Adrian didn’t say anything, just took his presence out of the room on light feet. I felt his eyes look back at me, but I kept my widened, fearful gaze on the bed, not daring to do more than breathe.
“Hello,” Alpha Harris said softly, taking a single step back from the bed.
I looked up, confused by the distance he gave me.
His hands were folded in front of him, casually, like he wasn’t here to demand anything. It was strange, almost disarming. He stood there in dark blue plaid pajama bottoms and a black shirt, his hair slightly tousled, small glasses perched low on his nose.
Not handsome. Not exactly. But something close. Something quiet and steady. Something that pulled at me in a way I didn’t understand. Like he wasn’t trying to be anything. And somehow, that made me want to look at him longer.
“I’m Vincent Harris.”
Okay?I blinked. I knew who he was.
“Now tell me your name.” He eyed me, like I should have known what to do.
“Uh…Charlie-Charles Ellis.”
“Charlie Ellis. It’s a great pleasure to meet you.” He slowly stuck his hand out, expecting something from me. When I didn’t move, he let it drop back to his side. “You can call me Vincent; everyone does."
My mind was…off? I had no clue what was going on, as this Alpha was not the same as the one I met daysago. He was too nice, too open, and honest. And I wasn’t sure what to make of it.
“Go ahead and eat before it gets cold.” He dipped his chin towards the bowl, and after a moment I reached over to grab it. The plastic was warm against my palms, soaking into my cold skin.
He backed up another step, then another, before he found a chair and took a seat.
“While you eat, I’ll go over some rules I expect in this household.”
Of course, let's just start there,I thought, anger filling me too quickly. Then, I pushed it down. Rules were good. I was good. I could do whatever he wanted.
“You are to be polite, which you already know you are capable of being. You are to tell me, instantly, if you are uncomfortable in any fashion. Even the smallest pain or annoyance. I want to know it all.”
I was annoyed now, but instead I shoved a bite of chicken into my mouth.
“You are free to talk however you want, sharing whatever you want, with Adrian. You two will get time alone, without an Alpha overhearing. And lastly, for now, I don’t want you to serve me until you are one hundred percent able to, and willing to. I don’t want you kneeling at my feet or catering to my needs until we talk further about what you are comfortable doing, and what you hate the most.”
Wait…what?
I looked up, the noodles on my spoon falling back into the bowl with a small splash.
“You heard me.”
I opened and closed my mouth. Once. Twice.
No words would come out.
“I may own you, according to papers, in every aspect of your life. But that doesn't mean I’m going to treat you like a slave. I wantyou, Charlie. The real you, to be something more than just an Omega in my house to serve me. Of course, there will be tasks for you to do, like possibly cooking and cleaning, but that’shouseholdthings. Personal stuff is categorized differently here in my home.”
“Sir?” Had he lost his mind?
“I know, a huge change. And it’ll take time.”
Yeah, it was going to take time. Like, an eternity.
I wasn’t….well whatever he thought I was now. Yeah, broken. But I could, and would, still serve him in whatever way he deemed me to. That’s all I knew, what I was trained for yearsfor.
Alpha Harris gave me a smile that saidI know,andI understandandit’s okay now.
And maybe, it would be okay. Not today, or tomorrow. But maybe, in time, things wouldn’t look so dim. Maybe I could have a semblance of happiness.
