“Uh, isn’t the whole point for viewers to watch a bunch of men fight over me to win a contest?” My mother jabs me in the side with her elbow. Her smile doesn’t falter, but I catch her motherly side-eye, the one she usually reserves for the twins. I roll my eyes. Fine. “Let’s see. I can’t remember where I left off.” I try to evade her question, but Carmen is too perceptive.
She reviews her notes. “You spent the day with your father. Anders explained his position in the royal family. You startedtalking about the incident that led you here, but I cut you off. Let’s jump in with how you met Luke.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. I really don’t want to, especially with my parents here.
My mother reaches for my hand. Concern crinkles the corners of her eyes. “Did something happen between you and Luke you don’t want to talk about?”
A lot happened that I don’t want to share. How much do I say? It’s complicated, and I don’t want to portray Luke poorly on national TV.
Sighing, I shake my head. I peek at my father, who mirrors her look of concern. I lick my lips. “It took me a few weeks to acclimate to my new home. I got along well with everyone, but it was hard to accept all I was given. I continued to feel like I didn’t deserve them. So, my parents decided to give me chores. I worked with Duck at the dairy, and Tater gave me tasks around the house. I also went with Mom on her pack rounds and pretended to be my father’s secretary when he worked in the office. On occasion, I dusted and cleaned Anders’s office.”
My parents all laugh, remembering those days.
“It was the only way she would accept her allowance and other gifts we gave her,” my father admits with a smile. “I don’t think I ever met a teenager so unwilling to accept free money. Even when we gave her an allowance, she returned half to invest in stocks and to pay off her medical debt.”
Carmen frowns. “You had medical debt?”
My mother shakes her head. “No, she didn’t, but she insisted she pay for time and treatments while at the clinic.”
I blush, shrugging. “I just felt it was the right thing to do.”
Chapter 29
Acclimating
JESSICA
EIGHT YEARS AGO:
September 18, 2016: 10:20 p.m.
Alpha Kings Mansion
After the first few weeks, I finally start to settle into my new home. Chores give me a sense of accomplishment, like I earned and deserve to live in my luxurious room. Everything feels right. I begin to feel like I belong, among the pack, with my new family. My parents decide that I am sixteen years old and declare the date when I was found as my birthday.
Professor Hocson, the recruits’ professor, proctors me while I take various academic tests to determine my education level. He frowns when I pass all of them and accuses me of cheating. Liam sits in the room with me. The professor knows of my link with the twins and believes I linked to Liam for the answers.
He’s wrong. Liam can hear my thoughts, but I could never hear his.
Anders intervenes on my behalf, but Professor Hocson isn’t easily dissuaded. He makes me retest with Ean in the room. Afterward, my test scores satisfy him. Everyone agrees I can test out with the recruits during their examinations to receive my high school diploma. Professor Hocson even volunteers to enroll me in core college courses in the next term.
I still want to escape my room some nights, and I revert into insomnia due to the nightmares. I never had them when Liam sat next to my clinic bed. Even though Emily and the twins try piling into bed with me to help me sleep, I still experience them. So, I just don’t sleep.
I eventually begin referring to Shakti and Nathan as Mom and Dad. The first time I used the more familiar term, they beamed with happiness at my acceptance.
Some nights, I find my father awake at his desk. I’ll pop into his office and talk to him for hours about the history of the LS, how some laws were created, and why—no topic is off limits. We debate the issues facing the territory. I particularly enjoy these nights. When we tire each other out with debates and talk, we both retire to our rooms.
One night, my anxiety spikes. The recruits count down the time left in the program. Ean and Charlie are two of the trainers, so I will still see them, especially if I am accepted into the next recruit class. But both Liam and Sodie plan to move on after graduation. Sodie will continue guard training somewhere else, and Liam—well, Liam never says anything. In fact, Sodie is the one to tell me Liam is leaving after graduation.
I try to push down the hurt that builds behind my heart. Liam doesn’t owe me an explanation. I might have a crush on him, but he doesn’t feel the same way. Every evening, Sodie visits after their training. Then, Liam relieves him for the night shift. Even though I no longer need it, Anders wants them to finish their assignment before graduation.
I won’t argue. I actually miss them when I don’t see them.
Some days, Liam behaves like he had when he first came to my room—silent, distant—wearing his pinched expression. Other days, though, he’s friendly, sweet, chatty. I swear on the nights he walks me back to the manor from guitar/band practice with Duck, he bumps into me deliberately, grazing my hand and holding my pinky for the briefest of moments before tucking his hands into his hoodie’s front pocket.
But no matter his mood, he always makes me flip the light switch three times before I prepare for bed. My heart sinks when I think about him leaving, but I don’t have a choice. Besides, he doesn’t want someone like me—broken, ugly, with no future.
Roaming the halls that night, I find myself standing in front of my father’s office door. It’s slightly ajar. I can hear him talking then, another voice, more distant, replies. White static surrounds the voice, distorting their words, making it hard to hear. I think they’re on speaker phone.
