn’t come back.

A wordless whine cut through the air.

I turned in time to see Rose hug her arms across her chest. Her eyes were glassy, and all the colour had drained from her face. ‘Alpha,’ she said numbly. She looked across at Sebastian, but I wasn’t sure she really saw him. She was trembling. ‘Doesn’t want me.’

I almost reeled at her words, so similar to what I’d said the night of the scent party.

‘No, Rosebud, I’m sure that’s not –’ Sebastian broke off when he noticed her shivering. ‘Oh,fuck.’

I moved, grabbing the throw blanket from one of the couches and settling it around Rose’s shoulders, careful not to touch her. ‘Skin to skin, Seb,’ I said, struggling to keep my voice calm. Research on rejected omegas was thin on the ground, because who the fuck would reject one? But Ididknow that the symptoms mirrored those of an omega fighting an alpha’s bark, and the shock of it could literally kill them.

I inhaled slowly. I wanted to shout, wanted toroar, wanted to leave and find Byron, then drag him back by the scruff of his fucking neck.

I simultaneously wanted to tell Rose that Byron wouldneverreject her, that something else must have been going through his mind, because I couldn’t believe that he would leave her – especially likethis, bare and beautiful and wanting – without averygood reason.

I suspected I knew what that reason might be.

A sharp pain shot through my chest, as if my heart really was breaking.

Sebastian took Rose into his arms. She sagged against him with a soft whimper. ‘It’s all right, Rosebud,’ he soothed, but I didn’t think this could be solved with some supportive words. ‘It’s all right, beautiful.’

‘Left me,’ she said blankly.

She trembled violently, and Sebastian pulled her closer, shooting me a desperate look before pressing his lips to her hair. A rumbling sound filled our apartment, and a moment later, I realised what it was.

He was purring for her.

The noise eased the ache in my chest, but it couldn’t chase away the worry.

Rose looked up at me. ‘Alpha,’ she whispered, her lips tinged blue.

Oh, fuck.

Everyday Rose was hard enough to resist, with her quiet intelligence and warm brown eyes. But Rose when she was vulnerable and desperate?

She was alpha catnip, and I was seized by the impulse tomake it better, no matter what, no matter how.

‘I’m here, omega,’ I heard myself say, and my own rough purr ripped from my chest. ‘We’re here. You’re safe. You’re wanted.’

She pressed herself against Sebastian as if she were trying to sink beneath his skin. It took me a moment to understand that the sound coming from her was keening.