Page 28 of A Nest of Maple & Mist

“I didn’t have a choice,” I said, regretting the words as soon as they came.

“There’s always a choice.”

I shifted, and Ty held me tighter, taking my face in his hands. Calluses brushed along my palms as I covered his hands with my own, releasing a shaky breath. He wasn’t wrong, and I hated it.

If only I hadn’t been young and stupid—afraid to fight for what I wanted.

Now I was paying the price.

We all were.

That gutted me. That I had let my pack down. That Ty and Jason were now in a difficult position with Mia.

“There is nothing I can do to change it,” I mumbled, happy to continue wallowing in my self-pity.

“No. You can’t. But you should explain what happened. She deserves closure Shane. I’m not saying she’ll instantly forgive you. But you owe it to yourself, her, and this pack to figure it out. Even if she’s reluctant, it must pain her omega to be so distant from her scent-matched alpha.”

A guttural sound shook my chest. One loud enough to make Ty’s eyes widen before he relaxed once more. She was mine. She was ours, and I owed it to all of us to at least try.

“When did you become so smart?” I chuckled, gliding my thumb along Ty’s lush lower lip.

“I reserve it for special occasions,” he winked, his hands moving to my biceps.

I grunted, melding his lips to mine in a slow, grounding kiss. He leaned into it, his lips spreading into a smile against mine. Teeth nipped at the thin skin there, and I hissed. A breathy chuckle passed between us, and I pulled away, running my hand through his rumpled hair.

A pair of brilliant eyes met mine, sparkling like emeralds in the splintered sunlight spilling in through the windows.

“I’ve got to go,” he whispered, tapping my cheek and kissing my forehead before sliding off my lap. “I promised to meet Fern for an early morning photo shoot. Apparently, social media loves me.”

“Yeah. Yeah,” I snorted, waving him off.

Ty deserved the attention; he reveled in it. After feeling like no one really cared about him most of his life, I wanted to see him showered with as much love as possible.

As his footsteps retreated, I was once again alone with my thoughts. They twisted into an unhealthy spiral. I closed my eyes, and all I saw were images from last night. From Jason tucking a blanket around Mia. To him feeding her.

I slunk back into the shadows before they kissed, my jealous alpha on the brink of destroying their moment.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want my pack brother or my beta being there for our omega. It was the opposite. I wanted that. Needed that. I hated that Jason had it when I wondered if I ever would.

I hadn’t earned that pleasure yet. Of being the one to take care of our omega.

Shit. Maybe I was needy and tormented.

The stool creaked almost as loudly as my knees when I stood up, placing my empty mug in the dishwasher with a quiet clank.

I had a long road ahead of me. Hopefully, it didn’t involve avoiding anymore flying pieces of porcelain.

As I stepped outside, I drew in a slow breath. I had a few hours before Jason needed me to help run the final few maple lines. I knew what my omega deserved, and I’d grovel at her feet to be the one to give it to her.

I’d make myself worthy of her forgiveness, or I’d die trying.

ELEVEN

MIA

Athin dusting of cocoa covered my hands as I stepped outside. Hazel waved at me through the window, a black witch’s hat perched on top of her head. I grinned, nodding before tossing my scarf over my shoulders.

Hazel had told me she celebrated Halloween year-round, but once October hit, she forced everyone to join in her festivities. I had been one such victim. The other omega immediately detected my sour mood when she texted me, all but threatening to make my Druid Wood Elf suffer on our next DnD night if I didn’t come to her shop.