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Not Hetty.
She’s here, though. I can smell her … somewhere else in the house. Maybe the kitchen or in the basement.
She’s upset about something. It clings to the atmosphere, already so thick with emotion, and causes a painful rage to claw through my body. I grasp at my suit jacket, so tight against my chest where my heart is pounding a mile a minute.
What is happening to me?
The thought causes a panic so deep and rich that I feel like I need to do something—anything—to make it stop.
My ears buzz as I look around at the faces surrounding the table. I want to rip their eyes out and then topple them to the floor—they can all sense her, too. I know it. Nobody should think about her except for me.
She’s mine.
The thought rips through me savagely, and can’t hold back a rough sigh as I try to gain control over my body.
I need a distraction.
“What were you asking earlier, Rill?” I ask, my voice rushed as if I’m throwing myself off a cliff. “How does what work?”
15
Accept It or Die
Noah
Rill takes his amused gaze off Marcus and Mother, quirking an eyebrow. “You actually want to talk about real shit now? Not just watch these two swat at each other like a couple scalded cats?”
“I think it’s a productive idea,” Mother says primly, shooting a parting glare at Marcus before looking around the table. “Let’s get into the business of it now, shall we?”
I seethe silently, my suit jacket growing tighter by the second as either Cleo or Beth reaches over and drops food on my plate. It could be a brick for all I know, I pay so little attention to it.
“Let’s get down to it then,” I grit out painfully.
Marcus clears his throat with authority before pulling out a pair of wire spectacles and a small pad of paper from his pocket. His glare travels around the table before he puts on the spectacles and looks over the paper slowly.
“When Edward Rose, the previous council head, discussed this last year with Administrator Beebalm and the other Alpha Sage,” he pauses to stare at Mother for an instant, “he reported that the citizens of Goldenrod had satisfactorily maintained the Order.”
“There were fifty-seven matings and twelve releases. Instances of aggression by alphas were down three percent, promiscuity by omegas was down five percent, and harassment of betas was down seven percent. Very impressive.”
He pauses again to stare at each of us meaningfully as my blood boils beneath my skin, the hairs on my arms rising.
“What about this year?” I ask, my words slurring as I shift uncomfortably in my seat.
“This year, I have much more dour news to report. So far, there have been only thirty-nine matings and fifteen of those were to the new alphas.” He glares at Rill accusingly. “There has also been an increase in promiscuity and aggression. So much so that my own precious daughter is no longer permitted to wander Goldenrod alone.”
Joanna makes quite a show of nodding and looking down pathetically. But when Marcus opens his mouth to continue, Rill cuts him off.
“Wait a minute,” he says, holding up hand and looking at me and Wyatt. “What the fuck is he talking about?”
“I’m talking about the Order,” Marcus bites out.
“What do all these numbers and measurements and things have to do with anything?” Rill presses, swirling his hand in the air.
“Rill, let’s allow Alpha Catmint to continue, shall we?” Elizabeth interrupts. “I imagine there will be an opportunity for questions at the end of the presentation, Noah?”
“Er, sure,” I grunt.
Marcus clears his throat and continues. “Although the Order has been woefully disregarded this year, I highly encourage you to report numbers similar to last year’s when coordinating the delivery, Administrator Sage. As you know, Goldenrod cannot survive without the delivery.”
