I barely make it two steps before I feel a hand on my shoulder. I freeze. My body tenses up immediately, my heart pounding in my ears. Every instinct is screaming at me to keep moving, to bolt, but Noah’s grip holds me in place—not forcefully, but enough to stop me from walking out of the dining hall.“Tyler,” he says quietly, his voice calm. “Wait.”I don’t turn around. I can’t. I don’t want to see whatever look is on his face—sympathy, concern, whatever. I’m not here for that. I’m not here to be someone’s charity case.“Let go,” I mutter, but even I can hear the shake in my voice.Noah doesn’t move his hand. Instead, he takes a step closer, his other hand coming up to my other shoulder. It’s gentle, but solid—like he’s not going to let me go until I listen.“Tyler, just stop for a second,” he says, his voice low, meant just for me. “You don’t have to keep running.”I stand there, stiff, not wanting to admit how much his touch is grounding me. It’s not like Landon’s overpowering pres
I storm out of the dining hall, my blood boiling, fists clenched so tight I can feel my nails digging into my palms. The moment Noah touched Tyler, the moment I saw how easily Tyler let him… it was like a switch flipped inside me. I could barely breathe through the anger.But it’s not just the anger. It’s something deeper. Something that twists in my chest like a knife. Hurt. Because I know—damn it, I know—I was in the wrong. I pushed Tyler away. I became exactly the type of Alpha I always swore I wouldn’t be. The type that takes, that dominates just because he can. The type that corners someone like Tyler, that makes him feel trapped, like he has no choice.I didn’t want to be that. I never wanted to be that.I slam my door shut when I get back to my dorm, not bothering to turn on the lights. I can feel the rage simmering under my skin, but it’s not just directed at Noah. No, Noah’s just doing what any Alpha would do—stepping in, claiming what’s available. What I left vulnerable. I
Life at Ridgecrest has been… better. Not perfect, but better. It’s been three weeks since I last saw Landon, and everything feels like it’s shifted. Noah and I have become closer—not in the way people seem to think, though. It’s not romantic, not even close. He doesn’t push me, and I’m grateful for that. It’s just... easy between us. As much as anything can be easy for me now. But there’s still this undercurrent of anxiety every time I’m around him. Not because of anything he’s done, but because my body doesn’t know how to relax around Alphas, not even ones like Noah.The memory of Landon still lingers, though. It’s like a pit in my stomach that hasn’t gone away since he disappeared. It’s not like I miss him—hell, I’m better off without him breathing down my neck, right? He was suffocating, intense in a way that had my instincts screaming to run. But now that he’s gone, that absence feels strange. Unsettling, even. I thought I’d feel relieved, but instead, there’s this gnawing feeli
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
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
My father’s message is simple and direct, sent through one of his staff. “Jacob, come to my office—alone,” it reads, clear and blunt as ever. The wording puts a knot in my stomach instantly, a tense coil tightening just under my ribs. I glance briefly toward the living area where Xavier is curled up on the plush sofa, wrapped in a soft blanket, paging through a stack of books and magazines as he plans out his nest. He looks peaceful right now, content and safe, and I hate the idea of disturbing that sense of calm. So I slip away quietly, nodding to the staff member in acknowledgment before moving down the familiar halls toward my father’s office.I knock once before stepping inside, finding him at his desk, his expression solemn and serious as he glances up to meet my gaze. He gestures toward the chair opposite him, his mouth drawn into a tight, thin line that sends another wave of apprehension through me. My father is a controlled man, rarely allowing emotion to slip through his c
After this morning, I’m still wired as hell.Every cell in my body is keyed up, simmering just under the surface, my instincts scratching at the walls of my control, demanding I do something about it. I’ve tasted him now—felt Xavier’s mouth under mine, heard the little noises he makes when he’s desperate for more—and pulling back from that took everything I had. It wasn’t just about control, either. It’s about respect. About letting him be certain first. The last thing Xavier needs right now is to rush into something he’s not fully ready for. So, despite every cell in my body screaming at me to turn around, pin him against the nearest flat surface, and claim him properly, I’m determined to wait until Xavier himself knows exactly what he wants.But knowing I need to take it slow doesn’t make the tension in me any easier to handle. I can feel the electricity thrumming between us as we walk through the hallways of the estate, and every damn step closer to him makes my jaw tighten and
One of his hands lifts, his knuckles trailing the length of my jaw, barely a whisper of contact, but it sets my nerves on fire. I suck in a sharp breath, my body going still, my pulse hammering as his fingers trace down, following the delicate column of my throat before stopping at the base of my neck.And then, just to be a bastard, he presses his thumb against my pulse. I know he can feel how fast it is. I know he can tell what he’s doing to me.Jacob hums again, tilting his head slightly, watching me like he’s testing something, like he’s waiting to see if I’ll push him away or pull him closer. I know what he’s doing. He’s letting me set the pace, letting me decide how far this goes, if it goes anywhere at all.I should make him suffer. I should lean back and laugh it off, make some snarky comment, pretend like he doesn’t have me wrapped around his finger.But I don’t.Instead, I lift my chin just slightly, baring my throat a fraction more, letting him see what he’s doing to me, le
Warmth.That’s the first thing I notice when I wake up—how warm and safe I feel, wrapped in soft comforters, my body completely relaxed for the first time in weeks. There’s a moment where I forget where I am, forget everything that’s happened, but as my eyes slowly blink open and I take in the unfamiliar but luxurious surroundings, it all comes rushing back.I let out a slow breath, pressing my face into the pillow for a second before rolling onto my back, staring up at the ceiling. The memories of the previous day should send me spiraling, but they don’t. Not this time. Because I have something now—someone. I have Jacob.And if I have him, I don’t need them.My parents aren’t family. Family wouldn’t have tried to mold me into something I wasn’t. Family wouldn’t have hidden the truth from me, and wouldn’t have tried to keep me from my mate.Jacob’s father, for all his coldness and indifference, made sure I was safe. Jacob made sure I was safe. They didn’t just tell me I was theirs—the