And he would like this, to see her this way.
Was watching, no doubt, from wherever he was. Maybe smiling.
And then she messaged Dr. Osin and told her to come speak with her immediately.
Like a queen commanding a servant.
And told the old woman she hated through and through everything she’d told Shepherd the night before.
For the first time, Osin smiled—a gloating, self-satisfied, shitty little smirk that made Claire want to scream.
Or slap her.
But instead, she just kept vomiting up all the ugliness she kept deep, deep down while the bitch took notes.
She talked about Nona, and how she knew she was dead. How she knew everyone in Thólos was either dead or dying. And that she didn’t want them to see her, because she was ashamed of what she’d become while hiding in this pretty house.
Playing happy family.
Her life stuck.
How she sometimes dreamed of beating Shepherd to death and woke up scared. How she liked to control him with her little blue pills and denying him her estrus. That it felt good to hurt him in that way.
That she loved him and it was wrong.
But it wasn’t going to change.
Even though he was an evil man who deserved great suffering.
And that was why she could not help Guadalupe. Claire had nothing to offer except lies. The fact was, that Omega was in a hopeless situation where there was nothing to do but accept there was no escape unless she chose to follow in Claire’s mother’s footsteps and kill herself.
And, of course, the males knew this. That’s why they had leverage against them all.
Claire didn’t want to know what that scary-looking Alpha had over the Greth beauty. She didn’t have the capacity to hold it. There was enough shit inside her already.
“Which is why I’m ordering you to go to her. Guadalupe has to figure out for herself if she wants to live or die, and you are an absolute bitch, and I hate you, but you’re good at your job.”
Cocking an eyebrow, the old woman gave a pretentious scoff. “I don’t have time to?—”
“I didn’t ask you,” Claire said, standing from the couch, smoothing her colorful skirt, and letting out a shaky breath. “After all, I’m the fucking queen, aren’t I?” Voice breaking, she felt her lips shiver, her chest constrict. “You’re going to do what I tell you to do. Or I will have Shepherd find me someone who will.”
15
Bernard Dome
In a dim room,with the light of one nearby lamp, Jules read to Brenya in a language that sounded nothing like her native French. Crispy and singed static, ugly on the ear, but the Beta made it something more with cadence and measure and intention.
Brenya did not understand a word of it.
Understanding wasn’t the point of this exercise.
Her husband hadaskedto do this with her, lounging on a large couch in their Red Room, directing her where and how to position herself at his side. Cuddled up. Stiff at the start, Brenya leaned into his arm just like he wanted and waited for further instruction from the man who had cut out Jacques’s eye.
And forced her into the Alpha’s presence at breakfast.
Set her into the influence of Lucia for the remainder of the day.
And asked for her totry… to sit with him and relax.
