20. Vincent

20

VINCENT

O ne more goddamn sniffle and I'm storming the fucking table. Beckett's warning glare only makes sense for so long; of course I know she needs space.

From what he's told me, Amaya has stopped responding to Kate since she and her dad went to that office building. I knew it was bad when I watched my mate walk out of those doors.

I knew. I knew the omegas at the academy were sold and thrown away by their families, but I hadn't really let myself think about everything Amaya has been through. But witnessing her tears and hearing her story from the booth behind her is completely different.

Amaya is beyond struggling; she's losing her will to live. I long to hear some anger in her tone, but her dead voice is laced with utter sadness.

When I find this Samuel guy, he will be fucking lucky if I keep his spine intact. Prison is too good for her mother too. And don't even get me fucking started on her dad.

"I'm alone," she whimpers, head still bowed. "I just didn't think I would be alone forever ."

Yep. I'm done.

I shove myself out of the booth and swallow the growl trying to free itself from my chest. Sucking down her delicious lavender scent for the past forty-five minutes has me teetering on feral. Need to hold her. Wipe her tears.

Beckett's eyes widen before he too jumps out of his seat to intercept me before I can introduce myself to my mate without his signal.

"What if I told you that you weren't alone?!" Kate blurts.

Amaya sighs dejectedly. "They don't want me, Kate. Nobody wants me. Not even my parents."

That's it!

I had my pheromones on lock-down in an attempt to keep her from scenting me too soon, but it was inevitable that my control would snap. Shoving Beckett out of the way with a muted snarl so as not to scare my little mate, I step forward just as my alpha rises.

I will forever remember the moment my mate catches my lemony scent. It starts with a slight cock of her head, then a twitch of her dainty nose. Her teeny self stiffens before melting right as her mouth pops open on a watery gasp.

As if the stars are aligning for the first time, her golden eyes find my blue ones. Everything is right in the world. The kink in my neck from sleeping on a hotel bed for weeks eases, as does my headache from holding back. Just by being noticed by my mate, my tiredness fades, the scabs on my knuckles no longer itch, and the previous anxiety of being away from her dissipates.

I'm here now. Nothing else matters. Nothing will remove me from her side.

"It's you," Amaya whispers, eyes leaking and hand grasping her chest.

I don't know what she means, but it feels like it might be a good thing. "It's me?" I croak and kneel in front of my beautiful girl.

Her brown hair is a little dull today, but the long braids it's woven into are pretty. I can't help myself; I reach out and touch one of them. The realization that I'm touching my mate for the first time makes my chest vibrate.

"You-You're purring for me," Amaya whispers, her hand reaching for me before it drops into her lap.

"You can touch me, little mate. Anything you want," I rumble, leaning toward her even further, really hoping she takes me up on the offer.

Kate clears her throat, and it takes everything in me not to snarl at her for breaking our moment. "Amaya, what do you mean, it's him ?"

Well, at least she's asking the right questions since I forgot about that.

"Oh!" Amaya jumps a little and her cheeks pinken. Adorable . "I-Well…" She swallows and straightens her shoulders. "Before we were all separated that first day for rehab, I smelled him. Lemony Febreze. The kind my nana used to spritz around the house."

A soft smile pulls at her plump lips. My mouth waters finally being close enough to notice just how pink they really are. God, she's stunning .

Beckett slides back into his seat, yanking my mate from whatever sweet memory she was lost in. I want to snap at my friend for stealing her from a nice moment since it seems like she hasn't had any for a while, but I rein my alpha in a little.

Unfortunately, Amaya seems to come to her senses. I want to blame the shit she's gone through for why she pulls away from me and scoots into the far corner of her booth seat, but I can't help the flare of insecurity that makes me gulp.

"My name is Vincent," I introduce myself while she studies me a little warily.

Beyond my scent, she's finally noticing my backwards ball-cap, neck tattoos, and all black clothing that is littered with rips.

I don't stand. She seems spooked and I refuse to be another reason she has to cry. If I scare her, I'll never forgive myself .

Her pretty gaze snaps to mine. "Amaya," she replies, and, thank fuck , she offers me a shy smile.

"I know," I reply against my better judgment.

Beckett curses, and Amaya frowns. Narrowing her attention on the other alpha, she raises a brow. There she is. There's the spark of life I knew was still in there.

"Uuhh." Beckett scratches his head.

"How do you know my name?" Amaya asks, turning to me with enough hesitation to make my heart clench.

I don't know what to say. Is it romantic that I've kept tabs on her? It's gonna have to be.

"Amaya—" Kate starts, but I wave her off. I need to be the one to tell her.

"I also scented you before the omegas were separated from us. Before I could find you." Kate's eyes widen, but I keep going. "I met Beckett a few months later when he came in to meet the kids he was going to be a check-in support for. We clicked?—"

"Yeah we did, buddy." Beckett smirks.

"Not the time," Kate murmurs to her alpha.

I soften my gaze back on my little omega. "After a while, I told him about my scent match that I didn't get to meet and described your scent. It just so happened that Kate kept coming home smelling of purple flowers."

Amaya studies me, then looks over at her friend, who gives her a sheepish nod.

"Beckett didn't share anything besides your name and that you were okay. Even though I pestered the shit out of him," I grumble.

"So you just guessed where I was living now? My only friend and her alpha didn't tell you where to find me?"

Okay, so, at least if she's angry with me, then she's angry with them. Right?

"I know it's?—"

"An invasion of privacy," Amaya finishes.

"But I'm not sorry."

"Oh?" There's a tiny curve to her lips that gives me courage. Even if she's upset with me, at least she's enjoying me grovel. I don’t move, although my knees are fucking protesting the tile floors at this point.

"Because I had to find you. 'Cus even if you send me packing with no hope of ever getting to know you, I will always need to know you're okay. I need to know where you are. Even if you are never mine, I will always be yours. And if you never want me, I have to know where you are because I'll always be here if you need me."

Slowly, my mate’s pink lips open in surprise, but I don't give her a moment to tease me or think about it too much.

"If that makes me a stalker, then so be it. Bottom line, little mate, you will never be alone again."

I'm finished now. I can fucking feel Kate and Beckett gaping at me, but I pay them no mind. All that matters now is what Amaya thinks of my declaration. Of me . I meant what I said. I'm here to stay whether that's as a shadow or the one who gets to hold her close. No matter Amaya's response, she is my purpose and my future.

I don't realize my heart is thundering in my chest, nor do I realize my upper lip has begun to sweat. That is, until my omega, once again, soothes me with her gentle acceptance.

"W-would you like to sit?"