Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-One

FREYA

I 'm feeling so ridiculously emotionally raw that I'm fuming. I fell asleep I don't know how long ago, only to find myself waking up in a similar basement cell as the ones used for isolation.

I don't think it was a normal nap I had either. With all the drugs being waved around and pumped into my system while in this place and at the academy, I'm sure they drugged me to move me here.

Where here is, I don't know, and it's taking everything in me not to panic that I won't see my mates again. Our bonds don't tell me shit about how far apart we are because they were weak to begin with.

I have no idea how long it's been since I was taken from campus, but I've lost all hope I will ever be returning. Either I am never leaving this place, I'm leaving in a body bag, or I escape. The latter possibility is laughable.

As pretty of a thought that is, I shut that shit down and try to enjoy the dim lighting of the new scenery. If I never saw a white light ever again, that would be ideal.

If there is an after with this hell, I'll make sure my new home far, far away by the ocean somewhere has warm lights. Yellow and dimmable, preferably.

Something tickles my chest as I take a deep inhale, making my eyes shoot open and my neck cramp as I snap it up to see what kind of creepy crawly is disturbing me. Except, there are none that I can see.

I'm dressed in something that looks like a T-shirt dress, but far nastier and holier than anyone would ever wear by choice. I hate that someone had their hands on me while I was unconscious, but let's be honest, it's not the first time that's happened.

Gravel crunches beneath my skull when I let my head fall back to the ground. Just as I'm about to release a sigh, a shuffling sound has my breath getting lodged in my throat.

Stiffening, I try to calm my already rapidly beating heart.

Who's in here with me?

I'd assumed I was in isolation as a punishment or just a holding cell of sorts now that my heat has broken and Casey was able to see me through the scary crash of hormones and bonding.

Casey ... My eyes water, remembering how gentle he was. My beta was everything I needed, and everything I need right now.

Digging my head into the ground, I imagine I'm snuggling further into his thighs while his fingers smooth over my eyebrows and tickle my cheeks.

Another sound drags me from my daydreaming. Cursing myself for getting distracted when I should be on high alert and ready to defend myself, I turn my head. One direction shows me a dirty wall, and the other tells me I'm right about being in a cell.

The metal bars are slightly visible in the dim lighting, but what has me shooting to my knees and hissing out a breath of pain is the cell across from mine. It's fucking occupied.

This isn't isolation .

The lump I see in the shadows slowly comes into focus as I force my vision to cooperate and adapt to the grey darkness. I sit up, cross my legs, and lean as far forward as I can until the bars hit my forehead.

Ashy brown hair sways across eerily similar bony shoulders as mine. She's too far away for me to tell what color her eyes are, but the narrowed gaze and thin lips are the only indication I need that she isn't... thrilled.

Well, same girl.

I might be a little fascinated when her head tilts and her scowl deepens around her pointy nose. She's beautiful and seeing the annoyance in her gaze is like a breath of fresh fucking air.

Is this what I look like when I have an attitude, because if it is, seeing it on an omega who is clearly as fucked as me is eye opening.

I really want to laugh and tell her she looks cute when she's mad, but frown since I'm almost positive Casey has teased me about the same thing.

"You're in my room," she drawls.

At that, I absolutely do snort. "Oh, just excuse me while I leave," I sass back with a raised brow.

I swear I see her lips twitch, but she continues with a scathing tone. "I've never had to share."

"You're more than welcome to kick me out," I taunt, spreading my arm wide.

I admit I'm shocked when she throws herself toward me, but there's at least three feet of space between our cells, so I don't flinch like I think she assumes I will.

While she huffs and studies me, I'm slammed with her scent of bubble gum and raspberries. It's tainted with years of whatever the fuck she's been through, but it's her . The omega who found her mates during the freshman entrance all those years ago.

"It's you," I breathe, leaning forward and catching sight of the two silver bite marks on her throat. "I was standing next to you when you ran toward them."

She stiffens, but settles against her own set of bars opposite me. A small smile brightens her face while she gets lost in the memory. "My mates," she whispers lovingly.

"I—" Fuck, what do I say? She's been missing for years after being dragged off by the enforcers on duty that day. "I'm Freya."

Like she forgot I was here, she jolts a little and her smile falls. "Kate. So what landed you as my roommate?"

Do I share? It's not like there's anyone else I'm afraid will find out. I've already gone and ruined my pack's life for just fucking existing, so what harm could it really do to confide in another omega who seems to have suffered the same fate?

"Found your mates, huh?" Kate guesses, her tone straight to the point.

I nod. "Managed to keep it a secret for over three years until they caught a whiff of my unexpected heat."

My new roomie leans forward and narrows her eyes on my neck. "Two of them?"

"Four, actually. One bite is behind my ear and the other is on my beta's wrist," I respond wistfully, trailing my fingers across the scabbed indents of my alpha's teeth. I ache for Casey's mark, but his touch and love still warms my skin and heart.

"You?" I ask, nodding my head at her.

"Two," she grunts, also touching her fingertips to her bite marks.

I hum and we're both silent for a while until a bang sounds from outside the metal door. A ball of stress gets lodged in my throat, and I know my scent spikes with fear, but Kate's quick to make me feel better.

"Ready to give 'em hell?" Kate winks as the door is thrown wide, and I can't help but smirk back.

Did I just find my new best friend?