Page 57 of Alpha’s Possession

"I'll grab you a towel and some clothes," Raidon says, sitting up. He surprises me by pressing his lips to my cheek before getting up and using his arms to pull himself out of the Den. I stand up to follow. I’m about to climb out myself when I feel hands grip my hips and lift me over the ledge. Rhen jumps out behind me and follows me toward the bathroom. I suddenly feel extremely self-conscious. I can feel his eyes follow my every move.

Stopping at the door, I turn to Rhen, who seems amused about something. What, I have no idea, but it makes me feel even more awkward as his lips curve upwards.

"Am I… in trouble? I mean… is Thane going to fire me?" I ask.

I need this job to pay Martha what I owe her and get my shitty apartment back. If he fires me, I may be forced to take whatever job Talon can offer, but whoring myself out doesn't sound very appealing.

"I don't think so, but he is angry that you didn’t tell him about working for Tal."

"He would have fired me if he knew," I tell him, looking at the floor.

"Maybe, maybe not—"

I raise an eyebrow at him, and he chuckles.

"Yeah, he would have fired you. Go shower, Zara. Raidon will bring you some clothes," he says, and I walk into the huge bathroom, making my way over to the shower. I hear him close the door before I call out.

"Rhen?"

He opens the door and looks at me.

"Thanks," I tell him, and he smirks.

"Anytime," he chuckles, closing it, and I shake my head. Well, I addressed the elephant in the room, so hopefully, it won't be so awkward when I hop out. I just really wish I could sneak out before Thane returns home.

The hot water is welcome as I use the de-scenting soap and scrub my skin raw. My whole body aches. The area between my legs is extra sensitive and uncomfortable, but not overly painful. While washing my hair, I hear the door creak open. I expect Raidon to walk in, but it’s Thane.

He sets a towel and some clothes next to the sink. "Once you are finished, get dressed and meet us in the dining room," he says before turning and walking out.

Chapter Forty-Nine

~Harlow~

I dress quickly in the clothes Thane left before making my way to the bathroom door. I peer out, finding the Den empty. There are no windows down here, and I know there is no escape from his wrath. Dread pools low in my stomach as I try to move silently across the floor, only for the first step of the basement stairs to creak as I set my weight on it. The sound is loud in the quiet room, and I suddenly don't want to leave the safety it offers, however slight it may be.

Yet I know if I don't go up there, chances are Thane will pull me from his Den and throw me out of his house by my hair. Sucking in a breath, I twist the handle and open the door to discover the smell of Chinese food filling the air. My belly growls hungrily, but I ignore it, gauging my chances of running to the door without them noticing, which means running past the dining room.

Recognizing how stupid that thought is, I close the door and move toward the dining room. Better to get this over with. Just rip off the Band-Aid, as they say. I wonder briefly how long it will take to walk back to the city, or to Tal's to see if I could maybe work there.

As I walk in, I find them sitting and talking at the dining table. Thane is watching them, and Leon is beaming happily about something. Thane's glare turns murderous when his gaze shifts to me.

"Sit, Zara," Thane says, pointing to the chair at the end of the table, furthest from everyone. That is fine by me. It means I am closer to the front door if I have to make a run for it. A quick escape.

His words cause the rest of them to turn their attention to me. I swallow, my heart pounding in my chest as I sit down. They all have plates in front of them, untouched. I’m surprised when Rhen gets up and places one in front of me before returning to his seat. They feel miles away. Instead of dinner, this reminds me of one of their conference meetings.

"Thank you," I tell Rhen, only for him to wink at me. My brows furrow, knowing Thane will see his strange gesture. I fiddle with my fingers under the table, wondering what’s happening.

They all start to eat and resume chatting. Thane hardly speaks. He just sits at the other end of the table, observing his mates. I push the food around my plate, my appetite disappearing as I wait for the other shoe to drop, for his rage to be unleashed. The man is impenetrable. He’s not usually able to hide his anger. Now, however, he just sits, staring at everyone while eating and listening, but not showing much interest.

His quiet, indifferent expression only makes me more nervous. The others are acting as if this is ordinary behavior for him. He isn't even using his aura and I still want to run. I find this version of him disconcerting because I don't know what to expect next. I expected his rage when I came upstairs. The silence is eerie and cold.

Leon goes to get a bottle of wine, pouring everyone a glass before sitting back down. I can't remember the last time I ate at an actual dinner table, maybe before my parents died. At the sanctuary, we lined up for our trays and took them back to our rooms, setting them outside our doors when we finished. Do they eat like this every night?

After they all finish eating, they remain at the table. I wonder how long they’ll stay here. My ass is going numb, and one foot is asleep, yet still, they sit. My food is cold when finally, Thane speaks, and silence befalls the entire room.

"You'll remain here. You can have the Den and can carpool with us to work daily," Thane says before sipping his wine.

"No, my apartment is fine," I lie.