Page 127 of False Catch

I sink back onto the couch, her scent still clinging to the cushions. My phone buzzes. Another call from my father. This time, I answer.

"Gray." His voice is cold. "We need to discuss your future."

I close my eyes, already knowing what's coming. "Yes, sir."

"The Hamiltons have a daughter. Another Alpha, from a good family. She'll be visiting next weekend."

"I'm in the middle of the season."

"You'll make time." It's not a request. "This is important, Gray. More important than some college rowing team."

Some college rowing team. Like it hasn't been my entire life for the past four years. Like the crew doesn't matter. Like Reese doesn't matter.

"I understand," I say, because what else can I say?

"Good. Your mother will send you the details."

He hangs up without saying goodbye. I stare at the phone in my hand, then throw it across the room. It hits the wall with a satisfying crack.

I think about Reese's words. About the version of me my parents created versus who I actually am. The problem is, I'm not sure I know the difference anymore.

My door opens. Bo leans against the frame, taking in my disheveled appearance and the phone on the floor.

"She was here," he says.

"Yeah."

"You didn't claim her."

"No."

He's quiet for a moment. "Your parents?"

"Among other things."

Bo steps into the room, closing the door behind him. "You're going to lose her, you know. If you keep letting them control you."

"You think I don't know that?"

"I think you're so used to following their script that you've forgotten you can write your own."

I laugh, bitter and sharp. "Easy for you to say. Your parents support you."

"No, they don't." Bo's voice is quiet. "They think I'm dating a nice Beta girl from my economics class. If they knew the truth about all this? About sharing an Omega with seven other Alphas?" He shakes his head. "Sometimes you have to decide what's worth fighting for. And sometimes it's better to ask for forgiveness than permission."

I stare at him. In all our years of rowing together, I've never heard him talk like this.

"The difference is," he continues, "I've already made my choice. My family will either accept it when they find out, or they won't. But I'm not giving her up for their hypothetical approval."

"It's not that simple."

"Isn't it?" He picks up my phone, sets it on my desk. "She's not going to wait forever, Gray. None of us expect her to."

After he leaves, I sit in the dark room, replaying the evening. The way she looked at me. The way she said she didn't regret it, like she was already putting us in the past tense.

I think about calling her, but what would I say? That I'm sorry? That I want her but can't have her? That I'm too much of a coward to stand up to my parents?

Instead, I pull up my laptop and open the email from my mother about the Hamilton girl. Alexandra. Pre-law at Whitmore. Blonde, accomplished, everything they want for me.