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Iris is not an omega. She isn’t even dressed to seduce. Her hair is a mess and her clothes look like they came from a goodwill store. Still, I feel an inexplicable pull toward her.
I can’t send her back to the dorms, I decide on the spot.I must have her here with me where I can keep an eye on her.
My feelings surprise me but there’s no way to deny the protectiveness I feel for her.
8
Iris
My senses feel overwhelmed by Julian’s scent. Being close to him feels like you’re in a bakery that’s baking chocolate brownies. His fragrance envelops around me, making me feel so warm and cozy that I can almost forget about my troubles.
I stare at the empty dishes before me and feel another hint of embarrassment stab at me. How could I eat like a pig before this gorgeous man? He’s got to be disgusted by the very sight of me.
The thought sends a pang through me.
I don’t want to go back to the storeroom that’s now my home, but the more I delay, the harder it’s going to be to leave this well-lit, clean kitchen.
“Thanks for everything you’ve done for me,” I say, glancing up at him.
“Don’t worry about it.” Julian’s heart is as beautiful as his angelic face.
He came charging among them like an avenging prince, demanding they let me go. My parents cheated him and his alphas, and yet, he stood up against a gang of riled-up betas to protect me.
The sound of heavy footsteps makes us both look toward the doorway. Raiden strides in, his sharp gaze falling on me.
“Did you just cook, Jules?” he asks, gazing toward the cluttered counter.
“Did you know they were starving her?” Julian asks with a bite of anger in his voice.
“What?” Raiden’s icy-blue eyes fix on me. “Is that true?”
“They might’ve fed me after I cleaned the mess hall,” I say quietly. Alistair was tough on me but I doubt he wanted to starve me.
It’d been too late last night when I was introduced to Alistair. The old man was gruff but he’d also stood up for me. He bought me time until Julian came onto the scene to rescue me. Without his interference, my whole face would’ve been carved bloody by now.
“She’s not going back there,” Julian says in a determined voice.
Surprise flickers through me. Was he seriously trying to protect me after the crap my parents pulled on him and his alphas? Was he a saint? No. He was too gorgeous to be one. Maybe he was a beautiful demi-god sent by the heavens to protect abandoned betas like me.
“Yeah. We can’t send her back,” Raiden says with a heavy sigh. He drops into a chair and picks up a slice of leftover bacon.
Julian’s face lights up at once. “Then I can count you on my side?”
Raiden chuckles as he munches on the bacon strip. “Are you afraid Caleb isn’t going to agree?”
“He can be bull-headed, sometimes,” Julian says and sticks out his tongue.
“I’ve punished Garcia and his companions but I doubt it’ll solve the problem,” Raiden says, turning to look at me. “Their male egos can’t handle your skills.”
My mouth moves like a dumb goldfish. All the words seem to have been erased from my mind at the weight of his gaze.
“Did your parents train you in some kind of martial arts?” Raiden asks. His tone is gentle and curious, effectively putting me at ease.
“Taekwondo,” I say. “My parents didn’t train me. I paid for the classes myself.”
“Figures,” he says with a grim nod. “You must be a regular practitioner to have been able to injure them on your own. I’m impressed.”
“You’re not mad I beat up your men?”
