Page 16 of Broken Dreams

So are all alphas like this? In my limited experience as a sex slave, because that’s what I am without any choices, I have to imagine that they are.

“You’re thinking so hard,” Linus breathes in my ear. “Let the thoughts go, Baby Girl. You know we have a long night ahead.”

He’s right, as he so often is. His strong fingers rub my scalp, forcing my body to relax. He knows me so well, and can turn my body into putty so easily. And yet, Linus doesn’t use it against me.

Slowly, my thoughts become less anxious and distressed. I can’t sleep yet, but my breaths become more even as I drift. Notfor the first time when I finally fall asleep hours later, I dream of freedom with the omega next to me.

How would it feel, taste, and smell to be able to collect blankets for a nest, wash my clothes in whatever detergent I want, have sex just because I want to? Or fuck, even lounge around in clothes I pick out and buy for the sole purpose of liking the way they look and feel.

The privilege of freedom is something I won’t ever take for granted. I only had it until I was fourteen, but God was it amazing.

“Quinn,do you have to go out with them today?” Callum groans, dropping onto my bed in defiant complaint.

His blonde hair had a red tint, his face freshly shaved.God, girls must love how pretty he is.My every thought has become about Callum and Duncan Kelly and how they are probably inundated with date requests from girls who have bigger tits than I do.

Glancing down at myself for what has to be the fourth time today, I shrug. I’m wearing a pretty denim skirt, a halter top, and a pair of converse sneakers.

I can only hope I may meet a guy my age at the mall that’ll think I’m cute. Callum and Duncan can’t be those guys for me, even though we’ve been friends for our entire lives. My father and theirs cornered me two days ago to tell me that I need to give them room to live.

Apparently, my best friends are too nice and can’t tell me it’s “embarrassing and inappropriate for a fourteen year old to be so enamored with grown men.”

It’s mortifying and I’m trying to be respectful of that conversation. It’s so freaking hard though when Callum or Duncan are always calling me or coming by. I can practically feel my father’s disapproval coming in waves from downstairs.

“Yes, Sadie and Riley have been bugging me to go out with them,” I say, deflecting as I grab my purse. “It’ll be just a few hours. It’s summer, and I’ve been dying to go out and just be normal.”

“Normal is boring, Quinnie,” Callum groans, flipping onto his back on my bed. His t-shirt begins to crawl up his abs, and I swallow my tongue.

Why are you so damn hot? Why can’t my best guy friends be at least my age?

Callum and Duncan presented as alphas one after the other when they turned sixteen, and I’ve had a crush on them since I was twelve. It’s so not okay, the age gap is illegal in every state I know of.

I’m pretty sure it is, anyway.

“Besides,” Duncan says, poking his head in, “you know damn well you’re anything but. Your father has enemies, Quinn. It’s safer to stay at home or look, we’ll take you to the mall with your friends.”

“I somehow don’t think that’s going to solve things,” Callum mutters, sitting up. “Are we suffocating you? Is that what’s happening?”

“Please tell me you don’t want to flirt with pock faced teenagers,” his brother groans.

“I can’t flirt with you two,” I say unthinkingly before my cheeks heat. “I mean, ugh.”

“Cute,” Duncan says, smirking. “I’m coming to find you in two hours, Quinn. You’re to take guards with you as well. Is that understood?”

God, they act like my parents sometimes or the seriously overbearing brothers I’ve never had. That’s the issue at hand, right? They don’t see me for me.

And if they do, that’s completely inappropriate according to our parents. I can’t win for losing, and I’m going to cry if I have to stay in this room much longer.

My hormones are a freaking mess today. My mom said it’s a sign that I may present any day. I just hope today is not that day. I would hate to have this conversation tied to the memory of having such a monumental thing occur.

“You’re not my daddy,” I mutter, feeling as juvenile as the words I speak. “I’ll have guards with me, Duncan, okay? We’ll stay in a group too. This isn’t the first time I’ve ever left the house.”

“I don’t know why it feels different this time, but it does,” Callum says, frowning as he stands. “I don’t like it.”

“Guys,” I groan. “You’re making this out to be a bigger deal than it is.”

Duncan crosses his arms over his chest, his blackberry scent souring.

“Omega teens are going missing, Quinn. Didn’t your father tell you? It’s all anyone can talk about!” he yells at me.

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