10. Ten - Rebel

ten - rebel

. . .

I'm shaking with nerves. "It's okay. I'm sure there's got to be a way we can break this.

"No," Tate growls out the command, and my omega curls in on herself, bowing down to the alphas wishes. The omega part of me is thrilled. We finally have a mate. We have an attractive, stable mate.

It doesn't matter that he's apparently a psycho, and now I'm linked to him for life. I've dated a psycho before, Brad, and I have no desire to have a repeat of that relationship. This time, it's with an alpha, and there is a mark involved.

Everything in me breaks. I want to cry; loud, ugly, snot-filled crying, but I won't give him the luxury of seeing me that low. What he listed as some sort of consent makes me nervous. Who the hell marks someone without their consent?

Emotions swirl. I am panicking, it's official. I want to get away from him, but we're still locked. I pull away from him. "How long is this going to take?"

"I don't know."

"What the fuck do you mean you don't know?"

He shrugs a shoulder as if it's not a big deal. "Never knotted an omega before you."

"Why me? When you could literally have any other omega in that basement. I'm sure they would've been bending over backward to get you to notice them." My voice shatters on a sob. I can't hold it in anymore. What am I going to do?

The beating of my chest is loud in my ears, and I can hear each of my shallow breaths as if a pin has fallen. "But there has to be a way, right? I didn't mark you. So, it's not a full bond. I'm sure we can get it figured out." I'm talking out loud. Maybe I'm trying to give my mind some modicum of control. Because right now, I have none.

Strong hands grab my biceps and pull me in. A few seconds later, I'm wrapped tightly to his body. A hiccup erupts from the tears I've started to shed.

"Shhh… it'll be okay, little omega. You're mine now. I'll care for you. No one can ever hurt you again." His words have my back going ramrod straight. Those words have to be a coincidence. I didn't know him before tonight, and I still don't even know his name. Making a note to ask him for his name, I settle.

Numbness has taken over. The combination of his strong arms, his scent, and his knot has satisfied the omega. He is caring for us , giving us attention and love. I've always craved it, and to finally get it in the arms of a stranger would and should make me uncomfortable, but a small part of me feels safe in these arms. I can't explain it. I don't want to. All I know is that once his knot deflates, I'm getting the hell out of dodge, with or without Nova.

I may feel safe, but I'm terrified of what this all means.

As if the world has deemed us attached long enough, his knot releases, cum and slick sliding down my thighs onto the hard ground. I can't tell you if it's been ten minutes or thirty. I get to my feet slowly, feeling dizzy. How did this happen?

The silence between us now is deafening. I have no idea what to say… or what to think? He keeps giving me a curiously concerned look but holds back from asking me.

A large hand is held out to me as he waits for me to take it. Do I trust him? No, but the damage is done. Tate is every bit alpha, feral and dangerous. He has the muscles, the touch that sets my skin alive and makes my heart pound. I've never been this drawn to someone before, and if he hadn't marked me, then maybe I'd want to give this a try, but I wasn't given a choice.

I shakily gesture to the ground behind him before cradling my arms around my middle. Vulnerability creeps out, permeating the atmosphere as I stand here half-naked. "Can I have my pants, please?" Doing as I request, he grabs them and hands them to me. Quickly, I dress, and the elephant on my stomach drops a few pounds.

The urge to run burns through my veins. My omega is on edge. We're mated to an alpha we don't know. Dread pours through my mind at the idea that he might make me stay. But there's a small part of me that has an emptying sadness even thinking about being parted from him so soon.

He's already confessed the sickening desire to tie me up in his basement.

Fresh air. My lungs are craving it. All I can smell is him, and the bond tingles slightly between us. Sadistic joy radiates along the bond, even though his face doesn't currently convey it.

Hugging myself again, I stare at the ground. "I don't want to be here anymore."

"We can't be separated after I've marked you… it'll cause physical pain." His voice is firm, like he's trying to keep his emotions in check. At this point, I'd rather deal with physical pain over the emotional pain of learning I'm mated to a stranger.

I stand lost in his stare, completely clothed, but I still feel naked. Tears pool in my eyes and burn when I don't release them. My head spins, and soon, the sadness turns to anger. "Come on, let's go inside. I'll get you a drink, and we can chat about what happens next." I nod my agreement, knowing that as soon as he leaves my side, I'm gone. He's still an alpha, though, so I'll need to be careful. He's already proven that he loves the chase.

We meet up with a few other couples by the porch before, then head into his house. His house. As in he lives here on a permanent basis. It kind of blows my mind.

The guys nod hello as if they already know each other, and I blush, thinking that they've found out what happened tonight. How will this alpha spin it? Fuck, why do I care? Because he took the decision from you , the human part of my brain whispers.

Music vibrates the floor inside the house. Warmth spreads throughout the house from so many people now crowding into the main rooms. The number of people has grown substantially since Nova and I arrived. Or maybe I was so focused on this alpha that I didn't pay attention. A large, warm hand touches the small of my back, pulling me from the thoughts tormenting my mind and the crowd currently taking up his living room.

"Drinks are in the kitchen. Do you want to come with me or just hang out here and watch these weirdos dance?" I bare him a brief gaze before turning back to the room. I can't look at him right now or I'll lose my resolve to leave.

"I'll be here." I smile, hoping that it comes through in my voice, but I know it doesn't. He has to know I'm ready to run. Itching for relief.

The heat of his eyes boring into me sends a shiver up my spine. Leaning in, he kisses my temple. "I'll be right back. Don't move." The command comes out in a low and deadly growl. The alpha knows my omega's plans and doesn't like it one bit, but I don't have a choice.

I watch him walk away from me. Giving him a few minutes, I eye my escape routes, noting that the side door seems to be the most hidden and least obvious. Couches are pushed back, brushing against the walls in the living room, leaving room in the middle for dancing.

Although, what's happening on that fake dance floor is way more than simply dancing. Half of the omegas are in a different stage of undress while the alphas they're dancing with let their hands roam freely. There's a couple in the corner, sitting on a couch, and just talking. You can tell that he's definitely nervous in his posture. The need to help him tries to take over, but I resist. I don't have time.

Taking one more look in the direction Tate departed to, I make my move. My ass gets grabbed more than once as I try and squeeze my way through all these people. I clench my fists in annoyance.

It takes a few minutes, but I finally get to the door. It squeaks as I slide it open, step through, and then shut it gently behind me. The sky is pitch black, and the wind from earlier has picked up, leaving behind a chill in its wake. I glance back at the house once more, hoping that I don't see him following me. There's confusion simmering in the bond, and I have to guess that he can't find me.

For a brief second, I worry about Nova, but she's with Gunnar. He may never admit it, but there's something between them. Now, whether thats just being fuck buddies or more, I'm not really sure. He looks at her, though, as if she's dressed up in a dirty little nurses slut outfit only for him. It must be like Christmas every day for that guy. Seeing as how she's on the Ice Crew and sees him often enough.

I sigh and turn towards the road. The desire to take another woods adventure sounds like way too much right now. Pulling out my phone, I notice that I don't have very much battery life left, and I need to call a ride to come pick me up.

Fifteen minutes later, I'm jamming my key into the lock of Nova's front door. The car that just dropped me off sits idling at the side of the road for me, I'm assuming to make sure I'm getting in safely.

Pushing open the door, I step through and shut it behind me, twisting the lock on the door and deadbolt before kicking off my shoes. The farther into the house I move, the more I get this odd, uneasy feeling creeping through my bones. Something is off, but when I glance around, nothing looks out of the ordinary. The scent of sawdust clings to the air. It's one that doesn't belong to me or Nova. Nerves tingle up and down my arms as my heart rate picks up.

I bite my tongue to keep from calling out to Nova, but I know she's not here. I haven't seen her since we separated in the basement of my strangers house.

I peer down at my phone, hoping that there's at least a little battery left in case I need to call nine one one, but it's dead. It won't even turn on. Fuck. I swallow the lump forming in my throat.

Everything looks untouched in the living room, so I make my way towards my room. At the last minute, I veer away from my room to check Nova's room first. Flipping on the light, I see how my roommate normally leaves it. Clothes are scattered all over the floor. A random bra is thrown over the chaise in the corner. The sheets on her king bed are perfectly ruffled like she'd just slept in them. Books litter her desk. It's her version of chaotic organization.

Let's be honest. I love my best friend, but she has no respect for books. She's one of those people who dog ear's pages instead of using a bookmark like a normal human.

A few drawers on her desk are slightly open, which gives me another chilling feeling. She never leaves those unlocked, which means that she either unlocked it and forgot to relock it. Highly unlikely . Or someone was here tonight while we were at the party.

Grabbing the bat she has in the closet, I exit her room and head towards mine. What I find is an explosion. Clothes are tossed about the room. My bed is a disheveled mess. The sheets and pillows have been shredded as if a wild animal had gone on a field day. All my books from my bookshelf are haphazardly strewn onto the ground.

A small, yellow piece of paper lying on my desk captures my attention. It takes me three strides to get across the room, and then I'm leaning the bat against the desk before reaching down to pick it up. There are words scrawled on the front. "Being a tease gets little omega's like you in a whole lot of trouble. Shouldn't have done what you did. Prepare for the consequences coming your way." The pen it was written with lies uncapped beside it on the desk.

The note warns me that this wasn't a random break in. No, someone was here to send a message tonight. I can only wonder who it is. I'd put money on Brad. It seems like something he would do, even though I've noticed a new girl on his arm these days in the news. Good riddance.

I read the note one more time, allowing my eyes to scan over each word one by one. Why go through the trouble of trying to scare me when he has a new piece of eye candy hanging around? It just doesn't make sense.

And how did they even get in? The front door hadn't been tampered with and definitely wasn't open when I got home. I walk over to the window in my room. It isn't open, but there's a breeze flooding in from the bottom, telling me it isn't shut the whole way, either.

I'm losing my mind. I have to be. There's no way both Nova and I would've left things unlocked today out of all days. It's too much of a coincidence.

In all my determination to look around, I realize that I haven't actually cleared the rest of the house. What if whoever did it is still hanging around watching me? The thought has bile rising up my throat. Taking a shaky breath, I reach down and grab the bat again. I turn on every single damn light in the apartment. Can't hide if all the lights are on, right?

By the time I'm done, anger brims below the surface. How dare someone break into our house and try to scare me? I may be an omega, but I'm not weak. I can count the number of times I've cried or been frightened on my one hand. Grow up with parents like mine, and you tend to grow pretty thick skin.

And if I can deal with touchy alphas who are supposed to be foster parents, bullies at school, and living a life where no one seems to give a fuck whether you're alive or dead, then I can deal with this. No more will I spend my life letting people get to me.

You let the stranger get to you tonight. I roll my eyes. Why did I like him so much? I should've been repulsed by his actions, but I wasn't. In fact, I enjoyed them.

Did I shut down tonight when I realized someone had been here? No , I fought through it. Was I afraid? It was more caution than fear.

An hour later, I'm putting new sheets on my bed and sliding on the last pillow case. It wasn't hard to clean up the mess. Luckily, I didn't have to clean the walls or the floor. The crass words were confined to that yellow piece of paper. No paint or anything, which is good because the last thing I want is Nova having to deal with repainting or deep cleaning shit.

Meandering over to my dresser, I take a mental inventory of the things that are normally there. My mothers wedding ring set and earrings, the few pieces I managed to steal before I left, sit untouched in my small red jewelry box. The Rolex my father used to wear sits in the overly fancy wood and leather box that it came in when we gave it to him three, or was it four, years ago.

You don't realize how many different boxes are put together to compliment one single piece. Leather boxes, wood boxes, and green boxes are just a few. I open the box, revealing the watch inside. My fingers trail over the cold 18 carat gold case and bracelet. The dial is champagne colored, and there's sapphire crystal in the face. It's elegant and cruel like he was all my life.

Why the fuck am I thinking about my parents? My mood slips out the window like a wisp of cold air. The urge to drink until I can't think straight pours over me. Emotions erupt in a violent shiver. A tear slips down my cheek, and I shove it off my face like I'm repulsed. I'm allowed to feel emotions, I just choose not to. My brain seems to quiet for a few minutes, allowing me to ruminate in the peace of my surroundings.

I didn't notice it before, but now that I've stopped moving, I realize it. There's an emptiness inside me that wasn't there before, and a tingle of awareness lights goosebumps up and down my arm when I realize I'm feeling some of my mate's emotions. It's a beautiful composition of concern, anger, and sadness. I frown. Why is he sad?

Shaking those thoughts away, I reject the notion of even thinking about him or caring if he's sad. He put us in this situation, not me. I wasn't the one who issued a bond mark tonight, forever linking us together. A small part of me wonders if he's feeding off the emotions I felt when I first realized someone had broken in.

It doesn't matter.

My thoughts spin to Nova. What if she comes home drunk from hanging out with Gunnar and stumbles in here to find him waiting on the couch in the dark like some fucking creeper? What if he… I swallow. No, I won't think about that.

But he didn't mess with her stuff, other than the desk. I wonder if he took something from her. Would she even know what it was? It was a blessing that he only seemed to really target my room.

Since when did our little neighborhood start going to shit? Poor girl has to deal with it now that she owns this place, and a part of me hates it for her.

She's my person. We've been together since we were kids, and our bond has grown over the years. She was the first person to give a shit about me, and so, I always want to protect her from whatever I can. It's the cancer sign part of my personality peeking out. She will always be my family, and I'll cling to that fiercely with a death grip until my last breath.

Nova didn't have to deal with the creeps who hung around or wonder if she was going to get a meal that evening. Hell, I bet she's never stayed out all night just to get some space for a while when there's four other foster kids all living under the same roof as you.

Thinking about my foster homes brings up thoughts of Drake. "What are you doing now?" I whisper into the space around me. It's not like anyone will hear it or respond. I still miss him. Whether I want to admit it or not, he was my first love and always will be. Even before he became an alpha, I wanted him. And not in the physical way.

He made me feel safe when I needed it. At times, where it felt like I was drifting or lost, he would wrap me up in those strong arms of his. Sometimes, he'd sneak into my bed and just hold me. Those were the nights I slept the best, wrapped in his warmth.

Maybe a small part of my soul knew that he would become an alpha someday. I sigh, withdrawn.

I could use him tonight to ground me; to be my fucking anchor in the maelstrom we call life. To remind me that there are still good people in the world, but he's not here, and I have a feeling he wouldn't want to see me after he ghosted me all that time ago.

Reaching into my pocket I curse, catching the fact that I have yet to plug in my phone. Even if Nova was trying to get a hold of me, she couldn't. I jog back to my room, grabbing a charger from the side table, and making my way back into the living room. Before I sit down, I contemplate a drink just to calm my nerves.

Some of me feels like it's a bad idea in case the person who broke in comes back to finish what he started… but I just don't care. I need to not think for a while. Bending down, I drop the charger into the outlet on the wall, wait until my phone lets me know it's charging, and make my way to the kitchen.

The mini bar draws my attention like a catalyst, and I'm shifting to walk that way. Instead of grabbing a glass and pouring myself one, I pick up the entire small bottle and head back to my normal place on Nova's leather couch. The coldness of the leather seeps into my ripped leggings, and a shiver zips up my spine. I grab the remote from the coffee table and press the on button, pointing it at the flat screen on the wall before me.

The screen lights up, giving me the make in big, bold letters before it dips into the main menu of streaming services that we have.

Taking my time, I slowly flip through the channels until something catches my eye. It's him, Tate. He's doing an interview, dressed in hockey gear, sitting on a bench in what appears to be an arena. The lady is asking him about different things that apparently happened in the game. When I hit the more info button, I'm told this is a replay. Okay, so it was earlier this week.

The woman interviewing him is skinny and blonde with bright blue eyes and cherry red lips. I hate her instantly. Jealousy floods my body, and I can't stand it. I shouldn't care. He's not mine, but then the bite on my neck tingles, reminding me it's still there with a throb. He is mine. I'm just not sure I want him.

The more I watch, the more I drink.

I even go so far as to decide on words that I'll raise my bottle to. Glasses are for cowards.