Omega Bound Chapter 49

Ayla

I woke up alone again. This time in my own bed instead of Thane's. I should have expected this. Last night shouldn't have happened, but a part of me hoped that the morning would have started differently. I would roll over, he would be staring at me, a smile on his face and a mouth declaring endless words of affirmation and affection to me. Now I am laying here, alone. It is for the best. My life is a brewing shit storm at the moment.

I just want to start over. A normal life. A productive life. One where I am happy and joyful. Smiling and my days full of laughter. Not this constant confusion, hurt, grief and fear. Every decision I make is wrong and just adds to the pile that is already stacked too high. I am my own worst enemy now. What a turn of events.

Not seeing Thane today is exactly what I need. I don’t need to see him at all. I need to go to the kitchen and work today. I can't work every day because Thane made that decision without consulting me, but he is the alpha and I can't stop whatever stipulations he wrote on the paperwork.

Comforting Thane felt right. The revelation he gave me about his family gave insight into our connection. We are clearly trauma bonded. That bond can be snuffed out. Dissolved over time until we are neighbors passing. Acquaintances. An alpha and a pack member only. Besides, he could play around all he wanted with Della and the others begging at his feet. I won't beg him to be there in the morning. It is time to make some serious choices and figure out what I want out of my life.

I get up to shower and pass the adjoining door. Of course, he left it unlocked. I quickly lock it and decide to myself I should barricade it. Maybe having to remove piles of stuff to go through the door will stop me from making it all the way through. I would give up because of the amount of work it would take, but I know that would never work.

After hearing Thane last night, I knew he was in distress and I acted. I wouldn't be able to keep myself away if he needed something. I owe him a life debt and that infuriated me. Not because of the debt and what he did himself, but because I know that it only intensifies my feelings for him and right now, I don't want them. Of course, I acted on my lust as well as he did last night, but this shame spiral and guilt is getting old.

Showering quickly, I threw on a tee shirt and jeans, put my hair on top of my head and headed for the door. I soon realized that I was heading to the kitchens alone. I wasn't relying on others to see me there or be with me. I had a fleet of nervousness pass through me, but then an overwhelming sense of pride. I was doing it. I was alone, going somewhere, without others, and I could do it.

I found June in the kitchen, and she started showing me recipe cards about the Danishes she wanted to see if I could make. I eat breakfast quickly and then proceed to work.  Flour, flour, flour and some more later, I was covered in it, but I had spent the last six hours baking Danishes and they turned out beautiful. 479 of them to be exact. I would have had more if the help would have stopped eating them. Myself included.

My body is sore and it's just after lunch. I get a quick tray of food and sit down with Monica to eat. We make small talk; well, she does as I listen. She educates me more about people passing through. I met a few new shifters today. They seem pleasant. My backstory was only brought up once and there were no serious questions asked. Shifters here are good at making me feel welcome.

Well, all but one. Della's icy glare could have killed me dead as I left the mess hall to head back to my room. I have done nothing to this woman, which tells me she is as involved with Thane as the others say. Why else would she hate me so much? I sigh to myself at the implication I am getting played by Thane like a fiddle. He could have pushed for more last night, but he didn't. Did he find the more with someone else?

"If you are looking for Thane, don't bother. He doesn't see anyone on this day. He holds up in his office working. Well, he will see me because he knows I understand the loss of his family since I was close to them as well. We share that grief together." Della tells me as she walks by.

Yeah, good for you, you damn rat. That's what I want to say, but I can't. So, I open my eyes wide and give her a big thumbs up and jerk my head. My eyes saying "good for you" sarcastically as I head to the elevator.

The more comfortable I get here, the more comfortable I am getting in my own skin. I ponder how I will grow and what my personality will turn into as I find myself. My likes and dislikes will shape me. And right now, I dislike Della. Darcy. Denise. Whoever the hell she is.

I enter my rooms and shower. Collapsing into bed, I check my phone. No messages from Thane. I thought about sending one to him, reassuring him somehow since I am sure he is going through hell today, but I don't think that is what he would want. I do however have a message from Kian. Just seeing his name has guilt coursing through me. I didn't cheat on him. I don't feel a bond. I am not officially mated, but it feels dirty. Wrong.

Kian: Hello, my mate. I was hoping to swing by tonight, say around 8? Take you out to dinner, a real date. Me and you. Get to know each other better.

Me: I don't know. I worked all morning and am not used to that, so I am pretty tired.

Kian: Lots of people work all day Ayla. They don't need to spend seven hours in bed recuperating. We need to move this mate bond thing forward. Do you have any idea what it is like having to suffer the pull of the bond. To have you ache in my chest all day. To have my wolf riding me to claim you. To go without seeing you? It is torture.

I never thought what he might be feeling on his end of the bond. I forget what I learned about the bond and how it can affect you if you are too far from each other, etc. We haven't sealed the bond yet, but I didn't realize he was suffering. I also feel a pang of disappointment through me as I realize he is suffering. He made that clear. That means he is my mate, and I have lost Thane for good.

I clenched my chest, my heart wanting to break in two, but I knew this could happen. We both knew this would happen. I sent him a text and agreed to see him. He deserves to get some relief and getting to know him better could only help.

8:10pm is here and there is finally a knock on the door. I hate it when people don't value each other's time appropriately and make others wait. If I want to be on time, I will be there early. I headed to the door wearing a light blue, gauzy, hi-low dress I found in my closet. It isn't too dressy and is modest with a halter top neckline. I paired it with wedge sandals and a distressed jean jacket, dressing it down to more my taste. My hair is in a long braid over my shoulder. The weather has turned to fall and I don't know where we are going, but hopefully it isn't his bar.

I open the door to find him standing in a polo shirt, fitted tight against his muscles and dark, distressed jeans. His hair is mess, but he looks handsome. He is clean shaven and smells like cinnamon more so today than our previous times we have met. I open the door slightly and his perusal of my body turns to stone. His eyes become heated, his nostrils flaring. He pushes his way through my door and heads straight to my bedroom. Oh shit. I follow him as he stands outside of the adjoining door. Kian turns back around to me, a murderous glare on his features and at this point, and I feel afraid. I do not want to be trapped in this room with him.

"Did you spend time with the alpha again? Huh? I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM HIM." He yells and before I know it the room is rocking sideways quickly, and I hit the floor. I bring my hand up to my face as I see him looming over me. Kian backhanded me. My lip is busted, and I can feel blood trickling down my chin. "I have one job, Ayla. To keep YOU away from HIM. I will be damned if I let you ruin this payday for me, you stupid bitch. You will come with me willingly or I will take you. You decide, but your days here in this pack are over."

I can't even process what is happening. The amount of shit to unpack that he just spewed from his mouth is mind blowing. I am confused and breathing hard. My eyes must be the size of saucers as this point, and I don't know what to do.

He reaches his hand out to grab me and that's when I feel it. My eyes glow as my mental barrier is shattered. Aramana makes her presence known. A low growl sounds from my chest and before he can grab me a ball of blue shimmering light shoots from my hands and sends Kian flying across the room, making a crater in the dry wall with his body before he hits the floor.

*“I told you I wanted you to reconnect before you forced me to. Go now, find Thane.”* Aramana pushes into my mental barrier, and I get up and flee.