Given the weird relationship her mother has with the older beta males in the household, I’m not surprised Threnody’s been hitting on me. She’s discreet enough to do it when Nik’s not present—not that Nik would care—but she’s going to get me in trouble if she keeps this up.
I guess I’m just used to being around Mags. Omega females, when in or near their heat, are biologically designed to be irresistible, and I admit it: I’m weak. I would have been all over that if we didn’t need the money.
Tonight’s Nik’s third night with Threnody. She’s not in heat quite yet, so as far as I know they’re just messing around. No actual knotting has happened.
Of course, that doesn’t mean the lucky bastard hasn’t gotten laid.
I swear, Nik’s like the Golden God of alphas. Even Mags sometimes gets gooey around him, and she’s practically morally opposed to sex. I’ve never seen her date or flirt, not in all our years knowing each other. If she were the type to fool around, I’m sure Kip wouldn’t still be a virgin. My poor brother is one hundred percent smitten, and he doesn’t care who knows—except for Mags, of course. He’ll hide that shit from her forever.
What a weird, fucked-up pack we’ve built. One ACE beta, one lovesick beta, my horny ass, and Nik, Mr. Cool-as-a-Cucumber alpha.
All we need is an omega.
It’s too bad Mags isn’t an omega. She’s hot for a beta, nice and curvy and …
Shit. I gotta stop. If Mags finds out I’m fantasizing about her, she’ll kick my ass. Then Kip will beat the shit out of me, and then Nik will probably join in out of principle.
Since when does my mind go to Mags first when I’m horny?
I need to shake this off. Get out of the mansion, take a walk, do something. I can’t let this turn into a thing. It would break Kip’s heart if Mags chose me over him, anyway, and I couldn’t do that to my twin.
Checking the itinerary the Donnellys gave us, I see that I have the evening free to an extent. I can’t fully leave the house in case Threnody has some wild heat-helping request, but barring that, I can at least take a walk to clear my head.
The mansion is built on a sprawling estate, complete with ridiculous hedge maze. I thought those went out of styledecades ago, but I guess the cost of curating and growing one might be too much to justify razing it all when the fads change. Regardless, it gives me a place to escape for a while and be alone with my thoughts.
The maze is peaceful. Quiet. Since it’s a relic of a bygone era, I doubt many of the staff here bother to spend time in it.
Time loses all meaning while I stroll, taking random turns. Eventually, I’ll have to find my way back out, but I’m not worried about that right now. I have a pretty decent sense of direction, and besides, the mansion’s so big that I can see it from anywhere in the maze.
After a while, I hear footsteps behind me. They’re soft, probably a woman or child from the sound of them. Considering there aren’t many children around the mansion, I assume it’s the former.
At first, I don’t think much of it. Someone else probably had the same idea I did.
Then I notice something else: The footsteps stop every time I do.
Someone’s following me.
Okay. Fine. No big deal, right? It’s a woman, and though I’m not a buff alpha like Nik, I’m not incapable of handling myself. Even if the person following me has some nefarious reason, I should be fine.
Ten steps forward. Ten echoing steps behind me. Turn right, take five steps. Slight pause, five echoed steps.
I whip around, but whoever’s tailing me is faster. All I see is slight movement in the branches of the hedge. She’s fast, whoever she is.
Seven twists and a few backtracks later, and I still haven’t caught my pursuer. Frustration sets in, and I try something new. Instead of walking forwards, I do a quick one-eighty, then move back through the steps I just took.
I get a huge whiff of lavender and rosemary just as Threnody tiptoes around a corner and walks smack into me.
“Um … Hello, Ms. Donnelly. Apologies for running into you.”
It’s a little weird to see her out here when she’s supposed to be hooking up with Nik. Did something go wrong with that part of the job?
Before I can back away, she grabs the collar of my shirt and yanks me closer. I yield, if only to avoid being choked. I’m not opposed to the occasional kinky stuff, but I’d rather not suffocate today.
“My name is Threnody. Use it.”
Weird way to phrase it, but okay. “Of course, Threnody.”
I wait for her to let go of my collar, but instead, she just grabs the waist of my pants with her other hand. She still has a death grip on my shirt, so I can’t go anywhere without risking asphyxiation.
