"Hey," he greeted softly, stepping into the small room. "I thought you might want some company."
"Thanks," I muttered, not entirely sincere. As much as I appreciated his presence, it only served as a constant reminder of my own captivity. Grant was kind-hearted and compassionate, but the fact remained that he was here because Declan ordered him to be.
"Look, I know you don't want me here," he said, sensing my unease. "But I just want to help you through this. You don't have to face it alone."
"Help?" I scoffed, my anger bubbling to the surface. "You can't help me escape, can you? Because that's all I really want."
"Erica, I –" he began, but I cut him off.
"Save it," I snapped. "Your words are useless if they're just going to keep me locked up in this prison."
“It doesn’t have to be a prison,” he said. It’s not so bad here. “Trust me, I have been in worse places.” He had a haunted look in his eyes when he said that. One that I recognised all too well from the person who I saw in the mirror. Grant sighed and ran a hand through his hair, clearly at a loss.
"Alright, I understand. I won't push you. But if you ever need someone to talk to, I'm here."
"Great," I muttered sarcastically, turning away from him.
Despite my harsh reaction, I couldn't deny that a small part of me was grateful for his efforts. He had tried everything, from bringing me my favourite snacks to telling me stories of the pack's history, in an attempt to distract me from my misery.
"Erica, please," he implored. "I just want to see you smile. I bet you are really pretty when you smile."
"Smile?" I repeated bitterly, my eyes filling with tears. "How can I smile when all I feel is pain?"
"Maybe we can find a way to ease that pain together," he suggested quietly, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder. "You don't have to suffer alone."
"Like it or not, Grant, I am alone," I whispered, shaking his hand off and staring at the cold, wooden floor. "And until I can escape this cage, that's how it's going to stay."
A few days after Grant's last attempt to cheer me up, I found myself sitting on the edge of my bed, staring blankly at the grey painted walls of my small room. My mind was numb, and my heart ached with despair. All I wanted was to be free, to escape this hellish prison, but the more time passed, the more that dream seemed impossible. There was a soft knock on my door, breaking me from my thoughts.
"Erica," came Grant's voice from the other side. "May I come in?"
"Door's unlocked," I mumbled, not caring enough to argue or push him away. The door creaked open, and Grant stepped inside. His dirty blond hair was messy, and there were dark circles under his bright blue eyes, a sign that he hadn't been sleeping well either. He didn't say anything at first, just stood in the doorway, observing me with a mix of concern and determination.
"Hey," he finally said, offering me a small, tentative smile. "I, uh, have some news for you."
"News?" I scoffed, rolling my eyes. "Unless it's about me being released, I don't care."
"Actually," he hesitated, "it's about Alpha Declan. He wants to see you." My heart skipped a beat, and I could feel the blood draining from my face. The mere thought of facing the Alpha filled me with dread. In the past, my encounters with Alphas had never ended well, and I had no reason to think it would be any different this time.
"Are you serious?" I snapped, my voice shaking with anger and fear. "Why the hell does he want to see me?" Grant shifted uncomfortably, clearly reluctant to deliver the message.
"He didn't say, but it sounded important. He asked me to bring you to him."
"Important?" I snorted, my chest tightening with anxiety. "I doubt that. What business would be so important that he would need to discuss it with a lowly Omega." Other than the fact that I was fated to his son and heir, I thought to myself. But I wasn’t about to share that piece of information.
"Erica," Grant said softly, stepping closer and placing a hand on my shoulder. "I know you're scared, but maybe this is an opportunity for you. If you talk to him, perhaps you can convince him to let you go."
"Like he would ever listen to me, besides the situation is way too complicated for any chance of that happening," I muttered, averting my gaze. Grant inclined his head in curiosity.
“In what way?” he asked, and I shook my head.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
I exhaled. I was already feeling the world was burning around me, what fresh hell could the Alpha think of now. I guessed there was only one way to find out.
"Fine," I agreed reluctantly, my heart pounding in my chest."Let's go see what the Alpha wants."
Chapter 18
