Page 13 of Petals and Strings
The dining hall was busy when I stumbled in. My eyes drifted over the room, landing on our assigned table. Caspian was eating like a mindless robot, eyes vacant and scent withering with grief and sadness.
I hurried through the line, letting the staff drop random things onto my plate without caring what it was. My attention stayed locked on the door, expecting Ledger and the omega to come in at any moment.
My smile fell as Theo walked in, casting me a dark, warning look before turning and making sure his whole group was in here.
He was in charge of our wing and one other, always trying to look the best so Director Cross thought things were under control here. It was always a fucking show for him. Best behavior and kind words we never received when he wasn’t in sight.
More lies.
Even forcing us all to eat together in here was a show. It was proof he had control. Or at least pretended to have control of us.
Rydell was the exception, his meals often delivered to his room to keep the peace. They were terrified of the alpha and he liked it that way.
With a sigh I took my tray to our table, setting it down next to Ansel instead of Caspian. The alpha’s scent was always so thick with desolation in these moments of silence that it left your stomach churning. Ansel’s was strong too, just in a different way. I’d adjusted to his sweetness to the point it was familiar now.
Ansel glanced at me with his dark blue eyes before hurriedly shifting them back down. His dark hair was soft and floppy, falling in front of his gaze to hide it.
I didn’t take it personally and it was better than falling down into the pit with Caspian. Hurt called to hurt. It always drew up the same grief from within me and I had to fight to keep it at bay. My moods shifted so often that it was dizzying, add in forgetfulness and it was even worse. I didn’t need more.
Though, in these moments where I watched Caspian lose himself like this, I was grateful for the sudden reprieves my own brain gave me.
At least it kept me from sinking into myself completely, losing the last touches of reality.
I picked up my fork and stabbed the tines into the limp pasta waiting for me. Even the food here was as jaded and discolored as my paintings. There was no vibrancy to life here.
The chair next to me scraped out and I was hit with that scent again, mixing now with Ledger’s deep, masculine scent.
“This is Audrey, she’s in our wing now,” Ledger said as he pushed her chair in. “This is Kane, next to you. Caspian is at the end of the table.”
Caspian didn’t look up but I offered her a hollow smile. Her mismatched eyes flickered to me. One dark blue, the other light like the summer sky, as if it had faded thanks to the scar that ran right through it.
She was beautiful, but in that same haunting way the woman in my painting was. A ghost that might fade if you looked too long.
“Hi.” It was a rasp of a word, spoken in a rush before she was staring at the table in front of her.
“I’ll go grab some food this time,” Ledger offered as he disappeared before she could protest. The omega frowned after him and I could scent her confusion in the air.
“He’s a caretaker. He really doesn’t mind,” I told her before turning back to my food. She made a noise but didn’t utter another word. If she was the one who fought in the lobby yesterday then she was probably still feeling the awful sedative.
We’d all been there. Some more than others.
Ledger joined us again with two trays in hand. He pushed one in front of Audrey, keeping the other for himself.
He’d just raised the fork to his mouth when another chair scraped out and Theo flopped into it.
“You have a medicine appointment with Dr. Malik after dinner, Audrey,” he said, casting her a look that dared her to argue. The omega swallowed hard and looked away, giving no confirmation.
“She’ll be there,” Ledger said.
Theo let out a hum of disapproval. “Last time I checked, keeping the group in check ismyjob, not yours, Ledger.”
“Never said it was my job,” he said easily, not letting a hint of emotion or frustration in his voice. I wondered how many years he practiced to perfect that. “Are we not supposed to be welcoming and show our new people around?”
Theo studied him but said nothing. His jaw ticked, the only real sign he wasn’t happy with Ledger’s response. With a sigh, he stood, giving us each a look of warning like we might break out in a riot at any moment and stalked away.
“Is he always that uptight?” Audrey asked. Her voice was a hoarse whisper, but the hate she glared after Theo with was intense.
“Yes,” I answered. “He came in during art therapy and…”
