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She set the tray down on the desk and gave me a patient smile. “I know, but from what I heard, you didn’t eat much yesterday. It’s important for an Omega to stay well fed while in heat.”
My cheeks heated. How did she know? More so, how much did she know? My feet itched to run.
Kathryn laid a hand softly on my upper arm. “Don’t worry, dear. Only a few of us know, and you can trust us to keep to ourselves. Since I’m a doctor, Talis let me know so I can keep an eye on you. My first order is that you eat.”
Talis told her. He said he’d help take care of me, but he’d handed me off to Kathryn. I bit my tongue so I wouldn’t let any of my anger or hurt show, and I sat down beside the desk to take a big gulp of juice. Hopefully my voice would sound casual. “Is Talis here?”
She shook her head. “He’s working today, watching over the senator. Did you… need him for anything?”
Was she insinuating I needed his ‘services’ as an Alpha? My stomach tightened with want, but I smacked the desire down. What he did for me was just his duty. Nothing more. I drank more juice to drown the lie and ripped off a piece of the croissant. “No, I’m fine. I don’t need him at all.” I swallowed the lovely pastry bite and straightened in the seat with a smile. “I’m doing much better today.”
“That’s good to hear. I’d like to check your feet once you’re done eating, but you’re free to wander as you please on the island. Let me grab your laundry right now,” Kathryn said as she went into the bathroom and fetched the towels I’d used. She tossed them into a basket she’d left outside my door and went to the bed, picking up a pillow.
I quickly swallowed the fruit in my mouth and jumped up from the chair. “Don’t!” That sounded desperate. I cleared my throat and tried to let her hear my pounding heart. “The bed is fine. You don’t need to change it.”
Kathryn eyed me and then slowly nodded. “Alright. The least I can do is take this…” She plucked the woolen blanket up.
I lurched toward the bed again. “No! I mean, it’s okay.” What was wrong with me? “You can… just leave it. I don’t want to make more work for you.”
She raised her brows and put the blanket down. “Ah, nesting already, are you?” When I hid my blush behind my hand, she nodded. “That blanket… That was from the SUV. Levi carried you inside with it.”
“Yes…” I was sounding pathetic. I couldn’t control my heat, but surely I could control my nesting instincts. I needed to get my act together. Motioning to the blanket, I then wrapped my arms around myself. “Take it.” It almost hurt to say that. “I don’t need extra blankets in here. And I can’t be nesting. This isn't my room. I’m a guest on the island. From what I understand, when an Omega nests, she makes a space for her to stay in while she’s pregnant, and I don’t live here. Once it’s safe, I’ll return home and Senator Grant will claim me.” I almost choked on the words.
Kathryn left the blanket on the bed as she walked around it. “Sit and relax, dear. You may do whatever you want in this room. While you’re here, it isyourroom.” She dipped back into the hall and picked up her medical kit. How much stuff did she carry to my room? “Let me have a look at your feet.”
“Okay. Thank you.” I sat back down and removed my sandals. My heart slowed, growing calm as I glanced at the bed a few times.
I nibbled on my breakfast as Kathryn stripped off the bandages and cleaned my feet. “They’re looking good. You’re a fast healer.” She smiled and started to apply some ointment and new bandages. “You shouldn’t ignore your natural instincts, especially when in heat. It will only hurt you in the long run. I’ve known a few young women who claimed to be Betas to get into the military only to go into heat after a year or two. They tried to fight it, but they couldn’t, even with all their training.”
Chewing on more fruit, I studied her as she worked on my feet. Could Kathryn be one of those females who pretended to be a Beta to get into the military? There were laws that Omegas couldn’t pursue some careers for obvious reasons, and it wasn’t unheard of for women to pretend to be Betas.
Kathryn glanced at me and chuckled as if reading my thoughts. “No, not me. I served twenty-five years until I retired with my husband. Ronald helped Talis set up his company, and we lived here on the island in our little cabin until he passed away a few years ago.”
“I’m so sorry,” I said softly, my heart going out to her.
She smiled again as she cleaned up her supplies. “Thank you. We had a good life. I stayed here to take care of Talis and his guards. They’re like my children, the whole rowdy lot of them.” She stood and threw the old bandages into the trash can. “I think your feet will be fine. Keep them bandaged for another day, just to make certain.”
Everyone on this island was lucky to have Kathryn. She’d be such a fantastic mom. She was tender and sweet, but I had no doubt she didn’t put up with anyone’s shit.
“Thank you. Again.” I flexed and wiggled my toes. My feet were a hundred times better than yesterday. “I had worried I’d done them more harm last night when I was running in the woods…” Oh wait. She wouldn’t like me doing that. “But Evander found me and stopped me from getting hurt. He made sure I was well taken care of.” Dammit. Now the words were falling out before I could stop them. “I mean, I almost crawled over some rocks that would fall off into the water, and he… uh…”
Kathryn stared at me for a moment. “Evander and Levi then. Interesting. They’re good men.”
More than good. Far more than that. But they weren’tmyAlphas, as much as my heart was telling me that they were.
She went to the door and paused, turning to look at me. “I’ve noticed the way they have been treating you, and you’ve affected them unlike any other female. There’s a bond there already. Have you been clear with them that you are going to be claimed by the senator?”
I swallowed hard. I affected them like no one else before? “They all know.”
Kathryn picked up the basket with the towels and put her med kit on top. “And do you still want to be claimed by Senator Grant?”
No. Not at all. “It’s what my family wants. It’s been settled for a while.”
She nodded once. “Alright. Everyone here will respect what you want to do.” Kathryn started to go down the hall and stopped to add, “Be sure to eat as much as you can. I can pick up the tray later. Levi is here today. I believe he’s out on the beach training.”
With that, she left. I muttered another thank you as my insides were churning. Kathryn noticed a bond already between Levi, Evander, and I. A bond that was wrapping tight around me, but one I could not let tie me to these Alphas.
I made myself eat, and while I was lost to the mess of my thoughts, I’d cleared the tray. I needed to keep myself busy and returned the tray to the kitchen which was currently empty. Nabbing a bottle of water from the fridge, I decided to explore the island and let the unseasonably warm day take my mind off everything.
