Seventeen
BELLAMY
Dressed in a light hooded t-shirt,jeans, and sneakers, I sneak into a side door in the warehouse building with Winter. Though, I suppose it’s not breaking in or sneaking around when the door is unlocked.
Pack Mayor made sure everything was ready for us at the warehouse. They say that all of life is a stage, and Winter and I have learned it’s true. We’re relearning what it’s like to be ourselves without fearing the consequences, but the masks slip back on easily as we pretend to be two very tired and scared omegas.
The memory of what it’s like to fear every moment isn’t old enough yet, and it’ll help us pull the wool over Matilda’s eyes.
Old backpacks are on our backs, something Ansel had that he’s been meaning to donate, and Cassidy sprayed it down with descenting spray so it wouldn’t smell like alphas. She also gave us each a bracelet with a little charm on it, with the warning to push the charm for three seconds if there was a problem we couldn’t handle.
I’m not sure what that means, but I’ll take it as a fail safe when we have no way to contact them otherwise.
There’s a blanket, a flashlight, and a bottle of water in the bags, the bare minimum, and not enough to survive on the streets. Yet, that’s the point of this, isn’t it?
We’re clearly ill-equipped for this life and seeking help from a snake.
The inside of the warehouse is dim, with no electricity as we walk, the only ambient light is coming from the moon now that it’s so late. My finger is keeping Winter close to me as I link it through her belt loop, and her eyes dart around the seemingly empty warehouse.
Our pack, shit it’s weird to say that, dropped us off a mile away from the warehouse in an alley, and the walk wasn’t fun. Empty eyes stared at us from annoyed faces as we passed them quickly, and our anxiety found a way to ramp up to the point that Winter’s fingers are trembling.
There’s no way to know how long we’ll be waiting here, or if it’ll even be Matilda who comes. It has to appear as if we’re packless and alone.
Matilda can’t know that we have a pack willing to scorch the earth if anyone hurts us. Shiloh told us they’d all be hiding and waiting while they watch the building. I have to trust they have our backs.
Our feet scuff the dirty cement floor, and a broken window allows the wind to blow leaves inside. I don’t know why Lyle and his pack would own a place like this. I can see that it’s been vacant awhile.
“Where do you want to put our stuff?” Winter asks.
If we weren’t playing a part, even though we could be alone, we wouldn’t be speaking at all. Tugging her to a corner where we can still see most of the entrances, I slide down the wall to sit on the ground.
“Doesn’t matter if we’re not staying long,” I murmur.
My arm goes around her body to pull her close, offering her some comfort. I know we have support somewhere, but I don’t trust Winter’s aunt. She was cagey and mean on the phone, and it grates to know she’s this spiteful person who will sell us again in a second.
I know they say the third time is a charm, but I don’t want to be sold again by Madam Clara. Winter and I may not survive it.
The minutes slide past one another as Winter lays her head on my shoulder, but I can feel the stiffness in her body. Pulling oxygen into my lungs, I tell myself we’ll wait as long as it takes. Our alphas know where we are, and they won’t pull us out of the warehouse until Matilda is caught. She can’t call the phone number Winter called her from, her only recourse is to come to us.
This isn’t the worst place I’ve been forced to sit or even sleep in. We’ll wait.
Of course, none of this was cleared through Abbott. He’s understandably on edge. They all are.
This is just another lurking danger in Winter and my life. We meant it when we said someone would come for us. It just happens to be multiple people who want to use us for our similar looks, our promise to do anything for the other, even if it means living or dying for them.
I can’t survive without Winter. Finding our scent matches won’t change that.
A banging sound on the other end of the warehouse makes Winter squeal in fear, a sound she doesn’t have to fake. I flinch as well, because it’s a consistent banging. My body is strung so tightly, the sound of blood pounding in my ears makes me lightheaded and faint.
“Winter,” I breathe in warning as she presses her back against the wall.
She nods, her eyes turned in the direction of the banging. The door gives way, and I can hear a woman grumbling as her heels click against the floor. Something tells me that’s not Matilda.
Winter’s fingernails dig into my arm, and I refuse to complain as she holds onto me. Abbott and Ansel slid knives into our back pockets and there’s pepper spray in our shoes. It’s not much, but I reminded him that if we’re searched, it would look suspicious if we had too many well crafted weapons on us.
That all costs money, and we’re supposed to be weak omegas with few choices in need of help.
Multiple footsteps move toward us, causing us to get up and walk quickly into the shadows. I’m not sticking around if it's not who we’re expecting. Getting kidnapped isn’t on my bingo card, and that’s saying something when Winter and I have shit luck as it is.
