“So formal,” Pa said as he lowered himself into a wingback chair, patting the seat next to him for me to take. “But if the boy has other business to attend to?”
“I do, thank you, Grandfather.”
And with that, Theo exited stage left as quickly as possible, leaving just me and the two alphas who would decide my destiny.
“Of course in my day, the easiest way for a woman to trap a man was to get pregnant,” Pa said, consulting the deep brown liquid as he swirled it in his glass. “Harder to achieve now, with modern contraception, but still.” He regarded the two of us in one long look. “Terribly effective. What brings an alpha’s instincts out like a breeding omega?”
He smiled then, somehow dissipating the tension in the room and yet not doing that at all. I sat perfectly still, the cool of the leather chair chilling the backs of my legs right down to the bone.
They sat and talked for some time, about how the family businesses were going and who was doing what right now, my uncles and aunts, their children. The update was nothing if not comprehensive, and I was required to sit there, smile when a comment was directed my way, and otherwise be a passive witness to their collective greatness, one I could only augment by being chosen to be some alpha’s mate. Then Pa got to his feet, said he was going upstairs to lie down for a while, not to be disturbed, but the look he shot my father and me as he walked out was a knowing one, because we were both aware of what conversation would come next.
“Kit, I’m going to ask that you refrain from taking suppressants going forward.”
“Of course, Father.”
“And I’ll get the doctor to take a look at you, see if the contraceptive implant he gave you is suitable. You have complained of quite a few headaches and some cramping?”
That had been going on for years, the migraines, when they came, were debilitating, but Dad had been adamant about the implant in my arm.
“Yes, Father.”
“Then it’s time to look at other options. Wouldn’t want you to be experiencing such pain.” I just nodded dully, my head dropping lower and lower, in anticipation of what was to come. “And where are you at…in yourself.”
This was code for my state of arousal, how close I w
as to frenzy. Had I been sucking down alpha pheromones? Was my body readying itself, dripping slick in preparation for alpha cock?
“I like James a lot,” I replied simply, seeing him, feeling his hands on my elbows, telling me all the wicked things he wanted to do to the two of us. Then there was the promise of collecting Tris and me, letting us just spend some time on the bed that was saturated by his scent, hours and hours of it as we just were together, in the same room, as the pencil scratched over paper in the background. I didn’t have to feign wiping my brow with the back of my hand, something Dad noted with a keen eye. “I…I feel like I’m close to something with him, even after one date.”
“Frenzy, Kit,” he corrected in a warm, understanding tone. “My clever girl. When an omega recognises her other half, it can come on awfully sharply. Can turn a girl’s head altogether, leave her in a tailspin. You’ll need to lean on James, trust him to guide you through this.”
God, Dad had no idea how his sinister words were colouring James’ much more enticing scenarios, right when I couldn’t reveal a single detail of them.
“Go and rest, kitten,” he said, finally releasing me from this fucking hell, and I was up and out of my seat as soon as he gave me leave. “You’ll need it for what’s to come.”
I didn’t reply, didn’t say a word until I was up the stairs, in my room, the door shut tight behind me, and my phone out of my bag a second later. I pulled open the encrypted message service I used, sending James and Len a link to Tris and I’s chat. Once that was done, I tapped out a message, telling the three of them what my father planned, not even sure what the consequences of confessing this would be but unable to stop myself. This, this kind of sneaky, underhanded shit, was the only means of control omegas were allowed to have.
T: The fuck? That bastard…
That was all Tristan replied, the three dots bouncing as I watched, and I knew why. His teeth would be grinding against each other, his muscles locked down in suppressed rage as he considered what my family was prepared to do.
L: Everything’s going to be OK, omegas.
J: Apart from the blatant disregard for Kit’s bodily autonomy, this may be something we can turn to our advantage, give us the freedom to explore what we need to. It doesn’t matter where we go or what we do if all your parents want is to keep you in frenzy and hopefully bring on your heat. We’ll need to be much more circumspect when it comes to my family. Any attempt to entrap me would be viewed very poorly.
L: So we pretend to get ready to impregnate Kit for her family and pretend we aren’t for yours. Nothing’s simple with you lot.
J: Sleep, Kit. I’ll be with you tonight at the gallery opening. Though perhaps in light of your father’s machinations, another visit to Abaddon might be in order?
L: I’m in.
Me: I’m in.
T: I’m in on one proviso. No matter what happens with Kit tonight, when we’re in the club, she’s mine.
Me: Always.
J: Done.