Page 39 of Bitter Truths

“I spent months thinking they were right. That I killed her by existing. Therapy helped, but what saved me was connecting with others who had experienced similar hardships and understood. Made me feel not so alone.”

The girl beside him talks next. Her voice is soft and sweet.

“My pack bonded with me when I was nineteen. Three alphas I met in high school who said they’d love me forever. Then I found out I have endometriosis. Doctors said I could never have kids.”

Sarah nods encouragingly. This isn’t new information to her.

“My pack decided I was, on second thought, not the love of their life. Found another omega who could give them children. She was pregnant within a year. But I was already bonded, so when they pushed me aside and bonded with her...” Her eyes glitter. “Bond sickness almost killed me. Two months in the hospital.”

A sharp pang twists inside me.

The meeting goes on, but I can’t focus. These people have been through hell. Real hell. And they’re sitting here, talking about it, helping each other.

They survived.

When it’s over, I sit frozen while people leave. The calm guy walks over with the red-haired girl.

“First time?” he asks, his calm eyes assessing me.

“Last time,” I reply automatically.

“That’s what I said after my first meeting,” he admits, the corner of his mouth lifting in a slight smile.

“What changed your mind?”

“Realizing that surviving alone is harder than surviving with people who get it.” His eyes are steady on mine. “I’m Ezra. This is Megan.”

“Bianca.”

Megan gives me a shy smile. “Nice to meet you.”

There’s something comforting about them. They feel... safe. Calm. Like they’ve been through fire and come out okay.

“We don’t come here regularly,” Ezra says. “We live somewhere else. But we check in sometimes to see if anyone needs help.”

“What kind of help?”

Ezra and Megan look at each other.

“There’s a place,” Megan begins cautiously, her voice dropping to a whisper. “Deep in the forest. A safe place for omegas who need to heal.”

“Like a commune?”

“A refuge,” Ezra says. “No alphas. We grow our own food and live off-grid. It’s peaceful. Protected.”

“What’s the catch?”

“No catch. Just hard work and healing. Not everyone’s ready for complete isolation.”

“Are you trying to recruit me?”

Megan’s smile is understanding. “We’re giving you information. What you do with it is your choice.”

They don’t push. Don’t try to fix me or give advice. Just stand there, calm and steady.

“I should go,” I say.

“Take care of yourself,” Ezra says.