Page 9 of New Year with the Cartel

"He brought in some omega, didn't he?" The first voice said, a hint of amusement in his tone. "Probably wants to keep him for himself, like his last one."

Like his last one? I asked myself. He had someone else before me? Even though I didn't want to admit it, that thought made me angry. I felt possessive. I didn't want Fendwyr to have had someone before me; I wanted to believe I was his first.

"Ha, I bet," the second voice agreed. "But he'll probably try to offload him soon enough, get a good price for his pretty face overseas. Fendwyr's not one to keep his pets around for too long, not when there's money to be made."

Offload me? Over to some unknown buyer overseas? My stomach turned, a wave of nausea hitting me hard. I couldn't let that happen, couldn't be sold off like some kind of property. I was a person, not a thing to be bartered and traded. I had to get out of here, had to...

The men moved away then, their voices fading down the hallway. I was left alone with my racing thoughts, my heart pounding wildly. I couldn't let Fendwyr do this to me, couldn't let him treat me like some commodity to be bought and sold off. I had to find a way out of this compound, had to... Do something, even though I didn't even know where to start. All I knew was that I couldn't be passive.

I stumbled to my feet, the room spinning around me as I tried to think. I had to search again, had to find a way, even if it meant...

Pacing the room again, I ran my hands frustrated through my hair. I still couldn't believe this was happening, that I was truly trapped with no means of escape. I was living in hell.

The window, the door, even the fireplace—I had checked them all multiple times, growing more desperate with each dead end. And still, nothing. No way out, no hope of freedom.

I collapsed onto the bed, my body deflating as the gravity of my situation further sank in. What was I going to do? I couldn't stay here, not with Fendwyr and his men outside the door, plotting god knows what. The way they talked about me, like I was a piece of livestock to be sold off...

A shudder wracked through me at the thought. I had to find a way, had to think of something, anything. I couldn't let my mind go down this path of despair, of imagining the worst... As long as I stayed here, that was exactly what would happen.

The scrape of a key in the lock jolted me upright, my heart leaping into my throat. Oh god, it was him, Fendwyr, back so soon. I wasn't ready for another round with him, not with my emotions in such turmoil. I needed time to...

The door swung open, and he strode in, two large boxes tucked under his arms. He looked... almost domestic like this, in a way I wouldn't have guessed. It would have been almost charming, if I wasn't so terrified of him. He could have been someone I became friends with if we hadn't met under such circumstances.

"I brought us some food," he said, his voice casual as he set the boxes down on the dresser. "I figured you could use a proper meal after the night you've had."

He gestured to the larger box. "That one's for you. I know you're half-starved, Gustall. An omega in your condition needs to keep his strength up."

I gaped at him, stunned by the mundane conversation, the casual way he acted as if this was perfectly normal. As if he didn't have me trapped, as if he wasn't planning to... use me in the filthiest ways. My stomach churned at the thought.

Chapter 6

Fendwyr

I watched Gustall's reaction with a mix of amusement and satisfaction. He looked like he wanted to bolt, like a skittish deer caught in a hunter's sights. But he held himself back, forcing a tight smile onto his face. "Thank you," he said. "That's very... thoughtful of you."

He picked up the box meant for him, turning it over in his hands as if examining the packaging. "You didn't have to do this, you know. I can take care of myself."

Oh, if only that was true. If only he wasn't a lost little omega, so clearly out of his depth in this new situation. I could see the way he was biting his tongue, holding back words he desperately wanted to voice.

But he was being polite, playing along with my charade. It was almost... endearing. To have him in my compound, at my mercy, acting like everything was perfectly normal. As if he wasn't mentally scrambling to find a way out, as if my offer of food and shelter was enough to quell his fears.

Almost. But not quite. I could smell his apprehension, see the way his body remained tense, ready to flee at any suddenmove. He was a long way from truly relaxing in my presence, no matter how I tried to put him at ease. Again, it was going to take time. A lot of it.

"I know I didn't have to," I agreed, taking a step closer to him. "But I wanted to. A beautiful omega like you deserves to be taken care of, to be... pampered." I let my gaze rove over his delicate features, lingering on his plush lips, his slender throat...

I wanted to touch him, to feel the softness of his skin, to hear his sweet cries of pleasure as I mapped every inch of his body. But I held myself back, not wanting to scare him off. Not yet, anyway. It was too soon for that.

"I insist you take the food," I said instead, my voice low and persuasive. "You'll need your strength for... what lies ahead." It was a loaded statement, filled with all the unspoken implications of what I had in store for him.

Gustall's eyes widened slightly at my loaded statement, a flicker of fear passing through their green depths. He knew I was hinting at something more, something dark and potentially terrifying. But he didn't call me out on it, instead nodding and clutching the food box to his chest.

"Okay, I will," he said. "I... appreciate the meal. And the place to rest." He glanced around the room, lingering on the plush furnishings, and the large bed. Then his gaze darted back to me, wary but trying to be polite. He was quite good at that.

We stood there for a moment, an unspoken tension stretching between us. I could almost hear the questions he was biting back. He wanted to know what I meant by my loaded comment, and wanted to understand the true nature of the 'lies ahead' comment. But he didn't voice them, not yet. He was still trying to pretend this was a normal encounter, that I was just a gracious host and not... something more.

"So, um..." He cleared his throat, the sound loud in the quiet room. "What do you like to do for fun around here? Besides,you know, what you've been doing" His tone was casual, but I could hear the underlying tightness, the way he was fishing for information.

I chuckled, amused by his attempt at nonchalance. He thought he could play this game, could act like he wasn't desperately curious about my true intentions. It was almost cute. Almost.

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