3. Mylo

CHAPTER THREE

MYLO

The cold night air enveloped me as I walked, each step was a struggle to keep it together when all I wanted to do was fall apart. I wanted to scream, I wanted to shout—I wanted to rail at whoever thought I deserved this.

Why did this always happen to me?

I could still hear Chuck behind me, his footsteps picking up as he tried to catch up. He kept talking, but every word out of his mouth made me want to scream. Each sentence was a fresh excuse, and it made me want to turn around and deck him. The worst part was, I wasn't even sure if I was more pissed at him or myself.

"Mylo! Please—wait! You showed up early, okay? I was gonna tell you. We were never right for each other, you know that." His voice was rushed, panicked. "I was just working up the nerve, I swear!"

I clenched my jaw, swallowing down the bitter laugh that almost bubbled up.

Oh, sure, the sarcastic little voice in my head chimed in, because that's so much better, right? Wait until I've uprooted my entire fucking life just to dump me at the last minute. How bloody noble.

My hands curled into fists, my knuckles aching from how hard I was squeezing them. I wanted to turn around, to shout at him, punch him—anything to make the betrayal, that felt like my heart was being cut into pieces with dull scissors, hurt even a little bit less.

But what would be the point? Screaming at him wouldn't change anything. It wouldn't undo what was already done, and it certainly wouldn't fix the giant hole in my chest.

Besides, it wouldn't make it hurt any less that Chuck had made his choice—and it wasn't me. So I was making mine. I wasn't going to beg him or argue. I was walking away from it all, like I should've done months ago.

I wanted to say I was doing it with my dignity intact... but who the fuck was I kidding?

You deserve this, a voice mocked.

I knew better.

This was what happens when I break my own damn rule—one that had been drilled into me way too many times by life itself for me to have been so stupid. One I should know by heart already: You can't depend on anyone, Mylo.

I'd learned that the hard way, over and over again. Not having a plan B, depending on Chuck, letting him in, and stupidly believing we could have something real—how could I have been so goddamn na?ve? How could I have let myself believe in anything like forever or permanent with him?

People like me didn't get permanent.

I picked up my pace, trying to outrun the hurt clawing at my insides. Chuck was still shouting behind me, but I blocked out the words, which was pretty easy with the pounding in my ears. My thoughts were a mess, everything felt loud, everything was so jumbled and all I wanted to do was scream.

When I got to Noah's car, I yanked the door open with more force than necessary and got in without a word. The moment I closed it, I wished it was as easy to shut down my brain. The image of the omega with the bite... Chuck's voice, throwing excuses around like they mattered... it all kept ringing in my head.

And maybe even worse—the silence inside the car felt like it would swallow me whole. It was heavy, like the weight of everything that had just happened was pressing down on me, squeezing the air from my lungs.

Noah didn't say anything. But he didn't have to.

He'd had a front-row seat to my humiliation from the driver's seat, his eyes flicking between me and Chuck, who was probably still standing at the door, waiting—hoping—I'd open it.

For what fucking reason?

At least Noah looked as pissed off as I felt, but what nearly took me out was the concern—and maybe even pity—in his eyes. I could tell he wanted to say something, but Noah never pushed when I wasn't ready. Just like he'd always done, he gave me space to breathe.

I buckled my seatbelt and looked straight ahead, my mind spinning. The only thought I could pin down was: This couldn't be happening.

Chuck's voice faded as we drove away. I wasn't sure if I was happy not to hear the excuses anymore—or the begging for a second chance—or if I preferred the silence.

I stared out the window, watching the trees blur by, my stomach doing its best to tie itself in knots. Damn it, this wasn't how it was supposed to go. I'd pictured this drive so differently. I was supposed to be in my new life—one I'd been working toward for months with Chuck, in a new place. A future where I finally had someone to lean on, someone I could depend on.

A home... a place no one could tell me to leave when they got sick of me.

But all of that had been smashed to pieces the moment I saw that omega at Chuck's door, wearing his scent like a badge of honor.

The tears started before I could stop them. Hot, angry tears that blurred the world outside the window. I hated crying—especially in front of anyone, even Noah. But what the hell did I have left? Besides, if there was anyone I didn't have to pretend for, it was him.

The one person who'd shown me there was light at the end of the very dark tunnel that was my life before he showed up. The one person who'd never let me down. If there was anyone I could fall apart in front of, it was him.

But damn it, I still hated it.

Noah glanced my way for a second before focusing back on the road. He was giving me space, like always. But after a while, his voice cut through the silence.

"Where do you want to go?"

The question hit me harder than I expected. Where did I want to go? Nowhere. Everywhere. Run. Hide... disappear.

Hell, I didn't even know where I could go anymore. My chest tightened, and the tears came faster, harder. "I don't—I don't know," I stammered, my voice cracking. "I have no job, no home. No plan. Nothing. I—I was so stupid, Noah."

I hated how weak my voice sounded, how broken. But the words wouldn't stop, spilling out like a dam had burst inside me. "I can't believe I was so stupid."

Noah stayed quiet for a long moment. I half-expected him to jump in and tell me I wasn't stupid, that everything would be okay. But he didn't. He just let the silence stretch, the weight of my words hanging in the air. I wiped my eyes on the sleeve of my jacket, hating how pathetic I felt, how lost.

Eventually, Noah sighed, his voice low. "You're not stupid, Mylo. You trusted someone. That doesn't make you stupid. That makes him a coward."

His words were calm, but there was an edge to them—like he was holding back the full force of what he wanted to say. But even in his anger, Noah was Noah. Steady. Reliable. Everything Chuck had never been.

I sniffed, still wiping at my face. "Well, it sure feels stupid."

Noah's lips twitched in a faint smile, but he didn't push it. "Listen, if you don't know where to go, why don't you come with me? I can take you up to the mountains, to the resort my wife's family runs. I'll get you a job in the kitchen—comes with room and board. It's a nice place. You'll like it."

His offer hit me like a lifeline in a storm. Room and board? A job? It sounded too good to be true. But this was Noah. He didn't offer things unless he meant them. He didn't make promises he couldn't keep.

The logical part of my brain screamed at me to say no, to insist that I figure this out on my own. But the rest of me—the exhausted, broken part of me—clung to that offer like it was the only thing keeping me from drowning.

"Yeah," I breathed, my voice barely above a whisper. "Yeah, that sounds... thank you, Noah. Really."

Noah glanced over at me, his expression softening. "Anytime, kid. How many times do I have to tell you? I've got your back."

Those words shouldn't have made my throat tighten. But they did. The reminder that Noah had my back—that he'd always had it—just highlighted how Chuck, who was supposed to have my back, had completely screwed me over. Well, not just you, that bitter voice in my head sneered. He literally screwed the other omega too.

I swallowed the bitterness, trying to push it down, but it stuck in my throat like a lump that wouldn't go away. Chuck was gone. I needed to accept that. Move on. But it wasn't going to happen overnight. Hell, it wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

We pulled into the parking lot of the resort, the mountains looming behind it, casting long shadows in the fading light. Noah cut the engine and glanced over at me. "You want a drink?"

A small, tired laugh escaped me. "Yeah. I think I need one."

We headed inside, the warmth of the resort's bar wrapping around me like a much-needed blanket. The dim lighting and rich wood paneling made it feel like we were tucked away from the rest of the world, hidden from everything that had just happened. For a moment, I let myself relax. Just a little.

Noah ordered us both drinks, and I didn't care what it was. I just needed something to dull the raw ache in my chest. When the bartender slid the glass in front of me, I took a long, slow sip, letting the burn of the alcohol spread through me like a temporary shield.

Noah's phone buzzed in his pocket, and he pulled it out, typing something quickly before slipping it away. "Texted Holden," he said. "He'll sort out the job stuff."

I nodded, grateful but still feeling like my life was spiraling out of control. "You know," I said after a long pause, "what really bothers me the most isn't that Chuck ended things. It's that I didn't know. I had no idea. He kept me in the dark."

Noah didn't say anything, just gave me that look that meant he was listening.

"When I was a foster kid, no one ever told me anything," I continued, my voice shaky. "I never knew where I was going, what was happening to me. They just shuffled me around like I didn't matter. Like my input wasn't important enough to consider. I guess it's my fault for trusting Chuck so completely. Maybe I was too naive. But... why is that such a bad thing? Why is it wrong to believe in someone?"

I took another long sip of my drink, already feeling the effects of the alcohol dulling the edges of my anger. But it wasn't enough. Not yet. I gestured for the bartender to bring me another. If there was ever a day to get drunk, it was this one.

Noah shifted in his seat, glancing around before leaning in slightly. "Look, if you're going to be staying here for a while, there's something important you should probably know."

I frowned. "Something important?"

"Yeah," he hesitated. "It's about the mountain... and most of the people who live here."

Before he could explain, the door swung open, and I felt the air shift. It was like the entire room held its breath for a moment as a tall, broad alpha strode in. His presence was commanding without even trying, and I knew immediately this had to be Holden—the alpha Noah had mentioned.

But what really caught me off guard wasn't just his size or his confidence. It was his scent. That warm, woodsy alpha scent hit me like a punch to the gut. I'd never reacted like this to anyone before. Not even Chuck—and Chuck had spent months wondering if I was really an omega because I didn't seem all that... interested.

But just seeing him, it felt like my chest cracked open, like my soul—or whatever you wanted to call it—reached out without asking. My hand flew to my chest, pressing down like that would stop whatever was happening inside me. My heart was pounding, wild and out of control, and the way he was staring at me wasn't helping. It was the kind of look that scrambled my thoughts and made my heart do things it shouldn't.

His brown eyes widened, and he sucked in a sharp breath, like I'd caught him off guard. There was something in his expression—a flicker of recognition or surprise. I couldn't really tell. But whatever it was, it hit me hard, like an electric shock straight down my spine.

I could swear the air between us suddenly felt different—heavier, charged. Everything around us faded, and suddenly, all I could see was him. Standing there, staring back at me like he was trying to figure out what the hell was happening too.

Then, just like that, something inside me pulled tight. Like a thread I didn't know was there, snapping into place and yanking me toward him. It didn't make sense.

His nostrils flared, and his gaze sharpened and focused on me in a way that made my stomach flip. My breath caught in my throat. Whatever this was, it was way too big to be normal. And even though I didn't understand it, it felt familiar—like I'd been waiting for this moment without even knowing it.

Every part of me screamed that I wanted him. I barely knew him, but his scent, his presence—it was overwhelming, in a way that was both terrifying and exhilarating.

Of course, he barely looked at me, like I didn't exist. He walked over to the table, handed me a stack of forms like I was nothing more than a job applicant, and said in a low, businesslike tone, "Here are the employee forms. Fill them out, and we'll get you set up. I'll talk to you later."

Then he turned to Noah, not giving me a second glance. "Can I speak with you in private?"

I stared down at the forms in my hands, feeling a weird mix of disappointment and confusion. Part of me had wanted Holden to notice me, to at least acknowledge the pull I felt toward him. But he was cold, distant—like I didn't even exist. It shouldn't have bothered me. It was probably for the best.

But damn, his scent lingered in the air, and I couldn't shake the feeling that I was on the edge of something big. Something dangerous.

As he and Noah stepped away to talk, I finished off my second drink, hoping to numb the sudden and overwhelming attraction I felt. Or to knock some sense into me. I'd already been stupid once with Chuck. I wasn't about to make the same mistake again. Not with someone like him.

But as I stared at the forms in front of me, that nagging feeling in my gut wouldn't go away.

What the hell are you getting yourself into, Mylo?

Somehow, I didn't think he would be a problem I could avoid. I'd never seen a bigger stay the fuck away sign written all over a person in my whole life.

You're fine, Mylo. He definitely doesn't want you. No one does... remember?