His broken omega mate

Chapter 7 - The honest truth?

Valerie’s POV

I planned to spend the rest of the afternoon studying in the library to avoid the angry looks in both the kitchen and dining room, and that was where Ruston found me deeply engrossed in a book about emotional intelligence. Although I still didn't believe it, being with Ruston had its perks and I was going to use them to the fullest extent.

“Here you are. I’ve been looking everywhere for you. I almost started to think you had taken the bus. Don’t take the bus, okay?” His hot breath blew in my neck with every word and I broke out in goosebumps, feeling slightly irritated that my body betrayed me so every time he was near. The endless options he was looking forward to were the same ones I feared. Since my mother passed, I was left to find things out for myself. Being an omega didn’t give me much free time to waste on something I might never have, or experienced. All my free time went into my studies when the other girls were gushing over one of the males.

The good thing that came out of that was that I received permission to go to university and, hopefully, one day get out of here. But the feel of his hot breath made me close my eyes and take at the moment. If this is indeed a cruel joke, I may just as well experience the good parts as much as I can before it is ripped away from me.

“Val! Earth to Val … Are you okay?” He took the seat next to mine, and I tried to focus on the poor man.

“I’m sorry, I had some homework to catch up on.”

“Are you saying I’m keeping you from your homework?” A mischievous grin forms on his face, followed by a sparkle in his eyes. “You know, I can always help you,” He clears his throat. “Catch up on homework.” Butterflies filled my stomach as my heart started to race.

I knew exactly what he was talking about! Homework was the code word some of the more adventurous girls in the omega house used when they referred to intimate rendezvous!

“No, unfortunately, it’s for physics class. You know the one you aren’t in?” I smiled and started to pack up my things. I’d seen the librarian glare at us twice over the past couple of minutes, and the last thing I needed was to be banned!

Ruston grabbed my bag and held it open, so I could pack away my books, then he flung it over his shoulder and took my hand as we walked out. The bright blue bag was one of the many gifts he bought me since this entire adventure started, and I have to admit, it was my favourite.

“If you feel that I’m trying to pressure you into sleeping with me, you are wrong. I know this is probably going to sound crazy …” He turned to look at me and took a deep breath. “I want our first time together to be special. I want you to remember it for the rest of your life.” We started walking back to his car and I mulled over what he just said. I can’t really remember ever seeing Ruston with a girlfriend. What’s the chance that he was actually being sincere, and I might just be throwing away a perfectly good opportunity to reach a better rank in the pack?

I shook my head to get the thoughts out, and he glanced my way before returning his attention to the road.

“Val, will you please talk to me. What’s bugging you?”

I sigh and knot my fingers together until they turn white while keeping my hands on my lap.

“Ruston, I know that if you are playing a cruel joke on me, you probably wouldn’t tell me, but I still need to ask you. We are alone, nobody else would know if you told me. I really can’t throw away my only chance at a better future.”

The silence between us was deafening, and I regretted having brought it up. The sudden way in which he pulled to the side of the road and switched off the engine frightened me! What if I was right? He turned sideways in his seat and looked at me. When I didn’t dare look at him, he lifted my chin to look at him.

“Val, do you honestly think I would risk my reputation in front of the entire pack of all places just to play a joke on you? Do you think that little of me? Please, did Melody say something to you? If she did …” He sighed and let go of my face when I shook my head. “Val, you can tell me. I won’t tell anyone, but I won’t allow her to bully you just because she can’t have me.” His hands flew into the air before he air quoted “catch me”

“No, she hasn’t said anything recently.”

“But she did say something.” His face was slowly turning red with anger.

“It’s okay, Ruston. I’m used to her cruel comments and jokes by now.” I could feel the tears that were on the verge of pushing their way out of my body, and I swallowed the knot in my throat in the hopes that the tears would disappear with it.

“I want to know what she said, and I want to know now.” A soft growl came from deep within him, and it surprised me that he would be acting like this about anything that concerns me or my welfare. I really didn’t want any more trouble at the pack house than I already had, but if I didn’t tell him, and he found out on his own, things would just be way worse than before, so, I decided to confess.

“Okay, but you have to promise me that you won’t confront her. I’ve been handling it all these years, and I don’t need you to stand up for me.”

His mouth opened, and he was about to say something, then looked as if he decided against it and closed his mouth.

“Promise me, Ruston.” I insisted, wanting him to say the words.

“Okay, okay. I promise.” He took my hand in his, but I pulled away.

I take a moment to wonder where and when I should start. Do I tell him about the first time she took a pair of scissors to my hair because someone commented on how pretty it was, or do I just tell him about her foot constantly finding its way into my path?

“I’m not going to drive back until you talk. I want to know everything.” He demanded.

I looked into his eyes and swallowed hard for the umpteenth time.

“When I was around seven, one of the girls in the dorms gave me a blue ribbon for my hair. It was a small gift for my birthday Actually, it was the only gift I have received since my parents died, and I haven’t gotten one since. After my shift in the kitchen, Melody and her friends cornered me in the kitchen. Now that I think about it, I am alone. She must have gotten rid of the kitchen staff in some way.” I couldn’t look at him. Telling him about a silly blue ribbon from my childhood was probably stupid, but it was the only thing that came to mind that he wouldn’t rush into the pack house and strangle Melody. I couldn’t stand the sympathetic look that was now written all over his face. This was one of the many reasons I didn’t want to tell him in the first place.

“She was jealous because one of your friends commented on my hair and the fact that I looked so much different from the rest of you. Her friend thought me to be unique. Melody made sure I thought that she thought my hair looked pretty, especially with the ribbon braided into my hair. She only said that, so she could humiliate me later on. Her friends held me down while she cut my hair. She took the ribbon from me and said that she had to cut my hair because Luna hated the colour, and she didn’t have time to untie it, and the next morning she was wearing it. Before they let me go, she told me she would make sure I never looked pretty. That if I even so much as tried to talk to any of you, she would shave my head next. I was small and alone. I didn’t talk to anyone after that. I still didn’t have friends and, therefore, had nobody to help me protect myself from the likes of her.” When I finally got the courage to look at him, he didn’t look sympathetic. On the contrary, he looked furious.

“Did you tell anyone?” He was softly growling and the muscle in his jaw was jumping.

“Of course, not! Besides, who would believe me? They would just deny it, and the word of a ranked member carries a lot more weight than that of an omega. Since then, she and her crew have been hounding me every chance they get. If they aren’t threatening me because one of the guys looks at me, they are making sure I’m humiliated in the worst possible way. As she did that day when the tray of meat covered our dear Alpha.” I was being deathly serious, but my comment made him burst out laughing.

“I know omegas are taught to be subservient, but being bullied has never been allowed.”

“Yeah, I can understand why you would think that, but that is not the practice. Ruston, I really don’t want to talk about this.” This was so typical of our ranked members. They were so used to keeping up the perfect image that they would believe their own lies.

“I’m sorry,” He put his hand over mine and my eyes found his. “I won’t let anyone ever hurt you again. You are mine now, and if they just think about hurting you and I catch them, they will be moving into the omega house so fast that their heads will spin.” I appreciated the thought, but something else was taking over my thoughts at the feel of his warm skin against mine.

“I understand if you don’t want to talk about it, but I want you to know that you are safe with me. Whenever you are ready, I want you to tell me everything she did. She’s not going to get away with it, even if I have to punish her myself!”

He put my hand on his leg and shifted back in his seat. We pulled back onto the road and I felt the crushing pressure of disappointment crush down on my shoulders as we drove into the driveway of the pack grounds. As if that wasn’t enough, Melody was walking down the road with her books in hand. Ruston pulled up to the side of the road and called her over. She looked excited until she saw me with my hand on his leg.

“Are you f*****g kidding me?!” She shrieked.

“Melody …” A soft warning growl flowed from deep inside him, and she looked as if she thought about it for a moment. “I pulled off to find out if we can give you a ride, but if you can’t behave, I will let you walk!”

“I’m not getting into the car with HER!” Her look of disgust had been thrown my way for so many years that it no longer bothered me.

“Then have fun walking!” He didn’t give her a moment to even regret her words before pulling away and leaving her behind in a cloud of dust. How I wished I could have stayed behind and seen the look on her face!

So, maybe Ruston was being truthful and sincere. We didn’t have to rush anything. I wanted to finish my studies first before giving in to a mate and having to give it all up so soon.