Olena had come herself to make sure I was downstairs for breakfast the next morning, patting my cheek with a nod of approval after sweeping her eyes over me. Just the food last night had helped my body heal, no longer limping on my ankle, by tomorrow I should be back to full health.
I was shocked by the number of people gathered in the kitchen, food laid out like a buffet for anyone to take a plate and help themselves. Everyone seemed in a good mood, chatting amongst themselves, it was weird. Breakfast at the academy was quiet, orderly. This was like everyone acting like a big family.
It made me feel uncomfortable, my guard coming up and I closed myself off.
I took a plate and grabbed some food, and found a seat away from everyone else, keeping my head down as I ate.
The seat beside was pulled out, a plate slid on the table. "Good morning, Rose." Ivan greeted me, a smile on his face. His blond hair was brushed back this morning, gel used to keep the long strands from his face.
All the men in the room were of a similar build to Ivan, muscles bulging; even the women were well built. I didn't know what pack I was staying with, or even where in America I was. But based on the look of everyone, this must be a warrior pack.
"You can have more, you know. There is always heaps of food." Ivan told me, looking pointedly at my plate.
I glanced down, my serving was less than half of what Ivan was eating. Old habits die hard, serving myself the same size I would at the academy. I shrugged it off, "I don't eat a lot in the morning."
"Don't let Olena hear you say that. She will sit here and watch you until she thinks you've had enough." He teased, starting in on his food.
The hairs on my neck kept standing up, feeling eyes on me, again the people in the kitchen would glance at me curiously, but none would approach. I hated it, feeling like an animal at the zoo. Omegas were rare, once they presented most were sent to the academy because they could help control our heats with drugs. And most would stay there until marriage or a job could be arranged, sent off not long after their eighteenth.
They tended to stay close to Court after leaving the academy, so I wasn't surprised that everyone was checking out the Omega, but that didn't mean I was okay with it. My expression pulled into a scowl aimed at the ones openly staring.
Following my eyeline, Ivan smirked, "They are all intrigued by the new girl. Dimitri hasn't said a lot about you."
"You mean he isn't telling everyone about my amazingly docile personality." I retorted sarcastically.
He chuckled, "I think he is still trying to figure you out. You are nothing like when we met you at the academy."
I narrowed my eyes, leaning back in my chair and crossing my arms, "I wonder why." I was right that they preferred me on that drug, acting like the perfect Omega. Just the memory of it made bile rise in my throat; I had no control when on it and that scared me.
Ivan picked up on the change in moods, scrambling to change the subject, "Did you want to look around the house? I can show you the maze as well, it's much better when you aren't trying to escape."
The corner of my lips twitched. I nodded, reminding myself of my plan to get out. Just a couple more days and then I was gone.
Ivan was an overly excited tour guide, filled with little tidbits of information about the house. It was built in the 1800s, burnt down twice and rebuilt in the same style, parts of the house still the original.
When Ivan had mentioned the family name of the house I had choked on my spit.
"Ivashkov? As in the Queen's family, Ivashkov?"
"That's the one," Ivan confirmed, "Though don't mention her too much around Dimitri, he is not a fan of her."
My mind was reeling, "Where are we?"
Ivan shot me a bewildered look, "Umm… the library."
"No! Where in America are we?" Please don't say Arizona. Please don't say Arizona.
"Haven, Arizona."
Crap. I had guessed that this was a warrior pack, but I didn't think it would be one of the best in the country. The best and the most terrifying. Alpha Belikov was ruthless, being unmatched since he was a teenager. Even the most brutal of rogues would never try attacking this pack because they knew they would be slaughtered.
"Dimitri is… Alpha Belikov?" I asked in disbelief.
"Yeah. You didn't know?"
My knees felt weak. I have been arguing with one of the most dangerous Alphas in America, even running away from him. He's going to kill me. Or at the very least, make me wish I was dead.
"Rose?" Ivan called my name frantically, a hand gripping my elbow, "Come on, let's get you some air." He led me out through a pair of glass doors to the garden, to a wooden bench at the edge of the maze covered in shade. Ivan pushed on my shoulders so I sat.
I covered my face with my hands. My plans of escaping had just become more of a distant dream, running away from your mate was hard enough, but from an Alpha like Dimitri Belikov would be near impossible. He was an amazing fighter and tracker, his skills known in all packs, everyone was shocked that a man so young was so talented.
"Are you okay?"
I groaned in response. I was so very much not okay.
"Just hang on, Dimitri's coming."
I whipped my head up to face him, "What! Why?"
"Because he's your mate, he can help."
I chuckled darkly, "He is not my mate."
Anger flashed in Ivan's eyes, "Don't say that."
"I'll say whatever the fuck I want!" I yelled back. I was scared, and when I get scared, my anger comes out. I've always been short-tempered and smart-mouthed, and it was how I reacted ever since my mother left me at that damn academy. They tried to beat it out of me, to make me small and submissive.
I will never let myself be small again.
Ivan opened his mouth to reply but was cut off by the call of my name.
Dimitri was running towards us, "Rose!" He looked at Ivan once he reached us, "What happened? Rose, are you okay?" His hand reached for my shoulder.
I stood from the bench moving out of his reach with a glare, "Don't touch me."
A look of shock crossed Ivan's face, while Dimitri's pinched. "Rose-"
"No! You don't get to touch me." I hissed at him, "I don't care who you are, you don't touch me." My self-preservation was long gone now.
"Why are you acting like this?" Dimitri questioned me, nostrils flaring as his eyes glowed, his wolf pressing against the surface.
"What's wrong? Don't like it when I'm not submissive?" I shot Dimitri a dark look, "So sorry, Alpha. Does it make you angry when I actually fight back?"
Dimitri's eyes widened, mouth hanging open in shock. It gave me a small amount of pride knowing my words caused a reaction, encouraging me to keep going.
I put all my fury in my eyes, so he knew how much I hated him. "If I wasn't forced to, I never would have agreed to be your mate!" Contempt dripped off each word as I spat them from my mouth.
I prepared myself for his response, whether it be verbal or physical, accepting it was unavoidable, but at least I had spoken my truth. What I didn't expect was the look of horror and sorrow on Dimitri's face, he took a step back as if my words physically knocked him back.
Ivan was the one to speak, "What do you mean forced?" He asked in a low voice, fists clenched at his side.
"The drug you made them give me." Their reaction made me falter, but I tried to ignore it. There was no way they didn't know about it.
"They drugged you?" The shock in Ivan's voice sounded real.
"Yes. Don't act like you didn't know!" Now I was starting to second-guess myself. Both of their reactions seemed genuine. Did they really not know?
Dimitri took another step back, face becoming paler with each second that passed. His eyes lifted to mine, the corners pinched in pain, his expression was regretful. "You were drugged? And forced…" His voice became strained. "I claimed you against your will."
There was so much pain in his voice that my heart clenched. I was so confused.
Ivan turned to Dimitri, about to speak, when Dimitri stumbled away from us, leaning forward with his hands braced on his knees as he threw up on the grass.
"Shit, Dimitri. It's not the same. You aren't-" Ivan tried consoling him but Dimitri cut him off.
"It is the same." Dimitri spat on the ground, shoulders heaving, "I'm the same." He stood, his back to both of us, pausing, "I'm so sorry, Rose. I never meant to… I'm sorry."
And then he was gone, with unbelievable speed Dimitri was gone from my sight disappearing into the garden. Ivan cursed, calling out after him, hands running through his hair ruining the styling, strands now hanging in front of his face.
I didn't know what to make of what just happened. There was so much anguish in Dimitri's voice, his apology sounding sincere.
"Shit. Shit. Shit." Ivan kept repeating, eyes glazing over as he mind-linked. A low whine travelled from deep within the forest, the sound made my breath catch.
"Was that… What just happened?" I was lost, trying to make sense of why Dimitri reacted like that.
Ivan spun to face me, shocked as if he had forgotten I was there. "Rose. God, I'm so sorry. I swear we had no idea—he had no idea. Dimitri would never have claimed you if he knew." Another whine sounded from the distance. "Shit! Rose, I have to go. Please just go inside and stay there!" Ivan pleaded me.
I nodded automatically, already backing up to the house. Part of me was screaming that this was my chance to get away; but the other part, the part that ached with each whine I heard, wanted to stay. It didn't make sense, but I needed to know if Dimitri was okay; why he had reacted like this.
My feet carried me back into the house, running through the hallway and then back up the stairs to the third floor. Rushing into the room I had been sleeping in, I threw open the window, using the height I had to peer out to the forest. I watched Ivan as he disappeared into the tree line, another man also venturing in a couple of minutes later. I wanted to go find Olena, maybe she would have some answers, but I couldn't bring myself to tear my eyes away from the forest. So I stayed, Watching and waiting for Dimitri to reemerge from the trees.
It was late afternoon before anyone came to my room, a teary-eyed Olena knocking lightly against my opened door. She studied me. "Ivan told me what happened," She started, stepping closer to me, hand coming up to cup my cheek gently. "I'm so sorry this has happened to you, Roza."
Her soft touch and caring eyes broke something in me, all of the emotions I had been keeping bottled up inside of me came rushing out. I collapsed into Olena's open arms, she pulled me close, hugging me tightly as I cried into her shoulder.
Finally, I let everything out.
Dimitri was avoiding me, that or he was held up in a room and never left it. Whenever I saw Ivan he would avoid my eyes, quickly excusing himself from the room. Olena was the one that explained what happened to me.
After I had finished crying my eyes out, she told me the story of her relationship with Dimitri's father, Randall Ivashkov. She lived in Russia, her family a long line of powerful Alphas, Randall had come to meet her father to ask her for an arranged mateship. Olena had denied it at first, but it was a different time and Randall claimed Olena against her will.
Her voice had caught as she told me about it, how her father didn't believe her when she said he forced her.
At first, it was bearable, Randall was kind enough that Olena believed she could be happy. But then the beatings happened when she didn't give him a son. Once Dimitri was born, he became happy again, doting on Dimitri and acting kind towards Olena.
And then it started again.
Olena put up with the beatings, keeping Randall's anger away from her children. He eventually moved them all to America and into his family's home when Olena was pregnant with Viktoria. She had thought none of the children knew about what Randall did to her, until one day Dimitri found her being beaten by Randall and he snapped.
That day Dimitri took over as the Alpha of the pack, at the age of thirteen. Dimitri always swore he would never be like his father, but then he found out that he claimed me against his will.
It's been two days since then, four since I came here.
After hearing the story and realising that Dimitri really had no idea I have been unsure what to make of it all.
I didn't forgive Dimitri, not completely, sure he didn't do it on purpose; but in the end, I was still claimed and my life changed. I realised that I needed to talk to Dimitri about it, find out his side of it, but like I said, he's avoiding me.
I was still hesitant about meeting others of the pack, keeping to my room mostly. Viktoria showed up and dragged me around the house, then to her room to hang out. It reminded me of hanging out with Lissa which made me both happy and depressed.
Olena promised me profusely that I was safe here and would never be forced to do anything I didn't want to; it made me let down my guard a little, allowing myself to enjoy it.
I was treated better here than I ever was at the academy, with warm filling meals, and a soft bed. I wasn't given chores to do, though I did offer to help out where I could.
The stress of everything was starting to get to me though, my stomach in knots and my head pounding. I didn't want to tell Olena about it, not wanting to be seen as a burden along with everything else. For the most part I was able to hide in the bedroom and avoid others while I laid in the bed tossing from the pain of it.
I blamed it on being in a new place, or even a side effect from the drug Kirova gave me. Or maybe it was because I was mated to someone I didn't know.
It was early morning on Sunday, Viktoria had been talking excitedly about tonight's dinner and pack run last night. I imagined I would see Dimitri tonight, doubting that the Alpha would miss it. Maybe the nerves of the night were why I was up at dawn.
I had laid in bed tossing and turning, hoping to find sleep again, but it eluded me. Even the crisp scent couldn't calm me, now so faint I could barely smell it. I had taken out my only thick jumper and walked outside into the maze. It was still freezing in the mornings, with frost on the grass.
Surrounded by the large hedges and the peaceful silence of the early morning, I slowly weaved through it, following the many pathways until I came upon the gazebo. The sun had risen enough for the beams of light to bounce off the glass of the windows. A beautiful stained glass window was on one side, a woman standing in front of water in the moonlight surrounded by flowers. A brown wolf next to her. The sun shone through it spreading the coloured light throughout the gazebo.
I reached my hand up to graze my fingers across it.
"My grandmother made it."
The sudden voice made me jump, spinning on my heel to face Dimitri, I pressed a hand to my chest in surprise. "God. Make a sound or something next time."
Dimitri winced, "Sorry."
I eyed Dimitri, the hatred that used to rise at the sight of him didn't come this time, just uncertainty. He was dressed in a shirt and jeans with a dark brown duster thrown on top, looking like a cowboy. All he needed now was the hat and horse.
I glanced at the coloured glass again, "Your grandmother made it?"
"Once she moved here, she said that it needed some colour. You don't say no to babushka." He chuckled, though it sounded nervous. Shifting his weight on his feet; I guessed he felt awkward around me. "You're up early."
There was a curiosity in his voice, though his eyes appeared hesitant to ask me anything. I shrugged, "Couldn't sleep."
A slight breeze picked up, blowing through the leaves, it moved through my hair making the strands dance around my shoulders. That scent hit my nose, the crisp pine smell. I inhaled deeply, my skin tingling and my bite mark pulsating. My hand moved to cover it, a shiver spreading through my body.
My eyes moved to Dimitri's who was watching me silently, eyes holding mine. And then he moved his away, breaking the trance.
I swallowed thickly, wrapping my arms around me to ward off the cold that set in. It was my warmest piece of clothing, but it was thin and old. I never had the money to buy new clothes and the academy didn't really offer much. Anything nice I had owned had a tendency of going missing there.
Dimitri noticed the movement, "Would you like some hot chocolate?" He asked, tilting his head back towards the house.
After contemplating it for a moment, I agreed. I wanted to hear his side of what happened at the claiming ceremony, it would be better to work things out sooner than later. What he says will decide if I stay here or try to escape.
I had made a plan, having mapped out a route to follow once I stole a car, using the library to look up the surrounding area. Tonight during the pack run would be my best chance, I would be left here while everyone else was out, fewer eyes to notice as I snuck out.
Dimitri kept a distance between us, occasionally glancing back to make sure I was still following. Neither of us spoke until we reached the kitchen. Dimitri told me to take a seat while he prepared the drinks.
I had half expected him to be like his mother and make it from scratch, instead, he pulled out satchels of hot chocolate mix, pouring them into the cups.
"The secret is doubling the satchels," He told me with a smile, a minute later, a steaming cup of hot chocolate was placed before me.
After all the stories I had heard of Alpha Belikov and his terrifying capabilities as a warrior, I never would have imagined he'd make me hot chocolate. I took the offered drink, wrapping my hands around the cup to warm my fingers.
Silence stretched between us, neither knowing what to say.
Dimitri didn't even lift his cup to drink from it, instead, stared into the dark liquid.
"I'm sorry, Rose," The deep tones of his voice broke the silence, eyes locking on mine. "If I knew, I never would have claimed you then."
He was sincere, I could tell that much, and from the pinched corners of his eyes, I knew what he did pained him.
"How didn't you notice?" I asked. A question that had been on my mind for a while. Surely, he would have noticed I was out of it.
Dimitri dragged his fingers through his hair, "They told me before the ceremony that you were shy but had agreed to the arrangement. I took their word for it. I just assumed you were nervous, and then I became so distracted by–" He cut himself off, looking down at his cup. "I should have noticed."
There was so much disappointment in his voice as he spoke. He hated himself for his actions because it's what his father did as well.
"Olena told me about your father."
Dimitri's eyes flicked to mine, glowing amber for a second before receding. "I never wanted to be like him."
"What happened to him?" I asked. Olena had said that he was gone and Dimitri took over as Alpha but didn't go into specifics.
His jaw clenched and I regretted asking. "I knew he would beat my mother, believing it was his right as an Alpha. As I got older he stopped trying to hide it so I tried to be with her all the time, thinking that I could protect her if I was. I was already taller and stronger than him, so he didn't pick fights with me if he could avoid it.
"Then one day I left to hang out with some friends, foolishly thinking she would be fine for a couple of hours," His eyes became distant, losing himself in the memories. "When I came home she was unconscious and covered in blood. He was still hitting her and I knew if he didn't stop he would kill her."
I gasped, my heart broke at what Olena went through. "What did you do?"
Dimitri's eyes became cold and harsh, "I killed him."
No one spoke much about what happened when Dimitri took over, different rumours spread about how he gained power. And now I know the truth. Dimitri killed his father when he was thirteen, but it was to save his mother.
"The pack accepted you as their Alpha?"
"There were some that were against it, supporters of my father. But the majority of the pack were happy to see him gone. He was already drunk more often than not at that point and I had been learning my role as Alpha for a few years by then."
I had to admit, what Dimitri did was impressive especially for his age. I steered the conversation back to our mateship, still deciding how I felt about it. "Why did you have an arranged mating? Why not just find someone on your own?"
Dimitri swirled his cup, still full. "I didn't want one, not yet anyway. But the Queen ordered me to take a mate or I would face the consequences. She hasn't liked me since I killed her nephew but was unable to punish me for it."
At first, I couldn't see forcing Dimitri to mate someone as being a punishment, but then it clicked. I'm an Omega. "So to get back at you, she forced you to mate with someone like me that will weaken your bloodline."
"Rose, if there's anything I've learnt these last few days, it's that you are not weak." There was a fondness in his eyes as he addressed me, something that made me both panic and feel excited.
"I didn't even know what was happening until they were forcing the dress on me, that's when I started arguing with them and they drugged me. I have never been given it before, but it took away all my control. Made me everything I hated."
"I swear, I didn't ask for you to be drugged. If I had known I would have called the whole thing off until you were in your right mind."
I gave Dimitri a small smile, "I know. I believe you."
As bad of a situation it was, Dimitri and I were both obviously puppets for others to pull the strings on. Dimitri didn't want a mate and neither had I, and yet here we are.
"I have spoken with Mikhail, he can fix up one of the houses in town if you would like. Or one closer to the pack house, just let me know which you would prefer and I'll have it ready for you in a couple of days if you can endure it here a bit longer."
I tilted my head in confusion at Dimitri's offer. "You want me to leave?"
His eyes widened, "No. But I want you to feel comfortable and I can understand not being so around me."
Dimitri was offering me my own house, away from him despite us being mates, to make sure I was comfortable. While I still wasn't ready to completely move past everything, I knew without a doubt, I didn't want to be away from Dimitri. I wasn't sure if it was because of the mating bond that had been formed between us, or if it was something else. When he disappeared into that forest, and then the two days after that I didn't see him, I was worried about him.
Somehow, a small part of me cared for him and wanted to give him a chance.
I shook my head, "I don't want to leave the pack house. I'm not saying I'm ready to share rooms or anything, but I would like to stay here." I replied, adding, "If that's okay with you."
His eyes lit up, corners of his lips twitched in a ghost of a smile, "Of course, Rose. Whatever you want."
It amazed me an Alpha giving in to the request of an Omega, something I had never thought would happen. "Well," I threw my hand out towards him, "Let's do this right. Hi, I'm Rose Hathaway."
Dimitri smirked, gently taking my hand in his, "Hello, Rose. I'm Dimitri Belikov."
Aww, they are making progress ❤
Thank you everyone for reading, looking forward to seeing what you think!
