Chapter 6

Chapter

Six

Ishivered, blinking dry eyes open to the dark room. Only small peeks of light came in through what appeared to be blackout curtains, swept over wide windows.

I didn't feel as hot as I did, nor did I feel the urge to get sick immediately. My brain, however, seemed to want to stage a breakout attempt, pounding behind my eyes.

But for the first time, I felt… awake.

A cold glass was shoved into my hands.

I looked up at who put it there, immediately noting the scent of herbal citrus that seemed in contrast to the brisk and dangerous-looking man sitting next to me on the bed. I couldn't believe I hadn't smelled so much before, my body cutting me off from the entire world for so long.

Now I smelled everything. Felt everything, including how good the sweatshirt wrapped around me was.

God, it smelled like the best warm delicious coffee in the world. Chai tea and sweet cinnamon buns.

I couldn"t help but think it wasn"t for the better.

"Drink. It's water."

Taking a sip, the cold water was heaven on my tongue.

"Do you remember my name?" the large man asked.

Large Alpha.

I peered at him as the water was taken away, unwilling to tear my eyes away from the bear of a man. He was wide set and covered with tattoos. I should've been terrified, but my body had other plans, lighting me back up like a sparkler.

I squirmed as if my heart might've skipped a beat. That couldn't have been healthy. "Mark?"

"Close enough, little omega," he murmured, voice deep and grumbling. "It"s Marko."

I cringed.

"You don't like me calling you that."

"I'm not an omega," I croaked.

He put the glass back into my hand and motioned for me to keep drinking.

I emptied that glass too while he talked.

"You are and you know it," Marko said blandly. His voice was just still raw and husky sounding as I think I heard it the other night, though he didn't clear his throat. "How are you feeling?"

I narrowed my eyes at him, trying to figure out why he was talking so low. "Are you sick?"

He studied me right back with a strong shake of his head. "No. Why?"

I shrugged. I didn't want to be rude.

I could barely keep myself sitting up. To be honest, I was still tired, but then again, I knew I slept more and better than I had in ages. The bed was so soft and comfy even though the sheets were a little scratchy at the corners.

I picked at one with the edge of my nail, looking away from the alpha that made my heart pound in my chest.

"Probably still feel like shit."

He wasn"t wrong. If I didn't remember what happened—the perfume, the heat— I would've guessed that I was hit by a truck.

"You had a reaction from coming off your medication we think– and being on it in the first place," he went on. "But we'll start nice."

This was nice?

"I'm going to need you to answer some questions."

Didn't mean I was going to answer them. I was coherent now, but still not stupid. I shuffled my body to try to get off the bed. "I want to go back home."

Marko put up a hand to stop me, but he didn't touch me. "Okay. Questions first."

"Then I get to leave…" I looked around to see if there was anyone else in here with me aside from this alpha. Alpha.

Why didn't my mind scream danger when I looked up at him?

It should. Danger.

"Where is Cal?" I asked.

"Downstairs. Do you need me to get him?"

He still hadn't answered my first question. I shifted my weight again as if I could easily pounce out of the bed and make a run for it back home. The likelihood I'd make it was low, but not nonexistent.

I couldn't believe it was nonexistent.

"You didn't want me to take you to the city omega haven or service centers," he said. It wasn't a question, but it was meant as one.

I shook my head. "I'm fine."

"Have you ever been there?"

I shook my head once more, clearing my throat.

At the sound, the guy that I remembered brought me here with Cal handed me another glass of water from the nightstand. There was a big pitcher of cold water there, just waiting, like they'd knew I'd need it. I took a long sip, if not because I was dying of thirst anymore, definitely to buy some time. "I– I can't go. I'm not an omega."

"Now on that, we are going to have to disagree once again." He inhaled, voice gruff. "Are you in danger? Is that why you didn't want me to take you there? All you need to do is yes or no so that we can make a plan."

I paused for a long time. Stared at him.

He stared back with just as much intensity.

Was this it? Was I going to trust him? Trust all of these alphas I heard about and saw pictures of, besides of course, the one that was standing in front of me. I mean, I trusted Cal who said they were kind and good but… I looked behind Marko towards the door.

I didn't see Cal here.

Did he run away when he found out what I was? Did he not… want me anymore now?

"We're not going to hurt you here."

I only stared at him and towards the door where I could tell there were more people still in the house, somewhere. It was quiet though, almost too quiet for a house full of men. "Okay."

At my agreement or lack of, the alpha chuckled. "Okay, then."

"How long have I been here?" I asked.

"About two days."

I was asleep for two days? My heart stopped, eyes widened as I tried to move and get up. I was promptly stopped with a raised hand.

It was only a night. I swore it was only one night that I fell asleep. Yet I was still so tired. I had to get back home. Wait, no. I had to get back home so that I could get back to campus. I had to get back to work.

I couldn"t get to work and risk losing my job. "It's Monday?"

Marko dipped his head.

Rita hadn't heard from me too. She was probably freaking out right now.

My hands flew to my head and Marko's eyes widened. "Is your head okay? Are you in pain?"

"I need to go."

Slowly, Marko shook his head. "You're going through a withdrawal, Ella."

"I have things I need to do."

"Right now, you need to rest." He said, his tone final. His hand reached towards me, however, softly, stopping an inch before my knee. "Lay down unless you want another sip of water. Do you need to use the bathroom?"

I needed to get out of here, not pee in front of the hot bodybuilder. I needed to get away from this alpha.

DANGER.

There it was. Finally, my instincts were kicking back in.

"W- Where is Cal?"

"I can get him for you."

"No." I stopped him. In my haste, I nearly jumped on top of him. I quickly shifted backward, though my hasty movement made the corner of the alpha's lip curl. "It's fine. He probably hates me anyway."

If he didn't want to see me, I didn't want to force him to. I lied after all. I omitted. I was terrible when all I did was give him crap for not telling me about his pack.

I probably wouldn't want to see me either.

"Cal doesn"t hate you." I didn't reply. "Calm down. It'll only cause more stress to the rest of your body right now."

Calm down? Did he seriously just tell me to calm down?

"Sleep so that you can feel better, and we will figure out what happens from there. We'll make a plan."

So he said before.

They'll figure it out. They'll decide.

It seemed like they already decided exactly what would become of me, keeping me locked in here. This room. This house. I was never going to get out again. Everything I worked for, for years, was for nothing.

This couldn't be happening.

My brother would be so disappointed.

I swallowed, feeling emotion begin to well. I needed to stop it.

"Calm down, little omega."

"I can"t calm down!" But, if I calmed down, maybe he'd leave. I could think of my plan. I could take care of myself just fine after all. I just needed to figure out my next steps.

Step one, calm my stupid emotions and my stupid hormones down.

Two, make sure that the big, tatted guy leaves me alone and doesn't look like a flight risk.

Three, yeah, I was going to be a flight risk.

Then I could maybe figure out a way to get back home or to work and if I needed to run away, I could. I could start over.

I just didn't want to.

My chest clenched.

Whatever I managed to do to breathe deeply, Marko grunted a sound that appeared to mean that he was pleased with my decision to lay back down. I clenched my eyes closed and waited until I heard him head towards the door, shutting it on his way out.