Chapter 25
NELLY
I ate everything on the tray, which made me feel a bit ashamed.
But if I was going to make a run for it tonight, I needed fuel.
At first, I was determined to stay in the room the entire day.
I didn’t want to see any of the men, and I definitely didn’t want to smell them.
It turned out to be an impossible task. Eventually, I needed to pee.
I waited for a torturous length of time, clamping my legs together and pressing my ear against the door, until the hallway was perfectly quiet.
Then I wrenched open the door, raced to the bathroom, and relieved myself in record time.
After washing my hands, I padded quickly back to the bedroom and shut the door.
Miracle of miracles, I didn’t get caught.
Soon after I was back in the room, though, a voice called out to me.
“Nelly, we were thinking we could show you around Sagebrush. It’s beautiful outside.” The voice was steady, tone casual.
“I’m staying right where I am,” I responded icily.
“Seeing the lay of the land might be useful.” This from a different voice.
“I don’t fucking see how,” I barked back.
They didn’t try to justify. Footsteps retreated. No one checked on me for a long time after that.
The day moved at a glacial pace.
Time. Ticking. Away.
So.
Damn.
Slowly.
Made me want to yank my hair out.
I counted passing time not only by the sun’s movement outside which shifted the light in the room, but also by the soft ticks and formidable bongs of an old clock living somewhere in the house.
Often, one of the men would walk past the bedroom.
Their footsteps would almost always pause right outside the door, a fresh spray of Alpha cologne snaking under the door.
If I could make a deliberate choice, I’d greet the scent with nausea.
But I couldn’t choose my body’s response, so the smell filled me with unwanted desire, my Omega nature hungry for its matches.
Around noon, someone asked if I wanted lunch. I’d refused.
When Wyoming was on the cusp of early evening with the sun hanging low outside, I fell atop the bed, slammed one of the pillows against my face roughly, and I screamed. I needed to get out of here! I needed to get back to Seattle! One fucking day already felt like a lifetime!
Moments later, someone was running in the hall, skidding to a stop just outside the bedroom.
“Nelly, are you okay?”
I didn’t want to say anything. Maybe I’d just suffocate myself.
With the pillow…
Permeated by Cooper’s Alpha scent…
That was making my stomach heat and my lower parts clench.
“I’m going to come in, Nelly.”
I still didn’t recognize the voice. Which guy was it?
Not that it mattered, I didn’t want anyone to come into the room. Not right now, not ever.
Pulling the pillow away, I quickly swallowed down air so that I could expel it again. “I’m fine! Don’t come in!”
My eyes locked on the door. Its knob had turned, held in the release position as the man outside debated. Shit, I’d forgotten to lock it after racing to the bathroom. Stupid.
“Are you sure, Nelly?”
“I’m fine,” I repeated. “Just leave me alone.”
“Okay, but we’re here if you need us.”
“I don’t need any of you,” I bit out.
Silence followed my bitter response.
I watched as the knob rotated, latch bolt clicking back into place.
Rolling off the bed quickly, I locked the door again.
I leaned against the barrier, feeling like I’d finished a marathon, heart racing.
How many hours had passed since I used the bathroom?
And I’d left the fucking door unlocked like an invitation for any of the stupid Alphas to barge right inside.
Pressing my ear to the wood, I heard him retreat.
Tick.
Tick.
Six firm bongs from the clock.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
The ticking grew increasingly louder, like Poe’s telltale heart.
The clock tolled again. Seven.
Not long after the seven knells, there was rustling in the hallway. Voices murmured, then a soft knock sounded.
“Nelly, we’ve got some dinner for you.”
I didn’t say anything, waiting for their retreat.
“Can you put the other tray out here when you get this one? I’ve only got the two servers.” Cooper. I think this was Cooper’s voice.
I still refused to speak.
They whispered with each other again. I tiptoed to the door and inhaled. There were three of them. How could I make them leave? How could I make them drop their guards?
Steeling myself, I moved over to grab the empty tray and dishes, unlocked the door and opened it slowly.
On the other side I found Cooper, Levi, and Boone.
The first donned a silly apron boasting cinnamon rolls and ‘you checking out my buns?’.
The second chewed on a pencil, or had been before I’d opened the door.
Now, it hung limply between his lips, threatening to tumble to the floor.
And the last held an identical tray heavy with food.
They’re gazes widened in surprise.
I gave them a soft smile.
And their faces went slack.
“Thank you for the food,” I said quietly, pushing the tray over the threshold, waiting for someone to take it.
They stood frozen, unable to move, eyes locked on me.
“Um,” I bit my lip, thinking. “Should I just put it on the floor?”
I started lowering myself, bending at the knees because if I leaned over in the dress, my breasts would probably pop out.
“No, no! I’ll take it.” Cooper stumbled forward, gripping the other side of the tray and lifting me and it back up. “I’m so glad you ate,” he tumbled out the words. “I hope it was okay. We weren’t sure if you were a vegetarian or had allergies.”
I wanted to bitterly say, ‘You’d think Eros would tell you how to keep your livestock alive.’ But I swallowed down the words, hands dropping off the tray.
“Not a vegetarian,” I widened the smile, hoping it met my eyes. “But I do eat a lot of fruit, vegetables, fish, and whole grains. Protein shakes and bars. Things like that.”
Cooper frowned. “We eat a lot of bread, meat, and eggs here.” He looked down at the empty tray in his hands, then over at the one Boone supported.
My gaze followed his. Dinner seemed to be mashed potatoes with butter, pork chops, and mac and cheese.
Not a single vegetable in sight. “I’ll make up a grocery list.”
“This is great, really. It looks amazing.” I took a tentative step out of the room, testing the waters of their reaction. All three seemed to flush with color, and hope. My eyes roved over their faces, until they settled on Boone. “May I have that?” I asked, flicking a look down at the tray.
“Oh, right. Of course.” He closed the small gap to me, offering the tray.
I took it, hands involuntarily lowering at its surprising weight.
Boone shoved his hands back beneath the server quickly, keeping it from tilting.
His fingertips grazed mine, and the barest blush gathered in the cheeks of his lovely sun-brown face. “Sorry,” he murmured, “It’s heavy.”
“I’ve got it,” I repositioned my hold, settling the tray against my forearms, fingers curling around the outer ridge.
We all stood, not knowing what to do.
They still seemed to be in shock that I’d come out of the room.
“I’m going to eat…” I glanced down at the hearty dinner, knowing that it was too much to put on my gut before a run. I’d nibble on the pork chop at least. “Then maybe just sleep. I’m still so tired.”
Would that make them sympathetic? Would they lower their defenses?
“It’s really too bad one can’t catch up on sleep.” Levi had tucked the pencil above his ear, his hands shoved into his pocket as he rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet. “It’s one of those things that when you lose hours, you can’t add them back in again.”
“Getting shut eye doesn’t need a math problem,” Cooper chuckled, moving towards Levi and bumping their shoulders together teasingly.
“Yes, I know,” Levi said, arching an eyebrow.
“I don’t know. I think all those numbers are turning you into a human calculator.”
Levi extricated one hand from a pocket and tugged Cooper’s braid.
I watched their exchange in total fucking confusion.
How in the hell were they acting so flippant when I was standing here, right in front of them? Their stolen mate. I could feel the forced smile fading away, the first tears pricking my eyes. I blinked quickly, backing into the bedroom.
Boone didn’t ignore the elephant in the room.
He cleared his throat pointedly, causing Cooper and Levi to look at him. Once they did, he jerked his head towards me. The other two sobered at the sight of me.
“Hope you can rest, Nelly.” This from Boone. “I’ll close the door for you, so you don’t drop the tray.”
“Thanks,” I murmured, no longer able to keep up a facade in hopes of lulling them into complacency.
Over the next four hours, I bided my time.
The dinner sat untouched on the dresser.
The sun disappeared below the horizon, and the moon rose into silvery view. I laid down on the bed for a heartbeat, then got up again. I unfolded and refolded the quilt at the end of the bed, running my fingers over the stitch line. It made me think of grandmother’s quilt, made me want to sob.
The grandfather clock continued tolling, announcing each hour.
When the house finally settled into the heavy silence of night, I decided to take my chances.
The bears and the bobcats…
And the rattlesnakes…
Had to be better than staying here with five Alphas wanting to own me.
My body ached from the tension of waiting, muscles coiled tight.
I’d head straight for the long driveway.
I’d paid enough attention to know that led to a dirt road.
We’d taken a right onto the property, so I’d take a left when leaving.
I thought back to the road signs, unsure if the next turn had been Goldenrod or Prairie.
The longest road, the one that lead into Pinedale, had definitely been Highway 191.