3. Caja

Chapter 3

Caja

I stare at the handsome Alpha, his words ringing through my thoughts.

Bautista's dead .

"You're sure?" I ask, my voice not giving away the chaos unfolding inside of me. Because I have no idea what this means for me. Or where I'm to go next. Another sector? To a new Alpha?

Can I go with this one? I wonder, then wince inside at the idea.

I don't even know him.

But I… I kind of want to know him.

"Yes," he says, confusing me for half a beat before I recall the question I asked about him being certain that Alpha Bautista is dead. "I shot him," Enrique adds, swallowing. "He was helping to guard Carlos, and…" He shrugs, somehow looking both apologetic and unrepentant at the same time.

"Oh." My nose wrinkles. "I didn't realize he was still here." I assumed he left me in that cage and returned to our pack.

But no.

He stayed.

And now he's dead .

"Oh," I repeat, blinking. I really don't know how to feel about this information. I honestly… don't feel much at all.

Elias clears his throat. "You don't need to decide where you want to go right now," he tells me. "But I will need an answer soon."

I glance at the other Alpha and nod. "Okay." Although, I have no idea what decision he expects me to make. I know nothing about the sectors he mentioned. My entire world is Bariloche Sector. My Alpha. And Alpha Carlos.

Who will I be now?

"All right, we have to go to the next group, but if you need anything, just call for us," Elias says as he stands once more. "We'll be back for your final decisions."

Hel and Guerún nod.

I just stare at Enrique, already missing him despite the fact that he hasn't moved yet. Is this strange fascination a result of him freeing me from my cage or something else? I wonder, taking in his handsome features once more. Why am I so enamored with this Alpha? Is it his perfect features? His kind eyes?

"What would you like to wear?" he asks me instead of standing like the other Alpha. "Sweater? Jeans? A dress?"

My eyelashes flutter, confusion clouding my thoughts. "I… I don't own any clothes." My Alpha made that very clear when he forced me to strip before getting in the cage.

"Those are mine," he sneered. "Take them off."

I shiver now, recalling the way his eyes tracked over me after I disrobed. Disgust and hate radiated from his dark eyes—so similar to my own.

"I should have killed you when you were a pup."

Then he shoved me into the crate.

And left.

"Caja," Enrique murmurs, drawing my attention to his mouth. "What do you usually wear back home?"

"Whatever my caretaker gives me," I tell him, blinking before raising my gaze to his.

He's emitting that delicious purr again, causing my wolf to stir in my soul. His woodsy scent intrigues me, too. I want to bury my nose against his chest and wrap my arms around his big shoulders, and never let go.

"Is that usually a dress or jeans?" he presses.

I shrug. "A sack." Which I suppose could be like a dress? "I'm okay with this blanket," I tell him. "Thank you."

He stares at me for a long moment before glancing up at Elias. "I'm going to find her something to wear. Can you handle the next group?"

Elias gives him a strange look, one I can't quite define. Amused, maybe? Playful? "Sure," he drawls, his tone holding a funny note to it.

Humor ? I think, uncertain. I sometimes heard my brothers use that tone when talking to one another, but I never found the content of their amusement to be very funny.

Enrique brushes his knuckles down my cheek before standing and looking at Elias. "Howl for me if you need me."

"Just send Sven my way," Elias replies. "He can help while you go on your mission." He turns away, then pauses and says, "Don't let Kaz tag along with him. He'll scare the Omegas."

Enrique grunts but doesn't reply, simply walks away and gives me a view of his athletic backside again.

"Are you close to your heat cycle?" Hel asks, the question apparently for me because she's looking right at me.

"I… I don't know. I've never had one." My Alpha put me on suppressants for the last two years, saying something about Alpha Carlos wanting to make my first heat explosive . Whatever that meant. "Why do you ask?"

"Because you're eyeing that Alpha like he's a meal you want to devour," she replies, her expression knowing.

"I…" I don't know how to reply to that. Because I can't tell if she's teasing me or chiding me. "He was… kind to me." It sounds lame. But it's all I can think to say in response.

"He was nice," Paige agrees. "They both were."

"That doesn't mean we can trust them," Hel says quietly, her blue gaze scanning our surroundings. "I don't know what's going on, but I'm running the first chance I get."

Guerún frowns. "They said they'll take us wherever we want to go, so I'm not sure running is wise."

"They'll also catch us," Paige mutters. "X-Clan Alphas are fast . Trust me, I know from experience."

"It also sounded like they'll put you in touch with your brother," Guerún adds. "Are you close to him?"

Hel answers, but I don't quite catch it because Enrique jogs across the field, demonstrating some of that speed Paige just mentioned.

My gaze follows his long, athletic strides, my head tilting to the side.

"You're drooling," Hel drawls loudly.

"Can't really blame her," Paige murmurs, her voice underlined with appreciation. "He's hot. And, as she said, he seems nice."

" Seems being the operative word in that sentence," Hel points out.

"They killed Alpha Carlos and all his generals," a new voice informs us as another X-Clan Omega joins our circle. "I wouldn't say they're nice , but I definitely consider them an upgrade from the previous regime."

The four of us stare at her, but it's Hel who begins the introductions.

"Wendy" is the new girl's name. Apparently, Elias sent her our way to be part of our group. "I told him I want to go back home, so he said to come sit over here."

My lips curl down at her words. I don't want to go home.

But I don't really know where to go.

Will they send me back to my brothers ? I wonder, shivering. With my Alpha being dead, I… I don't know if my brothers will even accept me.

They'll probably kill me.

Maybe Hel is right about running…

But where can I even run to?

I have nowhere to go. Nowhere to hide. No one to lean on for support.

I don't even know where I am. Bariloche Sector, obviously. However, I don't know what that's near. I don't even know where any of the sectors the others mentioned are located.

Wildborn Sector.

Savage Sector.

Cusco Sector.

The vampire called her home a nest , a term most Omegas would usually consider to be safe. But my nest was never safe. And the vampire herself said there's nowhere for her to go.

My fingers curl into fists, my heart beginning to pound a little too fast. Calm down, I tell myself. You'll upset the Alphas.

I close my eyes and breathe, the technique one I mastered over the years.

In and out.

In and out.

In… The thought trails off as the scent of evergreens fills my nostrils. So, so good… Soothing. Addicting.

I lean toward that scent, only to nearly topple over in the process.

A strong hand catches me before I can fall, his skin hot against my bare shoulder.

"Caja?" Enrique's voice causes my gaze to snap right up to where he's crouching before me.

The other Omegas are silent, their gazes wide.

"Are you all right?" he asks me.

I swallow and nod. "Just, um, maybe hungry?" The term escapes me before I think better of it.

Of course, hearing it aloud reminds me of what Hel said about me looking at Enrique like I want to devour him.

My cheeks heat in response, my thighs tingling with a strange sort of sensation.

Oh, moons, I'm being ridiculous.

I've never acted this way around an Alpha before.

Although, no Alpha has ever been like this one.

Enrique studies me, a little crease forming in his brow. "What do you want to eat?" he asks me.

Hel snorts, then coughs to cover her laugh.

Fortunately, the Alpha ignores her.

I glance at the boxes of food that I haven't touched yet and shrug. "This is fine."

"If it's fine, why haven't you eaten it yet?"

Because I've been distracted, I think, swallowing again. "I'm a little overwhelmed," I say instead.

His expression softens as he sits on the ground next to me. "That's understandable. But you're safe now. All of you," he says, looking at the others. "I realize that's probably hard to believe, and it's going to take some time to trust us. That's fine. We understand."

He holds out something blue for me.

"I wasn't sure of your size, so I found a dress," he explains after I take the fabric from his hands. "Why don't you put that on while I investigate the boxes?"

My fingers run across the texture, my senses suddenly hyperaware of the sensation.

I've never felt anything this soft before. It's so silky and smooth. Everything I wore back home was scratchy or too warm. This feels… heavenly .

Dropping the blanket, I work on spreading out the dress to determine the front from the back.

It has sleeves , I marvel. And it's long .

So unique.

It's different from what the other Omegas are wearing, too.

Hel has on dark pants and a long-sleeved V-neck shirt with a leather waist cincher. Guerún's in jeans and a tank top, similar to Paige and Wendy.

And I have this pretty dress , I think, lifting it up to pull over my head. It resembles a waterfall against my skin, sliding downward into place and hugging my svelte form. I go to my knees and do a little shimmy to push it over my hips, then watch it glide over my thighs.

I love it, I decide, placing the blanket beneath me so I don't have to sit on the ground in this beautiful gown. "Thank you," I say, finally looking at Enrique again.

He's staring at me with a look that makes me wonder if he's as starved for food as I am. Because he looks ready to eat me.

The other Omegas have backed away a little, giving us some space. I'm not quite sure why. But I don't mind. Enrique doesn't scare me.

"You're welcome." He clears his throat. "Right, um, food." He rips his gaze away from me and starts shuffling around the boxes.

I don't really pay attention to what he hands me, instead choosing to accept whatever he deigns to give me. However, when he places a water bottle in front of me, I immediately grab it and chug half the contents without bothering to breathe.

It's dangerous.

I have no idea when I'll be gifted with more to drink, but I feel like I haven't had any water in days .

Closing my eyes, I savor the hydration and give in to my need to drink more. By the time I finish, the bottle is empty and I nearly whine in protest.

Except two more containers of water have magically appeared before me.

I tentatively reach for one, almost expecting it to be a trick.

When it's not, I accept the small miracle and drink my fill. This time, I have about a fourth left when I'm finally done, and I release a relieved sigh.

Starvation and dehydration are not new concepts for me. Actually, I've learned to live with them. But sometimes being given water is almost worse because I get to a point where I don't feel much at all, then the drink reminds me just how thirsty I really am.

It's a horrible consequence of giving in to my needs.

Fortunately, Enrique hasn't taken the other bottle away.

Actually… I frown down at the blanket around me. There's three more bottles . I gape up at him. "Are these all for me?" I ask him.

He shrugs. "I can get more if you need them. But you need to eat, too." He gestures to the items I dropped in favor of the water. I don't even remember doing that. "There's fruit and?—"

"Enrique!" Elias calls from the field, his gaze intense as he stares at the other Alpha. "I need your language skills."

Enrique nods. "Be right there," he says in a normal voice, then looks at me once more. "Eat, Caja. I won't be pleased if I come back and find out you haven't touched anything other than water. So please try, okay?"

I shiver, liking his subtle dominance. It's reassuring in a way that pleases my wolf, making me long to obey him. "Yes, Alpha."

"Enrique," he corrects me. "Call me Enrique."

"Yes… Enrique."

He smiles. "Muy bien, peque?o tesoro," he murmurs. Very good, little treasure. "I'll be back to check on you in a bit." He runs his knuckles down my cheek like he has a few times before, then pushes away to jog toward Elias.

I enjoy the view again.

Then I focus on the food, just like he requested.

And hope he returns soon.