Page 7 of Marigold Run

Tacken’s brows raise as if surprised by my question. “A lot of packs resist allowing their new mates to undergo therapy after they move in with them.”

“Our beta was a counselor,” Dassy says. The sense of pride he has for Everly is very clear in his tone. “She worked with abandoned and abused preteen alphas. She’s big on working through past trauma.”

“Everly Carrel?” Tacken reads her name from what looks like our application. “Is that why you chose to get an omega from Havenfield?” Tacken narrows her eyes as if trying to figure something out. “Because you could easily get one from a more accredited academy.”

I clasp my hands in my lap, ready for this question. “Everly believes that all omegas deserve love. She wanted to take in someone that needs that extra amount of love and care. She’s a wonderful beta with a big heart.”

“That’s admirable,” Tacken says, and I’m shocked at the level of sincerity in her tone. “With your financial background, your pack could easily get an omega from almost anywhere.”

I smile, not offering any more information. The fact is, standard academies with “healthy” omegas pick your life and business apart. I don’t need the headache. Plus, Everly gets her pet project, while we get our omega. So Havenfield is a good match for us.

“Alright,” Tacken says, pulling a large contract from a desk drawer. “Let’s go over your paperwork so you can meet your omega.”

Mari’s Bedroom

Mari

Thirty days.

That’s all I’ll have to find out everything I can about the assholes that took my brother.

Before leaving here, I’ll be given heat-suppressors, but they will only last about thirty-days or so. Once at the Silva house, I need to get access to a computer and set my plan in motion before that time, because once the suppressors are out of my system, I’ll fall into my heat and Izanwillmate me. I can’t have that. I can’t have us bound together, making it easy for his pack to track me.

Thirty days.

It’s not much time. But I can do it.

“Already packed?” Vanessa’s dark eyes zero in on the small bag in my lap as she steps into my bedroom. A lot of the omegas here call her Ms. Tacken, but I prefer first names. After all, they call me by my first name, so I should get the same privilege.

“Are they here?” I drape my bag’s strap over my shoulder.

“Do you have everything?” Vanessa scans my nearly empty bedroom. Other omegas decorate their rooms with pictures, crafts, and silly shit packs give them. I’ve never been interested in making this place feel like anything other than the nut house it is. My last roommate was similar to me in that way. She didn’t bother with posters or paintings. She just wanted out of here. Thankfully, Ambrose didn’t force another roommate on me after she left. It was the only kind thing the beta ever did for me.

“I’ve come bearing gifts,” Traven’s cheerful voice enters the room a second before he does. My eyes fly to the yellow syringe in his hand, and I smile.

“They’re here?” I ask Vanessa, but we both know it’s more of a statement than a question. If Izan decided he didn’t want me, I’d be sitting in Ambrose’s office, begging to be placed back into the dating pool. Not standing in front of an orderly, holding up a syringe filled with heat-suppressors.

“Ms. Tacken?” Traven looks at Vanessa, but she’s too busy staring at me.

“Are you sure this is what you want?” she asks. It takes everything inside me not to scream out loud. So instead, I give her exactly what these fuckers want. The one thing I hate more than anything else:weak emotion.

Moving slowly, I let the corners of my mouth fall, then I lower my head. I sniffle loudly at my feet, then I whisper, “They don’t want me, do they?” I hate pretending to cry. It’s such a lazy way to get what you want, but I don’t have time to argue. “I’m being rejected again.” I push out a high-pitched whine.

Silence hangs in the air, their shock filling the small space. I understand their reaction. I haven’t cried once since I arrived here.

Omegas that cry to get their way are asking to be treated like children, so I never cry…which means, Vanessa will be desperate to calm me down.

“Why doesn’t anyone want me?” I whine, pitching my voice high.

“That’s not true.” Vanessa is suddenly at my side, and I cover my face with my hands, hiding the fact that I have no tears.

“Then why does everyone keep asking me if I want them?” I mumble into my palms. “It’s because you know they don’t want me. You want me to decide I don’t like them so I won’t be upset when they reject me.” I push a strangled noise from my throat, hoping it sounds like I’m crying.

“The Silva packdefinitelywants you,” Vanessa says firmly as she gently drapes one arm around my shoulders. I make them shake slightly, fake crying.I hate that I have to act this way.But I’m prepared to do whatever it takes to get out of this place.

“I just want to make sure thatyouwant the Silva pack as well,” Vanessa says. “That you feel a genuine connection to them.”

“I do,” I whisper, sniffling again.

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