Chapter 25
Twenty-Five
Nina
M y eyes are puffy as Silas pulls up to my mother’s house and I take a deep breath. God, if this is what it’s like to be away from my pack, I can never do this again.
It feels as if my heart is in someone’s fist and being squeezed. It fucking hurts.
Refusing to wheeze or show signs of weakness, I take the tiniest of breaths so I won’t pass out. Lyle and Easton glance warily at me as they get out of the car and help me out. I accept the help because my legs feel like jello.
“Nina,” Easton murmurs worriedly.
“Just drop me off and go,” I say, fixing my hair as I lift my chin and straighten my spine.
“She’s holding on by a thread,” Silas says, shutting his door. “Nina, I’m going to do this so you can hold it together, but I’m also going to issue a warning to your mother. I want her to be fucking terrified to touch you. I refuse to allow her to think that she can hurt you.”
I nod because talking isn’t possible, my body feeling overly warm because of the Georgia weather. My winter clothing is no longer appropriate, and I can feel a trickle of sweat slide down my back.
My phone is in my hand as I walk, though I just powered it back on. There are multiple unanswered calls from my mother that I’m sure I’ll hear all about soon, but I haven’t had it with me at all.
I suppose I can also blame the weather in Colorado because the snowstorm knocked out one of the cell towers. They managed to get it repaired, but my mother doesn’t know any of that.
Less information is better when it comes to her. It’s harder to trip over my lies and secrets that way.
Standing on the front stoop, I watch as Silas rings the doorbell. My anxiety is spiking hard, and I can feel my vision sliding in and out. It’s scary as fuck, and feels as if I’m drowning again.
Breathe.
Gasping in a breath, I realize I had stopped breathing, and Silas’ hand squeezes my hip hard in worry. So fucking stupid. None of this will work if I pass out before I even get into the house.
I’m still exhausted despite sleeping on the plane. I know I barely slept during my heat, because my body insisted on being taken care of. I loved every minute of it, but I need a nap.
And maybe someone to guard my door. Fuck if my life isn’t odd.
The door opens to reveal my mother, and I can tell she’s unhappy. She manages to smooth away the peevish look on her face, but she’s simmering with anger. I love that for me.
“Miss Vivian,” Silas says. “We want to formally announce that we’ve not only decided, but Nina is now bonded as well.”
I can feel how smug Lyle is at his alpha’s words. Not one is a lie, but they also say something different than what my mother is hearing.
“Lovely,” my mother says. “Is Nina going to remain your dirty little secret or are you going to submit paperwork to make this official?”
“I already submitted it,” Lyle says, a hint of danger in his tone. “You may want to rethink the accusation in your words, Miss Vivian.”
“You may have her for tonight to say goodbye, but we are coming back in the morning,” Easton warns. “We want her with us. You know it can be very dangerous to keep an omega from her alpha.”
Another warning, but it’s not what my mother thinks. Instead, it helps me breathe easier as her gaze rakes over my body.
“You must be sweltering in that outfit, Nina,” she says, ignoring Easton. “Come inside.”
“Miss Vivian,” Silas growls, his hand spasming against my hip to keep me in place. “We need verbal confirmation that you understand her alphas are returning for her in the morning.”
God, I really do adore these men. There’s no backing down, not one lie stated. Yet, a very different conversation is taking place between them. It’s also a balm for my soul as they remind me that Cooper, Ethan, and Riley are coming to get me.
“Yes, yes,” my mother sighs. “I’m just glad you’ve finally decided. I am well within my rights to ensure you’re treating my daughter well. She needs a nest, Silas. Have you taken all of this into consideration?”
“Of course,” he says. “Our home has had a nest since we became a pack. It’s been waiting for years.”
Years. I hate that they’ve been waiting for so long. I really hope they find their omega, because they deserve one who will adore them. They are such good alphas.
“Then as long as you can prove tomorrow that your claim has been accepted by the Healthy Pack Organization, I will gladly hand over my daughter’s care to you,” she says.
Grabbing my hand, she yanks me into the house as the three of them snarl at her. It’s immediately cooler in here but my jaw drops as she bids them a good day and slams the door shut in their faces.
The sun is already setting since hours have passed since I got on a plane to return here. Hopefully, that means I won’t have to wait very long before I can leave this house forever. I wouldn’t mind lighting this place on fire.
It’s no longer my childhood home, but a place where nightmares live and dreams are crushed.
“You certainly don’t waste any time,” she says, locking the door behind her.
“Did you have to be so rude?” I ask her, pulling my hand away from her. “I also don’t understand what you mean. You told me that I needed to find a pack. That’s exactly what I did.”
Technically, they found me, but that’s splitting hairs.
“You conned them into it,” she says, rolling her eyes. “Did you forget your heat suppressants on purpose, Nina?”
My mother wants to argue, which means there’s no reasoning with her.
While I’m hungry and should eat, I eye the staircase because I want to escape more than I want to spend another moment in her presence.
I should feel badly that part of the plan to get me out from under her thumb is to end her life, but I don’t.
Trauma has broken me of such silly things like empathy for her.
“I didn’t realize I’d forgotten them until later,” I admit.
“So you trapped that pack based on their primal instincts,” she says, twisting my words.
“I did no such thing,” I sniff. She’s wrong.
“Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night,” she laughs. “Those alphas looked as if they wanted to tear me apart. You’re clearly unable to think about things like where you’re going to sleep or stay if you haven’t asked about a nest.”
I press my lips together to hold back my words. It’s not worth it, and neither is she. Anything I have to say will just be turned around .
I don’t want to get beaten because I spoke out of turn. Just because she’s only hit me once in my life doesn’t mean it won’t happen again.
“Thank you, Mom,” I force out in dulcet tones.
“You’re so welcome,” she gushes, coming over to hug me.
Struggling not to push her away, I stay completely still until she lets me go.
“You should go rest,” she says. “I want you to think about how you made me a liar. The only reason those alphas would have bonded you so quickly is if you went into heat, Nina. Fucking them into an answer is all your youthful body is good for. You may as well use it to your advantage.”
Stay silent and small.
I gaze at her dispassionately as she huffs out in frustration. My mother wants to fight, but I won’t let her pull me into an argument.
“Fine,” she grumbles. “Go away then. I made some updates to your room. I hope you like it.”
Ice fills my veins at her words and my heart pounds. I feel sick. I have so little that belongs to me. What the fuck could she have done?
Turning, I give my mother my back as I jog upstairs, away from her. My skin crawls until I step inside of the room.
What’s different?
There’s still no doors or curtains, and I can see there’s a different color duvet on the bed. Is that all she’s done?
It’s a bright yellow and hurts my eyes, but I suppose it isn’t completely terrible outside of the fact that it’s the only place to sit in my room. Ignoring it, I glance at my phone.
I had noticed some messages from Cassidy earlier, but I didn’t have time to answer it. Glancing through them, my lips twitch with mirth at the last one.
Cassidy:
Was the dick good, little brat? My pack is withholding from me, so I think I’m going to tease them into fucking me.
Me:
Be careful what you wish for. I’m told brats get punished.
Cassidy:
That’s part of the fun! How is it to be home right now? It won’t be for long, I promise. No matter what you hear, please stay upstairs in your room, okay? We’ll send Carter to you.
Anxiety claws at me from her words, but I remind myself that I’m fine. No one is hurting me, I’m mostly safe, and my heart needs to stop telling me that I need to run.
Ugh, why can't I be normal? It would be nice not to feel as if my heart was trying to escape my chest during conversations.
Me:
Okay.
Needing a distraction from the anticipation of what’s to come, I walk into my closet to find something to wear. I want a pair of cloth shorts and a t-shirt, but gawp at the sight of all formal clothing.
I don’t even have pajamas!
My fingers move over the different shelves, but anything that can be considered loungewear or comfortable is gone. Even my leggings and tunics have disappeared. My mother’s version of changing things in my room is the equivalent of an omega’s nightmare.
My makeup is moved to a completely different section of my closet, my jewelry as well. Fuck my life. Just because I hate this room and closet doesn’t mean I want everything moved.
Scowling, I begin to touch all of the different fabrics in my closet in an attempt to find something that won’t be tight or scratchy against my skin.
Finally, I pull off my clothes and get dressed in a maxi dress that’s as soft as butter.
If I had a door in my bedroom, I’d wear my underwear and nothing else.
I really do hate it here.
Dumping my clothes into the hamper, I walk to my bed and sit on it, only to jump up with a cry. The material is obscene! It’s a micro fiber of some kind, and makes my skin feel as if I need to scratch it off.