21. Ella

Chapter 21

Ella

T he day has finally come…

The day I give the pack my list.

In the end, I only had one instruction for them to do. Upon Brody’s advice, of course. I may have even thrown in a few extras, but the main one at the top of my list is the most important.

It may just be the thing that makes or breaks our pack.

We have gathered in the living room for one of Brody’s meetings, and there was no missing the smug look on Alastor’s face.

I bet he is remembering the time in my nest.

Brody and I used him like a sex toy in the end, and honestly, it felt good.

It felt good to get back at one of the Alphas who hurt me. Alastor has made many strides since the days he treated me like a sex toy, but I needed it.

I needed to feel in control.

Alastor had enjoyed every moment, so it wasn’t much of a punishment, but it was hot as hell.

I’d felt powerful. Unstoppable.

And best of all, Brody was there to help me. Each Alpha has knotted him, so he knows what he’s doing in that department.

I thought I was going to explode at one point. Alastor had just felt too big, too much at one point.

But then the pain settled into bliss, and it had been one of the best sensations of my life.

As amazing as his knot felt, though, nothing could compare to having the feeling of Brody inside me…

So, each Alpha can eat their hearts out.

Theo is just arriving from work, and I try to ignore the stirring in my pussy when I spy him in his uniform.

He's all in black armor, and my Omega can’t help herself.

It does amazing things for his physique.

The last Alphas who dressed like that had treated me like shit, so I push thoughts of my former jailers aside and focus on the present.

Those Alphas are long gone.

Now the only jerks I have to deal with are the Alphas in Pack Titan.

When Theo crosses his arms in the corner of the room, his dark eyes land on me briefly, and I look away before he spies the blush on my face.

He may be an asshole, but he’s a hot asshole, and that just makes him even more insufferable.

Still, the black suits him. Almost matches the infinite blackness of his eyes.

Those two black holes that slowly suck you into oblivion.

A shudder wracks down my spine and Brody regards me curiously. Then his soft brown eyes find Theo and he grinds his teeth.

He knows that Theo’s presence still bothers me, but we need him in the room for this to work.

If I want my plan to work, then I need to adjust.

Scars and all.

Theo is staying in the garage now. And he has even given up his place as pack lead to the smug prick known as Alastor.

He even went back to work for Gryphon.

So, he is barely ever present.

Could he have taken the job for my sake? Knowing how I feel about him?

I have kept a wide berth from him since I returned. Because every time I see him, I recall the time in the kitchen, the time when he barred me access to Brody’s nest.

Brody barely spends time in his nest now. Since Kellen finished his renovations, we’ve pretty much moved into mine.

It's our own little paradise. One that only Alastor is allowed to enter temporarily.

He didn’t spend the night in the end, and I have a feeling Brody just wanted me to himself, but I’d been too out of it to argue.

Brody is strangely very possessive, and maybe he should participate in the tasks I have planned for the Alphas.

After all, teamwork is involved.

But honestly, he gets a pass. He doesn’t even get considered for this exercise to begin with because he is perfect and doesn’t need to change.

He’s always been there for me. Right from the start.

He's my Omega, and if he wants to tear down every Alpha in the world in order to keep me for himself, so be it.

“Now, are we all gathered?” Brody asks, looking at each alpha briefly before peering at me.

Alastor smirks. “Well, your pack lead is accounted for.”

He snickers, eyes glowing as they find Theo, but the former pack lead is stalwart. A true soldier, and maybe he is changing.

Alastor tries to goad Theo but fails every time.

The Alpha can just not be penetrated.

However, Kellen falls for it every time, always giving Alastor what he wants.

I think Alastor is pining for a fight, which is exactly why I have proposed my plan.

It's time these Alphas learned to see eye to eye.

Brody smiles at me. “Well, go on, Ella. Let them hear it.”

With a deep breath, I gaze down at my list. My hands are shaking, and Brody places his fingers on my elbow.

“It’s okay, Ella. You got this…”

I do.

But my words feel like ash in my mouth. After all, who am I to make these conditions? I’m an outsider…

It's Theo’s voice that repeats that word in my mind, filling me with doubt, and it seems I’m not wholly healed.

“My… my first condition is for… is for…”

Wow. I sound so fragile, and I always considered myself a strong Omega. But I guess that’s what heartbreak can do to a strong girl.

It can make her weak.

Fucking men.

Fucking Alphas…

“ My first condition is for Theo.”

The room falls so silent, I’m surprised the others can’t hear my heartbeat.

It’s pounding.

Theo doesn’t stir but I know he is having a reaction. From my periphery, he slumps slightly. But it’s a minute gesture as he corrects his posture immediately, preparing for my condition.

In the end, I could only come up with one. I wasn’t so sure at first, but Brody told me it was brilliant.

It was his idea.

Apparently, I am not the only one Theo has hurt, and I am not talking about his fellow comrades in arms.

I’m aware he tortured and killed another prison guard who had been stationed with him at the prison, but when I heard that the guard had tried to kill Belle, then I was glad.

That must have been after Belle and I first met since we were placed in the same cell at first.

To think that Theo and I could have crossed paths much earlier makes me shudder.

“Go on, Ella, let him hear it,” Brody says.

Finally, I finish, “I want Theo to find every kid he bullied throughout school and seek their forgiveness.”

There. Finally, off my chest.

As I said, it was Brody’s idea, and he has a devious grin the whole time.

Theo inhales through his nose. Alastor laughs behind his hand and Kellen is slack-jawed.

“Wait… he has to apologize to every kid?” the redhead asks.

“That’s right,” I reply.

I personally thought it was a little silly. I mean, how the hell is Theo supposed to track down every kid he bullied?

“It’s genius. That’ll show him…” Alastor snickers, finally earning a growl from Theo.

“Quiet, Alastor,” Brody warns, peering at Theo. “Well? Have any objections?”

Theo shuts his eyes, closing his fists. “I don’t even remember half of their names.”

Brody sighs. “Of course you don’t. Because you’re a typical bully.”

“But…” Theo protests and Brody raises his brows.

“Go on?”

The Alpha face palms, having no argument to give. He’s perspiring, and it makes his skin slick with moisture.

It's a lot to unload on someone and a bit random.

Alastor continues cackling like a cartoon villain and Brody turns on him. “Oh, like you never picked on anyone in school.”

Alastor throws his hands up. “I honestly didn’t. I was the kind of kid that got bullied. I wore chains on my jeans and listened to heavy metal.”

I wouldn’t know; I never got the chance to go to school.

Alastor continues, “And Kellen’s pale with freckles, so he probably had it bad at school, too.”

Kellen fumes. “Hey, freckles are kisses from the sun! But… yeah… the kids were cruel…”

I almost feel bad for him now, and no wonder he is so obsessed with his red hair.

Damn, are kids that mean? Where they will pick on someone for having freckles or a fashion sense that doesn’t fit the norm?

“But Theo’s your typical jock. I bet all the girls wanted him and all the guys wanted to be him…” Alastor sneers up at Theo, and I think I finally get why he wanted Theo’s position.

Alphas like Theo get everything handed to them, no matter how many people they step on just to get to the top. They’re the popular boys at school, and Alastor, being the weird kid once, wanted to beat him at something for once.

I bet Theo reminds Alastor of every jock who bullied him.

Alastor smirks. “It’s fine. As soon as I manifested as Alpha, all those jock pricks were soon shitting bricks. Many of them stayed Beta.”

Beta being the default designation in our society, of course, since we’re all Beta at birth.

Alpha and Omega characteristics don’t come until later. Usually around puberty.

Since I was taken at three, it was years before I manifested as Omega, and I guess the warden took a huge gamble on me.

The bastard.

“So, Theo, care to share your thoughts?” Brody asks.

Finally, the Alpha glances up and his eyes find mine. “Fine. I will find every kid I picked on and apologize.”

“Kellen and I can supervise and ensure that he keeps his word,” Alastor chimes in, and Theo shows him his teeth again.

“That’s actually not a bad idea. Thoughts, Ella?” Brody looks at me.

Alastor and Kellen will pick on him the whole time, but I suppose it can be sort of a team exercise for them.

“Sure.”

Alastor sneers at Theo and I guess that settles it.

Theo is going to find every kid he bullied and apologize.

While I know he won’t be able to find every child, even just one would be enough. It’s his way of giving back to the universe.

To right all his wrongs.

That way, he can slowly make his way to earning back my trust.

If I can see that he is capable of change, then sure, I may just find it in my heart to forgive him.

But he has a long road yet.

I’m just about to give my final condition before Brody stops me, whispering, “Later… let’s see how this exercise goes first.”

A smile takes over my face and I nod along.

I see where he is going.

This exercise can be a precursor to their later one. If they can get through this, then they can surely get through what Brody and I have in store for them later.

“Anything else?” Alastor asks, looking at my list.

I fold it up and put it away, shaking my head.

The Alpha looks relieved that I didn’t have a condition for him. Brody and I thought it over, and we think that Alastor has managed to make things up to me.

He found me and got me the cat.

And Kellen, too. He may be a slow learner, but he gets there in the end.

He built me the nest and a damn good one too at that.

Theo is falling behind. He needs to catch up. And this may just be the turning point for him.

Only time will tell how it all plays out.

I just hope Theo doesn’t let us all down.