If I can’t see him, then he can’t see me. Or my naked body.
It’s a complete lie, but it’s what I tell myself to keep from bursting into tears and collapsing into a terrified puddle on the ground right now.
It’s a struggle to stay on my feet as he drags me towards a car, my feet burning on the dark, jagged concrete.
The older alpha opens the trunk of the car, and my mouth goes dry.
I can’t keep the small whimper of fear from leaving my throat this time.
Inside the back of their car is a cage.
“Daddy dearest likes to put on a show,” Jett chuckles, relishing in the way my strawberry shortcake scent grows sour from my terror. “Get the fuck in.”
My mouth fills with the coppery taste of blood as I bite down on the inside of my lip.
I’m a good girl. The last thing I want to do is disobey this alpha. I can only imagine the kinds of punishments he has in store for me if I break his rules.
They’d probably make the terrifying punishments from the facility look like child’s play.
So, I get on my hands and knees and crawl inside the cage.
“Good little omega,” he says, his voice mocking.
When he finally slams the door shut after leering at me, I let the tears I’ve been fighting to keep at bay fall silently down my cheeks.
CHAPTER 2
Rowan
Istare down at my buzzing phone, my heartbeat picking up the moment I see who’s texting me.
Jett
Get your ass out of your trailer, shitstain
Daddy dearest is calling a meeting in the main house
My saliva instantly turns sour at the sight of my older brother’s texts. The fucker’s beaten the shit out of me ’til I’ve thrown up so many times, I guess my body’s just ready for it now.
The tiny, rickety table in my small kitchen wobbles as I stumble to my feet. I almost knock the stack of papers I’ve spent hours working on to the floor, but I don’t care. I probably should, considering the fact that working the books is the only thing my dad thinks I’m good for.
And to be completely honest, I’m not even very good. I never even graduated high school. But I guess that just says more about how stupid the rest of my family is.
He thinks I’m a prissy little beta who doesn’t like to get his hands dirty.
I walk almost mindlessly to my bathroom, catching sight of myself in the mirror.
I don’t think he’s fucking wrong. I am a beta. There’s no denying that fact.
It’s obvious in the way I carry myself, my baby face, my build. Hell, no matter how much time I spend in the gym practically killing myself, I can’t get the physique alphas like my brother and dad can get just by looking at a dumbbell.
So I guess compared to them, I am a prissy beta.
I’ve also never been fond of the family business, but what the fuck else could a guy like me do? Trailer trash like me doesn’t get out of this kind of life.
My phone buzzes again, burning a hole in my pocket.
Jett
