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I storm through the house, my rage building with each empty room. The fear that Aria’s been manipulating us all along gnaws at me. Her deception about being an omega, about being my perfect match, it’s a betrayal that cuts deep, leaving me questioning everything.
“Zane, stop!” Malachi’s voice echoes behind me, but I’m too far gone to listen.
I’m about to tear another door off its hinges when I hear the front door open. Aria and Dash walk in, their laughter dying abruptly at the sight of me. Aria’s eyes widen in fear, and Dash steps protectively in front of her, his expression hardening.
“What the hell is going on?” Dash demands, his voice low and dangerous as he steps protectively in front of Aria.
“You tell me,” I retort. “What the fuck has she been hiding from us?”
Aria’s face pales, and she clutches Dash’s arm. “Zane, please, let me explain.”
“Explain?” I laugh bitterly, memories of past betrayals flashing through my mind. “You’ve had plenty of time to explain, Aria. Instead, you’ve been lying to us this whole time.”
“I wasn’t lying, I was—” Aria begins, but I cut her off.
“Hiding the truth is the same as lying!” I yell, my voice echoing through the house. “Do you have any idea what you have done?”
“Zane, back off,” Dash warns, his body tense and ready to defend her. “You are acting too aggressive.”
It doesn’t matter. She is the one in the wrong here, not me.
“No, he needs to hear this,” Malachi interjects, stepping between us. “Zane, give her a chance to explain.” There is fear in his eyes, fear that this could tear us apart, but we have to know. All of this has to come out in the open.
I won’t allow us to build another relationship on a faulty foundation. Can’t they see I’m doing this for them?
I glare at Aria, my fists clenched at my sides. “Fine. Explain. Why the hell have you been hiding the fact that you’re an omega?”
Anger flares, hot and immediate all over again, but it’s quickly tempered by confusion and hurt. Why didn’t she trust us? Part of me wants to lash out, to demand answers, but another part remembers her kindness, her strength.
Dash’s face cycles through a range of emotions—shock, confusion, hurt, and finally, a fierce protectiveness. “What?” he murmurs, his grip on Aria tightening. “Aria, is this true?”
“You fucked her and couldn’t tell?” I ask, absolutely exasperated.
He tries to defend himself. “Betas can take knots.”
“No, they fucking can’t, you idiot!” I scream at him.
“Stop, just stop, okay?” Aria’s eyes fill with tears, and she takes a shaky breath. “I was scared. You have no idea what I’ve been through. I’ve been trying to protect myself.”
“Protect yourself? By lying to us?” I shake my head, feeling the betrayal cut deep. “We knew you were running from something bad, Aria. We took you in and protected you, even without knowing all the details, and this is how you repay our kindness?”
Malachi steps forward, his voice calm but restrained. “We’ve always known you were in a difficult situation, Aria. That is why we offered our protection in the first place, but this…this changes things.”
Dash runs a hand through his hair, frustration clear on his face. “We chose to help you and bring you into our lives, knowing you had secrets. This is huge, Aria. This affects all of us.”
“I wanted to, but I didn’t know if I could,” she says, her voice firm but eyes betraying her fear. “The last time I trusted someone with this, it nearly destroyed me.” Her fear mirrors my own, but it doesn’t lessen the impact of her deception. How can we ever feel safe again, knowing she kept something so crucial from us?
“Bullshit,” I snap back. “You’ve been lying about being an omega this whole time. Do you have any idea what that means for us and our pack? For our business?” I’m sputtering, and I know it, but I can’t stop. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? We’ve been unknowingly courting an undocumented omega.” I run a hand through my hair, frustration evident in every movement. “The legal ramifications alone could destroy everything we’ve worked for.” My jaw clenches as I continue, “Our contracts? Gone. The mayor could shut us down in a heartbeat. And that’s not even touching on the criminal charges we could face.” I lock eyes with Aria, my gaze piercing. “Fines, probation, jail time, and that’s just for us. What do you think they’d do to an undocumented omega?”
The thought of the potential consequences makes my blood boil. The new law flashes through my mind, reminding me of everything we stand to lose. “Our contracts, our reputation, our entire livelihood—it’s all at risk, because you couldn’t trust us with the truth about your designation.”
I run a hand through my hair, frustration and fear evident in my voice. “And it isn’t just about the legal stuff. Having an omega in our pack changes everything. Did you think about anyone other than yourself?”
Aria grows pale. “What are you talking about?”
I let out a cruel, humorless laugh. “Oh, that’s right, you wouldn’t know, would you? A new bill was just passed. It’s illegal to court an undocumented omega. I’m guessing you aren’t even legal, are you?”
Her face grows even paler, and for a moment, I want to take my words back. Her hurt floods out of her in waves, the scent of bitter oranges and fear saturating the air. It mingles with my own anger and frustration, creating a suffocating atmosphere that clings to my skin and burns in my nostrils.
