Chapter 41

Chapter Forty-One

D axton

I read the message on my cell and peer up at my packmates with a self-satisfied smirk.

I’m not sure I’ve ever felt this happy before. Harper Hall is going to be a part of our pack and the four of us are going to build a home, a family, a life together. I can’t wait to get started.

Seems she can’t either.

“Harper wants to see us again,” I tell Owen and Wyatt.

“Really?” Wyatt says, gazing at his watch. “It’s only been two hours and twenty-six minutes since we last saw her.”

“Not that you’re counting.” Owen laughs.

“Are you complaining?” I ask Wyatt.

“Not at all. I find it utterly adorable.”

“Not suffocating?” He’s definitely said that about women before.

“Why would I find it suffocating? I want to spend every minute of every day with that woman.”

I clap him on the back. “Come on then. She wants to meet us over on North Beach.”

“North Beach? Why?”

“I’m guessing because it’s secluded and empty.”

Realization floods Wyatt’s face and he strides towards the door.

“Come on then. What are you waiting for?” he calls.

I glance at Owen who is chuckling again. “You heard him,” he says, “let’s go see our omega.” He shakes his head in disbelief. “Jeez, how good does that sound?!!”

“Really good,” I admit. “I can’t wait to sink my teeth into her throat and claim her properly.”

Owen groans. “Don’t do that to me, man. Talking like that will give me such a gigantic boner, I won’t be able to walk to the car.”

In the truck, we wind down all the windows, enjoying the cool night air, and talk about the future in a way we never have before. Owen insists he’s going to build our kids a treehouse in the backyard – even though I’ve seen his attempts at woodwork and there’s no way I’d let a child of mine anywhere near a creation of his. Wyatt says he’s going to teach Harper to surf and take her on trips around all the art galleries across the world.

I just want to be with her. Like Wyatt said.

Being in her company is like a day full of sunshine: bright, dazzling, warm. Full of optimism and promise.

The Friday night traffic is busy but we speed through the city and out towards the shore, tracing the road along the coast until we hit North Beach. The light from a couple of fires flicker out on the dark sand, but otherwise it’s quiet. Nobody is here at this time of night.

Harper arrives ten minutes after we do, drawing her mom’s car up next to ours.

She switches off the engine and stares straight ahead, through the windscreen at the silver sea, shimmering in the pale moonlight.

She doesn’t turn her head our way.

Immediately, I know something is wrong. I feel it in my bones. I feel it in my soul.

“No,” I say. But the others don’t hear me. They’re already climbing out of the truck and walking around to Harper’s door.

Owen knocks on the window and she jolts out of her trance, peering up at him and then steadying her shoulders.

I know Harper. I spent those three weeks long ago studying her intently. I know how her eyes jerk from side to side when she’s nervous. I know she curls that lock of hair behind her ear when she’s shy. I know she can’t help from smiling when she’s happy. And I know her body shakes with rage when she’s angry.

I know she secretly keeps sketches in her drawers, sketches she’s too frightened to show anyone because she thinks she’s not good enough. I know she pretends to read literary fiction when really she keeps spicy romance novels under her pillows. I know she bitches about those two dogs but secretly adores them.

I know I want her more than anything else in the world.

I watch her climb out of the car and I know what she’s about to do.

I remain in my seat. Unable to move. If I stay here, if I freeze time, then what’s about to happen won’t come to pass.

We’ll remain in this bubble of bliss where Harper is ours and we are complete and happy.

But it’s not possible. I can’t freeze time like that or rewind it. If I could, I would have changed things between us long ago.

I open the car door and, as if I’m wading through water, walk towards Harper.

Time slows. My senses heighten. Her scent is more potent than ever, the swish of her breath loud in my ears, the sight of her dazzling to my eyes.

Owen’s bouncing on the soles of his feet with excitement, Wyatt actually smiling, both unaware, both oblivious to what’s about to hit us.

I shake my head. I want to shield them from it. Throw myself in front of their bodies so they can’t be hurt. Herd them back in the car and send them away.

Harper chews on the inside of her cheeks, wringing her hands in front of her.

“Just say it,” I tell her flatly, no emotion in my voice, even though my heart is breaking and I don’t ever think I’ll be able to fix it. Even though my world is about to end.

Her eyes widen in shock and she stares at me.

I should look away, meeting her eyes – so damn beautiful – makes the pain all the worse. But I can’t help it. I can’t drag my gaze away. I can’t resist looking at her even when it hurts this much.

“Just say it, Harper,” I whisper, a plea in my tone.

The smile slips from Wyatt’s face and Owen swings his gaze anxiously between us.

“What’s going on?” Owen says.

I nod at Harper and she swallows. She’s nervous. It’s written all over her face.

“We can’t do this,” she says.

“Do what?” Owen says, swinging his head again. “What can’t we do?”

“I can’t be your omega.”

I knew those words were coming and yet they still hit me like a freight train, pain radiating right through my body. So hard, so vicious, I’m amazed I manage to keep standing.

I gasp.

“Is this a joke?” Wyatt says with a puzzled expression.

“No, Wyatt,” she says. “This isn’t a joke.”

“What do you mean, you can’t be our omega?” Owen says, stepping towards her and taking her hands in his. Wyatt stands there, speechless, shock making him immobile.

“I can’t, Owen. I can’t.” She shakes her head and pulls her hands from his grasp.

“Of course you can.” He smiles at her, obviously assuming this is nothing but nerves and that his usual assuredness will win her over, that he’ll easily convince her that she’s wrong.

“I’m sorry, so sorry,” she says, her voice catching in her throat. “I should never have … this isn’t going to …”

“Harper,” Wyatt says. “What’s happened to make you feel this way?”

Harper wrings her hands. “I realized … the consequences … this is going to ruin everything.”

“You didn’t feel this way a few hours ago,” Wyatt says, still confused.

“I spoke to my mom–”

“You told her?” Owen frowns.

“No.” She shakes her head wildly. “But she’s heard things. She was so upset. So disgusted. So worried.” She wraps her arms around herself. “I can’t … I can’t do this to you. I can’t … be your omega.”

She stumbles over her words, her breath frantic, and a part of me feels sorry for her, wants to step in and make this easy for her, wants to fill in those missing words.

I can’t bring myself to do it, though. The pain is too great and it turns the other part of me bitter.

“Why?” I hiss, the bitterness clear in my voice.

“Because I can’t ruin your lives,” she repeats.

“Ruin our lives?” Owen chuckles, stroking his hands down her arms, attempting to calm her. “Harp, honey, you’re going to make our lives complete.”

“No, Owen. We’ve let ourselves get carried away. We haven’t thought this through properly. We haven’t considered the consequences.”

“We have considered them,” Wyatt says firmly.

She shakes her head.

“Harper,” Owen tries again. But she won’t meet his eyes any longer. Instead, she’s staring at the ground. “Harper,” he holds her firmly in place, “Harper, we are thinking about this. We have considered the consequences, and we don’t give a damn about them. All we care about is you. Right?” He swings his gaze around to me and Wyatt. Wyatt opens his mouth, no sound coming out. He’s still in shock. I just keep on staring at Harper.

“You think that. But you will care. You will regret it. And you’ll blame me. I won’t be responsible for blowing up your lives. I can’t do it.”

“Blow up our lives?” I murmur. “Blow them up, how?”

“There’re already rumors swirling about us. People are already talking. My mom is freaking out.”

“Let them talk,” Wyatt scoffs.

“We can talk to your mom,” Owen says.

“But don’t you see?” There’s a fear in her eyes now. “You lied to the hospital. You told them you were sick with that disease when you weren’t. You skipped out on work so you could rut me through my heat. When they find out the truth …”

“It’s none of their business who we are sleeping with,” I say.

“Your step-sister!” she cries.

“Harper,” Owen says, more desperate now. “None of that matters. We want you. We love you. Fuck, Harp, we need you.”

“They’ll fire you, Owen. All of you. You’ll lose your jobs. You won’t be able to practice medicine. Your careers will be over.”

“I don’t care,” Owen says.

“Owen,” she says, her voice cracking, “you love your job. I’ve seen it. I’ve seen how much you all love your jobs.” Tears start to run down her cheeks.

“Not as much as we love you, Harper,” Wyatt whispers.

“Please,” she says. “I can’t do this to you. I can’t ask you to give up everything for me.”

“Harper!” Owen tries to take her hands, but she takes a step away and he sinks to his knees. “You can ask and we will do it.”

“You’ll resent me for it. I’ve seen it happen.”

“Har–”

“I’m going to leave,” she takes another decided step away from us, muttering to herself as her eyes flit from side to side, “I’m going to move out to New York. I’m going to catch a flight out there tonight. I’ll stay with an old school friend. There are plenty of galleries in the city. I’ll find a job. I’ll leave and you’ll forget I ever existed.”

I scoff. Forget her? I could never ever forget her.

“Harper,” I say, “you’re making a mistake.”

“It will make it easy for all of us if I’m not around.” She looks up at us, her eyes swimming with tears. “We got carried away. I got carried away. The heat, the sex. It was a mistake. I’m sorry.”

“Harper, you can’t go,” Owen begs.

“Please,” she whispers, her body shaking, tears snaking down her face.

I want to gather her up in my arms and comfort her.

I want to take her by the shoulders and shake some damn sense into her.

I can’t do either.

Harper is determined, stubborn, bullish. She’s made up her mind. We won’t be able to change it.

And, really, if I’m honest, I know the truth.

She doesn’t love us like we love her. Why the heck would she? Why would a woman like Harper want someone like me? Why would she want someone like us three? The pack every damn omega rejects in the end. The pack that isn’t wealthy enough. The pack that isn’t good enough.

Harper Hall could have any damn pack she wanted. Why the hell would she choose the one that will have everyone gossiping about her, that will upset her mom, that will damage her career? The pack that will cause her so much unnecessary pain?

After all, if she did want us, none of the other stuff would matter. If she loved us, she wouldn’t be able to walk away.

“I … I have to go,” she says, hands flying to her face and then she’s racing away towards her car. Owen makes a grab for her and misses. He stumbles up onto his feet.

“We have to stop her!” he cries.

I shake my head.

The pain in my body has faded and all I feel is numb.

Numb and raw.

“It’s no use,” I say, my voice bitter, hurt and gutted. “You know there isn’t. It’s over.”

Just like before.

Pack Education Part Two coming soon.

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