Page 22 of Dark Goodbye

Sighing, I drop my hands to my hips. “No. You’re right. There is no proof of that, just my word that the few times I’ve slaked my lust with another, it’s been hollow, meaningless, the joining of bodies to get rid of the agony that plagued me from the moment I attended that sham of a funeral for you.”

“Funeral?”

“You didn’t know? You didn’t orchestrate it?”

“H-how could I? I was no doubt miles away from Stanlion when it happened.”

My heart constricts as memories from that day pour in, threatening to drown me. “For the most part, I didn’t think you could have, but deep inside, I always wondered. You were gone with no trace, no hint. Nothing. The cynical part thought you planned every bit of your escape, even down to that detail.”

She gives a self-deprecating snort as she turns her head to stare off at some unknown spot on the faraway wall. “You make it sound as if I did all of this on purpose. As if I ran just to hurt you.”

“Didn’t you?” Raw emotion threads my voice as I grip the edges of my pants. “You can’t tell me it wasn’t personal. The moment your dynamic became apparent, you started to pull away. I felt the hesitation in your touch. There was no longer a friendly look in your eyes. Though I wanted to get back what we once had, you left with no notice… Nothing. Hard to find it believable that it had nothing to do with me. Unless you were forced to leave under duress. Tell me, Ladria. Convince me.”

“I cannot.” Her voice is soft, barely a whisper, but I hear it. Every molecule of my body hears it. “Duress, yes, but brought about by you. I-I could smell you, wanted you. I was far too young to want you. You were supposed to be my friend and confidant, the brother I never had, and yet, the longer I was in your presence, the more I realized I wanted more than that. Eventually, I realize just how close I was to falling into your clutches, how much I wanted to.”

“And that was a bad thing?”

She whips her head around, pinning me with a glare. “For you? No. For me? It would have signaled the loss of my freedom. I would become just like those air-headed, vapid omegas that only thought of pleasing their Alpha overlords. I wanted more. I wanted choices. I wanted…”

“You wanted?”

“As if I can explain it to you.”

“Try me?”

For a moment, she stares up at me, longing evident in her eyes. “You wouldn’t understand. I don’t even understand.”

“Well, when you figure it out, let me know.” It pains me that she still won’t confide in me.

Is a handful of years all it takes to erode the bonds we once had? We were at least friendly with each other, but now, she regards me as the enemy, a position I never thought I’d be in.

Part of me wants to say forget Malus. Stay here and make her talk, but I can’t. I can’t force her to do anything right now. She’s nowhere near as receptive as I need her to be. As much as I want to delve into this conversation further, to know what exactly it is that plagues her mind, I know she won’t budge.

Besides, each moment here, wasted in futility, is a moment taken away from something that can actually be of good use — teaching that vermin that actions have consequences. Yanking the shirttails out of my pants, I shrug the shirt off of my body and let it fall to the floor in a crumpled heap.

Seeing the disorganized mess breaks a small bit of me, but I have to remind myself it’s for the greater good. It will also not be the last bit of clothing to join this small, gathering pile. The more I can infuse my scent into the room, the sooner it will drive her into a heat.

Granted, it’s still a gamble on my end, but once she’s bound to me, I can keep her safe, ease the turmoil in her mind. The only question is, do I want to wait until she’s fully healed before taking her? That could be months.

Judging by the look of her, the warmth rising from her body, I don't have months. I have days, weeks at best. Slipping my fingers into the front knot of my pants, I tug on the string and release it before shoving them down to the floor.

Her eyes follow my movements, like some domesticated feline, a fenofelis watching their owner prepare their daily meal. Even her nostrils flair, causing my cock to bob in appreciation. I stand there, indulging in the desire I see darkening her eyes, even if it’s just for a brief moment.

No doubt she’ll deny it later if I press her for a confession, but in this moment, she’s mine. Turning, I walk over to my armoire, allowing her to look at my sculpted ass. I can sense her gaze searing me, like a phantom touch I can almost feel.

For the first time in my life, I’m grateful that I train just as hard as the Guardian Alphas. Not only has it built my body up in a way that most Healer Alphas just can’t attain, but it allowed me to take down Malus. True, the other Healer Alpha bodies are still rigid from their dynamic — a helpful perk indeed — but they never reach their full potential.

Alphas like Malus and I are the exceptions and not the rule. Not that Ladria will have any other Alphas to compare me to. With a soft smile tilting my lips, I clench, feeling the muscles in my glutes ripple. The soft intake of her breath as she gasps is music to my ears.

Thrusting my hands deep inside the confines of the dark wood, I rummage around, looking for one specific outfit. Normally, I only wear rubber-infused scrubs when attending surgery, but tonight, they’ll have a far different purpose.

With a glance in the nearby mirror, I give myself a once-over, ensuring nothing is forgotten, before striding back over to the bed. “Mogen,” I call out as I grab the sling and wrap it around Ladria’s neck. The moment the older woman hobbles her way in, I glance over before addressing my omega. “Mogen will check in on you while I’m gone. She will accompany you to every bathroom trip-.”

“You can’t be serious,” Ladria shrieks, pink tingeing her face. “You have no right to humiliate me-.”

“Oh, my dear, naïve, little omega,” I purr, sliding the pads of my fingers across the apple of her cheek. Her body jolts, but she doesn’t completely pull away. Pausing for just a moment, I lift and tap them against the skin. Not quite a slap, but firmer than just a pat. “I’m a physician, a Healer Alpha. I know so many ways to humiliate this lithe little body of yours. Keep pushing, and you’ll find out.”

Using her stunned silence against her, I slide the injured arm into the sling and latch it to the back of the bed. Once her mind catches up with her body, she flails about, refusing to allow me to cuff her other hand to the bed without the threat of injury.