Theo and Ben sat in silence.Well, I guess that’s my answer.
“Why would they lie about that? Just so they had another excuse to punish us?”
Anger flared in my chest. I had been invaded, punished, and controlled by alphas who got off on my subjugation, and now others knew more about my body than I did.
“What punishment?” Ben choked out.
Flashes of memory assaulted me again. I didn’t want to talk about it, didn’t want to remember. But part of me wanted to share. I didn’t want to keep the DA’s secrets anymore.
“If they found out an omega had,you know, they would burn her fingertips. Every morning, we had to line up for inspection to make sure we were following all the rules. They said they could smell it on us, but we also suspected they had cameras everywhere. If they caught someone, they would burn her in front of us.”
Ben growled, grasping my hand and flipping it over to examine my fingertips.
“They never because I never…” I mumbled.
I was ashamed of how thoroughly the DA stamped out my rebellious tendencies. Where was the omega who talked Sam into teaching her how to drive and stayed out all night hurtling down back roads? Where was the omega who pulled pranks on teachers growing up? I felt her loss so profoundly. Tears gathered in my eyes.
Ben tenderly kissed each finger and then planted a kiss on my palm.
“I hate them,” I said.
“Us, too, precious,” Ben murmured.
The two of them kept stroking and kissing me, murmuring sweet, soothing words as I tried to detangle my emotions. My eyelids fluttered closed, heavy with exhaustion as my alphas’ scents swirled around me. Before I fell asleep, my anger and sadness gave way to determination—determination that I wanted to reclaim some pieces of myself that the DA took and embrace what Ben and Theo were offering me.
ChapterTwenty-Four
Ben
Josie’s scent settled as she slept between Theo and me. Her scent had been all burnt sweetness during our conversation, and I hated it. Hated her suffering, hated what those fuckers at the DA had done.
“This all started because I brought the vibrator to help ease her cramps,” Theo whispered.
“Will that work?” I asked. My alpha roared with anger that our mate was in pain, furious we weren’t doing anything to stop it.
“I’ve been going through those research articles you dug up. One suggested that using the vibrator while surrounded by alpha pheromones can ease cramps.”
My heart broke as I thought about the exams and punishments Josie had endured. “They assaulted her,” I hissed. “Every month. Just because they could.”
I knew the two of us were imagining all the punishments we could mete out to the DA staff. I usually hated violence, but my alpha and I agreed: we would find the ones who hurt our mate and destroy them.
Later.Our mate needs us right now.
Theo and I lapsed into silence. At some point, I dozed off, jumping awake when I heard a whimper. Josie squirmed as Theo pressed himself to her back, trying to soothe her. Her cheeks were flushed and her hair tousled. I could imagine waking up with her like this every morning, except she would be trembling with desire. I would pull her close, part her legs, and slide home so tenderly, holding her before we were fully awake.
I shifted so I was flush against Josie’s soft body. I hoped I wasn’t crowding her too much, but I couldn’t stand any distance between us.
“You alright, precious?” I asked, brushing my hand through her tangled waves. Her scent was so potent I had to breathe through my mouth so it didn’t throw me into a rut. I couldn’t even imagine what her scent would be like without the suppressants.
“I need…” she gasped out in a whine. “I need…” She tangled her hands in my hair, pulling me in for a desperate kiss.
“What do you need? Anything you want, we’ll give it to you,” I said between kisses.
“Feel empty,” she whined.
“Do you want to try the vibrator, love?” Theo asked softly. “It should help with the cramps.”
Tears streamed down her face, and helplessness rose in me, almost choking in its intensity.
