Page 3 of Knot Your Rebel

There wasn’t one person willing to speak up? Did everyone turn a blind eye?

How did people like Eberly Gretchen even get accepted as legitimate caretakers? If anything, they were clearly far worse predators than strangers on the street. These ones lived under the same roof as you and creeped around in the night like lowlifes, preying on those weaker than themselves.

Alpha men, like my foster mother’s boyfriend, who preyed on pretty, little beta girls and those who present as omegas.

I remember the first few times he’d come into my room. He was nice to me. He groomed me by bringing me gifts and treated me like I meant something. The first time he touched me, and I said no, he smacked me. Told me to be the lowlife foster kid everyone expected. He’d laughed. No one wanted me, he'd said. No one would care. He’d told me he was just taking what was on offer because I’d never find anyone better. I owed it to him because Miss Gretchen was allowing me to live in her house scott free.

He preyed on my conscience, knowing full well my fear of being alone. I started to believe what he said; that maybe I would never be good enough.

I became his prize. Something for him to claim. He could have my body. He could knot me and make sure it hurt every single time. Sure, but he’d never have my heart or my mind. I’d locked that shit up and thrown away the key.

I never wanted to know what a knot felt like less. The pain consumes my mind as I remember the first time he shoved it into my young, already overstretched, omega pussy. To pretend I wouldn’t be gun shy over taking a knot in the future was an understatement.

The few times, he’d had buddies over, and they’d leer and smirk at me as they demanded more beer like they knew what he was doing to me. I’d see them pat him on the back in reverence of the fact that he was able to “give it to me.” I’d heard the remarks of how much I liked it, being an alphas little omega whore.

I became even more of a shell of myself.

My happiness had been torn away at a young age, followed by the death of my parents, the treatment of one Eberly Gretchen, and finally, the horrors of the foster houses and children I’d lived with since their death was almost unbearable.

I finally started planning my escape. I was broken. Staying in this hell hole had me spiraling toward certain death, whether it be because I fought back one day or because I took a razor blade to my wrists. It wasn’t the brightest idea, but when you’re a teenager, most of your ideas aren’t that great.

A few months later, I met Brad. Anyone would’ve fallen for him, really. He’d given me everything I thought I wanted; safety, comfort, security, and even love. Or what his twisted version of love would be.

I told myself I’d never again be a prize for anyone else.

But, sometimes, we tell ourselves the prettiest lies…

two - rebel

. . .

The first few months after I moved in with Brad, I knew it would be a difficult adjustment living with him only after being in houses full of people day in and day out. The comfort of being alone soothed a part of me, and it made me happy, a feeling I wasn’t always familiar with.

My soul yearned to be fiercely craved by another; to find someone who would give unconditional affection. Someone who wouldn’t give me fake platitudes to woo me over before I came to the fucked up reality of it all being an illusion for show.

I’d met Brad at a club in the city mostly for alphas and omegas, although betas went sometimes, too. It was a specific club Nova had dragged me out to on my eighteenth birthday. He’d been sitting at the bar when I caught his eye, or rather, he caught mine with that sharp jawline, five o’clock shadow, and the greenest eyes I’d ever seen, once I got closer. His hair was a mess of strawberry blonde that I imagined gleamed in the sun.

He was definitely a bit older than me, given the gray hairs speckled through his mustache. I should’ve been afraid of him. I’d seen what older alphas could do.

I even assumed he was an alpha because not many betas would hang out in a club like this, but I’d been wrong.

Nova had elbowed me, pressuring me to go talk to him. “Girlfriend, he’s looking at you like you’re the biggest slice of apple pie he’s ever seen. He wants to gobble you right up, and with the way he looks? I’d take him up on that offer in a heartbeat.” I’d playfully swatted her but ended up walking over anyhow.

Nova followed along behind me, being my wing girl. As soon as I’d gotten closer, I realized his scent wasn’t as strong and overpowering as an alphas. It cradled me in a warm hug, enveloping my body completely, and I was more than willing to let it as he got up and stepped closer, the heat of his own body melting into mine.

“Let me buy you a drink.” He leaned in to whisper in my ear, and I was thankful I could even hear him over the thumping bass of the room behind us. The tone of his voice was warm and raspy, something entirely new to me. I pulled back slightly as those deep green eyes canvassed over my flushed face, bringing an array of goosebumps to the surface of my pale skin.

Languid arousal, brought on by the undertones of his scent, flared within my body as I took a deep breath. Light citrus tingled my senses, proving that he was, in fact, a beta.

Our interest flooded the pathway between us; there was no way either of us were pretending about the lack of it.

I remembered at one point that I hadn’t responded to his drink offer and decided to finally mention it. “I kinda want to dance instead,” I’d said, nodding over to the dance floor.

White teeth sat inside a beaming smile, and his eyes crinkled in a mysterious yet utterly endearing way. “You absolutely sure?”

I caught myself nodding before I even fully thought the question through, I’d been so enamored with him. If I hadn’t pinched myself, I’d think maybe he was an illusion; just another figment of my imagination.

It’s not that I didn’t want him to buy me a drink. Don’t get me wrong, I did, like, really, really did, but I reminded myself that I wouldn’t take drinks from random men, even those who seemed as innocent and charming as he was.

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