That’s what I’d believed, not understanding what was in front of me—something that should have been more.

I rummaged around the makeup I’d been left with, clambering up onto the bathroom counter to get closer to the mirror.

“What do you think, Bunny?”

Should I look like me or… or more like Glade?

It was so rare that Ace took me to events, and most of the time,shewas there, too. I knew there could be only one reason for it… She was better than me, in his eyes. He thought she looked better at his side.

Until the day she’d escaped him.

It was the best thing that had ever happened to us. She could be with the mates I knew she wanted so badly, and it would just be me and him<3 forever <3

And I’d thought maybe then he would let me be at his side more often.

So, I’d tried to dress up all the right ways, and one evening I’d snuck into Glade’s abandoned rooms to find her makeup.

Yet, when I did, it was to be met with disgust in those beautiful ice-blue eyes. I’d caught up to him on the way to one of the poker games he’d always taken Glade to.

“What have you done?”Ace’s finger caught my chin, forcing me to look up at him.

“You, uh… don’t have anyone to take, and I’m here, and I thought I could…” I’d trailed off, panic setting in at the way he was looking at me.

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

His thumb had pressed against my lips, smearing the red lipstick I’d done so many times over to try to get it how she always had.

“Never again, Omega.”

He was so angry.

I think he loved her back then…

She’d been the one, in the end, to show me how wrong that was.

That I was his, and he was mine, and he should never have… have…wantedher.

I squeezed my eyes shut, still curled up on the bathroom counter, hugging my knees close.

“What’s Knox gonna want?” I asked. “You’ll know.”

I looked down at the pencil eyeliner. Did he want me? Or the proper kind of Omega—the one that would use the red lipstick in the golden case at my side?

It wasn’t that Iwantedhim to be happy. But if I could guess, I could do the opposite.

Knox was the greatest threat I’d ever faced. Greater even than the monsters chasing me in Ace’s mansion, because he wasn’t my scent match.

But he’d fucking broken me, anyway. I’d almost burst into tears this morning when he’d told me he was going to give mespace today. I’d kept my mouth shut, though, still desperately processing everything, and I was glad I did.

I couldn’t be tripping over myself for him.

I didn’t even know why I was.

He was being too nice, and it was kinda freaking me out, especially whenhedidn’t seem to ache whenIwasn’t there.

We’re not doing great, Bunny. Gotta get it together.

He’d said I was the only Omega who’d caught his interest, but that was a lie! How many other Omegas had he been with? Treated like he’d treated me last night?