The words should sting, but there’s no bite to them, justa quiet acceptance that makes my chest ache more than any accusation could.
“Kyren, about yesterday morning—” I begin, but he shakes his head, cutting me off.
“It’s fine.” His fingers press a single key, the note hanging between us. “We really don’t need to talk about it.”
Feeling defeated, I start to turn away. Then, a flash of annoyance gets the better of me. I’ve never shied away from tough conversations, and I’m not about to start now. If Kyren was just good at pretending to want me, then I want to hear him come out and say that.
“No,” I say firmly, spinning back around. “Actually, we do need to talk about it.”
Kyren’s fingers freeze over the keys. His jaw tightens, but he doesn’t look up.
“You were my heat-breaking alpha six months ago. And now you’re pretending we never met.” I step closer, my borrowed shirt brushing against the stage. “I called the agency three times trying to book you again, but they said you specifically requested not to see me. Why?”
The silence stretches between us, taut and heavy. Just when I think he won’t answer, he sighs, shoulders slumping.
“Because I broke the cardinal rule,” he says, finally meeting my eyes. “I got attached.”
My breath catches. “What?”
“You were supposed to be just another client.” His fingers press random keys, discordant notes punctuating his words. “But then you started humming that stupid Taylor Swift song, and talking about your business with such passion, and I couldn’t—” He stops, raking a hand through his messy hair. “I couldn’t keep it professional.”
I stand frozen, processing his words. All this time Ithought he’d rejected me because I wasn’t enough, when actually...
“So you ran,” I whisper.
“This isn’t a fairy tale, Trinity.” His voice hardens as he stands abruptly from the piano bench. “Heat-breakers aren’t successful alphas looking for their dream omega. We’re the leftovers. The ones who aren’t good enough to form real packs or genuine relationships.”
I step back, surprised by his vehemence. “The others came to me through the agency, too.”
“Not as heat-breakers. And do you really think Matheo, Lucas, and Cash are the norm?” He laughs, a hollow sound that echoes through the empty ballroom. “They’re successful, stable, and have their shit together. I’m just a sound guy who can barely make rent. The only reason I do heat-breaking is because it’s the closest someone like me gets to having an omega.”
“That’s not true?—”
“It is true.” He runs a hand through his already messy hair. “You think any of them know what I do for a living? Heat-breaking is considered lower than low. They’d probably judge me less for robbing a bank. It’s shameful, Trinity. No respectable alpha admits to doing it.”
I stare at him, pieces clicking into place. “So when I wanted to see you again...”
“I panicked.” His green eyes meet mine, raw and unguarded. “I’m not what you deserve. I’m not even in the same league as the others. Why would you want me when you have them?”
“Because I do want you,” I say simply.
He scoffs. “For how long? Until you realize I’m a fraud compared to them? Until you see how much better they are at everything?”
I step closer, anger rising in my chest. “You don’t get to decide what I want or who I deserve.”
“I’m trying to save us both from the inevitable pain,” he says, turning away. “I’ll sit on the sidelines like a good little pretend pack member. I’ll play my part. But don’t ask for more than that.”
“So you’re just going to watch from a distance forever? That’s your plan?”
He shrugs, his shoulders a defeated line. “It’s not like I have a choice.”
I move around the piano to stand directly in front of him. “That is complete bullshit.”
His eyes widen at my tone.
“You absolutely have a choice. You’re choosing to run away because you’re afraid.” I poke him in the chest. “The alpha I met during my heat wasn’t a coward. He was funny and kind and made me feel beautiful when I was at my most vulnerable.”
“Trinity—”
