Mari’s Bedroom

Mari

T hirty days.

That’s all I’ll have to find out everything I can about the assholes that took my brother.

Before leaving here, I’ll be given heat-suppressors, but they will only last about thirty-days or so. Once at the Silva house, I need to get access to a computer and set my plan in motion before that time, because once the suppressors are out of my system, I’ll fall into my heat and Izan will mate me. I can’t have that. I can’t have us bound together, making it easy for his pack to track me.

Thirty days.

It’s not much time. But I can do it.

“Already packed?” Vanessa’s dark eyes zero in on the small bag in my lap as she steps into my bedroom. A lot of the omegas here call her Ms. Tacken, but I prefer first names. After all, they call me by my first name, so I should get the same privilege.

“Are they here?” I drape my bag’s strap over my shoulder.

“Do you have everything?” Vanessa scans my nearly empty bedroom. Other omegas decorate their rooms with pictures, crafts, and silly shit packs give them. I’ve never been interested in making this place feel like anything other than the nut house it is. My last roommate was similar to me in that way. She didn’t bother with posters or paintings. She just wanted out of here. Thankfully, Ambrose didn’t force another roommate on me after she left. It was the only kind thing the beta ever did for me.

“I’ve come bearing gifts,” Traven’s cheerful voice enters the room a second before he does. My eyes fly to the yellow syringe in his hand, and I smile.

“They’re here?” I ask Vanessa, but we both know it’s more of a statement than a question. If Izan decided he didn’t want me, I’d be sitting in Ambrose’s office, begging to be placed back into the dating pool. Not standing in front of an orderly, holding up a syringe filled with heat-suppressors.

“Ms. Tacken?” Traven looks at Vanessa, but she’s too busy staring at me.

“Are you sure this is what you want?” she asks. It takes everything inside me not to scream out loud. So instead, I give her exactly what these fuckers want. The one thing I hate more than anything else: weak emotion .

Moving slowly, I let the corners of my mouth fall, then I lower my head. I sniffle loudly at my feet, then I whisper, “They don’t want me, do they?” I hate pretending to cry. It’s such a lazy way to get what you want, but I don’t have time to argue. “I’m being rejected again.” I push out a high-pitched whine.

Silence hangs in the air, their shock filling the small space. I understand their reaction. I haven’t cried once since I arrived here.

Omegas that cry to get their way are asking to be treated like children, so I never cry… which means, Vanessa will be desperate to calm me down.

“Why doesn’t anyone want me?” I whine, pitching my voice high.

“That’s not true.” Vanessa is suddenly at my side, and I cover my face with my hands, hiding the fact that I have no tears.

“Then why does everyone keep asking me if I want them?” I mumble into my palms. “It’s because you know they don’t want me. You want me to decide I don’t like them so I won’t be upset when they reject me.” I push a strangled noise from my throat, hoping it sounds like I’m crying.

“The Silva pack definitely wants you,” Vanessa says firmly as she gently drapes one arm around my shoulders. I make them shake slightly, fake crying. I hate that I have to act this way. But I’m prepared to do whatever it takes to get out of this place.

“I just want to make sure that you want the Silva pack as well,” Vanessa says. “That you feel a genuine connection to them.”

“I do,” I whisper, sniffling again.

Vanessa pats my upper back, smoothing her hand down my hair. Her fingers catch in a few tangles, pulling slightly. I lean into her, hoping she’ll stop asking me questions and let me leave.

“Okay,” she finally says, but it’s clear she’s not talking to me. “Let’s get her ready.”

The sleeve on my right arm is lifted and I ready myself for the shot. I hope it hurts. It’s going to look very suspicious if I lift my head and am forced to explain my lack of tears.

“A quick stick,” Traven says, then pushes the needle deep into my arm.

It burns. A lot .

I focus on the sensation, trying to really feel the pain as it crawls up my arm and across my chest. My nose begins to run, and a few tears prickle in my eyes. It’s not a lot, but I can work with it.

“This medicine will allow you to interact with your new pack for one month without falling into your heat,” Vanessa says as she rubs my back. I’ve heard her give this speech before, but I don’t interrupt. I think she likes giving it. “This will give you time to interact with your mates and get to know them before biology takes over, and they mate you. It will create a stronger connection in the long run.”

“Okay,” I whisper, before finally lifting my head. I make a show of wiping my cheeks to prove to Vanessa that I have watery eyes. She immediately smiles when I lift my head.

“I know you’re a very guarded person,” she says, brushing a strand of my hair behind my ear. I hate that she’s touching me, but it’s clear she needs this. She wants to feel motherly before shoving me out the door. “Just know that if things don’t work out with this pack, you can call me and I’ll come and get you.”

No one ever comes back.

The second an omega leaves this place, that’s it. They’re gone forever.

The staff like to give us the illusion that we have a choice once we leave this place, but we don’t even have control while we're here.

“I’ll remember that,” I say softly, trying to play up my watery smile.

“Come on,” Vanessa slips my bag off my shoulder, then places it on her own. “Let’s go and meet your new pack.”

The door to the greeting room is bright red, and the doorknob is brass with an intricate swirling design etched all around it. It’s an interesting design choice given how modern and sleek the majority of this place is. It’s almost as if the admins are trying to give the illusion of romance.

It’s kind of stupid.

“Do you have any questions before you meet them?” Vanessa asks, pulling me to a stop right in front of the door. “We can go over their chart while you settle your nerves.”

“I’m good,” I say, then I grab the doorknob and push the door open. Vanessa lets out a muffled gasp, obviously shocked that I didn’t give her a chance to say anything else.

Soft light and cool air greets me as I step into the tiny room. The walls and ceiling are a cream-color. There are two long beige couches that face each other in the center of the room. But it’s the three alphas standing at the back of the room that pull all of my attention.

The twins catch my eye first. They are shockingly identical. They have the same blue eyes, the same light blond hair cut very short on the sides and long on top, and the same matching scruff. But it’s their size that’s the most surprising.

They’re massive . Taller than any alpha I’ve met before.

Fear spikes in my belly at the thought of being rutted by one of them, let alone both, but I shove it down and force myself to smile. One of the twins returns the friendly gesture, giving me a very sweet smile, but the other one keeps looking at me with a very intense gaze. I imagine the intense one is Hutch, but I don't really know.

“Mari.” Izan’s eyes flash as he drinks me in. He’s exactly as he described: olive skin, intense green eyes, clean-shaven, and thick black hair that’s shaved along the sides and slightly curly on top. He’s not very tall compared to the twins—he’s maybe six feet tall—but he still looks like he could rip me in half without breaking a sweat.

“Hello.” I duck my head as I tuck my hands behind my back, reminding myself that I need to be submissive and sweet. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s wonderful to finally see your beautiful face.” Izan moves to me, extending his hand.

“No touching,” Vanessa says firmly.

Izan freezes up, before slowly pulling his hand back. His movements are tense, and he pulls in a slow, calming breath. He clearly doesn’t like taking orders from a beta.

I don’t really blame him. The ceremony of it all is beyond ridiculous. If I go home with Izan today, he and his packmates will fuck me, but it’s inappropriate for us to hold hands before making it out the door? It’s all so stupid.

“Would you like to sit down?” Izan angles his body to one side, motioning to the couches. “I want to hear all about your day.”

I make a show of tucking my shitty blue dress under my bottom, then I cross my legs. Both of the twins eye the apex of my thighs. It makes me tense slightly, but then I remind myself that this is what I have to do to get out of here. It’s not that big of a deal.

You’ve fucked alphas before, I silently think to myself as I tug the hem of my dress over my knees. You can do this.

I will do this.

“Where is Everly?” I ask, looking around the posh room.

“She’s at home,” one of the twins says as he takes a seat across from me. He leans toward me, but he keeps his hands clasped close to his body. For some reason, it makes me feel better. “She wanted to be here so bad.”

“Havenfield wouldn’t let her attend the meeting with us.” Izan cuts a glare at Vanessa, before taking a seat next to the friendly twin. “But she’s very excited to meet you.”

“I’m Dassy,” the friendly twin says, pressing one big hand to his chest. “This is Hutch.” He nods at his stoic brother as he takes a seat on the other side of Izan. “You can tell us apart because I’m the good looking one.” He winks and I can’t help but smile.

For the next hour, I ask a thousand questions, keeping the focus of the conversation on the pack, and off of me. They happily answer my questions, smiling a little wider when I lean in or bat my lashes.

Izan owns a few casinos up north, and Dassy and Hutch work for him. Everly used to be a counselor, but she quit her job to stay home and care for the pack’s omega. Me .

As time presses on it gets increasingly hard to concentrate. It smells weird in here. It’s a flurry of Izan and the twin’s mixing scents—there are hints of apples, something earthy, and a trace of lime. But I’m mostly getting bombarded by the aroma of wilting flowers and burnt tea leaves. I wonder how many pots of over-steeped tea have been poured in this room.

When our time comes to an end, Vanessa stands, and my eyes shoot straight to my bag next to the door. I want to fling it over my shoulder, grab Izan’s hand, and demand to be led out of here.

“Mari?” Vanessa gives me a worried look. “Do you want to go home with them?”

My mind screams “yes” loud and proud. But instead, I pretend to be bashful, looking up at Izan through my lashes. “Please, take me home.”