"Yeah, yeah." Stefan pushes me away after a moment, but there’s almost a smile on his face when I stare at him. "Don't get all emotional on me."
"Now that you're here," I say, stepping back, "I could use your help mucking the stables."
Stefan's eyebrows shoot up. "You've never asked me to do that shit before."
I grin, holding back a laugh. "I'm sore. Kade ran me all night."
"You know you're not supposed to be telling your stepbrother all that, right?" Stefan makes a face, shaking his head.
I shrug and go over to give Kade a kiss, pressing my lips against his for a long moment before pulling back. "How long will it take to get a check for that amount?"p
"A few hours." Kade's hand comes up to rest on my hip, thumb stroking over one of the bruises he left there.
"Great. We leave after lunch, then."
Kade snorts, shaking his head as he kisses me again. "As much as I would love that, babe, we can't. From what I did find, any kind of eagerness would set them off. Stefan just put in the word. We have to give it time."
Panic flutters in my chest. "But she's in there, and we have to—"
"Dustin." Kade's voice cuts through the rising anxiety. He watches my face, reading every emotion there, knowing that I won’t just give in. I know it’s dangerous but I need her and the way that Alpha dragged her away from me feels wrong. It feels like she could be suffering and I don’t want to wait. He lets out a sigh, his shoulders falling in defeat. "Be ready at lunch, okay? And follow my lead. My first priority is you until we get there."
I take a breath, forcing myself to relax. Kade knows what he's doing. He always does. "Okay."
Kade kisses me again, slower this time, bringing me fully back to reality and out of my head. "Go put some clothes on and hang with your stepbrother. I'll take care of everything else."
Chapter six
Solana
The door to my cell opens with a heavy click that echoes through the small space. I blink against the sudden brightness as Alpha Graves steps inside, her expression as stern as always. I'm still curled up on the cot where I spent the night, my stomach cramping with hunger and my body aching from lying on the thin mattress.
"Up," she says. "Showers. Now."
I push myself to standing, my legs unsteady beneath me. The world tilts slightly as I grip the edge of the cot to keep from falling. There’s been no food since yesterday and very little water.
"What's going on?" My voice comes out rough and I immediately regret asking the question.
Alpha Graves doesn't answer immediately. She just turns and walks out, expecting me to follow. I do because the alternative is worse. My bare feet pad against the cold floor as we make our way through the corridor toward the shower facilities. Other Omegas are already moving through their morning routines, their eyes sliding away when they see me. No one wants to be associated with the one who broke the rules.
We reach the showers, Alpha Graves finally speaking up. "There are two high roller Alphas visiting today. They want to see a lineup of Omegas. You'll be part of it."
Hope flares in my chest before I can stop it. Two Alphas. A chance at being chosen. A chance at getting out of here, even if it means trading one form of captivity for another. At least outside these walls, I might have a sliver of freedom. At least I wouldn't be in Harmony House anymore.
"Will I get to meet them?" I ask carefully, trying to keep my voice neutral.
Graves' expression hardens, something almost like a smirk sliding onto her face. "You'll be on your best behavior, but you won't be meeting anyone. You've lost that privilege. Besides, if they want a tour, they need to see our obedient ones following orders. You're just part of the backdrop."
The hope dies as quickly as it came. Of course. I'm being punished. They wouldn't give me an actual opportunity after what happened yesterday. This is just another way to remind me of my place, to show me what I could have if only I learned to be good.
Rage bubbles up in my chest, but I force it down. Getting angry now won't help anything. I stay quiet as one of the staff members, a Beta woman named Linda, gestures for me to strip. The water is lukewarm at best as she washes me down, the woman scrubbing my skin until I'm raw and clean, before toweling me off roughly.
Another plain dress waits for me on the bench. This one is orange, but not the deep sunburnt orange that would bring out the bronze of my dark skin. No, it’s a pale, awful hue that makes me look sickly. Linda waits until I shrug on the dress and then pulls my curls back into an awkward ponytail, yanking hard enough that tears spring to my eyes. No care is taken with my appearance. I'm not meant to be attractive today. I'm meant to be a warning.
Linda directs me toward the cafeteria where the other Omegas are already gathering. They're dressed in nicer clothes, with soft pastels and flattering cuts. Their hair is styled properly and some of them even have light makeup on. They look like products ready to be sold. I look like the failure I apparently am.
Graves appears beside me as we near the cafeteria entrance. "Smile a little bit. Show them that the Omega they're going to choose comes from a good, loving place." She leans in closer, her voice dropping a few octaves until her Alpha is clearly evident in her voice. "Do that and I'll make sure you get dinner tonight."
I nod humbly, even though everything in me wants to spit in her face. But I can’t pass up the promise of real food. My stomach clenches at the thought and I hate how easily they can control me with basic necessities.
