The Forbidden Omega

Chapter Fifteen: Soren's Choice

I sigh, the dread and guilt in my stomach building as Jason scowls at the cake in front of him, and pointedly takes a long sip of water from his water bottle. I swallow nervously as I look at Soren's overjoyed face while he devours the yellow sponge cake, soaked in passionflower extract, filled with honey-lemon cream, and iced with a lightly infused italian buttercream. I feel the pit in my stomach grow to the size of a boulder, as as with a few mumbled words, Soren quickly finishes the other slice that had barely been nibbled.

"That one is delicious." Soren beams at me, and I attempt to give him even a hint of a smile back, but I know I've failed. Soren visibly flinches as he looks at Jason, dread in his eyes. "But maybe we keep looking…" I can hear his sigh of relief and I don't know how I hadn't simply torn the runt of an abuser to shreds as he smugly nodded. 

I make the decision to remove the third cake from the list, discreetly sliding it to the side where it can't be viewed.

And as much as I know Soren will despise this cake, I bring out the fourth, the pure chocolate cake, and place the slices in front of the two customers carefully. "Chocolate cake, filled with a chocolate ganache, and iced in chocolate buttercream. The piping is a blend of white and dark chocolate icings." I keep my face forcibly neutral, as Soren barely nibbles the chocolate monstrosity, and the vile Jason all but finishes his slice. I know without a single doubt that this is the cake Jason will choose, and I can only hope Soren will be given any sort of voice. 

Traditional values dictate that the wedding cake is *always* the Omega's choice, and they decide nearly all of the details of the food at the wedding party. This completely goes against the unspoken laws that rule our society as a whole, the foundation of who we are as a civilization. And in one fell swoop, I know Jason is going to upend Soren's rights.

The thought has my wolf baying for bloody c*****e. 

I try my best to keep the gold from my irises as Jason picks at Soren's nearly untouched cake as if he can't quite get enough of it. I give my Omega a cautious glance of comfort as he grimaces apologetically, his face creased with the worry he never should have been subjected to. I nod, clearing my throat uncomfortably as I slice the last test cake, eager to offer my mate something he might truly love.

"And for our last delicacy, a confetti type angel food cake, with a açai berry and dragon fruit jam, iced in pear infused royal icing." I give Soren a careful smile, hiding how much I put into this cake for his approval. I want so badly for him to enjoy this, and I bite back the beaming grin on my face at his gasp of surprise when I reveal the rainbow flecked interior of the cake. 

My inner wolf purrs in utter delight as Soren gobbles up the cake, murmuring quiet appreciative comments as he does. It's a balm to the anger of Jason's cold and cruel treatment of the Omega who is and always has been *ours,* and no one else's.

I nod eagerly as Soren takes a small sip of water upon finishing his portion of cake, waiting for the response, and for his comments. His face couldn't have been happier as he looks up, wiping a stray smudge of icing from the corner of his mouth. "I take it, someone likes it," I joke, grinning as Jason glowers at us. I place the reminder of the cakes on the cart once more, as I allow them to consider the cakes.

"I think that one was the best," Soren bashfully admits, tucking a stray curl behind his ear as he blushes softly. "It's delicious, and unique." He grins, and I nod in response, a smile tugging at my lips. "I love it." 

For a brief moment, I think it might be alright. I let myself believe that Soren might, just might be able to have his cake for the abomination of a wedding that they've planned. 

Then it happens, Jason, the brute, asserts his own outrageously selfish opinion.

"I really prefer the chocolate cake, honey." The bastard has the nerve to sling his arm around my Omega and give him an imperious look. I nearly gag as he kisses him sloppily kisses his neck, possessively flashing his golden eyes at me as Soren squeaks. "Why don't we have the chocolate, baby?" 

I feel my heart shatter into a thousand pieces of splintered glass in my chest at Soren's small, broken look in his eyes as he realizes what he had to do in that moment. It was a minor heartbreak of colossal proportions playing out in the microcosms of his expression.

"Yes, Alpha," Soren whispers tragically, trying to hide the tremor in his voice as he dabs the moisture from his eyes. "Yes, why don't we go with the chocolate, that one was good as well." 

"Alright," I concede stiffly, and I look back at the cake I know Soren would have chosen had he been able to choose for himself. I sigh, nodding reluctantly as I hear back to the counter, tallying up the total for the five cakes and I pointedly focus on adding the cakes and labor costs. It's not much of a distraction from the silent agony in Soren's eyes.

Jason shoots a smug glance at me over Soren's shoulder, as he gathers up his coat and bag, preparing to leave me. I do my best to keep the anger from my eyes as they approach the counter, and I remain virtually silent as they pay and I am forced to watch my Omega be led out of the bakery, nearly by the scruff of his neck.

I can only pray to the gods that Soren remains unharmed. At the very least, I hope he can return to my bakery, so that I can try to inspire him to believe in himself. He needs to know he's worth more than Jason's treatment.

He's worth so much more than that abuse.