The Omega Mated To The Four

The Alpha Bond 110

Chapter Hundred and Ten

The evening air was cool and fragrant, carrying the scent of flowers from the garden as I made my way through the dimly lit stone pathway behind the hotel. I had spent the past hour handing out the little souvenirs I had picked up from the Idrija Lace Festival, and when I had given Austin his gift, I had asked where Elijah

was.

"He went outside to get some air," Austin said.

I gave him a kiss on the cheek before heading outside.

The garden behind the hotel was quiet and peaceful, with only the soft rustling of the trees and the distant hum of the festival still lingering in the night air. As I rounded a corner, I spotted Elijah, sitting on a wooden bench beneath an old willow tree. His posture was relaxed, but there was something heavy about the way his shoulders slumped as if he carried the weight of something unseen.

A pang of concern tightened in my chest.

Without making a sound, I snuck up behind him, reaching out carefully before covering his eyes with my hands.

"Guess who?" I whispered, my voice laced with amusement.

There was a brief pause before he let out a low chuckle.

"My lovely mate," Elijah murmured, his voice deep and full of warmth.

I smiled, feeling a flutter of happiness in my chest. I removed my hands and

moved around to face him, settling myself onto his lap without hesitation. As soon as I did, Elijah's strong arms wrapped instinctively around my waist, pulling me close.

"You're in a good mood," he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to my temple.

into him. "The festival was amazing. I wish you had come

"Austin needed someone

his cheek, tilting his face so I could look into his eyes. "And you needed a moment alone," I

unreadable before he sighed, resting

"I don't think I ever truly let myself process everything

heart ached for him. Elijah had lost his parents-his entire family just days ago. And yet, he had barely spoken

too well. I knew what it was like to bury

holding him close. "You don't have to be

a shaky breath, his grip

he confessed, his voice barely above

his dark hair, my touch

filled with the soft chirping of crickets and the rustling of the willow tree's leaves in the breeze. Then, I felt

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Chapter Hundred and Ten

Elijah was crying.

My heart clenched.

his face against my neck, his breathing uneven, his body tense with unspoken grief. I didn't

whispered. "You don't have to hide this

didn't respond immediately. But after a few moments,

swallowed the lump in

grip on me tightening. "I used to think... no matter what happened, my parents would always be there. That I'd have time to make things right."

exactly what he meant. There was never enough time. And the regrets left behind-the words unspoken, the moments missed-they were the worst part of it

his face in my hands. "Death never gives you a

jaw clenched, his throat working as

the tear tracks on his cheeks. "Then