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Oh, look. That girl just accepted she has powers she doesn’t understand.
That Alpha is her Mate and he’s afraid of her.
He should be. He hurts her every time he speaks.
That other Alpha is her Mate too… and he’s a coward.
They’re both just staring at her.
Yes. It’s just like a story. Another story, with yet another terrible ending for me.
I lower my gaze to the floor, sick and tired of looking at these males who would have been my protectors in another life. These Alphas, who should have shielded me from pain, not locked me away, torment me, and let their friends abuse me.
I feel my jaw tick as I grind my molars.
Vae takes a hesitant step toward me. “Let’s uh…”
I watch, head cocked in something that might have been amusement if I weren’t so numb, as once again, Dax throws out his arm to keep his packmate from getting any closer.
“What. The fuck. Was that?” Dax’s fear has morphed into anger, and his words are a growl
“Let’s not do this in the middle of the house where everyone can hear, okay?” Vae turns pleading eyes on his packmate. “Let’s go somewhere a bit more private, and we can all talk.”
Dax eyes me warily, like I might turn into a monster at any second and eat them both alive. Those grey eyes narrow, and his lips thin before he says, “Sure. We’ll talk.”
With one last scathing glare at me, he starts down the stairs. I follow them to the main level, then through a long hallway, until a few turns later, we come to another large, ominous-looking door. Just as Dax is about to turn the knob, Silas rounds the corner and skids to a stop.
“What’s going on?” He eyes our procession curiously, thumbs hovering over the screen of his phone.
“We’re taking the little pyro somewhere where we can talk,” Dax answers.
“Pyro?” He blinks, then scoffs in derision. Silas turns to me, glaring. “If you wanted attention, you could have just pretended to faint again. Arson seems a bit dramatic.”
I don’t speak. It didn’t take me long to learn that with Silas, silence is always the best response. The things he says might be petty and mean, but he lashes out for attention. If he doesn’t get any, he gives up.
“We’ll be downstairs. Let Lenora know before you retire for the night. She’ll need to administer the omega’s suppressant,” Dax orders.
I can’t help it. I laugh. It bubbles out of me, brittle and broken. I couldn’t stop it even if I wanted to.
Dax whirls on me. “What the hell is so funny?”
“Nothing,” I shake my head. My eyes sting, but I blink back my tears. I don’t want to cry anymore. I can feel Dax’s irritation. Can feel Vae coming closer. The scent of Clove and warm leather surrounds me, making me shiver.
Swallowing hard, I squeeze my hands together to keep them from shaking. “It’s just, you’re all so careful about that shot. So obsessed with making sure I get my dose every night. Right on time, like clockwork.” I stare at my hands, trying to stay calm, scared of what might happen if I don’t.
“You’ve been so afraid of what would happen if I missed a dose.” I don’t say what I’m really thinking. That they’re always so damn careful to never smell my Omega perfume, but didn’t think twice about running into my room smelling like Alpha pheromones and forcing the knowledge of this Bond on me.
They didn’t even bother to mask their scents tonight, and now I’m the one who has to live with the truth. I’m the one who has to carry the unbearable weight of the knowledge that these Alphas are mine. They’re mine, and they’d rather see me dead than look at me.
I try to smile, but I know it looks fake. “Just funny, that’s all.”
My voice cracks on the last word, and I take a stuttering breath. I look away from him and pray my tears don’t fall.
Dax turns his sneer on me again, and gods, I’m so tired of him looking at me like that.
“No. It’s not funny. I knew you were going to be trouble. I thought it’d be your Omega nature that would make you dangerous, but it turns out you’re much worse than that, aren’t you?”
He has a point. I made a wood beam explode. I burned holes through the cotton of my leggings and made flame erupt from the wall sconces.
