Chapter 14

Fourteen

VANESSA

I haven't been this frightened and uncertain since my teenage years.

I was in a large black limo full of strangers around me. The strangers who bought me. Sitting to my right was the hulking redheaded alpha who sealed the deal with my purchase.

He was the one I couldn't look away from the most. There was something about him that drew me to him.

To my left was a tall, bald alpha with a straight scar on his left cheek. Across from me sat two more alphas. One had bronze skin with a charming smile, and the other was covered in tattoos.

"You look scared," said the bronze-skinned alpha across from me. He gently patted me on the knee, and I felt the alpha energy pouring through him. His calm energy was infectious. My breathing quickened as my omega senses were on alert with all these alphas around me. "We won't hurt you, little omega. I'm Laurent."

I nodded, biting my lip.

The large alpha with the red hair introduced himself next. He stuck his hand out, and I carefully shook it. His hand encased mine like a warm glove.

"I'm Alex, leader of this pack," he said. He then gestured to the bald alpha with the scar. "That's Blade. He's the second-best warrior of this pack beside myself."

Well, he seems cocky.

The tattooed alpha next to Laurent, with dark hair and wearing a silver chain necklace, introduced himself next.

"Nice to meet you, Vanessa. I'm Mason."

"You're a little quiet," said Laurent giving me a bright smile. I wanted to bask in his positivity and joy but couldn't. I was frozen and felt like my life was crashing down all around me. I would have to start a life with these alphas if I couldn't escape them.

"Why did you…purchase me?" I asked, feeling like a piece of talking grocery they had just picked up at a store. I felt uncomfortable just saying the sentence.

Alex turned to look at me with raised eyebrows. As if he was surprised I was questioning him.

"We need babies, and your hips look sturdy enough to bear them," he said simply.

What?! So much for true love and fated mates.

"What if I'm not interested?" I said.

He tilted my chin to face him, locking eyes with me. I shivered as he ran his thumb down my face.

"Don't worry. We'll make sure you're interested," he said. "Open your backpack."

Sighing, I grabbed my pack from between my knees and unzipped it. He spotted the bottle of heat suppressant pills and pulled it out.

"What are you doing with that?" I demanded, prepared to snatch it from him. My heart pounded like crazy as I watched him quietly pocket it. Without it, I could go into heat at any time. When an omega went into heat, it was her most fertile time.

"You won't be needing it anymore."

Stepping out of the limo in my hideous sparkly purple dress, I took in the sight of the pack's house. It looked different than most houses I've seen. The house was medium-sized and made of wood in the midst of the palm trees. The ocean shore lay in front of it, so the house sat a few inches above the ground, metal columns holding it up and stairs leading up to the front door.

I stumbled in the sand because of the ridiculous black heels I was made to wear at the auction.

"Are you okay?" asked Laurent, quickly coming to my side and steadying me with a hand on my arm. He held a hand out for my backpack, and I silently handed it over.

"Thank you, Laurent," I said. If I had any chance of survival, I needed to befriend them before they mindlessly rut me during my heat.

"Hey, no problem," he said, his eyes sparkling. He looked down at my heels. "You can take those off if it'll make it easier."

As we walked towards the house, I kicked off my heels and held them in my hands. My feet dug into the warm sand, and it felt like a mini-massage. I planned to keep a low profile when I was around them. To be as obedient as possible so they wouldn't suspect I'd run away.

Just like I had with Jack's pack.

But with every step to the house, my heart longed to be with my child again and hold him in my arms.

The steps up to the house squeaked with every step. I walked behind Alex as we made our way inside.

"This is the living room," said Alex, and I took in the simple furniture. There was a brown sectional, a TV, and a painting with red squiggles above the fireplace. The home was cozy and looked lived in by the men.

"Blade and I prepared a feast to welcome you," said Mason, gesturing to the long dining table full of different foods.

"Wow, that's nice," I said softly, looking at the spread of chicken, vegetables, and potatoes.

"Help me warm up everything, Blade," Mason said, and Blade sighed, the scar on his face looking less intimidating once he was in the kitchen.

"I'll show you the room," said Alex, not cracking a smile. Since I met him, I noticed he hadn't smiled one bit, and I wondered what was wrong with him.

Laurent still held my backpack as we followed Alex down the hallway of the one-story home. He opened the door to the last room, and I noticed the wide bed in the middle covered in light blue sheets. The window was open, and I could see the ocean right outside crashing into the rocks. The curtains waved around from the breeze.

Laurent set my backpack down on the bed, and I wished I had thought to bring my suitcases, but in the moment of getting arrested on the beach, I had to leave all my belongings with Jack. As I looked around the room, I couldn't help but notice Alex's presence right behind me. He was like a hulking beast ready to pounce, and that made my heart pound a little faster. I wasn't certain if it was desire or fear that coursed through my body.

"Whatever you need, we have it," said Alex. I was beginning to wonder who hurt him. Why did he even want to purchase me if he was going to treat me like I didn't have feelings?

"Sounds good," I said, keeping my answer brief. Laurent shuffled his feet, looking awkwardly at both of us as we spoke without looking at each other.

"I'll help Blade and Mason get the food warmed up and ready," Laurent said, escaping out the door and leaving me alone with Alex. I shook my head.

Sighing, I was about to turn and go through my backpack of the little belongings I had brought, but Alex cleared his throat.

"I'd like for you to strip," he said.

Did I hear him correctly?

"What?"

"Take off your clothes, little omega," he said, standing there with his hands on his hips. The large metal buckle of his belt flashed in the sun as he stood before me, demanding to see me naked. My heart was beating wildly, and I began perfuming and releasing my natural omega scent. "I'd like to see what I purchased."

I promised myself to be good. To be the obedient omega.

Even in my dancing career, I never showed my tummy or stripped down all the way.

Hesitantly, I slowly removed my dress, pulling it up over my head. The sparkles got stuck in my hair, and I cursed out loud.

I stood there in my bra and underwear, not wanting to take it all off unless he ordered me to. But he didn't say anything as he walked right in front of me, his eyes glued to my body.

He gazed from my head to my toes, and my face burned as his eyes lingered on the stretch marks on my belly. He lifted a finger and ran it over the stretch marks.

"Have you given birth before?" he asked intrusively.

"Yes," I said. Not elaborating further.

His eyes flashed for a second, then he released me and grunted. "Put your clothes back on and come eat lunch with us."

Then he left the room, and tears stung my eyes. I was angry at myself. I should be happy that he hated my body and my stretch marks. That meant he wouldn't get attached to me. But it still hurt to show myself bare to be dismissed away like that.

I decided I needed a shower.

I felt icky and gross being touched by someone who clearly didn't find me attractive. I was nothing more than an object. I went into the bathroom across the hallway and saw that it was pretty clean. I gingerly stepped into the tub and stood under the lukewarm shower.

My chest tightened as I let the tears fall.

I hadn't been away from Gabe this long, and as I looked down at my belly and at the stretch marks again, I cried even harder as the water washed my tears away.

Later, I was lying in bed covered in sheets, too weak to get up and eat lunch with the pack. I was zapped from my shower cry earlier, and my emotions felt heavy. I wore a pair of red leggings that I packed from my dancing days and a black tank top.

The bed felt too open and exposed. As an omega, I sought comfort from something a little more confined.

Getting up, I entered the walk-in closet and grabbed a heavy blanket from the top shelf. Settling it over the rug, I went back to grab my backpack. In the bottom of the backpack was Jack's shirt, folded neatly. I snagged it before I ran to the bus station with Gabe that night. Even though it was just a one-night stand, I felt a strong connection with him.

Holding the blue shirt to my nose, I could smell his thick cedar scent.

Bringing it with me into the closet and laying on top of the blanket, I closed my eyes, inhaling Jack's scent. It brought me a sense of comfort like I wasn't alone. I didn't have a single thing of Gabe's.

I was all out of tears as I lay there, spent and exhausted. I had never been away from my baby for this long, and it reminded me of the miscarriage I had gone through in my teens. Even before the baby was born, I was attached. The father was my dastardly uncle, but I still wanted someone to love me. Someone who I can love, and the day I lost the baby was worse than anything.

I hoped and wished I would get Gabe back as I laid there in the dark.