Page 45 of Knot As It Seems

But when she tilts her head and looks at me, I actually believe her. She does care. “You’ve been in here a couple of days now…” She looks towards the door, a solid wood one painted with sweet little flowers on it. It’s kind of an omega’s wet dream. But I’ll never admit to liking dainty flowers on things, I have a reputation to uphold.

“We can get into that once you’re fed. It seems you have an aversion to needles. We tried to give you an IV, but you shielded every damn time we so much as touched you. We had to pin you down and make you inhale nitrous oxide to sedate you because nothing else was getting through to you.”

I try and sit up, rubbing my eyes to note the lack of filth. “What do you mean, shielded? I don’t remember that, I’m sorry. My sister wasn’t a good person, she used to be my…caretaker, for lack of a better word. There were always needles, and never good things coming from them…”

Damn it. Beta nurse looks like I just kicked her puppy. “That would explain it, then. What’s your name, sweetheart?”

“Fable.”

She nods, then starts fidgeting with the fabric on the bed. “They were right then.” She looks at my neck, makes a face at my bond marks that I feel is a bit rude, then leans forward to check them out. “Shit. I need to go grab our doctor. She’s an alpha, but we only allow females in this facility, okay? You’re safe.”

“I’ve heard that before, but okay.”

I poke at the food she brought while waiting for her to return, but nothing reallyfeelsappetizing, even if it looks appetizing. Trust me, I’m confused, too.

The doctor comes in shortly after, dark braids twisted up into a clip all neat like she has her life together. Showoff. Round glasses with gold frames sit on her nose, just above cheekbones carrying a hint of shimmer. I can appreciate a little shimmer, because it’s a reminder that she’s more than just a doctor, she’s a person who can’t resist something shiny.

First soup, and now shimmer. I’m telling you, this is all the confirmation I need that I am genuinely safe.

“Hello, Fable, is it? I’m Dr. Brenda. I’m told your mating bites look infected. Let’s take a look, shall we? These definitely weren’t open a few days ago when we admitted you. And we don’t need to do it now, but we do have some police officers on standby that would like to take a statement from you, so we can better understand what happened to you that landed you in our facility.”

“Am I still in the Omega Resource Center?”

Dr. Brenda nods. “You sure are. You’ve never been here before. Did you recently move to Stonebrook?”

I shake my head. “I don’t think you need the full story, but basically, my parents died when I was young, so my older sister, a beta, took over. My parents meant to register me at some point after I presented, but…got too busy, I guess. My sister…she wanted to take my omega from me and tried for years to do it.” I swallow roughly, accept the water cup again and take a few sips before continuing.

“I thought I was going to die in that house, multiple times. In the end, Winslow died first because the bloodtransfusions she kept giving herself to smell like me ended up poisoning her. My alphas, who were her alphas, but I think only because she smelled like me? I’m a little unclear on that still, found me, got me out, and that’s where I’ve been since. I thought things were going well. They bonded me and everything. Well, most of them. There was one hold out…”

I finally make myself look up, only to see both the nurse and the doctor staring at me wide-eyed, jaws dropped, and I think that maybe that’s my first clue that this is a bigger deal than I’ve led myself to believe. That my story is incredibly traumatic.

I’ve understood for a while that Winslow was not treating me properly, but to see two strangers this taken aback by the barest hint of details tells me that I need to work through some shit.

Dr. Brenda shakes herself out of her stupor before reapplying her professional face. “Fable. What you’re saying is…it sounds like a ruse, and I wouldn’t believe it if you weren’t in front of me to tell it to me. Your sister was trying to steal your omega? And your alphas; are they scent matches, by chance?”

I nod, feeling more hot tears escape my eyes. Unravelling all of this is painful. Every time I find room to breathe, to lift my head up a little bit, something else happens and I’m swept under a new wave of emotions as I process it. My nervous system is exhausted.

“I see. Did you know you could shield?”

I hold my hands out in front of me, studying them like I’ve never seen them before. I was too out of it when I was admitted to remember doing what they’re telling meI did, but if I put my focus on the tips of my fingers, I feel a warmth, a bit like a low electric current, coating them. When I try and tug that sensation higher, it slides over my arms like long gloves, giving my entire arms a faint blue sheen around them.

Sometimes, purebreds get extra abilities if they’re exposed to traumatic things, an evolutionary way of helping us protect ourselves. Sure would have been nice to discover it when Winslow was still around and doing daily torture sessions on me.

“No.”

Dr. Brenda nods like she expected this. “I should probably let you know that your alphas are currently in custody, and have been since we checked you in, because we needed you to corroborate their story before we could clear them.”

This news should make me feel some kind of way, shouldn’t it? I still feel numb. “Okay. Can I go back to sleep now?”

I feel them both studying me, and I think that means I said the wrong thing.

“I’m concerned about your reaction. Your bonded alphas are in a holding cell and you’re just...placid. Can you tell me what’s going on inside your head right now?”

“Can I talk to them? I think I should do that, shouldn’t I?”

The bonds are blessedly muted now, scraps. Maybe if I ever get out of here and they let them go, Winslow’s pack will finally realize I’m more trouble than I’m worth.

I’m trying to distance myself from them but even calling themWinslow’spack in my head has me thinking too hardabout them, remembering too many details. I get a flash of being stuck in that supply closet with Monet, the way he felt underneath me when he was breathing raggedly and gripping onto my bare skin. I recall the way Clement looked at me when he walked into that restaurant and sought me out, all but kicking Anderson out of his spot so he could sit next to me and commandeer my night. The way…Anderson…would sleep between me and any door so that he could protect me, and the tender way he kisses me on the forehead.