02 Not In Your Dreams 2
As soon as I walked in, the room went silent. All four heads turned toward me. The air grew thick with tension, and I could feel the weight of their stares. Grover was the first to speak, his voice dripping with disdain.
“What the fuck is she doing here, Tomas?” he spat, his face twisting into a sneer. Grover had always hated me, and the feeling was mutual. He was one of those high breeds who looked down on everyone beneath him, and he made no effort to hide his contempt.
I ignored Grover and focused on Tomas.
I stood in front of Tomas, my heart racing and my chest tight with anger and sorrow. He sat on the couch, shirtless, his blonde hair tousled as though he’d just rolled out of bed. He looked at me with a mixture of confusion and caution, his expression one of someone who didn’t want to deal with the situation unfolding in front of them.
“Emma,” he said softly, his voice almost gentle. I stayed silent, my body frozen as I tried to hold myself together.
“Can we speak in private?” I finally managed to ask, my voice steady despite the storm inside me. My strength surprised even me. I wasn’t here to crumble. I was here to face him and get the answers I deserved. Yet, deep down, a part of me had hoped he would rise from the couch, come to me, hold me, and beg for forgiveness. Instead, his hesitation and the indifference in his eyes broke me further. Still, I stood there, waiting.
He sighed and stood, walking toward me with slow, deliberate steps. “What do you want to talk about?” he asked, his voice devoid of the warmth I had once clung to. He didn’t even bother to dismiss his friends, leaving me standing in the middle of the room with their curious stares boring into my back.
I swallowed hard, refusing to let the humiliation consume me. “Why didn’t you tell me this morning?” I asked, my voice cracking slightly despite my efforts. His face shifted, worry flickering in his eyes, but it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t for me. It was pity, not regret.
“I know we’re over,” I continued, holding back tears. “But I deserved to hear it from you. Why didn’t you tell me? Why let me find out like this?”
Tomas placed his hands on my shoulders, his touch as light as the truth he tried to evade. His blue eyes searched mine, but I refused to look away. He sighed. “I didn’t know how to tell you, Emma. I wasn’t sure how you’d react.”
I stepped back, breaking free from his hold. Anger bubbled beneath my skin. “You didn’t know how I’d react? You didn’t know how I’d feel? After four years, Tomas? You owed me the truth. You owed me the respect of telling me face-to-face.”
He exhaled deeply, running a hand through his hair. “Let’s be honest, Emma. Marrying you would have ruined me. Everyone knows your father’s gambling debts and the trouble he’s in with the mob. Celio is a small town, and the Alpha is already struggling to keep the mob out. If I married you, it would have given them a foothold in our pack. I can’t afford that risk. I have a duty to my family, to the pack. And you… you come with too much baggage.”
His words hit like a dagger. Without thinking, I slapped him. The sound echoed through the room, and his friends gasped, their shock palpable. My hand trembled, not from fear but from the sheer force of my rage.
“You knew this from the start, and yet you kept me around for four years,” I said, my voice trembling with anger. “You let me believe there was a future for us. You let me endure humiliation and whispers, all for this? I could have been with anyone, but I chose you.”
He shook his head, his eyes darkening. “No, Emma. I chose you. Don’t forget your place. Without me, you’re just a bloody Omega. I’ll let the slap slide, but don’t ever try that again. Yes, I was with you for four years, and no, I don’t regret it. You served your purpose. That’s all Omegas are good for.”
I felt my heart shatter at his words, but I refused to let him see my pain. “You’re right, Tomas,” I said, stepping closer to him. “It was over-ambitious of me to think someone like you could ever be a decent human being. You might be the beta’s son, but you’re nothing more than a coward. A coward who hides behind his family and status because he’s too scared to face life head-on.”
Shock flickered across his face, but I didn’t stop. “You may think I’m beneath you, but one day, I’ll rise above your expectations. I’ll build a life for myself, one that’s full of happiness and purpose, without you. And if our paths ever cross, I’ll pretend we never met. As for the past four years? Let me be clear—I screwed you as much as you screwed me. You’re my leftover, Tomas. Nothing more.”
His eyes flared with rage, and before I could move, he grabbed my wrist tightly. The pain shot through me, but I refused to flinch. My claws started to emerge instinctively, but he tightened his grip, forcing them to recede. The tears stung my eyes, but I held his gaze, defiant.
“Don’t forget your place, Omega,” he hissed, his voice low and threatening. “You’ll never do better than me. I’ll always be the best you ever had. You’re nothing special, Emma, and you never will be. If you ever disrespect me again, I’ll make sure you’re punished. Don’t call me, don’t text me, and don’t come near me again.”
He released my wrist, and I could see the red mark left behind. I swallowed my pain and forced a smile, meeting his glare with my own.
“Thank you for showing me exactly who you are, Tomas. You might think you’re better than me, but the truth is, I dodged a bullet. Enjoy your life with Veronica. I’ll see you at the wedding—after all, she left no room for an RSVP,” I said, my voice cold and sharp.
I turned and walked away, ignoring his parting words. The guards didn’t stop me as I left, their faces still etched with pity. I didn’t look back, not once. I didn’t need to. My heart was broken, but I wasn’t shattered. I’d cry later, but for now, I’d hold my head high and walk forward.
I would heal. And one day, I would rise.