"Erica," he began, carefully choosing his words. "I understand your frustration, and I'm not asking you to blindly trust us. But as your Alpha, it is my responsibility to ensure your safety and the well-being of all pack members." His dark eyes locked onto mine, unwavering, as he continued. “Each member must do their part to ensure the productive running of the pack.” I snorted again. I knew where this was going.
“So where do I pick up my toilet brush then?” I asked, venom dripping from my voice.
“Toilet brush?” Apparently I had confused the Alpha.
“Well, the job of a lowly Omega is to clean up after the rest of the pack, right?”
Alpha Declan closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. If I could see inside his head right now, I’d reckon he’d be counting to ten right now. Finally he opened his eyes and forced a tense smile onto his face.
“If you were to accept the fated bond with my son,” he said and I saw Liam perk up out of the corner of my eye, “Then you would retain your Gamma rank, at least until you completed the bond and then you would likely move to an Alpha rank.” Liam looked hopeful, But I couldn’t think of anything worse.
“I’d rather clean the toilets,” I said with a derisive snort. Liam looked furious, which satisfied me to no end. I also noted Beta Gregg trying to hide a chuckle. I could see where Damon got his humour from. I even saw the corners of the Alpha’s mouth tug up slightly.
“Very well,” he said, “I am sure we can find some suitable work for you.”
He then took a brown file from the side of his desk and opened it up. He began reading through it. I watched as his eyes moved from left to right. Did he have information on me? Like what was he reading?
“What exposure have you had in the shifter community?” he asked not even looking up.
“Well, not much.” I said, “We kept to ourselves and we were rarely around other supernaturals while I was growing up, until I started working at the bar. Alpha Trenton wasn’t happy, but he said it was better than somewhere else. He said he knew Victor, the owner from before.”
“And dating?” the Alpha asked. Liam growled behind him and I rolled my eyes. Alpha Declan shot him a glare, and he stopped.
“Erm, not much I guess,” I said. “What little exposure I’ve had wasn’t pleasurable experiences.”
“Is that where your distrust of Alphas comes in?” I really didn’t want to go into one of the traumas of my life, but I suspected that I didn’t have a choice.
“Well yes,” I said. “When we were attacked when I was little, the Alpha tried to kidnap me.” I shot Liam a glare, and he looked away with guilt on his face. “Then there were a couple of bad experiences when I was older, one when I was eighteen-”
“Oh yes, the Frost Bite pack,” he said, and my eyes widened.
“That’s in the file?” I asked, and the Alpha smiled sadly at me.
“Yes, but…” he looked over at Liam and then at the Beta behind him. “Beta Gregg and I assisted Alpha Trenton and Beta Marshall in getting you away from and dealing with those disgusting vermin.” Liam growled as he spoke and I could tell that he was trying to maintain his composure.
“I never knew that,” I whispered. I looked back at the Alpha and saw that he was watching me with a sad look. “Thank you.” I didn’t know what else to say to a man who helped to rescue you from being whored out by a bunch of bottom feeders. The Alpha nodded before looking back down at his papers.
“And you’ve never shifted, never heard the voice of your wolf?”
“Voice, no.” I shook my head. “But I have shifted once, I think.” He looked surprised.
“When?”
“When I was twenty, I was attacked.” I told the story of my first and only potential shift and the Alpha was writing it all down.
“I was out one night and I could feel someone following me,” I said, my mind flashing back to that night. “He was an Alpha rogue who had scented that I was unmated and tried to claim me.”
“And you shifted and stopped him?” The Alpha asked.
“I guess so,” I said with a nod. “I can’t fully remember it. I remember being really scared as he attacked but then blacking out. When I woke up I was covered in blood and there were a few bits of, well I guess him, left scattered around.”
“So you are not sure if you shifted or not?” he asked and wrote something down. I shrugged and shook my head.
“I’m not sure what else could have happened,” I replied.
“And you also can’t hear the voice of other wolves?”
“Huh?”
