Page 12 of Fever

The prince dips his head and walks away.

Sotay turns, his lips pursed. “He’s got no tact. I have no idea how he got bonded at all.” He grabs my hand. “Come on.” Sotay pulls me toward a single-story home. We stop at a beige wall, and Sotay presses a palm against it. The wall parts. I’ve heard about these doors but never seen them. Our house was built like all other human homes before invasion. This walled door is a Regha thing as opposed to the Telean ones that operate with tech.

Furs, blankets, and beanbag chairs covered in furs are the living room furniture. There’s not a single piece of real furniture in sight. Sotay grabs a lantern and lights it, then hangs it from the ceiling. “What do you think?”

“It’s a modern-day cave.”

He scratches his head. “We could get a bed if you want.”

The door closes behind me with a thud, and reality sinks in. He’s gonna own me, and my mother will die when I spill my guts to this male. “Take me to the compound.”

He shakes his head. “Not a chance.”

“No dinner.”

He narrows his eyes. “Do you even know what’s it like in the compound?”

“I imagine it’s like a sorority house.” I hook a thumb over my shoulder. “It looks nice, actually. Nothing like I thought it would be.”

“It is very nice. Designed for comfort. It is exceptionally nice for Alphas, especially when one Omega in heat sets off a chain of heats and the entire floor of Omegas are ripe for the taking. In general, Alphas service Omegas in packs of at least three, preferably five. How many Alphas are you going to have?”

“I’m not here to whore myself out.” A lie. That’s exactly what’s happening. I am trading myself for the gate control.

Sotay crosses the room, and I step back. He pins me against the wall. A hand closes over my throat, and his thumb strokes behind my ear. My pussy flutters, liquid dripping on my panties, and his nostrils flare.

“Omegas are not whores,” he says. “My mother is an Omega.”

“That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”

“It is exactly what you meant. And by the way, when in heat, your ability to reason or think is limited. Believe me, you’d accept any attention given.”

I press my hand against his chest, and he steps back. “Thank you for reminding me of how helpless I am.” I stand by the window. Though one of the lowest buildings in the Stronghold, the house he keeps calling an apartment offers a nice view of the small garden in front of the compound. Sotay presses his palms on the window on either side of me, then whispers in my ear. “Until I finish the job, I’m going to work long hours. You’ll be here practically alone. I haven’t even used this house. It’s a family home.”

“Jesus.” I turn and face him. “Family?”

“Don’t freak out about that. It’s the best housing in the Stronghold.”

“We are not a family.”

“You’re freaking out.”

“We’re not even a couple.”

He smiles. “But we will be.” He pecks my lips, and it’s so fast, I have no time to push him away.

“Enjoy the rest of the evening. I’ll pick you up for dinner at nine.”

* * *

The family housing is three bedrooms. All completely empty. The only “furnished” room is the living space, and it’s all some sort of heavy red furs and a mountain of blankets, pillows, and three beanbags covered in the softest feather-stuffed covers ever invented. In the kitchen, cartons of bottled water greet me. There’s no coffee or food, and I wonder where I’ll eat breakfast tomorrow. I wonder what the fuck I’m gonna do here. Look for the control, I suppose. Then what?

Omegas aren’t allowed outside the Stronghold. Family visits aren’t allowed either. We’re completely isolated. And although Terror Hordesman, the one who collects Omegas, swore this is temporary until the threat has passed, I still need a way out of here. I have to steal the control and leave. But I can’t leave. It’s futile. Besides, Sotay is a nice man. Male. He’s a nice male. He doesn’t deserve this. Then again, neither does my mom. She’s completely innocent.

Oh God, I’m gonna drive myself crazy.

A knock on the door startles me. “Yes?” I answer.

“Dress and accessories,” a man’s voice says.

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