The Omega Mated To The Four

The Alpha Bond 155

The neon "VACANCY" sign flickered dimly above the entrance of the roadside motel. It wasn't exactly five-star accommodation, but after everything we had been through, it was more than enough. We needed rest, warmth, and time to recover.

Austin parked the car, and we climbed out, our bodies stiff from the lingering cold. The air was crisp, and though the stars shone overhead, I still felt the weight of the lake's depths clinging to my skin. I glanced at Alex, who was moving slower than usual, his hand pressed against his ribs.

"Are you sure you're okay?" I asked, watching as he winced while stretching.

Alex shot me a look, his usual smirk appearing. "Aside from the fact that you nearly cracked my ribs trying to bring me back to life?"

I rolled my eyes, but my heart clenched. The image of him lying there, lifeless, haunted me.

"You should just be glad you're alive," I muttered.

His smirk softened, and for a moment, he just looked at me. "I am."

I swallowed the lump in my throat and turned away before I could get lost in that look. We needed rest. I needed rest.

Elijah was the one who handled checking in, his usual calm demeanor masking the exhaustion we all felt. The front desk clerk, an older man with deep wrinkles and tired eyes, handed over two room keys, explaining that the motel was nearly full for the night. Two rooms. That meant sharing.

Austin immediately claimed a room with Alex. His twin had nearly died tonight, and there was no way he was letting him out of his sight. That left Elijah, Isaiah, and me in the second room.

Isaiah, still flipping through the Book of Lores, sighed. "We didn't get to see if the lake had any clues for our next destination."

Elijah gave him a pointed look. "And we aren't going back tonight. You, Alex, and Stormi nearly drowned, and we just fought off lake serpents. We need rest before we do anything else."

Isaiah closed the book with a resigned nod. "Fine. But tomorrow, we need to check."

I pulled the stone fragments from my bag and set them on the small motel table. Three pieces. One still missing. They fit together almost perfectly, but whatever message was written on them remained unreadable.

We were so close.

But for now, Elijah was right. We had to rest.

The motel room was small, with two beds pushed up against opposite walls and an old heater that rattled every few minutes. The scent of old wood and fabric softener lingered in the air.

window, pulling off my damp boots. My muscles ached from the night's events,

water.

already settling into the second bed, let out a tired groan. "Remind me

hell."

his head as he took a seat in the armchair. "You did well,

at the ceiling. The adrenaline had worn off, and now all I felt was exhaustion. But even as sleep

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Chapter 150

image of Alex going under. Of him not

seemed to sense the shift in my mood. Ile stood and walked over, sitting on the edge of

head to look at

his voice low.

slowly. "I just... I don't know what I would have done if

knowing smile. "That's because

suddenly dry. Of course, I cared. He

more than that. The thought of

spoke. "We're all still here, and that's what matters. Get some

we find the last

a few more minutes, Austin sat on the edge of his bed, watching as Alex lay back

hell out of me, you know that?"

shifted. "That seems to be a

expression had been

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "When

He cut himself off, shaking his

faded. "I

fell into silence, only the hum

"I don't remember much about being

temple. “Drowning isn't peaceful. It's... panicked. Everything goes

clenched his jaw. "Well, don't

out a soft