Chapter 105

Hugh’s POV

I’m going mad. That’s the only possible explanation.

Else I would never be thinking something as impossible as that Ollie might be our secret fated mate.

It simply cannot be. Nothing about it makes sense. I’ve clearly started to lose my mind.

But that mark on Ollie’s neck, the one she tried to unsuccessfully hide with makeup… I know that I put it there. At least, I put one exactly like it on the neck of Angel, my fated mate not a day and a half ago.

Maybe it’s a coincidence. It has to be.

The alternative is just too… much.

Ollie is a liar, a vicious little deceiver who pretended to be our sister just to get close to us. How could she now, instead, be our mate?

And why, when I smelled her just now, did she not emit the same scent as Angel?

They couldn’t possibly be the same person. A person shouldn’t be able to hide their smell…

Unless…

I frown. If Angel is Ollie, it would make sense why she would so fiercely hide her identity. With the way we’ve treated Ollie the past few years, she must know discovering a secret like that would set all of us off in the worst possible way.

If it is Ollie, she’s likely hoping to play up some kind of angle, keeping this secret. She’s a woman of deceptions. This is probably just one more of her games…

But…

Thinking of the way Angel melted in my arms, again and again, screaming in pleasure…

It’s difficult to believe that our mate was lying about any of that.

So it couldn’t be Ollie. There’s no way.

Yet…

My mind goes around and around in circles, never satisfied. Every time I think of some reason to dismiss Ollie, my brain unhelpfully provides a counterpoint to why she could be.

Back and forth, I feel like I’m being pulled in some kind of taffy-making machine.

I pace in the living room while my brothers deal with whatever tantrum Sylvia is throwing. Once the mess is clear, and Sylvia is distracted, my brothers find me out, each wearing their own unique look of confusion.

“What the hell was that about, Hugh?” Conrad says. “You practically marked Ollie right there in the hallway.”

“I was trying to track her scent,” I explain.

“She’s wolfless. She has no scent,” Declan says.

“We know she’s a liar,” I say. “What if she’s lying about that…?”

As puzzled expressions cross Conrad and Declan’s face, Wes asks outright, “Why would you care if she has a scent or not?”

“Surely I’m not the only one who has noticed some similarities,” I say.

“Between…?” Wes asks, letting the word hang.

Apparently, I’m going to need to spell it out for them. “Between Ollie and our Angel.”

At once, all three are suddenly taken aback.

“You are out of your mind,” Conrad says.

“That’s impossible,” Wes agrees.

Declan just grunts.

“I’ve been struggling with myself, thinking the same thing,” I say. “The smells are different, but… I don’t know. There was a mark on her neck…”

Declan starts growling. “If that… Jake… is back…” He says with a bite in his voice at the name.

“Maybe,” I say. “But I’m sure that’s the same place I put the mark on Angel.”

Wes considers now, his face shifting, softening, in a way that Declan and Conrad are avoiding.

“That body… is similar… And her touch…”

“See!” I say, pointing at Wes!

“It’s not possible,” Conrad says more fiercely. “I would need more evidence than your gut feeling.”

“Then look for yourself,” I say. “Maybe even ask her.”

As we all look at each other, I know we are individually coming up with plans to discover the truth for ourselves.

Ollie’s POV

At my laptop, I’m searching for ways to breaking the mating bond with the brothers, without revealing to them who I am. If I do it while disguised, that could work, but they might start making demands in their anger.

Breaking the bond hurts, and they could lash out. If my mask gets removed…

I can’t let them know who I am.

Maybe there’s a way to break the bond from a distance. Then, I wouldn’t even need to face them at all.

“Please don’t do this,” my wolf begs. “If the bond is maintained, it can always be restored at a later date. But once it’s broken, it’s broken for life and cannot be restored.”

“Why would I want it restored?” I ask. “The whole point is escaping them is that it’s permanent.”

“They will miss you when you are gone. They will reform…”

“Don’t get your hopes up,” I told her.

“Please, Ollie. Don’t be rash.”

“You saw how they were today,” I reply. “Around Sylvia, they went right back to hating me.”

“Hugh acted differently…”

“For a moment, before he pushed me away.” Scoffing, I shake my head. “They aren’t worth your loyalty. They’ll only ever hurt us. That won’t change, no matter how much we wish things were different.”

At the end of this argument, we are at a standstill. My wolf is being stubborn, and I’m getting too tired to argue. My heart is sore from this entire ordeal. Maybe in a weak or so I will think more clearly.

Right now, I’m half-ready to crash on my bed and forget the whole world.

Unfortunately, the world will keep turning, and it will not do me the kindness of forgetting about me.

In a couple of weeks, I will be joining Sylvia at the pack university, forced to follow her around and be her servant. Though, I suppose, perhaps around doing all of that, I could take some time to actually learn something for myself.

With that in mind, I go to the university website and take a look around, exploring the amenities and the classes.

As I’m searching the website, I happen across some of the latest events. To my surprise, there is an article written by one of the professors of the university. Professor Hunter of Modern Sociological Studies. The Article is titled, “Why Omegas Should Have Equal Rights.”

I read the entire thing, tearing up halfway through.

Gods, this professor… could he be the ally I need?

Scribbling down his name, I swear to myself that when I arrive at the university, I will do my best to seek this man out and beg for his help. Surely, if anyone could understand my plight, it would be the person who wrote an article like this.

Professor Hunter…

Please be an ally. Please.

I have far too few. I need someone in my corner, someone with the know-how who could maybe help me escape. Someone who could keep my secrets…

Suddenly, there’s a knock on the door to my bedroom. Jumping high in my chair, I slap my laptop closed, then turn back and look.

“Who is it?” I call.

“It’s Wes,” the voice says back. “Uh… can I talk to you for a second?”

My mind reels. What could Wes possibly want to talk about.

Nervously, I stand, go to the door and draw it open.

Wes is staring at the ground, but then looks up at me. “Ollie…”

“Yeah?”

He frowns a little. “If I ask you something, would you answer me honestly?”

My nerves begin to prickle. “Of course…” I say, hoping I won’t have to lie.

Looking straight into my eyes, down to my soul, he asks, “Does the name Angel mean anything to you?”