Page 46 of Generation Omega: Revealed
Where is my favorite screenwriter when I need her? The enthusiastic instincts start jumping up and down, shrieking, “Pick me! Pick me!” They certainly think they have all the answers, but that remains to be seen.
Before I say anything, Tillie whispers, “You had this amazing life and now, because of me, it’s over. I stole your future and I’m sorry.”
“Oh, hell no, baby girl,” I blurt in almost a bark. “You’ve got it all wrong.” Needing her eyes, I carry her to the counter and set her on it. I keep my focus on that stunning, stormy blue-grey and no lower. “You listen to me right now. I know you don’t know me, other than the celebrity bullshit, but I don’t want you thinking for even a second that I mourn the loss of my old life. It’s shiny and glamorous and a crapton of work, but it’s felt hollow for a long time. I didn’t know how to break free from it and then I found you.”
I lightly run my knuckles over her soft cheek, watching tears breach the rim of her bloodshot eyes. “There’s nowhere I’d rather be than here with you.”
“But you didn’t have a choice.”
I can’t help giving her a cocky grin. “I’m really sorry that being my fated mate has got you down, but I couldn’t be happier with my fated mate.”
She’s flustered inside and out, emotionally ragged and physically exhausted. “But you don’t know me.”
I smooth my thumb over her cheek, brushing away a few tears before they reach her chin. “I wouldn’t be too sure of that. You’re sweet and sassy. You’re intelligent and focused. You know how to love and be loved. You are loyal and fierce. You know who you are and you know you’re strong.”
“But I’m not… or I am, but only because of Ethan. I won’t survive this without him—I don’t want to.” She’s daring me to argue or tell her she’s overreacting, but the instincts and I are in complete agreement.
“I know, baby girl. We’ve barely begun but I’m already certain that he’s part of who you are. And my instincts tell me this omega legacy business knows that too.Trust the wisdom in the omegaverse until it gives us a reason not to—isn’t that what Ethan said?”
Tillie shudders over a sob. “Yes, but then he got shot and we left him alone.”
“We didn’t leave him alone. We left him with your alpha, whoever that dude was.”
“But how can you be sure?”
“I saw it in his dark, killer eyes and I just knew. I could almost feel it, the moment he became an ally instead of an adversary. He gave me his phone, so he can reach us. I think he will—I think he’ll be just as compelled to find you as you were to find me.”
She stares down at her hands like she’s surprised to find them holding onto me. “We need to find Ethan.”
“Alright, but first, is that what your instincts are telling you? Or your heart?”
She takes that in and mulls it around a bit. “My heart.”
“Okay, so what are your instincts saying?”
Tillie’s quiet as she searches for inner guidance and, after a couple minutes, her shoulders actually release their tension. “They’re telling me that Ethan has a journey to take, just like I do, and for right now, our paths aren’t the same. But he’s important to more than just me—I feel that.”
“So do I.”
Her relief comes through clearly, just like it did when I acknowledged Ethan’s importance to her and to our pack. Then she grimaces like something foul landed on her soul, her features skewing dramatically.
I laugh. “What is that expression about?”
Her pouty lips draw a little too much of my attention. “The instincts are getting downright bossy. It’s like being pelted with good intentions in the form of spitballs.”
My deep chuckle surprises me. She’s been through so much and yet, here she is, owning this moment. “What are they saying now?”
“Trust my movie star, action hero alpha to know what to do.” Her lips tick up in a small, sweet, flirty smile. “This is only to get the omega legacy to shut up—I’m just saying.”
“Okay.”
She exhales and her expression becomes open like a gateway right into heaven. “Please, alpha, take care of me. I’m going to trust you until you give me a reason not to. That’s the best I can do.”
“That’s more than fair, and thank you.”
Her fingers lightly move over my abs. “So,alpha, what’s next?”
“A shower,” I purr and watch as lust sparks in her eyes, her breasts—that I’d been studiously ignoring—perk up, her rosy nipples harden into beads, and a blush explodes on her face and chest. I chuckle again. “Iwasgoing to give you the option to shower alone, but now I think not.”
