Omega (Alpha & Omega #1)

{Chapter Nineteen}

I sat in silence, staring outside. Three days had passed since Keon's mother made the unfortunate decision to present herself. And I did what I knew best - I hid myself away.

They came to visit me, but only sat quietly in the corner, as if waiting for me to say something. I never did. They occasionally opened their mouth to speak, but closed it. They came in one at a time, sometimes they came in together.

Whenever Keon came in by himself, he looked at me like he wanted to apologize for his mother's behavior. Like it was his job to say sorry for his bitch of a mother's venomous words.

At the end of those three days, it seemed they'd had enough of my silence. They both walked into my room and shut the door. There was a click and I found myself turning my attention to the lock, which was now turned sideways.

I looked up at them.

"I know words won't work with you," Keon growled. "It doesn't matter how many times I apologize for her behavior...I just..."

"I'm not angry with you," I said.

Cayson shook his head. "Not angry with us. Angry with yourself."

I pursed my lips and turned my face away.

"I know your views of alphas won't change if we don't prove it in some way." Keon sighed.

I had absolutely no idea where they were going with that train of thought. How did they expect to prove it to me?

"I know you're different," I said. It was true. They were different. They treated me unlike any other alpha.

"Why won't you mate with us," Cayson asked. "What is the real reason?"

I ran my tongue over my teeth and looked down at my hands. How was I supposed to explain it to someone who has never experienced my life? Who has never seen the way I'd been treated up until that point?

"I want to be a proper mate," I explained. "I want to be able to love my mates, and not just because of the bond. But I don't believe in love. I can't love. I don't even know where to start."

They listened and hung on to every single word I spoke.

"I want to love you," I whispered. Tears pricked the back of my eyes and I turned my face away. "I'm just not emotionally available in any form of the word. I'm...a shell. Just a walking, talking, mess of a shell."

Warm arms encircled me. I tensed for only a second before I relaxed into their touch. I felt their heat against me, twisting around me and invading me. It moved through my body, heating up parts that I'd written off as frozen forever.

"Let us love you then," Cayson whispered.

I glanced up at him. Then at Keon.

"Let us show you what love is," he continued. "You can catch up later."

I clenched my jaw before letting out a long breath. "I'm just an omega."

Keon tilted my head so that I was forced to look into his eyes. "No. You're Phoenix Rose, a woman who was selfless enough to help omegas in need. A woman who treats everyone the way they should be treated, regardless of their class. You're not just an omega."

Cayson nodded in agreement, a small smile flitting across his face. "Not only that, but you're our mate, Phoenix."

I shivered involuntarily and bowed my head. The heat in my cheeks was back and hotter than ever.

"Don't ever hide your face," Keon murmured, lifting my chin again.

When he noticed my cheeks, red with embarrassment or something else, he smiled. Cayson smiled too and ran a thumb over my cheek in a gentle caress that left my knees wobbly.