Page 69 of Chasing The Alpha's Son
I laugh. “Oh really?”
“Growing up in the alpha’s circle, you don’t get much choice who your friends are going to be. That piece of shit has been pissing me off since we were kids.”
Olivia is leaning back on her hands, staring out at the view. She seems chill, completely content in my company, and completely ignoring the massive elephant that’s followed us out here.
“Thanks,” I say. “For jumping in like that.”
She takes a deep breath.
“You know,” I continue, “I was starting to think you hated me or thought I was an asshole.”
Olivia drops her head; she knew this moment was coming.
“You’re not the asshole,” she says into her chest. “I am.”
Excuse me?
I sit quietly. I know I don’t need to ask the question. An explanation is required––Olivia probably just needs a second.
“I’ve been acting pretty shitty to you, haven’t I?”
“Just a bit.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if you think I’m a bigger bitch than Clayton, to be honest.”
“Okay, so why then? Did I do something?”
“No, you didn’t do anything.” She stretches her legs out in front of her and crosses her ankles.
I’m just now realizing how cold it is out here—the adrenaline must be leaving my body.
“I did something though.”
My hands find the edge of the bench and I lean forward; Olivia doesn’t turn to face me.
“I knew”—she takes a breath—“I knew you and Jasper were mates, when I agreed to let him choose me. He told me and I wasn’t happy about it, but I knew and I still agreed to do it.”
My heart is beating a little faster. I hadn’t really thought about whether or not Olivia knew what she was doing when Jasper tried to break our bond. I guess I was more focused on the whole losing-my-mate thing. But hearing it from her now, I can’t help but tense my jaw and shorten my breaths.
“It was an asshole move and I know it,” she says. “I’m a complete jerk.”
I can’t disagree.
“So why did you agree then?”
In my mind I can picture the conversation I walked in on. Olivia and Jasper talking in hurried, hushed tones, neither of them looking particularly happy, Jasper desperate and Olivia reluctant. But she still said yes, she still betrayed me.
“It seemed like a good solution, at the time.”
“Solution to what?”
Olivia leans forward and runs her hands over her face. She looks more pained than I thought was possible—she’s always been so strong, so statuesque and invulnerable.
“That’s what’s so fucked-up about what I did. I knew what I was doing to you, because I’m…the same. I’m gay too.”
Whoa!
Once again I’m caught off guard learning that there are other people like me and Jasper out there. I’m not sure why they all seem to feel comfortable coming out to me—I must have one of those friendly faces or something. But I’m glad. I just wish I was able to do the same thing and talk about myself so openly.
