Weeks have passed, and it’s been more or less the same. I’m no longer the special Omega Landon is terrorising. No more intense stares, no more dominance games, no more confrontations that make me feel like I’m standing on the edge of a cliff. It should feel good, freeing even. But for some reason, it doesn’t.Instead, it bothers me. A lot.I can’t make sense of it. Isn’t this what I wanted? To be left alone? To not have Landon’s overbearing presence looming over me every time I step into a room? But every time I see him across campus, completely ignoring me like I’m invisible, there’s this sharp pang in my chest. It’s not anger. It’s not relief. It’s something else, something I don’t want to admit because it feels too much like disappointment.Life’s been easier without him, or at least it should be. Noah and I have settled into a comfortable routine. We hang out a lot, but it’s always casual, nothing more. He doesn’t push, doesn’t ask questions I don’t want to answer, and I’m gratef
“That’s it… fuck. Such a good Omega…”Jace is on his knees for me, looking up at me with those golden eyes as he takes my cock in his mouth, gagging. I grip the back of his neck with one hand while the other strokes his cheek as I fuck his face.But it’s all wrong. I don’t want blond hair and golden eyes; I want unruly brunette curls and green eyes looking at me like I’m something. I want him on his knees for me, begging for my knot. I want my cock so far down his throat that he’s gagging my name; that fucking apple pie scent bringing me to my knees.“Fuck!” I growl; hot ropes of cum shooting down Jace’s throat as he moans for me. “Gods, you took me so well… Good Omega.”Jace practically purrs at the compliment, looking so damn proud of himself. I lean forward, pressing my lips to his briefly, but it doesn’t ignite anything inside me. Not like I want it to. I pull away, staring down at him, and a strange emptiness settles in my chest. This is what I should want. This is what an Omega
I wake up the next morning with a feeling I haven’t had in… I don’t even know how long. Light. Free. It’s like some invisible weight I didn’t even realise I was carrying has been lifted off my chest.Landon’s words keep playing in my mind—his apology, his explanation, the way he looked at me like he was really seeing me for the first time. It wasn’t just the apology itself, though that was huge. It was the way he said it, the way he owned up to everything he’d done wrong.It was real. And it mattered.I stretch, yawning as the sunlight filters through the blinds. It’s early, too early for classes, but I can’t stay in bed. I feel… good. I want to move, to do something with all this energy buzzing through me.As I get up, my mind drifts back to last night. To the way Landon’s voice softened when he told me he wasn’t that guy anymore. To the way he stood there, waiting, not pushing or demanding. Just… there. Honest. It’s strange, but the anger and frustration that used to bubble up when
Jacob and I head to the dining hall, and I’m still riding the high of this morning—feeling light, almost carefree. Everything feels easier today, and I can’t stop smiling. It’s strange how much better things seem after last night, like finally letting go of all that tension with Landon has opened up something inside me.We grab our trays and start filling them up. Jacob’s talking about some ridiculous project we have coming up, and I’m half-listening, still caught up in my thoughts. It feels like the first time in forever that things are going right, and for once, I’m not looking over my shoulder, waiting for the next disaster to strike.But then, I see him and suddenly, all that happiness, all that lightness, is ripped right out of me.He’s sitting at one of the far tables, leaning back casually in his chair, his legs spread wide. And there, right between them, is Jace. Landon’s whispering something into Jace’s ear, his lips so close to his skin it almost looks like a kiss. Jace’s f
I sit back, my arm draped casually over Jace’s shoulder, but my attention isn’t on him. Not really. It’s on the other side of the dining hall, where Tyler sits with Jacob and Noah. From here, it’s impossible to ignore the tension rolling off him in waves. Even with Noah right next to him, trying to talk him down from whatever’s brewing inside, Tyler looks like he’s barely keeping it together.And I don’t know why I’m still watching him.I should be focused on Jace. He’s leaning into me, his soft laughter filling the air every now and then when I whisper something in his ear. It’s easy, almost too easy, to get lost in this moment. But I’m not lost. I’m not even here, not really.My eyes flick back to Tyler, just as he glances up from his tray. For a split second, our eyes meet across the room, and it feels like the air is stolen from my lungs.Tyler’s green eyes flash that unmistakable Omega silver, cutting through whatever front he’s trying to put up. It’s only for a moment, just a b
I’m pacing my room, running my hands through my hair, my heart racing. It wasn’t supposed to happen. I wasn’t supposed to flash my silver—especially not to him. What the hell is wrong with me? Landon isn’t my Alpha. He’s not even supposed to matter anymore. So why did I do it? Why, out of nowhere, did my body betray me like that?I keep pacing, my chest tightening more with every second that passes. Jacob’s out for the night with the other Betas, and I have no one to talk to, no one to help me figure out why I’m feeling like this. I’m stuck alone with my thoughts, and they’re spiralling out of control. Every time I close my eyes, I see Landon looking at me, his eyes locked on mine, the shock in his expression clear as day.He saw it. He saw me flash my silver to him, there’s no way he didn’t. And now, he probably thinks I’m some needy, messed-up Omega who can’t even keep his emotions in check. I’ve always been so good at controlling myself, at keeping my distance from Alphas, but La
I’m walking back to my dorm, and I’m reeling. My mind is spinning, racing through everything that just happened. Tyler wants me. He actually wants me. I can still feel the warmth of his body pressed against mine, the way he trembled when I touched him, the way his scent filled the room, thick and intoxicating. That wasn’t something he could fake, wasn’t something he could control. He gave me his silver—his Omega instincts opened up to me, and he scented me. But as I walk, another thought creeps into my mind: Jace.Fuck.He’s a good guy. Sweet, soft, everything an Omega should be. But now, after tonight, it’s clear as day that I can’t keep stringing him along. There’s no way in hell I’m going to make Tyler doubt me, not after he gave me his silver and scented me like that. He was vulnerable with me, raw in a way I’ve never seen before, and I can’t fuck this up. I won’t.As much as I hate to admit it, Jace was always a distraction. He was easy. He didn’t push me, didn’t challenge me
I wake up to the uncomfortable feeling of being watched, and when I open my eyes, Jacob is standing over me, arms crossed, his face twisted into a deep frown.“What the hell?” I groan, rubbing my eyes and sitting up. “Why are you staring at me like that?”Jacob doesn’t answer right away. He just sniffs the air, his frown deepening, before finally speaking. “Why does this room smell like Landon Hayes?”My entire body goes rigid. Blood rushes to my face, and I know I’m blushing like a damn tomato. My mind races as I try to figure out what to say, how to explain why Landon’s scent is all over the room—and me.He raises an eyebrow, waiting for me to respond. “Well?”“I…” I stammer, pulling the blanket up to my chest like it’s some kind of shield. “I can explain.”“Yeah,” Jacob says dryly, still frowning. “You’d better.”I take a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts, but it’s no use. My brain is still a mess after last night, and I can barely make sense of it myself, let alone explain
It’s been two hours since Jacob’s call, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it.He sounded… different. Tired, but not just physically. Not like he was exhausted from lack of sleep or overtraining like back at the Academy. This was deeper. Heavier. Like something had been sitting on him for a long time, and only now was he starting to come up for air.The Turner-Alcott family.It didn’t make sense at first. I couldn’t figure out why that name hit me the way it did, like something half-buried in my memory just got kicked loose. It wasn’t just the weight in Jacob’s voice—it was the way he told me to talk to Landon. Not a teacher. Not administration. Landon.Landon’s out on the patio behind our dorm, shirt sleeves rolled up, flipping through a stack of papers for one of his business classes. His legs are kicked up on the table, glasses perched on the edge of his nose—he only wears them when he’s reading for long stretches, and for some reason, the sight of him like that still makes somet
The kitchen smells like cinnamon and coffee and toasted bread, and Xavier’s still chattering behind me while I flip the last of the waffles onto a plate. He’s perched on the counter, legs swinging back and forth, his hair damp from a shower and face clean of makeup for once, not because he forgot it, but because I think today he just wanted to feel simple. Real.He looks good like this. He looks good all the time, but there’s something about this version—barefaced, in one of my oversized sweatshirts, ankles crossed, cheeks flushed with something that’s not stress for once—that just hits different.He’s talking about something he read on one of the gossip threads back at the Academy—some rumor about two bonded Alphas who got into a fight in the dining hall over protein powder or territory or something ridiculous. I’m only half-listening, smiling at the way his voice lifts when he gets worked up, how his hands move when he’s trying to paint the scene for me.Then my phone buzzes on the
Xavier’s practically melted across me, one leg hooked over my thigh, his face buried in my neck. His curls are everywhere, and I swear half of them are in my mouth. He’s still breathing slow, deep and even, but the moment I shift just a little, his fingers twitch against my chest.“I know you’re awake,” I murmur, voice still rough with sleep.He groans dramatically but doesn’t move. “M’not.”“You just responded.”“No I didn’t.”A laugh rumbles low in my throat. “You’re not very good at this.”“I’m amazing at this,” he says, voice muffled in my neck. “I’m playing dead so my Alpha doesn’t get up and leave me.”“I wasn’t planning on leaving.”He lifts his head slowly, finally, eyes still half-lidded and hazy with sleep. But there’s a spark there now, a light that wasn’t always present before. That playful glint I’ve been seeing more and more of—the one that tells me he’s starting to feel safe enough to be himself around me, not just the version he was forced to perform for years.“You al
Xavier’s asleep in my arms. Or at least, I think he is. He’s breathing like it, soft and steady against my chest, one hand curled near his face, the other resting over my ribs like I’ll vanish if he lets go. His cheek is pressed to the space just above my heart, and I swear to god, every time he exhales, something in me settles a little more.The sheets are still damp from when we fell into bed after the bath—too tired to dry off all the way, too tangled up in each other to care. We hadn’t planned it. That wasn’t what the bath was supposed to be. I ran it for him because he needed comfort, and I needed to give it to him. Needed to do something to remind him that the world could still be kind. That he was still loved. But somewhere between the water and the steam and the quiet way he looked at me—something shifted.And it was him. He was the one who let his scent roll out first, thick and heavy and laced with need so strong I could barely think. No hesitation, no fear. Just instinct a
The scent changes before either of us says another word.It’s subtle at first—sweet and familiar, like ripe peaches hanging heavy on the branch, but then it shifts. Grows thicker, headier. There’s heat behind it now, and it hits me all at once, coating my lungs and curling around my instincts like a damn vice.“Xavier,” I murmur, voice low and full of warning. My hand tightens where it’s resting on his hip. “That scent. You need to pull it back.”His eyes flick up to mine, steady and calm. That perfect omega calm that hides all the fire underneath. “Why?” he asks simply, like it’s nothing. Like the sudden ache in my gut and the hard press of my cock against his back is something we can just ignore.My grip tightens again, and I fight to keep my voice level. “Because I’m not gonna be able to stop myself if you don’t.”He turns in my arms slowly, his skin sliding against mine under the water, every brush of his body lighting me up like a fucking fuse. His hands find my chest, sliding ov
Jacob doesn’t speak as we walk through the estate. Doesn’t comment when I hesitate slightly near the front foyer, my body remembering the tension of walking through those doors earlier. He just grabs my hand and keeps walking until we reach the garage doors.When he opens one, I blink.Inside, lined up neatly like something out of a magazine, are cars. Sleek, glossy, expensive as hell. A few motorcycles. And in the back, tucked in the corner, a matte black four-wheeler that looks like it’s seen actual off-road chaos.I blink again. “You want me to drive that?”“No,” Jacob says, grinning. “I’m driving. You’re riding.”I stare at him. “I don’t think I’ve ever been on a four-wheeler.”He shrugs. “Then you’re about to lose your off-roading virginity.”I groan. “You’re unbearable.”He tosses me a helmet from the shelf. “And you love it.”A few minutes later, we’re flying across the property—through the trees, over dirt trails I didn’t even know were there. The wind whips around us, fast an
I try to keep breathing, even though it feels like I can’t draw a full breath without the edges of it catching on the panic that’s trying to rise again.But Jacob’s father isn’t finished. “There’s one more thing.”I look up, because I have to. Because it’s the only way to brace for it, whatever it is. He meets my gaze directly, and there’s something there—something heavier than before. Not just grim facts or legal consequences. Guilt, maybe. Or regret.And that scares me more than anything.Jacob shifts beside me, sitting straighter. “What now?”“There’s a possibility,” his father begins, each word carefully measured, “that Xavier may need to testify.”The words don’t land right away. I blink, mind scrambling to catch up, to translate.“Testify?” I echo, the word dry in my mouth.Jacob’s head snaps toward his father, eyes narrowing. “You’re kidding.”His father shakes his head once, solemn and steady. “Not in the immediate future. But down the line—if this goes to trial, if the other
Breakfast is warm and quiet and—oddly enough—kind of perfect.Jacob’s seated across from me at the massive kitchen island, shirtless again because he has no shame and apparently no awareness of how distracting he is when he’s pouring coffee with that smug little grin on his face. The smell of cinnamon and vanilla is thick in the air from the French toast he made, and I’m on my second slice because I have no self-control when it comes to food that tastes like comfort and safety.We’re teasing each other about something ridiculous—I think it started with whether or not I could take him in a fight and has now devolved into him impersonating my voice and dramatically swooning over how broad his shoulders are.“You’re obsessed,” I say flatly, trying not to laugh as I stab another bite with my fork. “Seriously, Jacob, this is starting to look like a cry for attention.”“Oh, I’m obsessed?” he counters, leaning back in his chair and flexing way too obviously, just to make a point. “You were t
The moment I wake, I know something’s wrong.I’m not in danger. There’s no immediate threat. But the cold weight sitting on my chest tells me something dark followed me out of sleep, curled its claws around my ribs and pulled me under just long enough to rattle everything inside me. I lie there for a minute, blinking up at the soft shadows cast by the moonlight through the window. The sheets are tangled around my legs, and my shirt is damp with sweat, clinging to my back like it’s trying to hold on to the nightmare that’s already slipping through my fingers.I can’t remember all of it. Just fragments. Heat and cold. A closed door that wouldn’t open. Voices I recognized but couldn’t place. My own hands pounding against something that wouldn’t move. And that feeling—that helpless, suffocating weight pressing down on my chest like I was back in that house, back in that life where nothing was mine.My heart’s still racing. My breathing’s uneven.I sit up slowly, rubbing my hands over my