6. Hazelle
Chapter six
Hazelle
Dinner was delicious. I hadn’t expected them to bring so many varieties of fruit. I would have been happy with some strawberries or oranges. Besides those, they gave me mango, kiwi, blackberries, and star fruit. They also made me the best grilled cheese I had ever tasted, and I would happily eat one every day.
I pushed it, though, and was now in pain. I wasn’t used to eating so much, and my stomach hurt. I curled in on myself as we sat on the floor in front of the table by the fireplace.
In reality, I didn't eat that much. I had a piece or two of each fruit and maybe a fourth of the grilled cheese. For anyone else, that would have been a snack. For me, it was a day’s worth of food at times.
Elera had been watching me and warned me to not eat too much, but I didn’t even know my limits. I tried to eat slowly, but even then, it wasn’t enough.
“Hazelle?” Elera kneeled beside me, gripping my shoulder. “Did you eat too much? Do you need to lie down?”
I nodded, and that small motion made it worse.
“Okay, let’s get you into bed, then.” With Elera’s help—her carrying me from my spot on the floor to the bed—I was able to crawl in under the covers and curl into myself even more.
I didn’t know how much time had passed, but eventually, Elera slid in behind me and rubbed my back until my body relaxed, and I fell asleep.
This was unlike anything I could have dreamt for myself, and if I didn’t feel her skin on mine, I would assume it was all a mirage, my mind playing a mean trick on me, but thankfully, it was real, and it was mine.
The next morning came all too quickly. I started to stretch but felt someone behind me. I gasped, then everything from last night came back to me, and I realized it was Elera. Her arm was slung over my middle, and her entire front was smashed into my back. I felt her soft breath tickling the nape of my neck and settled back down, letting my body relax once again.
This room was similar to Mistress Belle’s, but everything was in shades of gray and blue with hints of green and yellow. It was so calming and reminded me of Elera. Both of the rooms were very much like their owners, and I wondered what mine would look like.
Elera’s presence was helping me come back to who I was, but I never had the freedoms that she seemed to have. Even with my parents, I was to be seen and not heard, wasn’t allowed to cause a ruckus or have too much fun, and I was trained to be a good Omega, which meant my Alpha owner’s opinion was law and my thoughts were pointless and useless.
How was I to fully decide what I liked? I knew what I didn’t, so at least that was a start. I liked green because of Elera’s eyes, and the blue in here was pretty too, but was it me? Could I have Elera decide for me? Maybe we should wait until I knew myself more, knew what I liked instead of simply what I didn’t.
Elera stirred behind me, hugging me closer to her warm body. Her arm wound around and slid under my side, holding me hostage. Her nose nuzzled into my neck, and she sighed, but I didn’t think she was awake yet.
I felt the blush coat my cheeks and tried to keep my pheromones in check, but I was never very good at that.
“Hazelle?” Elera asked groggily as she pushed up onto her elbow and looked down at me. I knew the room smelled of a mix of lust and anxiety.
“I’m okay.” My voice was quiet as I pulled a pillow over my head to hide.
“Hazelle…” Elera set her chin on my shoulder and waited.
“I’m okay. Just embarrassed.” My voice was muffled by the pillow, but I hoped she heard me.
“Embarrassed about what?”
“My pheromones.” It was easier to confess things if I didn’t have to look her in the eye. It was as if I was speaking to an empty room if I couldn’t see her.
“They seem to be working fine. Do you not like others to know how you’re feeling?” Elera sat up and crawled over me so she was in front of me now. “It’s just me, Hazelle. Did you think I’d be upset that I could smell your lust?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“Well, you shouldn’t be. Would you be upset if you smelled mine?”
I tugged the pillow up and looked at her like she was crazy, her mess of curly hair all out of sorts. “Of course not!”
She raised a brow at me and smiled. “So why would it be any different for you?”
I sat up, hugging the pillow. “I’ve never been good at controlling it, but it’s gotten worse.”
Elera harumphed. “That’s because you weren’t taken care of. Either way, you won’t get in trouble for it here. Plus, I think I like the idea of knowing when you want me or our mistress. I’m sure she will think the same.” She leaned forward and kissed me.
I gasped as she pulled away with a bright smile on her lips. The blush crept back into place. “Would you like me to kiss you some more?”
My jaw fell open. I had never been asked that. They always took what they wanted without a care in the world. A piece of me cracked open. All the heartache and pain I had endured was bad luck and shitty parents who didn’t try to find me a nice match, parents who only saw me as a pawn and threw me away the second I wasn’t useful to them.
But Elera and Mistress Belle… they were proving to be so different, and I didn’t know what to do with that. There was a chance at happiness here, even if it didn’t lead to the love they shared with each other.
I had a chance, and Elera was the first step in that. We had until tonight to make me the perfect pet for our mistress, and I so badly wanted to be good for her, for them.
The tears started, and they refused to stop. They went from quiet tears to sobbing, and Elera ripped the pillow from my arms and dragged me into hers.
“It’s okay, Hazelle. Cry. It’s okay,” she soothed as she ran her hands up and down my back as I nearly sprawled across her body in a heap.
I needed to hear those words. I needed to hear every word she had said and would say. “You’re safe.”
I held on tighter.
“I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”
I cried harder.
I didn’t know how long we laid there with me crying on top of Elera, but she didn’t go back on her word. She didn’t go anywhere, and I cried until I couldn’t produce any more tears.
The room fell into silence as I calmed down. All I heard was Elera’s heartbeat against my ear.
“It’s almost ten AM. Would you like to try and eat something? Maybe some toast and juice to start?” I nodded my head against her, enjoying the feel of her skin and the satin that barely covered her.
“Yes, please.” My voice was sloppy and wet, but she didn’t seem to mind. Although, I did feel bad that her chest was now soaked with my tears.
“And maybe some tissues and a shower.” She laughed, and I loved the sound of it.
I pushed myself up and stared down at her, her green eyes holding no judgment or anger. I leaned down and kissed her, but unlike she had done before, I didn’t pull away. I was very unpracticed at kissing. It wasn’t something Oros had done besides a few times in the beginning. There were many things I knew how to do because I was forced to learn or take it without question, but kissing wasn’t one of them.
Her hand worked its way into my tangled hair, deepening the kiss. Her tongue sought entrance, and I let it, tangling it with my own. My pheromones went crazy, filling the room as my arms shook from the effort it took to hold myself up. Elera noticed and flipped us so she was on top with one leg over one of mine and her upper body over me as well.
She kissed me again and worked a trail of kisses down my chin and throat, but when I tried to adjust my head to give her more room, my hair pulled, and I yelped.
Elera shot back and tried to find the source of my pain, then realized what happened.
“I’ll move asking about a haircut up the list.” She grimaced. “Breakfast first though.” She gave me one last peck on my lips before leaving the bed and getting to work ordering us more food.
It went better this time, and I didn’t overdo it, so a shower and getting dressed was easy enough as long as I stayed sitting for most of it.
Elera wore a translucent dark blue T-shirt dress that fell to her upper thighs with a pink lace lingerie set underneath. I couldn’t decide what to wear. There were too many options in her closet, so I let her pick for me today. She chose a yellow silk skirt that would be high-waisted on her but barely stayed on my hips and a black crop top that was slightly too big, but everything was comfortable and soft. I didn’t have on a bra this time but wore a pair of simple black underwear.
Apparently, Elera rarely wore shoes, and if she did, it was due to weather or safety. Around the house, she didn’t wear any. Last night, she had on simple flats so she didn’t hurt herself on any gravel.
I didn’t mind it at all as I rarely wore shoes anyway.
With our clothes on, my hair in a braided ponytail, and breakfast out of the way, it was time for a tour, and I was eager to see the rest of the mansion, and maybe Mistress Belle. I hoped she said yes to cutting my hair and liked the outfit Elera picked out for me.
I so wanted to please her, and a small smile crossed my lips, realizing how much better I felt in
such a short amount of time. A little bit of kindness truly went a long way.