Chapter 354

I walked into the pack house early the next morning and waited near the door for someone to stop. An omega approached me with her head turned down to the ground. “Alpha Amy?” Her voice was a soft whisper.

“Yes?” I turned to face her fully, but she refused to look up. “Can I help you?”

“Yes. The Alpha sent me here to get you.”

“What’s your name?”

“Winnie.” She was still focused on the floor.

“Do you not look up, Winnie?” Even to myself, I sounded confused.

She looked up in confusion. The black eye stood out on her pale skin. “I’m sorry?”

I reached out, and she shied away from my touch, but I followed her with quick steps. I wrapped my fingers around her chin. I tilted her head up, staring at the bruise on her face. “What’s this?” She tried to pull away, but I held her close. “I would stop pulling away, Winnie. I don’t want to accidentally hurt you as I figure this out.” She froze in my hand and her eyes grew wide. “There’s a girl.” I turned her face this way and that, looking at the swelling and color of the bruise. “This looks pretty painful.” I met her eyes. “How old are you, Winnie?”

“What?” She shook in my hands.

I smiled and used Nix to calm her down. She pushed out a pheromone that calmed young wolves. “How old are you?”

She settled, and then I saw her lip tremble. “I just turned eighteen.” I tilted my head. Why was she here? Omegas rarely start working until after they find their mates. The need to nest would be too strong.

“What are you doing here?” I whispered, and I saw her flinch. “You should be nesting.”

She looked panicked, and she tried to pull away again. “Please,” she whispered. “Please don’t make this a big deal. It will only be worse.”

I felt my insides bunch up. Something was going on with her, but I let it go. “Of course, Winnie.” I leaned in next to her, and I kissed her eye, sending a pulse of magic to heal the bruise. I sealed the floor around us so only she could hear my next words. “I’m not a stupid man. And I will not allow this to continue.” I pulled back enough to look her in the eye.

“I’m a slave. Please don’t make a big deal about this.” The word slave hit me in the chest.

“Are you nesting?” I ignored her words. She looked away, but I pulled her face back. “I won’t make a big deal, but I need you to be honest with me now. And quickly. The alphas won’t wait. Are you nesting?” She wouldn’t meet my eyes, but she nodded. “Has your heat come?” She shook her head. I swallowed the bile for my next question. “Have you been…touched?”

Her eyes snapped to mine, and I saw her fear. “No, but I won’t be spared for long. The Alpha said he was growing tired of my mother. But he made a deal with her. He said he would wait for my first natural heat before he touched me.” She trembled. “I can feel it coming. I have a few days at most.” A tear welled up in her eye.

I wiped the tear away as it fell. “Meet me here tomorrow morning, same time. Can you do that?” She nodded, but I shook my head. “Your word, Winnie. Give me your word.”

“I promise.” I saw Brandon come to the top of the stairs, and I pulled away, whisking the spell away with a finger twitch. I flicked my eyes to the top of the stairs and gave Winnie a look. She thankfully knew what I was saying. “If you can just follow me, Alpha Amy.” She turned and gestured behind us towards the stairs.

I looked up and pretended that I was seeing Brandon for the first time. “Good morning.” I smiled wide and started up the stairs. “Were you waiting for me?” I walked up the rest of the stairs and went to his side. He looked from me to Winnie.

“Why were you two standing there?” I looked back at her, and I frowned.

“I just walked in, and she came up to me, but I think I scared her. My aura was slipping because of last night.”

“Last night?”

I nodded. “Shannon was up and throwing a tantrum, telling me to stay away from you.”

Brandon turned back to me. “She said what?” His words were clipped.

“She said to stay away from you. I explained that this was my job, and that we would have to be around each other, but she still said you were hers.”

He clenched his hands. “What did you say to that?” He faced me fully, Winnie thankfully forgotten. I looked away, down the stairs, embarrassed. “Tell me.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me closer.

I looked up at him through my lashes, and I batted my eyes. “I told her the truth.”

“What truth?” He looked down at me, and I watched his eyes dilate.

“I told her you already asked me to be your luna.”