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“You be quiet, too. You’re not innocent either, Arsenio. None of you can expect anything from me until you tell me what’s going on. I want to know what the fuck is up with your sister. You’re hiding her, aren’t you? This used to be her room, but it’s obvious she no longer stays here. What are you doing, Wilder? Keeping her in your closet as a prisoner?” The moment the words escape my mouth, fear courses through my veins. What if that’s exactly what they’re doing? What if they want to use her to gain power like my uncle had done with me?
Oh shit.
“Settle down, baby. Holly isn’t a prisoner. She was only in Wilder’s room because she wanted to piss him off. We have hidden corridors in the palace where we can travel unseen. It’s part of our security measure, and until now, we have managed to keep Holly hidden since we faked her death some months ago. That’s why we don’t think it’s a good idea if you leave. If anyone finds out, especially our father, that Holly is alive, a lot of shit will go down. We’re protecting her. Our father doesn’t care about her because of her order. He sees her as a means to barter for power. She deserves better.” Enzo rests his chin on my shoulder, sliding his arms around my waist. I should move. I shouldn’t be so comfortable with his body enveloping mine, but his words touch me so deeply. This is how a family should be. Now, I understand why they acted as they had for the most part. Except for Wilder. He’s still a dick.
“Oh.” I don’t know what else to say.
“I know it’s complicated, and you don’t deserve to be put in this position, but what do you have to lose? You’ve been passing as a beta. You won’t have to hide who you are here. We just need someone who can help Holly. And by helping Holly, you can help yourself. You can have this room and the protection of the Gilded Sands Pack.” Desmond offers me a small smile, his eyes pleading with me to understand where they are coming from. And I do.
I purse my lips and bow my head, letting my hair veil my face. “Why? Why offer me this?”
“You were passing as a beta for...how long?” Wilder manages to keep his voice even for the first time since I’ve ever heard him talk. “Years?”
I slowly nod my head in confirmation. “Just over two.”
“That’s why. You can help us teach her how to pass. You obviously knew what you were doing. It won’t be forever, but it’s going to get harder for her. She’s up for her second heat.” Sitting up straighter, Wilder holds my gaze, trying to gauge my reaction. “You know what it’s like.”
He’s right. I do. Many packs look forward to the time when omegas are fertile except for those unbonded omegas like me. Like Holly. There’s a reason apart from suppressing my order that I took the pills. It’s stopped my heats. Just thinking about it reminds me of the very first heat I had that ruined any excitement I could ever have for another one in my life. I don’t even want to think about it. I’d never expected my uncle to be such a brutal man. The torture he put me through. What he put the men who were supposed to be my pack through...fucking disgusting. I shiver, pushing the thought away.
“It’ll just be until we get everything we need to take the throne of Gilded Sands from our father and claim power as ours under the Pack Regimes,” Arsenio adds. “After that, you won’t have to worry. Neither will we.”
“What do you say, baby? Help us out? Let us help you? I promise to ensure you always have dessert to eat. We can go shopping. This doesn’t have to feel like the fucked up situation Wilder makes it.” Enzo presses his lips to my ear. “You don’t even have to talk to him. I’ll keep him away from you.”
I don’t respond. My mind whirls with memories and with thoughts of everything that could go wrong here. These guys might seem kind, but what happens when they no longer need me? What happens if Madame Tamsin discovers who they are and comes after them? Or they just throw me to her?
“What do you say, Kinsey?” Enzo prods, shifting me.
The edges of my vision darken. What do I say? What do I do? I need to think. I know I don’t really have a choice, but I’m not going to just agree and pretend that everything is fine. Too much can happen.
“Kinsey? Hey, look at me,” Desmond says, materializing in front of me. He searches my eyes. “Someone get her a glass of water and a damp washcloth. She’s losing color. Something’s up. Her breathing is off too.”
“I think she’s having a panic attack.” Arsenio hovers in front of me next, squishing next to his brother.
Enzo stands with me in his arms. “What do we do?”
Arsenio holds open his arms. “She’s overwhelmed. You guys get out of here and give her some space. I will make sure she’s okay.”
My breathing quickens with my racing heart. I clench my fingers, digging my nails into the palms of my hands. Worry permeates through the air in a collection of scents that combat against my own.
The world spins, my head pounding.
I go limp in Arsenio’s arms, pushing the world away.
I just want it to stop.
I just want to forget my past completely. I want to forget me.
Chapter 9
Arsenio
Handling Alphas 101
“It’sbeendays.Youneed to figure out what to do. She’s of no use if she doesn’t get out of bed and refuses to talk to anyone.” Wilder keeps his voice low as he stands in front of me outside of Kinsey’s door. He’s such a jackass. He doesn’t understand that even if he is a heartless bastard without emotions beyond the scope of his anger and horniness, it doesn’t mean that everyone else is the same.
“She is acclimating, Wilder. She’ll be of no use if you constantly linger and hound at us. Holly is fine. We have time. How about you go do what you’re best at and see if you can get your hands on some fucking suppressant pills?” I block his way, ensuring he doesn’t try to bang on Kinsey’s door. She made it clear that she doesn’t want him anywhere near her, and I’ll make sure that she at least gets that. He can be pissed off and annoyed by it, but it’s his own damn fault. If he wants Kinsey to treat him like she does the rest of us, then he needs to figure out how to act right.
Wilder grumbles and spins on his heels, stomping away. And thank fucking God he decided to be smart and not test me. I don’t like fighting with him, but he is making it difficult.
