Paired With Fate

Chapter Fifteen

Speaking to Ichiro over the phone felt both satisfying and yet insufficient. Zee had sensed softening in Ichiro's tone and he didn't end the call at the quickest moment.  These points were small, not too significant when he considered the stubborn streak within the skittish Omega, but it was enough to increase the ray of hope within him. Naturally, that meant that the Alpha could not allow his ex's shadow to continue to linger in the background. Having not bothered to leave a message last time, the onus remained on him to finally make clean this break.

"'Lani, we have to talk."

"Zandre, darling!" There was clear affection in her voice, not even a tremor of discomfort. It couldn't be more transparent to Zandre than at this moment how she either hadn't taken their break up seriously or had convinced herself that they truly were on some sort of 'break.' "How are you?  I missed you so much!  Is everything alright with you now?"

"Everything is fine..." he began, but she quickly interrupted, not letting him finish. It was another bad habit of hers that never used to bother him. Used to not.

"I'm so glad!" Her tone was bubbly and sweet. It had been what had drawn Zee to the woman in the first place, rather than her willowy frame and beautiful face. She always leaned towards the positive. He had thought that would be a wonderful trait in a wife. He felt a bit guilty that he had used his past ideals to chose her as a partner rather than any real feeling. His whole relationship with her felt calculated now, at least on his part. "It was so hard not to text and call you everyday.  I just wanted to listen to your voice!" She, on the other hand, really liked him.

"'Lani..." he sighed, heavily, trying to get this over with. It's not like he hadn't broken up with girlfriends before, just that after a slap around the face and some harsh, bitter words, it was over. Oh except for the one who broke up with him in some vain hope that it would move him or something. He hadn't been too eloquent with words nor actions and had been pretty much a cold, unfeeling bastard during his school and university years.

"But I understand that you needed some space," she continued as if she hadn't heard a word, "so I kept my distance like you wanted.  Oh I just can't wait to see you, my love." Shit!

"'Lani..." He swept a hand over his face in frustration.

"I'll come over now!" What the fuck? "Actually, the timing is excellent!  Have you had dinner yet?  Because there is this great little restaurant that's just opened.  It's only three stars, but the atmosphere is so romantic!"

His whole body tensed and he sprang to his feet as if he could somehow stop her from across the phone. "'Lani, I don't think that's a great idea..."

"I'll come pick you up..." her voice petered off for a moment and Zandre was about to interject, however a second female voice in the background made him pause. "Dammit, my agent is saying that I have to attend some thing tonight.  Tell you what, I'll call you tomorrow, okay!  Okay! Ciao, darling!"

Zandre tossed his phone onto the oversize of the couch in irritation and rubbed at his eyes with a sigh. However, he understood that leaving the situation as was was not good for him, so after stretching his taut muscles, he grabbed the phone once more. Quickly, he sent Elani a text mentioning once more that they seriously need to talk, but that he is not free tomorrow.  Tomorrow, he had training and then he also had plans to visit his Omega in an attempt to woo him. But the latter plans were not ones that he was willing to divulge to his ex-girlfriend, so he left the message at that.

*****

What did one purchase a guy who was refusing to let a man court him? Flowers, he suspected, were a no go, considering this was definitely a time honoured traditional gift for women; for dates, for valentine's, for Mother's Day or simply to say 'I care.'  Not that there were not men who wouldn't like their dates to buy them a beautiful bouquet or a single rose, but Zee had the inkling that Ichiro would not be one of them.