Page 69 of Verses and Blooms
“I wish I knew why he was so obsessed with me,” I murmured. “I’m not special.”
She thought it over, her pen tapping at the table mindlessly. “It could be that you were an anomaly among omegas. Your body reacted differently to the medication, for one. For an alpha who craves control and submission, you were an omega who essentially defied what he expected.”
“That makes sense,” I said quietly. “I thought I was broken for so long. My omega was completely dormant for years until I was brought here.”
“Omegas are strong and resilient,” she said firmly. “The important thing is that while you’ve been through hell and back, the future is completely up to you. With the Alliance taking over and dedicating resources to the investigation, men like Malik and your captors will never touch you again. They’ll face real consequences.”
“If I ever get out of here,” I challenged. “Everyone says no one makes it out of ARC. I believe that now more than ever. The Omega Network is going to try and cover up as much as they can. What better way than to make sure we never get out.”
“That was likely true at one point,” she agreed. “But not anymore. My goal is to form a treatment plan, one that means youdoget out. You’ll have the resources and skills to survive outside these walls whether they like it or not. As far as the chiefis concerned, you’ll be compensated for everything they did to you.”
A knock interrupted us before she could say more.
“Come in,” she called.
Vance and Cooke entered with a tray stacked high with snacks and drinks.
“Thank you,” I said as the larger of the two set it down in front of me.
Cooke smiled, almost surprised. I wasn’t sure why. One of my favorite people had the same dominant gene he did.
“Of course,” he said, nodding once before closing the door softly behind them.
“I just need to know a couple more things, then I promise I’ll stop tormenting you with questions.”
I chuckled softly and picked up a potato chip. “I think I can survive a few questions.”
“What’s your biggest fear about leaving ARC?” Of course, she started off strong.
I thought it over as I chewed on another chip. “Probably that I’ll be recognized. I was on the news all over the area when I was delusional.”
She nodded. “I can see that being intimidating. Are you planning to stay local?"
“I don’t know. We talked about the coast once. I’ve always wanted to see the ocean.”
“That sounds like that fear might not be an issue, then,” she pointed out. “You might’ve been on the news nationwide, but the story was far bigger here than it was across the country. Honestly, I knew nothing about you until I read your file.”
“Hopefully, that’ll be the case for everyone,” I said with a sigh.
“Is that your only fear?” she pressed gently.
“I sometimes worry I don’t know how to be an adult,” I admitted. “I’m not starting from a normal upbringing. I’m starting from a life that was under lock and key. I was kept in a dark cell with concrete floors, no blankets, no books. I never got the chance to learn basic life skills. I don’t have a bank account. I don’t know if I even have documents that I’d need to start a life. I don’t know how to budget or cook. My mother never let me learn those things and I wasn’t allowed to go out or make friends.”
“That’s a damn shame, Audrey,” she said. “But these are all things we can work on. I can arrange cooking classes, teach general skills, we can even bring in books so you can read about things that interest you during down times. I can’t express how disgusted I am at how this place was run. The Omega Network can claim ignorance, but the truth is, they failed you.”
“My heat that just ended yesterday was the first time I’ve ever had a nest,” I admitted. “Ansel and I decorated one in our wing today. It’s just strange. I’ve never been allowed to give in to those instincts. I’m not sure I even know how to be an omega anymore.”
“Were you able to have a nest at home before you left?” she asked gently.
I shook my head. “No. I came into my designation late, and my mom had weird hangups about it. She wanted me to be a submissive little doll, to do exactly what I was told, when I was told. I just assumed she was strict.”
“Believe me when I tell you this, Audrey,” she said firmly, leaning forward to make sure she had my attention. “No one, and I meanno one, is ever allowed to tell youhowto be an omega. You get to decide if you want to experience heats, or have children, or anything else. You were never allowed to be an adult with choices, but from here on out, you will. There will be restrictions at first, I won’t lie. We have to convince the world that you’re stable and capable of surviving outside ARC.That’s my job to worry about, though. I’ll make sure the Omega Network can’t interfere again. They lost that right when they abused their power. All you have to do is give me a chance. We’ll work on life skills, coping skills, and I’d like to meet with your entire pack from time to time, help with conflict resolution and finances. The Omega Network failed you, but the Alliance won’t.”
“So, what’s my first assignment?” I asked, popping the last chip into my mouth and brushing the crumbs from my hands.
“I’ll work on setting up the classes we talked about. You’ll work on forgiving yourself,” she said. “Focus on your pack, and yourself, for once. Let your omegabean omega, and remind yourself it’s okay to rely on others.”
“I’ll try,” I said as I stood to leave.
