Free Shattered Emotions by Carrie Ann Ryan

stay away so she could be happy. She didn’t deserve what he’d bring to her through their bond.
    It was too much.
    “I always knew you could be hard if you had to be, but I never knew you’d be so cruel.”
    Maddox didn’t look toward North, knowing the disappointment on his twin’s face would be too much to handle.
    “She’ll be fine,” Maddox said, willing it to happen.
    “You’re an idiot, a fucking idiot.”
    “You don’t understand, North. Plus, I thought you’d be happy with this whole development.”
    If North didn’t form a bond with Ellie…well, Maddox didn’t know what he’d do. The thought of them actually mating, though, made him sick to his stomach.
    The fates surely hated him. Omegas weren’t supposed to mate. They were supposed to die alone and in pain and not able to burden others with their so-called gifts.
    That’s the way it had always been, and he wasn’t about to change that.
    Lightning arched across the sky, and Maddox held back a shiver. The gods seemed to have opened a faucet, and the clouds burst, rain pelting them in heavy sheets, causing their coats to drench and everything else to stick to their skin.
    “We need to get to shelter!” Maddox yelled over the wind and rain as he ran to Ellie’s side. She didn’t know the way, only the general direction, so he needed to be the one who led.
    “Maddox, wait up,” North shouted as he jogged toward them. “What the hell did you mean back there?”
    Maddox looked at his brother as if he’d lost his mind. Really? Like this was the best time to talk about this shit?
    “We need to get to the cabin or at least somewhere where we don’t get drenched more than we are,” Maddox said over the wind as he picked up his pace, Ellie by his side.
    “No, we’re going to get this out in the open now,” North argued even as he kept up his stride.
    “You’re kidding, right?” Maddox shook his head, trying to get the rain out of his eyes. “We need to get out of here.”
    “What did you mean that I should be happy that you’re treating Ellie like shit?” North asked, his eyes glowing gold as his voice shook with what could only be anger.
    “North, let it go,” Ellie said, and Maddox whipped his head around to look at her.
    “Finally, some sense. Let’s get going.” He sped up, practically running through the forest as the rain pelted him.
    He didn’t want to have this conversation ever—even if his father had decreed it. They’d have their words, and then North would leave with Ellie, finally able to be her protector and mate. Maddox would stay behind and watch it happen. He’d watched the rest of his brothers mate one by one, having to deal with every single ounce of happiness, angst, and pain that went with falling in love, and he was so fucking happy he wouldn’t have to feel it with North and Ellie.
    He’d never have to feel their happiness, their joy, their elation…none of it.
    Oh, he’d have to sit back and watch it and pretend everything was okay even when he wanted to jump off a cliff, but he’d deal with it.
    He always had in the past, and he wouldn’t stop now.
    He ignored North’s and Ellie’s shouts from behind him, though he knew they were running, trying to keep up.
    “Maddox, stop running away from us,” North bellowed. “Dad told us to deal with this, and yeah, the rain sucks, but we can’t keep going on like we are.”
    Maddox stopped, his chest heaving, not from the exertion, but from his own desire not to do this. He couldn’t tell Ellie what he felt, and he damn well couldn’t tell North.
    It wasn’t as if he’d done such a remarkable job hiding it recently anyway.
    He didn’t turn because he couldn’t stomach looking at them. They’d be perfect for each other. Ellie deserved the unblemished twin, the one who could help her heal with his grace and ability to aid those in need.
    Maddox couldn’t help her…he wasn’t worthy enough.
    Why else would the fates block her emotions from