To ruin an Omega novel Chapter 202

Chapter 202: The top drawer

CIAN

I left Madeline’s room with my thoughts churning like a storm I couldn’t quiet.

My feet carried me through the hallways without conscious direction. I needed to move. Needed to burn off whatever this restless energy was that had taken root in my chest.

The training grounds sprawled out behind the main estate. Open space ringed with forest on three sides. I spotted Ronan immediately. He was alone, working through a series of strikes against one of the practice dummies. His movements were fluid and controlled.

"Ronan," I called out.

He turned, wiping sweat from his brow. "Cian."

"Spar with me."

He raised an eyebrow but didn’t question it. He just nodded and moved to the center of the ring. I joined him there, rolling my shoulders to loosen them.

We circled each other. It was a familiar dance before we engaged.

"I was right," I said. "About Madeline."

Ronan’s stance shifted slightly. Prepared but listening. "Right about what?"

"C’mon. That she wants to be here. For a reason."

He made the first move. A quick jab that I blocked easily. "You’re talking too fast and I am so lost. Begin from the beginning."

I deflected his next strike and countered with one of my own. He dodged. "Madeline just told me she practically got disowned. By her family and her coven."

That made him pause. Just for a fraction of a second. "Goddess. That’s horrible."

"Yeah." I landed a hit to his shoulder. It wasn’t hard enough to hurt. This was just a spar after all. "But she wants to stay here."

"Not without your permission though." Ronan swept low, trying to take my legs out. I jumped back. "So does it even matter?"

The words stuck in my throat for a moment. I threw a combination. Left, right, left. He blocked all three.

"I let her."

Ronan stopped moving. Fully stopped. "What?"

I mirrored his stillness. "What?"

"With the way you are actively demonizing her," he said, and his voice had an edge to it now, "why would you let her stay?"

I felt my jaw tighten. "To figure out her game."

"This is on you, Cian."

The disappointment in his tone made something hot flare in my chest. I came at him harder. My fist connected with his ribs. He grunted but didn’t back down.

"I only did it to watch her," I said. "To see what she’s playing at."

Ronan blocked my next strike and shoved me back. There was something in his expression. Something that looked almost sad. "Right. And it has nothing to do with the fact that there is some strong dissonance going on here."

"Why are you defending her?" The question came out sharper than I intended.

We were moving faster now. Trading blows with more force behind them.

"Does it sound like I am doing that?" Ronan caught my wrist and twisted. I broke free and drove my elbow toward his face. He ducked.

"Yeah. You have been defending her since I brought this topic to you. If I didn’t know better. I’d think you are in cohorts with her or something."

"You only feel that way because I am making you uncomfortable."

I threw a punch. He sidestepped. "Well yes. You keep implying I am still in love with her or something and I am not."

Ronan came at me then. Really came at me. His fist caught my jaw and my head snapped to the side. I tasted copper.

"You didn’t have to make her stay," he said, breathing hard now. "You had full control over that if you felt she was suspicious. But you did. Why?"

"I just told you." I wiped blood from my lip and launched myself at him. We grappled, both trying to gain the upper hand. "To watch her. To see what her game is about."

"That is if she indeed killed Ophelia." Ronan’s voice was strained with effort as we struggled. "That is if she is indeed working for Gabriel. But we don’t know that. You don’t know that."

I shoved him back hard. He stumbled but kept his footing.

"And she did you a solid one with your mother and your mate," he continued. "She doesn’t deserve for you to wrap your unresolved feelings in suspicions just because you won’t have a real and mature discussion and close that Chapter."

Something in me snapped. Blood rushed behind my ears and my entire body grew hot.

I hated that he wouldn’t let it go. He wouldn’t let it die.

I laughed though. The sound was harsh and wrong even to my own ears. To pretend that his assumption wasn’t doing numbers on my mind.

"I am not in love with her." I maintained.

"Maybe you did. Maybe you didn’t. But either way, you need to be honest with yourself." He looked at me then. His eyes were already starting to bruise. "Because right now? You’re lying to everyone. Including yourself."

The words settled heavy in my chest.

I had let Madeline stay. Had insisted on it even when she tried to decline. Had told myself it was about watching her. About keeping her close to figure out her motives.

But was that really why?

I wasn’t even sure anymore.

Ronan did hit something hard. I still had Madeline’s picture in my drawer.

"I love Fia," I said. And I meant it.

"I believe you." Ronan’s voice was gentle now. "But that doesn’t mean there isn’t something unfinished with Madeline."

We started walking back toward the main house. Ronan kept his head tilted back and I stayed close in case he needed support.

My knuckles ached. I looked down at them and saw they were already starting to swell.

"Thank you," I said after a while.

"For what? Getting my nose broken?"

"For being honest with me. Even when I didn’t want to hear it."

Ronan snorted, then winced at the pain it caused. "That’s what betas are for. To tell their alphas when they’re being idiots."

"I’m an idiot."

"Yeah. But you’re my idiot."

"Come on," I said as we got inside, guiding Ronan toward the infirmary. "Let’s get you properly looked at."

"It’s already healing."

"Humor me."

He sighed but didn’t argue.

What he said however still lingered deeply inside my mind. Did I still have unfinished business with Madeline and was all this suspicion, even the thing with the smell of her magic all just my mind going through crazy dissonance?