Page 15 of Gold Rush
Thereliefhits me — of being clear of the center, at the fact there is nothing expected from being here, that I canbreathe— all my emotions come crashing down. Tears well, overflowing as I break, covering my face with both my hands as I justfeel. I’m not even sure it’s enough time for Seth to have left the hallway, but I don’t care.
I step over and throw the lock on the door for my own peace of mind, before fumbling with my phone, Seth’s jacket still on my shoulders as I plug my charger into a socket. The bathroom isspotless when I walk in, and I turn the shower knob to scalding hot, staring at the bottles of scent-canceling shampoo and body wash sitting on the tiled bench inside.
I’ll try to reach out to my parents later, but right now I don’t have the energy. I want to tell them that I can’t fly back, that I’m not lying, that I needsomeoneto give me an ounce of guidance — but it doesn’t matter anymore.
It was enough effort to gather my things and leave the center. The downstairs receptionist stopped us before we walked out so I could sign more paperwork, all while telling me that one pack cancelled on seeing me and someone else called claiming they were my brother, insisting on a meeting — but I don’t have any siblings.Bullets dodged.
The hot water helps me feel human again as I put myself back together, taking time to scrub the shampoo through my hair, lathering up the body wash. It takes my own scent with it down the drain, but it also clears the mix of other smells from the center. I glance at the bottles, wondering if Seth put them here — and how he had the time, but I try not to linger on it as I dig through my carry on, an oversized fluffy towel to my chest. It’s shockingly soft, but, not only that, it’s big enough to cover all of me, from my full chest to my wide hips.
I ignore the clothes I packed with the intent to look nice at my signings and go straight for the only other pair of leggings I brought with me. Shimmying them over my ass and hips, I shove my sweatshirt over my head.
My bag is woefully empty. The pile of clothing left absolutely pathetic, stranded here until I can figure out what to do — or until someone, somewhere, decides it’s okay for me to travel home.
The nausea returns with a vengeance, my stomach roiling as I wrap an arm around myself.
A light knock on the door makes me flinch, before Bennett’s voice carries through the wood. “The food is here, and it’s hot. Seth wanted me to offer to bring it to you — but I think you should come downstairs.”
I turn and eye the wood separating us, chewing on my lip as Bennett spurs forward.
“I know this all is probably overwhelming, but you can eat with us.” His voice softens. “Just consider this your new hotel. Everything else can be figured out tomorrow, after you have food and rest.” He pauses. “I…” There’s a soft thunk, and I swear it’s the sound of his forehead hitting the door. “I don’t feelgreatthat I had to sign you out of that place. I want you to know that. You’re not… mine now, or Seth’s — so please don’t think that. He did this because… well, Seth justdoesshit sometimes. But please feel like you can justbehere. There are no expectations.”
I scramble forward, saving this painfully awkward alpha from himself and unlock the door, opening it. His head jolts, looking down at me with wide eyes. They’re brown, but unlike Seth’s light brown eyes, Bennett’s are deep, beautifully dark.
“I don’t know why I’m surprised you were listening to me make an idiot of myself.”
“Like you said, we don’t have to hash it out now, we can just eat.”
He nods slowly, pressing his full lips together as he stares at me. Bennett doesn’t move, his eyes flickering over my baggy sweatshirt and leggings, catching on my wet hair. “Yeah, we can just eat.”
My stomach flutters. He’s not the first alpha I’ve seen today, but he is the first one to make me feel like I’m not a disaster. His expression isn’t one of pity, it’s layered concern and something more simmering under the surface.
“I kind of have to leave the room to go downstairs.”
“Right.” He jumps back, clearing the doorway before stumbling to the side and motioning sharply to the stairs. “Food’s this way — kitchen is — I mean Seth showed you that and we don’teatat the table — but —”
I press my lips together, trying to hide my laugh as I ease the door shut behind me. “But the food is downstairs.”
“Yeah.” He runs a hand over his head again, sucking in a quick breath.
I turn and slowly start down the stairs, his tread echoing behind me as he makes a small embarrassed noise.At least I’m not the only catastrophe here.
CHAPTER SEVEN
BENNETT
I’m an idiot.
Scratch that — I’m an idiotalphawho can’t stop staring at the pretty omega sitting next to my pretty beta onourcouch, eating chicken strips and french fries while Seth tells her stupid stories of our time in business school.
Her auburn hair is wet, and the moisture has it curling in soft waves around her face as she tips back on the couch and laughs at something Seth says. Her pale cheeks have two bright spots of red on the apples, holding color as she grins at him. It’s a marked difference from how she looked when we walked into the center, and it makes my heart jerk as I stare at the pair of them.
She’s still a little hesitant, almost pulled in on herself. The sweatshirt she has on swallows all her curves I saw and felt briefly in the elevator. There’s something about June that makes the alpha inside me pace, like it’s caged. My hindbrain screams to protect her as much as I want to protect and keep Seth happy. But the urge toward Seth makes sense, because he’s my bonded — maybe all of these feelings are just because she’s an omega.
It doesn’t matter anyway, because I’m a colossal idiot who could barely ask if she wanted to come downstairs to eat without making an even bigger fool of myself. I just didn’t want her tothink that she…owedus anything. The mere idea makes me half-nauseous. The center already made me fill out three forms that stated I was ‘taking responsibility of her’ — like she’s not a grown woman.
It’s bullshit, and it wasn’t their call. It washers. She made it abundantly clear to Seth and I that she wanted out of there, and I wasn’t about to leave her, so I signed the stupid forms.
Dark hollows rest under her eyes, but the smile brightens her face as she turns and tilts her head at Seth, muttering something as she eats another french fry. Seth pushes his hair back, one arm on the back of the couch as he leans closer, murmuring back. He’s always been a terrible flirt, and I’ve never minded it. If he didn’t make the first move, then we’d never have bonded — and the perk of sinking my teeth into him means that he’smine.
