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“I have to go back into the shop and check on Cade. Take her home, Maximo. I’ll close up and meet you there,” I urged. He scooped up our omega and carried her to the car. In that moment, what she’d said on our date came back to my mind.
“Let’s just say there are worse things and people than the mafia.”
Apparently, her ‘worse things’ had caught up with her. I just hoped that she didn’t run from us instead of giving us a chance to help. We all knew a thing or two about skeletons in closets, and if she gave us the opportunity, we could help her get through this in one piece.
Maximo kepta hand on my thigh the entire ride back to the house. There wasn’t one moment he wasn’t touching me, offering comfort, as I battled my body and mind. They were both ready to spiral into another panic attack. I could feel another one lingering, the anxiety and tension keeping me wound so tight that one word would send me over the edge. There was nothing about this conversation that would be easy. Nothing.
Would it kickstart my heat? Could this make it worse? Would they stay once I told them about what was going on? I mentally stumbled for a second, realizing that I wasn’t questioningifI would be telling them the truth, only what would their reactions bewhenI told them the truth. I was one hundred percent positive they would kick my ass after realizing just how bad things had gotten before I ran from home.
The car door opening made me blink, but Maximo didn’t wait for me to move. Reaching across me, he unbuckled the seatbelt and scooped me up. Without hesitation, I wrapped my arms around his neck, burying my face in his chest to get the scent of him all over me. I needed the extra comfort to help me figure out how to say what I needed to.
Maximo didn’t say anything, but he started to purr. The deep rumbling sound in his chest instantly made me relax into him.
“Thank you,” I croaked, hating that my makeup was fucked up beyond fixing. I probably looked like a fucking raccoon.
“You’re ours, Hazel,” Maximo told me, his deep voice gravelly. He walked into the living room and sat down on the couch, holding me. But the stillness, even with his purring, just put me on edge again. I pushed at his chest, and Maximo released me so I could pace the length of the living room, wringing my hands until the others slowly filtered in. First Zaven, then the twins, and lastly Sutton. All five sat down, watching me on high alert, waiting for me to spill the beans. But where the hell did I start?!
“I don’t…” I swallowed hard and tried again. “I don’t know where to start.”
“The beginning would probably be a good place since we have that asshole tied up in our basement,” Alessandro drawled, earning him a smack from his brother and glares from the other men.
I hiccuped and gave him a wobbly smile as I snorted. Dry humor and practicality, something I could appreciate right now.
“You said there were worse things than the mafia,” Zaven started. “Would that be whatever this is?”
I bit my lip and nodded a few times. “My childhood was… not the best.” All my men’s expressions hardened, and I wrung my hands hard enough that I swore I could hear bones grinding together. “My parents are part of the Humble Creed.”
Perplexed expressions crossed their faces as they searched mine. “The weird people who live in those compounds?Youwere part ofthat?”
“A cult,” I said with pain and disgust, squeezing my eyes shut. “It was… It’s awful. I ran away as soon as I could. My friends came with me, and we moved here so they couldn’t find me.”
“They’re a cult?” the twins asked at the same time.I guess the assholes manage to hide their true nature from the world.Everyone knew of THC and what they stood for, but not the extent of their oppression and abuse.
Zaven got up and slowly approached me. I stared at him wide-eyed as he reached out and grabbed my hands. He made sure his grip was loose enough that I instinctively knew I could break it if I wanted to put distance between us. This was about contact, not containment. His long fingers rubbed my hands, pulling them apart. Apparently, he didn’t like my nervous habit, but it was okay. Now I could say this next part without looking at the two alphas in the room. I’d take whatever buffers I could.
“They believe that it’s their mission to restore alphas to their rightful place and put omegas back in their proper role—serving alphas. They train us from childhood…” I explained despite the growing tension. I kept my eyes trained on Zaven, who met my gaze with his steady one, his hands still rubbing mine. “How to treat alphas and how to properly obey them. We were to be seen, not heard, never permitted to talk back or have an opinion. No jobs, no hobbies. In the eyes of THC, omegas were meant to take orders and follow them in their entirety. We’re forced to give up our autonomy with the needs of the pack taking precedence over everything else. In fact, they ensure it.”
“What does that mean?” Alessandro asked, the icy rage in his tone making me shiver.
I chanced at my alphas glance to find them looking like they were ready to kill someone, and the twins appeared to be fully on board with that sentiment. “Every Sunday was the day of Rapture. Omegas were given ‘medicine,’ a communion almost, in small amounts at first, then more as you got older… It was…” I trailed off as my voice broke, anxiety crashing into me.
It felt like the walls were closing in with the memory of each Sunday—my father giving me doses, telling me I was the perfect omega, whispering orders he needed me to follow. The glances I would get as I shuffled around town, cooking and cleaning for alphas in the pack. At least no one touched me. My father was high ranking in our chapter, and that meant I was given someprivileges.
Lucky me.
“Hazel, breathe with me.” Sutton reached out, cupping my face, and the moment his skin touched mine, I whimpered. A spike of fire shattered the numbness threatening to take over.
Shit. My heat.
“Hazel…” Maximo breathed in deeply, his pupils shot as he started to purr. “If you don’t want us to help you through the heat, now would be the time to say it. We can get you the drugs.”
“What?” I asked, and Sutton nodded in agreement.
“If you don’t consent to this, with us, considering what set it off…” They were so different than the alphas I’d grown up with. The fact that my heat was about to hit us all like a ton of bricks and they checked in with me… getting my consent… It cemented my answer. Our second date was apparently going to be my heat.
Leaning forward, I slammed my lips over Sutton’s. His answering growl made my pussy clench, slick wetting my thigh as my heat took over. Zaven’s long fingers reached for my work shirt. Grabbing the hem, he ripped it off of me, letting me press my upper body flush against Sutton’s. I scrambled to tear away the offensive clothing keeping his skin from mine.
“We should get out of the living room,” Emiliano suggested, standing up.
