Page 19 of Dual Nature

My stomach growled at the offer of food, making the choice obvious. "I’m fine to make something myself if you show me what I can use."

Noah's brows shot up in surprise. "Why would there be rules on what you can eat?"

"I'm an omega, the last in line… Isn't that how it works?" I hedged, his look of horror telling me that I was mistaken.

"Finley, we might be created from wolves, but we’re human as well. Yes, there is hierarchy in the packs, but one thing that will never happen in a healthy pack is allowing any member to go hungry. Our bodies burn so many more calories than a normal human that we have to eat frequently and in larger amounts. To withhold food would be cruel."

Now that he'd explained it, I could see how my question showed my ignorance of their world. The main things the Organization had taught us about supers was how to kill them, not how they lived. It would seem that I needed to go back to basics and learn all I could about my new environment. Knowing the rules would keep me alive, especially now that I would be under the critical eye of the Senate.

"Just so we’re clear on things, you are welcome to anything you can find in this house. No one will stop you or get upset. If they do, ignore them because it will most likely be my brother, and he's an idiot. Now, it's been a long day, so why don't you let me fix you something? I'll show you where things are for next time," Noah offered, rising from the bed and offering me a hand.

Without hesitation, I reached for his hand, enjoying the warmth of his touch. It only made me crave more contact with him.

Jerking my hand back, I blinked at it a moment before looking up at him. "Is that a wolf thing too? I mean, it makes sense from what I know about werewolves, I guess. I've just never been one for physical contact, but it's like I need it now."

"Oh yeah, that's totally your wolf. As pack animals, we need to feel each other for comfort as well as scent marking. If a rogue wolf were to enter the pack, we would all know right away by their strange scent. It also works if you get lost, letting another pack know where you came from."

Grasping his hand, I let him pull me up and lead me back into the hall. Other than our three doors, I saw more rooms down the hall and what looked like a library or study. "Are there books here about being a werewolf?"

Noah contemplated that for a moment as we headed down the stairs. "I don't know that we have any, but Zander might. I know he loves to collect old and rare books, so you'll have to ask him."

"Ask me what?" Zander asked from where he was cooking something on the stove.

It smelled heavenly; lots of garlic, butter, and other rich flavors assaulted my nose in the best way. I let go of Noah's hand and drifted over, letting my nose take over my brain until I was leaning against Zander, eyes half closed. "What are you making?"

"It's a parmesan garlic sauce to put over some noodles and chicken. I figured you were going to be hungry after all the traveling," Zander answered, nuzzling my head with his cheek.

Hearing what he said snapped me out of my daze. "You're making that for me?" I can’t even remember the last time someone cared enough if I was hungry and made me something.

"I sure as hell wouldn't be cooking it for any of these assholes, little dove," he chuckled. "This isn't my home. I live on the edge of the pack lands, in my own house. You'll have to come see it and pick out a room. Since it's only me that lives there, you've got plenty to choose from. If you don’t like any of them, I'll take down some walls and have one custom built."

My mind added this information to what Noah had told me, trying to put it in order with everything else I knew about him so far. If he didn't live in this house, then he wasn't a pack alpha—he was a lone alpha. Back at the diner, he had claimed that I was his mate, but so had Lane… Could a werewolf have that many mates? Was it an omega thing? God, I hated not knowing what the hell was going on in my own life.

"Little dove, what's wrong?" Zander snapped, making me flinch away from him at the tone of his voice.

I made to move away, but his hand shot out and gently grasped my throat, making it known I wasn't going anywhere.

"No. I asked you a question, Finley. We covered this already. If an alpha asks, you answer," Zander scolded, making it impossible to resist him any longer.

"Nothing is wrong," I stated. It was the true answer to the question he’d asked, and I didn't plan on giving him more than I had to. I had always followed orders from my superiors, but they always made sense and were for a reason. What Zander wanted from me was purely personal, and I was not playing that game.

"Are you lying to me right now?" Zander growled, all but causing my legs to give out in a mixture between terror and pleasure.

I wanted to please him and make him stop growling at me, but I also wanted to kick him right in the dick for being an ass. "No, you asked what was wrong, and there's nothing wrong."

"Looks like she's got you there," Mason interjected. "Leave her alone. You're being a dick for no reason."

I heard the stove turn off, the pot shift, then Zander picked me up, carrying me out of the kitchen and back up the stairs. He kicked my door open and sat on the bed with me over his lap and my ass up in the air.

"What the hell are you doing?" I snapped, squirming to get out of his hold.

That was when the first slap echoed in the room, followed by the sting of where he’d hit my right ass cheek. "You should know better, Finley. You're a trained soldier, and I’m your commanding officer. When I ask you a question." Smack. "You." Smack. "Will." Smack, smack. "Answer."

With each impact of his hand, I shattered further from who I was. My omega nature wept at upsetting our alpha, whereas my assassin side boiled with rage at how I was being treated. No matter the war inside me, I was unable to do anything to fight his strong hold. I gritted my teeth, refusing to let the whimper that was stuck in my throat come out. I would not let him best me in this.

"The longer you fight me, the longer this will go on. Submit, and this will be over," Zander ordered, continuing his assault on my ass.

As my skin began to burn more intensely, he picked up the speed and force, letting me know he'd been taking it easy on me. It was at that point my omega nature won out, a whine slipping past my lips as I started to shiver. Something inside of me suddenly started fighting for control, clawing its way to the front, and instead of a whimper, I screamed and started to convulse.