Page 148 of Psycho Beasts

Great, everyone had abandoned me.

Twenty minutes later, I stumbled to a stop at the end of the hall. Polished wood taunted me as I easily visualized my body breaking like a rag doll.

My eye twitched as I tensed my thighs and prepared to complete my greatest feat—walking down the grand stairway.

Before my big toe, which was once again missing its nail, had made contact with the top step, Walter materialized out of nowhere. “Please, stop, miss.”

I breathed a sigh of relief and returned to the flat floor, grateful that someone had saved me from myself. “Where is everyone?”

I tried to stand up straight and present an image of wellness, but my back spasmed with pain, and I reverted to a hunchback form.

“You were asleep for another two days. The girls went to school this morning, and the other alphas left to deal with some personal matters.”

My alarm must have shown on my face, because the old beta put a wrinkled hand on my arm.

“The girls will be taken care of. Aran and Jax are their escorts for their first day. The don enrolled them in Sect Schola. It is the preeminent institution for ABOs and is extremely prestigious. Don’t worry.”

Hands shaking uncontrollably from stress, I breathed slowly and tried to not hyperventilate.

The only thing that kept me from a full-blown panic attack was the fact that Aran and Jax were with them. They wouldn’t let anything happen to them.

“So everyone is gone?” I tried not to look as pathetic as I felt. As an orphaned child, it only made sense that I had deep-rooted abandonment issues.

Walter patted my hunched head. “No, Xerxes stayed behind because he wasn’t feeling well.”

The knot in my stomach loosened, and I tried not to seem too eager.

Now that I was no longer dying violently, it was time I had a mature conversation with the omega.

There was an unnamed twinkle in Walter’s eye that I hadn’t seen yet. “He’s in his room at the end of the hall. I’m sure he would like to see you.”

I nodded, catching the unspoken words.

Xerxes was in his nest.

Walter turned to pick up the bag of dirty clothes at his feet, and the soiled laundry reminded me of my values.

“Now that everyone is indisposed, I can get you out of here,” I said softly. My talk with Xerxes could wait.

Walter drew his shoulders back and rose to his full height, which was barely a few inches taller than me.

“Excuse me, miss?” The gray hair atop his lip trembled.

He was overjoyed that I was freeing him.

Once again, it was hard being such a good person.

“You don’t have to be a servant. I don’t know what Xerxes is doing to keep you here against your will, but I have money. Let me get you out of here.”

The tremble in Walter’s upper lip became a full earthquake.

Poor man was overjoyed.

“Miss, how dare you presume I don’t want to serve this house.” Walter clenched his fists, and I suddenly pictured the beta thrashing me.

“Walter,” I said calmly, because his years of oppression had confused him, “you should not work for free. It is an uncivilized and awful practice.”

Outrage over my past and the fucked-up realities that burdened people’s lives had me standing straighter and forgetting my many ailments.

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