“And why is she an exception?”
Whatever expression I give her must be terrifying because the cocky cunt looks down immediately. She’salwayspushing the boundaries, and with Diana here, my patience is nonexistent. “Sorry, sir. What would you prefer for me to do with Diana?”
“She stays with the scraps, and any time she leaves, itmustbe approved by me. Absolutelynoalpha is to go near her that’s unmated. Mated ones are only to be near her for emergencies related to protection.”
It’s a miracle she keeps her fucking mouth shut when she presses her lips tightly together, nodding deeply.
The energy of the bonfire shifts to excitement, and I glance over to see a cake brought out, decorated with little gears and a small motorcycle on top, placed before the omega and alpha who are expecting. When a few glance my way, no doubt curious why I confronted the new scrap and why Ravina is being scolded, I look away, glaring at Ravina one more time before removing myself from her.
I know I seem out of the ordinary, which means I must get my shit together. Leaning against a wall, my thoughts are blazing. At this rate, I might as well leave and blame my absence on worrying about the upcoming winter.
Keeping Diana as a scrap makes her appear as if I’m using her as a road doll, and I haven’t corrected any of those rumors because the situation itself is odd—around here, you don’t fuck an omega unless you want to bite her neck. You don’t have to doboth at once, but the intention has to be there. Without suppressants, it’s a recipe for disaster. And we ban those to be freely used because it’s necessary to ensure an omega truly feels safe with the alpha she’s paired to, and any chemicals have the potential to cloud that judgment.
So, if people find out I’m not just fucking her, but actively tending to her… well, there goes her safety.
And what the fuck is Diana doing looking at other alphas? The thought is beyond enraging, a side of me burning with a life I have never experienced. I need to tell her she’s my scent match, and I’m hers, whether she likes it or not. Tell her that my scent match hasalwaysbeen the exception to taking on a mate, and I just need her compliance until this is all figured out.
Beast enters the space, one of the few alphas whose scent doesn’t bother me. Probably because we share similar backgrounds, both being echoes. Wouldn’t shock me if we’re related in some manner. The omega named Mira immediately moves to hide. Beast is not subtle in keeping his eyes on her; no other alpha is willing to go near her just because of his brutality alone. He’s one of our top enforcers and carries the same weight as I do.
I breathe in slowly, trying to calm my body.
Compartmentalization is the only way anyone survives in this world. I know there’s a weakness in our internal walls, but that’s not important right now.
I’m in charge here because these men and women have given me their trust. Thisfearof Diana being found out is what’s undoing me.
I know what to do.
I always do.
I’ll give Diana her space, then I’ll do what needs to be done.
DIANA
“Don’t torture that slug,”Cassandra drawls, not looking up from her book.
Scorch glances over, grinning like she’s been caught mid-sin. “It’s invasive.”
“How do you know?” Cassandra fires back.
Scorch flicks her knife toward her, lazy and precise. “Read a book about it.”
I decide it’s best not to get involved, and instead, I take the opportunity to watch and learn more about that. Alicia and Mira are sitting in a corner together, exchanging what looks like notes from Mira as Alicia talks to her in a quiet tone.
I’m not sure where Juno is.
Mira moves quietly from her corner, the air shifting with her as Alicia smiles a little at me, getting up to put a kettle of water on the stove, ignoring the other two. Mira sits beside me on the couch, folding her legs under herself like a ghost learning to be human. “Hi,” she says softly.
I look her over, a little shocked. “Oh, hi.”
“I don’t like to talk,” she adds after a moment,staring at the wall instead of me, “but you can talk to me if you want. Even if I don’t answer.”
Something about the way she says it makes my chest ache. “That’s kind of you to offer,” I tell her.
She nods, a quick, jerky motion. “Juno lets me talk to her sometimes. So does Alicia. It’s… good to.” Her voice cracks on the last word, like speech itself hurts. Then she presses her lips together and looks away, conversation closing like a door gently shut.
“Yeah, I’ll keep that in mind,” I murmur, glancing toward Alicia, who keeps her back to us as she warms the kettle. The hiss of the steam fills the silence, loud enough to drown out everything else. She hardly flinches.
Mira exhales shakily, fingers wringing the hem of her sleeve. “Alicia’s hard of hearing, by the way. Letters and paper work best for her,” she whispers. The omega stands to remove what little weight she added to the couch and hurries off.
