Page 70 of Tangled in Knots

“There’s another closet with a bag of welcome products,” she explains. “We’ll go there and then find your room. All of the rooms are single unless it’s a family staying together.”

“Oh,” I say, eyes wide. “That’s so generous.”

I didn’t even think about sharing a room with anyone, but I still would have managed. This place is a gift.

“It’s necessary,” Aurelia says with a soft smile.

Huh, I wonder if I’ll ever be able to smile so easily. It feels as if it’ll be many moments away from this time, because smiling doesn’t feel natural or comfortable.

“So many omegas in one place need their own space,” she says. “Okay, just one more stop. Are you hungry at all?”

The very idea of food makes me hold back a disgusted look. I’m still full from earlier, and I’m lucky it’s staying put.

“No, I’m not, but thank you,” I murmur instead as I follow her around the corner. I catch glimpses of an open kitchen that flows into a living area.

It’s warm and airy, a feat that’s difficult to achieve in the dead of winter.

“Do you have a favorite color?” she asks, startling me.

My favorite colors seem to change with my mood, though it’s hard to say why. At this moment, green seems to be a safe choice.

“Green,” I tell her without airing my thoughts. They’re so chaotic, it would be difficult to imagine that she’d think me sane.

Glancing up at the tall ceilings, I wonder if the rooms are like this too. I may find myself sleeping in a closet if they are. I want to cocoon myself into a small space to sleep in. My omega tendencies are flaring strong right now.

“I can do that,” Aurelia says, pleased as she surveys the closet. A cloth green bag is sitting on the shelf, and she picks it up to hand it to me.

Glancing inside, my lips part in wonder. There is a knitted green blanket that’s incredibly soft to the touch, a bag full of bath and beauty products, as well as a toothbrush and toothpaste. My eyes are filling with tears so I can’t manage to see anything else and attempt to blink them away.

“There are women at the shelter who come and go, but they’re part of a knitting circle,” she explains, shutting the door to the closet. “They donate the blankets they make to the shelter. Everything in the bag is yours to keep, as are the clothes. Knitting can be soothing, but there’s only so many blankets that you can use for yourself.”

Aurelia grins as she moves on down the hallway, her voice getting lower as we pass doorways that I expect have people inside.

“We have an experienced knitters circle as well as beginners,” she says. “You’re welcome to join or not. At least now you know where our blankets come from.”

There’s an overwhelming amount of generosity here. Tears slowly fall from my eyes as I think about how even in times ofcrisis, people find a way to be kind. It’s a powerful lesson for me. I could be this terrible, spiteful bitch because of what happened to me.

Or I could figure out a way to get through it.

“This is your room,” she says, opening the door and flicking on the light. The ceilings are much lower here, and the room is done in pretty green and gray paint. “There’s no real wake up time, though breakfast is served from seven in the morning until eleven. After that, you’re on your own until lunch. The house mom runs the shelter and is very nice.”

“When is Aisling coming?” I ask. I don’t ever want to make someone wait for me. There’s a little clock on a nightstand to help me be able to keep track of time, and the bed looks very inviting.

I just want to fall into it and pass out.

“She’ll be here early, but she has work to do until you’re ready to talk to her,” Aurelia says. “There’s a bathroom just down the hall, two doors down to be specific. Think you’ll need anything else?”

“No, but thank you so much for this. I really appreciate it,” I tell her. “I was prepared to be stubborn and sleep outside. I was not getting back in the car with them.”

Gazing at me with her green, sparkling eyes, she nods. “You look like someone who would be willing to take steps to make people listen and fuck them up if they won’t,” she murmurs. “I don’t know you yet, but I hope that you hold onto that spark inside of you. Make those men pay.”

“I’ll have to see them again for that to happen,” I mutter. “I doubt they’ll be gone for long. I hope they’re not any trouble.”

“We’ll figure it out,” she promises. “Good night.”

Nodding, I watch as she shuts the door behind herself. I’m alone now with my thoughts as I look around. There are no windows here which makes me feel safer, and it’s a small roomwith bare walls. I don’t know how long I’ll be here, but I’m sure I’ll find a way to make my mark on my room.

Putting the clothes inside of one of the drawers in the dresser against the wall, I close it as I approach the bed. Dumping out everything in the cloth bag, I begin to go through it. There’s a pair of soft pajamas inside that I missed when I looked the first time in a mossy green color, socks, a headband, and lotion as well.

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