Sixteen
I lug another couple bags of mulch onto my shoulder, letting the sweat slide off my brow.
Since going vampy, I haven’t really had the control needed to work the job I’d been at, and even though the pack that seems to have adopted me has mentioned they’re not hurting for money and are fine floating me for a bit, I still feel like I have to pull my weight.
Sometimes, when I think about what I actually lost, I get so mad that I can’t even breathe.
I don’t know how many times I’ve spiraled remembering those days I spent with Winslow.
Serves me right for falling into a trap of my own making, literally losing my humanity when the unhinged vampire lost her shit and nearly killed me for entertainment.
I know her goal was to turn me because it must have amused her at that point of time, but it’s a bit difficult to hold grudges against dead people.
The tradeoff though, finding a pack that’s taking me in and actually teaching me what I need to know about being an alpha, and Fable?
I wouldn’t change anything. This is clearly where I was meant to be, and on the flip side of that coin, I get mad and spiral when I realize how close I was to never having her.
There’s a certain hierarchy in the vampire world I’m learning, but at the same time, omega needs and omega desires trump everything else. I’ve been kind of avoiding Fable for the past few days because the last time I spent too much time with her, she hinted she wanted me to bond her.
The only thing stopping me is the fact that some of the other guys in the pack might legitimately rip out my throat if I give in to that.
I’m essentially dirt under their shoes as far as vampire rules go.
I’ve been trying to leave her with other alphas she’s getting close with, encouraging them to have some one-on-one time so they can maybe get to that point before me, but I don’t know how much longer I can hold off.
I’m paranoid as I start dumping out the mulch and spreading it, because it feels as if any second, she could jump out from somewhere and pin me down so she can force the issue.
Not saying I’d hate it, but I rather like my throat attached to the rest of my body and the guys she’s with terrify the fuck out of me. Sometimes I forget I’m also a vampire and I’ll find myself backing away from them, my body sensing danger.
It’s all fun and games until I take too many steps backward and step right into a trap. One second, I’m upright and the next I’m hanging by my ankle and there’s a large rock tied to the other end of the rope I find myself attached to, using the tree limb above me as a fulcrum.
I don’t have to look far to find the mastermind behind my capture.
All five foot one of pure, irritated omega stands about two feet in front of me in all black, arms crossed, foot tapping.
“Fable, what the hell is this? And how did you even know I’d be in this spot?”
“There are fifteen more traps set throughout the property. I knew you were setting mulch, so it was pretty good odds you’d hit one of them. I’ve been stalking you for 45 minutes. You’re completely unaware of your surroundings, you know?”
Blood rushing to my head, I try to look around for other traps, and now that I’m actively looking for them, they’re pretty damn obvious.
Then she pulls out a basket full of snacks and spreads out a blanket and goes to town, offering me bites of fruit.
“Think you can let me down?”
“Only alphas that do what their omegas want get the privilege of standing on their own two feet. I own you, bitch.”
I bark out a laugh, half tempted to do some crunches and let myself out of this mess, but I’m loving this sassy side of my omega too much. “Uh huh. Is that so? How the hell did you get so many traps set?”
Fable turns and waves over her shoulder, shooting a thumbs up. “The other guys helped me,” she shrugs.
I’m…what? “What do you mean? Why would they help you do this? You know the whole reason I haven’t bonded you is because of them, right?”
She licks some errant strawberry juice off her finger and then shoves the berry into her mouth. “See, I just don’t think that’s true.”
“Fable. They would fucking kill me if I…you know I want to, right?”
Abandoning her snacks, she gets onto her hands and knees and crawls so she’s a few inches away from my face. You know, I don’t think I appreciate how close to the ground my head is now that I think about it. This could have ended a lot worse.
“Kind of starting to think you actually don’t. I thought alphas were supposed to be helpless in the face of their scent matched omegas? Everything was great when I was dying, but now that I’m somewhat healthy, you’re far too obstinate. I needed to knock you down a few pegs.”
I try to reach for her, only for her to pull away, leaving me swinging like a pinata.
“Kind of starting to think you don’t actually want me, and see, that’s going to give me a complex.
I have enough of those already. Tell me, honestly, with no one else out here to hear.
Why haven’t you bonded me yet? You know you were the first alpha I really latched onto.
I’m not holding out for something better, Anderson.
If you don’t have any intention of bonding with me, then we’re going to need to take a step back.
I need that commitment if you want to be in my life. It’s important to me.”
I know the frustration is rising in me and I wish I were strong enough to rein it in, but I’m too new to this life, too new to everything right now.
“Fable, I’ve been a vampire for like, a day.
You’re asking me something impossible. How can I sign away the rest of my life when I don’t even really understand how my body works?
It’s not fair of you to ask, and it’s frankly crazy that you went to such extreme measures to corner me. This isn’t you.”
Utterly still, she cocks her head to the side. “And how would you know that since you’ve been avoiding me? How do you know what ‘me’ is? Hmm?”
“Because you’re too sweet for this! You’re quiet and you’re not…this is Winslow. This is not Fable.”
Well, at least she cuts me down. I fall on my head, but I’m down.
“Enjoy the rest of the lunch; I packed all your favorites.”
She walks off without another word, and I know I fucked up, but I just…I’m not ready. Maybe I thought I was, and yeah, it’s been great getting to hold her and kiss her and get closer to her, but who asks for a lifetime commitment after such a short amount of time?
I was definitely off mark with the comment about her sister, but I’m not wrong, either.
Now just pissed off, I kick at the mulch bag until it scatters everywhere, covering all the food she packed.
Whatever. I’ll clean it later.
Not sure where to go since Fable clearly needs space, I decide to just head to my car that my buddy Hawthorne drove over for me yesterday.
“You leave this property and I promise she’s going to move on without you.”
Fucking vampires, man. Calloway is standing against my truck, but I have no idea where he came from.
“Maybe that’s for the best.”
A warning growl is the only heads up I get that I said the wrong thing again, before his fist comes towards me, landing right in my stomach. “No, it’s not. You’re taking away something my omega wants if you leave. Stop trying to cling to your human tendencies. It’s not a good look on you.”
Clutching my stomach and heaving, I spit out onto the grass and unfurl myself, trying my best to stay alert this time. “I wasn’t fucking human.”
“Close enough. You think that omega in there is crazy? That she took it too far just now, tying you up to make you good on something you should be feral to give her freely? You should be the one pinning her down to bite her pretty little throat, not the other way around. Omegas don’t chase.”
“Yeah, well I guess I was sick the day they covered that in alpha class.”
“What the fuck is your problem?”
“You mean besides the fact that I was turned into something against my will, expected to just accept it and then stumbled upon the most delicious thing I’ve ever smelled and had to share her with six other guys?”
“There it is. Was wondering when you were going to admit you were too much of a greedy little boy to share his toys.”
“Fuck you, man. Winslow fucked me up, okay? I had a fucking life. All this?” I wave my hands around, spiraling hard.
“This isn’t me. I’m a take-no-responsibility, last call, hookups-only kind of guy.
I don’t know how to be what you have all had your entire lives to perfect.
I can’t— why would I bond permanently into something, before even knowing what else is in the world?
Besides your cousin, you guys are the only vampires I even know.
How do I know all the shit you’ve been feeding me about scent matches and omegas isn’t complete bullshit?
I’m just supposed to take your word as good? Fuck that!”
Something inside me snaps, a red haze sliding over my vision and I lunge towards Calloway, the only outcome I can think of that I beat his fucking ass for disrespecting me so much.
“Wrong answer,” he spits at me before dodging every sloppy attack I aim his way, pinning me down to the ground on my stomach, digging his knee into my spine as he pulls a damn zip tie out of his pocket and wrenches it onto my hands.
“I know you’re new to this, so this is the only free pass you get.
You’re turning feral because you don’t have any bonds to ground you.
Ironically, it was the offer of a bond that seems to have set you off.
“You can be an asshole to me or anybody else in this damn house, but you do not get to be an asshole to Fable. You think she’s not quiet or sweet enough, is that right? While I drag your ass to timeout, I want you to think on something for me.