Made To Be Hesitant: Chapter 25

-Flint-

I donned my newly washed clothes, leaving the tiny robe in the laundry basket in Conri's bathroom. I glanced down the hallway hesitantly. Barely meters away, I sensed my mate in her room. Even though Lupa's words were still fresh in my mind, what was I supposed to say to her?

I shook my head irritably and suppressed a growl. Maybe I should talk with Koda first.

With heavy steps, I trudged down the stairs. Earlier, Koda mentioned cooking something for his mate, so that's where I made my way. As soon as I rounded the corner, I smelled the garlicky scent of vegetables being sautéed.

Koda stood in front of the stove with Spots tucked beneath his arm as he leisurely stirred the vegetables in the pan. They both swayed slowly and Koda hummed quietly. My gut twisted painfully. How desperately I wanted the same thing with my mate.

I cleared my throat as I collapsed into the kitchen chair. It creaked loudly at my hulking size, but I ignored it.

"Spots says you need to talk with Dot." Koda said immediately. I rested my chin on my fist and closed my eyes irritably.

"I know." I groaned. If another person told me that, I was going to go berserk.

"So go." Spots snapped with an exasperated look.

I did a double-take at the oddly patterned omega. As if sensing my annoyance, Koda shushed his mate quietly.

After a moment of silent debating, I finally sighed. "What am I supposed to say? She likes this Vilkas Bastard."

Koda detached himself from Spots as he pulled a plate down from the cabinet. Spots crept toward me. The expression on his face looked hesitant as he fretted with his lip. He sat in front of me and studied me openly.

Koda placed the plate in front of him and pulled a chair obnoxiously close to him so that he could tuck him under his arm once again.

Spots peered at Koda with a frown before lowering his gaze to his food. He picked up the fork and pushed the vegetables around, his brows furrowed.

"Vilkas is like Boris." The omega muttered, barely audible.

Koda tensed and his brows furrowed in concern. He placed a chaste kiss on Spots's temple, and pulled him nearly on his lap.

"You need to talk to her." Koda stated in a serious tone.

"Who's Boris?" I raised a brow, but something caught in my throat. The way the two acted at just a name didn't seem right.

"It's not my place to say." Koda said softly as he let his fingers trail the length of Spots's arm. Spots seemed to relax, and he finally shoved some of his meal into his mouth. "She needs to tell you."

My hands clenched into tight fists. I didn't like the vague way they spoke. Just as I was about to respond, a shrill voice came from the hallway.

"Conri?!"

I groaned as Skadi stomped into the kitchen and rolled my eyes.

"Have you seen Conri?" She stopped at the head of the table and jutted her hip in annoyance.

"I think he went to help Lupa with something." Koda responded with a curious look. "What's the matter?"

"It's all those damned GEO freaks going into heat!" She threw her hands in the air angrily. Koda and I let out a growl in unison, to which her eyes widened in alarm but she continued anyway. "He needs to do something about them."

"What do they have to do with you?" I snarled.

She huffed and folded her arms bitterly. "My sparring partner found his mate so he's been given leave." She stomped her foot childishly. "And anyone worth a damn to train with started their rut."

She shot me an accusatory look, as if blaming me for doing the very same thing. Her distaste for the omegas was clear.

"How am I supposed to train?" She whined, leaning forward with a pout.

Though Skadi annoyed the hell out of me, she was an excellent warrior and her devotion to the pack was admirable. She was one of the best fighters and even gave me a run for my money. Practically the only past time she had outside of training was more training.

I let out a long sigh. The pack owed her a lot for her protection. "I'll train with you."

"Flint!" Koda interjected loudly as his head shot up to glare.

"Let's go!" Skadi tugged at my arm with her boney fingers.

"What about-" Koda began but I cut him off before he could finish.

"I'll get to it!" I said through my teeth.

Truth be told, I didn't feel ready to speak with Dot. No matter how much I'd been thinking about it since my conversation with Lupa, I still had no idea what to say. My mate obviously didn't want me. How was I supposed to change that when she barely wanted to be in the same room as me?

Spots scoffed, but didn't look up from his food. Instead of anyone saying anything else, I quickly brushed Skadi's hands aside and followed her out the back door. The closest training area was to the north, past the holding cells.

Just before Skadi and I left the clearing before the woods, I glanced back toward the house and up to Dot's window. My steps faltered momentarily when I spotted my little omega staring back down at me with a confused look. Within seconds, it morphed into a glare that made my mouth go dry. I was right to wait to have a talk with her. There was no way I could handle her heated glare for any second longer.

I bowed my head and quickened my stride through the woods, all the while trying to pretend I didn't feel like a pup running away with its tail between its legs.