Page 26 of Rest In Knotty Pieces

The two alphas in front of us turn and disappear. When I glance back, the two behind us have disappeared, too.

“Come on, Omega.”

There are alphas everywhere. There’s no escape. I struggle not to pant as my hands shake.

This one feels safe, though. I don’t know why. He has blue hair. That seems to make him less dangerous, I don’t know why. I’ve shoved the knowledge about the ghost deep, refusing to think about it.

He didn’t kill anyone who didn’t deserve it,a whisper in my mind says.He only killed the people hurting everyone.

He leads me back through the house in silence before leading me into the room that smells like me. The blanket on the bed is still mussed and the iris and tonka bean smell I normally hide under suppressant patches has leached into every part of the room.

King squeezes past me while I’m still frozen in the doorway and goes to the wall. He points at a gold decoration and presses it. I flinch when a door opens, sliding back and revealing a luxurious bathroom.

He points to his chest and to the door. “Outside.”

His eyes widen slightly, and I see that they are a blue-green that appear deep and somber. The panic has returned, and with a groan, he spins on his heel, almost bumping into the wall, before tucking his shoulders and rushing out of the room.

His obvious retreat dims my panic. That was almost endearing. Wait, no. These alphas can’t be trusted.

I close the door quickly and take several steps back, straining my ears to hear any sound of them.

There’s nothing.

With no choice left, I go into the bathroom, finding a bag of clothes that are all in my size. I choose a singlet and black leggings, but opt to keep the jacket the alpha gave me. Then I peel the pajamas off me and get into the shower, washing away…everything.

After a while, I stop moving, stop trying to wash myself. I just stand under the water and cry. My chest heaves, huge tears hide under the water’s spray, and I just melt down, until I’m so tired I can barely hold my head up.

I get out of the shower and move my stiffening body into the new clothes. I take one look at the bed and snatch the blanket and pillow off and slide under the massive frame.

I huddle on the floor, the cold seeping into my bones, watching the door and jerking awake in a panic with the realisation I’ve fallen asleep.

If they come…I don’t hear them, and they don’t disturb me.

Merle

It doesn’t matter that I expected it or that I heard him breathing. When I open my eyes and see the alpha lying on the ground staring at me, my heart starts thundering away in my chest, my bladder screams at me, but I’m frozen, unable to move.

Fear is an insidious thing, and I am a connoisseur.

“Morning,” he whispers and slides a cup towards me that smells of cocoa and coffee.

I scrunch into an even tighter ball, and millimeter by millimeter, I edge back until I’m almost out from under the bed. He doesn’t move, doesn’t even blink. If he wasn’t breathing, I’d think he was dead.

He bounces up, and I explode in reaction, throwing myself back, plastered against the wall, my knees tucked to my chest, arms up, ready to stop the blows from falling.

When I open my eyes, he’s staring at me with an expression of what appears to be shock and intense distress. He purses his pretty lips and slowly lowers his arms.

He blows out his cheeks and skips a few steps to the side. I spin so that I’m facing him, watching the danger he’s bringing.

Blond hair that gleams. Flashes of memories from yesterday resurface. Was it yesterday? I still don’t know where I am.

He edges closer, ignoring the way I stiffen until he’s almost within arm’s reach.

“Do you keep something sharp?” His voice is like honey. Is everything about him beautiful?

I stare at him, wondering what that means.Is he going to kill me?

He pulls out a rectangle piece of metal and shows it to me, then presses a button. The knife that springs from inside is sharp and glints in the light.