Page 2 of Shattered Trinket

Cozette

When Victor died, it felt like I was being ripped apart on the inside, but it also felt freeing. I may have been in excruciating pain as that terrible half-bond he forced on me died and withered to ash, but I had never felt freer than in that moment. As the chains that had bound me to him for over a year broke and theoretically clashed on the surrounding floor, my soul slowly felt lighter.

I let myalphadie, and I didn’t care one bit.

It didn’t matter to me.

Because hewasn’tmy alpha.

Victor meant nothing to me.

He was my nightmare come to life. A true monster, something nobody warned me could exist.

But now I’m free.

All thanks to one crazy omega that refused to back down.

If it wasn’t for Ripley, I don’t want to think about where I’d be right now. My back still aches from the lashing Victor gave me before Ripley intervened, and it’s been a couple of months since that horrific day.

It turns out being malnourished and beaten for over a year really does some damage, inside and outside. I’ve had a lot of recuperating to do, with no real hurry to get out of here because once I leave, that’s it. I’m out in the world on my own for the first time in my life.

I don’t know how to be on my own.

Not really.

“Knock, knock,” a voice calls at my hospital room door, pulling my attention away from my grim thoughts.

When I raise my eyes, I see Micah—the therapist they assigned to me while I’ve been here—peeking in with a dimpled grin on his handsome face ,and my cheeks flush. He’s so classically handsome with his dirty blonde hair, honey brown eyes, and chiseled good looks. Every time he comes around, my heart flutters in my chest, and yet his scent somehow calms and soothes my battered soul. He smells like safety.

Baby powder isn’t a scent that most would find alluring, but I don’t know… I like it.

Now.

It makes me feel warm and happy when I get a hit of it.

“I hear you’re busting out of here finally,” he teases.

“So I’ve been told. They’ve gotten sick of me being here, and they’re kicking me out,” I tell him softly with a smile before looking down at my fingers in my lap.

“Nah, you’re our favorite patient. Well, you’re mine, at least. We’ll all be sad to see you go, but happy that you’re finally feeling better. I just wanted to pop in and check on you before you’re gone.”

He walks farther into my room and takes a seat in the chair by my bed, something he couldn’t do in the beginning. I sit up farther and fold my hands together.

Micah wasn’t the first therapist they assigned me when I got here, but the beta woman that came the first few times ended up having to go on maternity leave suddenly, and he was the only other therapist they had available for a few weeks. It wasn’t easy in the beginning, and his scent reminded me of Victor’s the first time I’d gotten a hit of it, nearly sending me into a panic. Not that they were similar, just that Victor’s was so misleading, so what if Micah’s was too?

I remember I’d held my breath until my chest was screaming, cowering away from him at the head of my hospital bed like a wild, caged animal ready to attack. It only took a few minutes for me to deduce Micah was nothing like Victor after he left and came back covered head to toe in a hazmat suit—completely masking his scent from me—and sitting as far away as he could while still being able to speak softly to me.

I didn’t talk to him, barely even glanced in his direction, but I listened. After his first visit, Ripley stayed with me for our sessions until I felt more comfortable around him.

Micah’s great at his job though, and something about his personality says he’s one of the gentlest souls, which is surprising to me with his alpha designation. He’s been wonderful at helping me work through some of my fears, reminding me that Victor doesn’t hold any power over meanymore, and helping me learn how to move forward after everything.

Now, after all these months spent talking with him while I’ve recovered, I can’t help but feel eased whenever he stops by. I suppose it helps that he’s quite possibly the sweetest man I’ve ever met.

“I’m fine. Ripley will be here soon with her pack to pick me up.”

“And how does that make you feel? Are you okay with being around Ripley’s alphas now?”

I think about that for a minute.

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