That suggestion cows me again. Going out into the world by myself? The thought makes my skin itch. The walls of the house are comfortable and quickly becoming familiar. But I haven’t been out on my own in my life. Even before he locked me up, Father always went with me to town. He was protective even before it became obvious that I was an omega.
It was during my first heat at eighteen that he locked me up.It’s too early,he’d said, furious.They’ll find you. Rape you. Torture you.
And I believed him. Even now, what if I went out alone and an alpha caught wind of me? During our heats, anyone can smell it. What if it comes back one day while I’m at the butcher’s?
Harry senses my hesitation and strokes his beard thoughtfully.
“Why don’t we go today?” he asks. “To pick out some food that you would like, too.”
“I like everything you cook!”
His lips turn up at the edges. “I knew you’d say that. But you have to go out of the house sometimes. I know it must be hard for you, after so many years inside.”
I turn away, not wanting him to see the miserable expression on my face, and he scoots his chair closer.
“I promise, the world is not the terrible place your father said it was. There are many good people out there, just living their lives.”
I want to believe him. I want to live in a world where that’s true. But I only have his word versus Father’s.
“Let’s go out together today,” he says, cautiously taking my hand in his big fingers. “Introduce you to some people in town before you try to go out on your own.”
I would much rather read with Harry, maybe complete a few chores. I still remember how to do laundry, and it doesn’t require leaving the cozy little house.
“Fine,” I say, when Harry makes it clear he’s not going to relent. “I’ll go with you.”
5
HAROLD
Already, having good food—and a lot of it—has done wonders for Selene. Blue veins no longer spider across the surface of her pale skin, and she’s gotten color from going outside. Her bones are still visible in many places, but she’s filling out quickly and growing into her new clothes. Her cheeks are pinker now, and she smiles much more often.
It’s those smiles that I am weakest for. When she glances over her shoulder while she’s cooking—often poorly—and sees me watching her, a grin turns her cheeks into little apples, and her eyes squeeze closed. When she does that, my heart thunders in my chest like a racehorse.
And yes, I think about her many nights when I’m alone in the new bed I had made and put where my cot used to be. It did cost a pretty penny, but I’ve insisted Selene stay in the bedroom so she can have privacy. She fought me forsome time over it, but I stood firm, and eventually she gave in.
I won’t deny the bed is more comfortable than the cot was.
It’s awful of me to even think of Selene in a lewd manner after all she’s been through, but watching her move about my home, sitting at the table with her while we play cards, even having a glass of beer together…
It’s easy to picture her staying there.
The other town guards have hassled me about finding a wife, and the occasional woman has made eyes at me. For the most part, though, I’m perfectly content alone. Until Selene fell into my life like a puzzle piece clicking into place.
But she still doesn’t trust me, and I know I will need to be patient to earn it. I want her trust more than anything else.
So I do everything I can to help her settle back into a normal life, to learn what it means to live again. She will need to go out by herself someday, but I can at least try to make that transition easier for her.
Selene stays close by my side the whole way into town, sniffing the air often as we get nearer to the square like she’s trying to pick up a trail.
“There are some food vendors,” I offer as we near the grocer’s. “Would you like to have lunch?” It’s one of my days off, which have become infinitely more valuable to me since Selene appeared. And I wouldn’t mind spending some money on a meal prepared by someone else.
Selene perks up. “Sure. What sort of food?”
“What about pies? The tavern serves the most marvelous beef pie, you have to try it.”
“I’d love to.”
Deciding it better to eat before we shop, we locate the tavern where the baker works. Each pie is wrapped up perfect for eating with your hands. Selene gasps in indignation as some of the gravy drips down her fingers and splashes on her skirt.
