I headed downstairs until I found the door to the gym. I flipped the light switch, revealing a massive room that rivaled Luc’s gym. State-of-the-art equipment lined the walls. There was a large fridge, a wall of mirrors, padded floors, and multiple TVs. It was absurdly over the top for a home gym.
I found a cabinet with cleaning supplies and started wiping down all the equipment, wishing I had some music playing.
A good omega is a quiet omega.
I wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but I was hot and sweaty when I returned the cleaning equipment. I stretched, looking over the gym. I’d disinfected everything, mopped the floors, and started a load of towels. The smell of bleach was so intense my nose stung and I felt a bit lightheaded. I breathed through my mouth as I did a final once-over of the space.
Alright, what next? I bit my lip, wondering if the guys had already eaten breakfast. I should have prepared food for them. I hadn’t cooked for them at all since being here.Shit. I was frustrated with how quickly I’d let my guard down. I needed to remember my DA lessons on pleasing alphas.
A good omega serves her alphas with a smile.
A good omega defers to her alphas’ authority.
I could at least prepare lunch, vacuum the main floor, and do a few loads of laundry. I nodded to myself, feeling better about my plan.
I padded back up the stairs, my limbs shaking slightly from exertion, rattling off a mental list of what I needed to do next. I rounded the corner towards the kitchen and almost ran into Ben.
“Josie!” he exclaimed, shooting his arms out to steady me. He glanced towards the stairs and back at me, brow furrowed. “Theo just went to wake you up. Where have you been?”
I opened my mouth and closed it again, suddenly embarrassed.
“What happened to your hands?” Ben asked, gripping mine gently. “They’re all red.”
“Oh. I was just cleaning,” I said, hearing how mechanical my voice sounded. I tried to tug my hands out of Ben’s grasp and forced a smile.
A good omega doesn’t complain.
He didn’t let go.
“What were you cleaning, precious? We need to get some cream on your skin. This looks painful.”
He led me over to the sink and turned the water on, testing the temperature before gently rinsing my hands under cool water. My omega melted at our alpha taking care of me, but I clenched my jaw. This was exactly the problem. I needed to be the one taking care ofthem. Why was I so defective?
“They’re fine,” I said, pulling my hands out of the water with more force than necessary and drying them off. “I was going to make lunch. Any requests?”
“You haven’t eaten breakfast yet.” Ben frowned. “And you didn’t answer me—what were you cleaning?”
I shifted side to side and avoided his gaze before I realized I was disobeying…again.
“The gym,” I finally said.
Ben’s expression was bewildered, but before he could say anything, Theo shouted from upstairs.
“Josie isn’t in bed!”
“She’s down here,” Ben shouted back, his brow still furrowed as he stared at me.
Theo and Cam thundered down the stairs. Cam was gathering his hair up in a bun as he walked into the room, and, for a moment, I was distracted by my desire to run my hands through it.
“Where were you?” Theo asked, wrapping his arms around me. “And why do you smell like bleach?”
I stiffened. Theo smelled fresh and clean like he had just gotten out of the shower. Part of me wanted to lean into his embrace, but a sick feeling gripped me as he nuzzled into my neck. I didn’t deserve his touch and attention. A nasty voice said he was only here with me because I was an omega and his inner alpha compelled him. There was nothing special about me, nothing to make my alphas want me.
“Sweetheart,” Cam said softly, brushing his hand under my chin to lift my gaze. “You’re shaking.”
“Sorry,” I whispered, my throat tight as I looked away.
I needed to get away from them before I burst into tears. My mind was all tangled. Everything seemed clear when I was alone in the gym. I didn’t know why I expected them to leave me alone to do chores, except that it was what I’d been taught my whole life.
