Chapter 31

thirty-one

KITANIA

I followed Julia through the twists and turns until she finally opened a door along the hallway.

“This used to be my room until I was forced to live at the OMA,” she explained with a mixture of nostalgia and bitterness. “You can tell my family hasn’t touched it. Sorry for the ridiculous amount of boy band posters. Since I don’t get to spend much time here, I haven’t bothered to update the decor to something a little more… mature.”

She winced, but my eyes went wide as I took in the sight. The room was massive, decorated in a soft mauve with deep maroon accents that made it feel both elegant and cozy. Gold glittered everywhere—from the handles on the dressers to the bedside lamps to the large gilded mirror that leaned in the corner. It was like stepping into a princess’s bedroom, and suddenly I realized that thought wasn’t too far off, given the power her family held over this city.

It was clear that Julia was the jewel of the household, the only girl in a long line of boys.

I skimmed my fingers over the top of the dresser, marveling at how there wasn’t a speck of dust to be found even though she didn’t live here any longer. The light scent of her signature hung in the air, a whisper of her past self. It was odd that the smell of another Omega gave me an immediate sense of comfort. If I had to surmise why, I’d guess it was because my own Omega didn’t view Julia as a threat, given she was my mates’ sister.

“Make yourself at home.” She gestured around the room, then plopped down on her bed with a dramatic groan. Stretching out, her body sank into the plush mattress. “God, I miss my bed. The ones at the OMA are absolute crap compared to this.”

The soft bedding called to me, and I couldn’t resist kicking off my uncomfortable heels and climbing onto the bed. I curled up at the end, tucking my legs under me and smoothing my skirt down, making a mental note to buy a cute jumpsuit like Julia wore someday.

“Did you get special permission to attend the funeral?” I asked, wondering how many strings her family had to pull to make that happen. The OMA had such strict rules for unbonded Omegas.

Julia nodded, sitting up. “Yeah, I got a day pass. It wasn’t easy, but they owe me. Besides, who says no to letting someone attend a funeral?”

The weight of loss hung between us, the silence thick with unspoken sadness. I never knew Nick, but he’d been close with my mates, which probably meant Julia had known him as well. Her grief was palpable.

She took a deep breath, as though she was attempting to shake off the dour mood. “So, which OMA were you at, you know, before ?” Her eyes searched mine.

I swallowed hard, memories flooding back. “I was at the OMA in Kipper Valley. It’s across the state.”

“And that’s where you were kidnapped from?”

I nodded, my hands twisting in my lap. “I was taken one night when I was wandering the grounds. It was supposed to be safe…” My voice trailed off, that old, familiar fear creeping into my bones all over again.

Julia’s expression softened. “I understand what you went through—to an extent.” Her attention fell to the bedspread, her fingers tracing the pattern of stitching. “It seems stupid now, but I took my mother’s maiden name in a vain attempt to separate myself from being a Cristenello. I’d hoped it would help me attract a more wholesome pack. All the Alphas who’d asked to court me up till then wanted nothing more than the advantages of being connected to my family. But changing my surname and moving to a new city to get a fresh start made me a target instead. It seemed as though I had no viable relatives. Like I was alone in the world. The perfect mark.” She paused, her eyes distant. “They grabbed me between classes. Drugged me and dragged me away before I even had the chance to scream.”

A shiver ran through me, and I wrapped my arms around myself. “I’m so sorry it happened to you too,” I whispered, my chest aching with empathy.

“It gets better, you know.”

I shook my head, doubt clouding my thoughts. “I want to believe that. But sometimes it feels like this nightmare will never end…”

Julia’s eyes lit up suddenly, and she dug into her pocket, pulling out her cell phone. “Trust me when I say there’s a rainbow on the other side of this shitstorm. And to prove my point, there’s someone I think you should talk to.”

As she dialed, I wondered who could possibly understand what we’d been through—and, more specifically, what I’d been through. Things had been so dark for so long, and the moment I felt a spark of happiness, of hope for the future, that note had appeared and snuffed it right back out.

A feminine squeal broke through the phone, pulling me from the morose thoughts and making me jump.

“Julia?!”

“Hey Demi!” Julia waved at the screen, a bright smile spreading across her face. “How are you?”

“I’m great! The first trimester of this pregnancy is kicking my ass, but other than the tiredness and the nausea, I feel pretty good.”

Julia snorted. “That sounds horrible.”

I covered my mouth with my fingers to hold in a giggle at the sheer look of distaste that wrinkled her nose.

Julia caught my reaction and smiled sheepishly. “I might be the only Omega who’s not crazy about the idea of doing the whole pregnancy thing. But I’m all for supporting my friends. Demi was kidnapped and nearly sold in the same auction I was,” she explained.

“I think I’m missing something,” Demi said. “Who’s there with you?”

Julia scooted around until we were both sharing the video feed and I gave a little finger wave, feeling a sudden jolt of shyness, which was silly since I wasn’t even in the same room as the woman smiling on the screen.

“Hi. I’m Kitania.”

“Oh, my Gods!” Demi exclaimed. “You’re the Omega Julia’s brothers rescued.” Her features softened. “I’m so sorry for all you’ve been through.”

“T-Thank you,” I whispered.

A smirk curled Julia’s mouth. “Kitania is more than just another Omega. She’s my brothers’ scent match.”

The sadness that had dimmed Demi’s expression vanished, replaced with shock followed by pure happiness that radiated through the phone. “That’s the best news! I’m just”—she sniffed—“so thrilled that you found your pack, after all of that.” Tears watered in her eyes. “Sorry! Blame the pregnancy hormones.”

Julia grew serious as she explained her and Demi’s shared experience. My stomach clenched as I listened to their story, which was eerily similar to my own.

“We both woke up in cages,” Julia said quietly, as if going back to the memory cost her. “The assholes dressed us in lingerie and forced us onto a stage to be auctioned off like livestock.”

I shuddered as I remembered standing on that same auction block, hazed out of my mind and shivering from the cold. The awareness of countless eyes roaming over my body, the terror of not knowing who would buy me or what they’d do to me. I wrapped my arms around myself to ward off the sick, insidious feeling that spread through me like slow-moving poison.

“That’s when we were saved. Demi’s pack—Pack Maverick—rescued me and our friend Adeline. Another group of mercenaries they’d hired—Pack Jacobs—got Demi out.”

My breath caught in my throat. “You were rescued before they could sell you?”

Julia nodded and sent me a wary glance, as though she felt guilty she’d been saved while I’d been sold.

I reached for her and squeezed her hand. “Thank God. I’m glad you made it out.”

The tough facade she’d maintained crumbled, leaving nothing but raw sincerity in its wake. “We were lucky.” Her whisper was choked. “I can’t even imagine what it’s been like for you—what you’ve been through.” There was a shimmer of unshed tears in her eyes. “That’s why I wanted you to meet Demi. To know that there is a life after all of this.”

Demi hummed her agreement, gentle and understanding. “I never lived at the OMA. My father traded me to an abusive pack as part of a business deal.”

My heart ached for her. I knew all too well the pain of being treated like a possession, passed from one set of cruel hands to another.

“I was stuck there for almost a year before I fought back and ran,” Demi continued. “That’s when I found my true pack. My scent matches.”

I gasped. “Really?” My hope sparked to life once more, fragile yet persistent.

“It was a long road,” Demi admitted. “I won’t bore you with all the details, but I know what it’s like to live with an abusive pack. To fight for your freedom, for your future. I’m proof that happily-ever-afters do exist, and that they’re worth fighting for. I’m free now, bonded to my scent matches, and pregnant with our first child. There’s sunshine after the storm—and it’s beautiful, Kitania. Really, really beautiful.”

Tears spilled down my cheeks, silent but steady. I dragged my fingers through my hair, taking a deep, shuddering breath, attempting to hold back the tide of emotion that made my throat tight and my chest ache.

“T-Thank you,” I choked out, meaning it with every fiber of my being. I needed to hear this, to see the living proof that things could get better—that there was light after all this darkness.

Julia’s eyes met mine, brimming with compassion. “Can I hug you?” She asked it with such uncertainty that I knew physical affection wasn’t common for her either.

I nodded, not trusting my voice. Julia wrapped her arms around me, and I melted into her embrace. We cried together, releasing our shared pain. It was cathartic and oddly rejuvenating.

When I pulled back, I felt like a new person. Like I’d finally let go of some of the hurt.

“You’re so strong, Kitania,” Julia murmured, her breath warm against my ear. “Never lose sight of that.”

A watery laugh bubbled up as I wiped my eyes. “I won’t,” I promised. “And Julia?”

“Yeah?”

I smiled at the woman I now considered a friend and hoped to one day call a sister. “Call me Kit.”