I love the response to this story :D
Just so you all know, this is going to be a long boy, a slow uphill climb for Rose rediscovering herself again. So get settled in!
*There is mention in this chapter of past assault and use of drugs.*
I curled my hands into fists, my nails biting into the skin of my palms.
Jesse's arms came up to rest on either side of me, caging me in against the wall. I knew how solid his form was, there was no way I would be able to push past him. The only thing I hated more than Jesse was the fact I became so weak whenever he was near. He smiled down at me with his perfect teeth, sharp eyes easily picking up on the fact my body was shaking.
"Rose," He purred beside my ear, "what are you doing here?" When I didn't reply he leant in closer, making me cringe. "Who did you throw yourself at to get here? Did you miss me so much that you offered yourself up? Still a whore, I see."
I glared up at him, working up the courage to speak. "I'm not a whore." It only made him chuckle darkly.
"Yes you are, you don't have to pretend with me, Rose. I know just what you're like." His hand slipped down to my waist. Unlike when Dimitri touched me there, Jesse's touch made me want to throw up.
I pushed my fists against his chest, hissing, "Get off me." But just as I already knew, I couldn't move him. My breath started picking up in pace, moisture gathering in my eyes as the memories kept coming back.
"What's going on here?" Both of us whipped our heads to the side, Eddie standing in the hallway, jaw clenched.
Jesse relaxed, dismissing Eddie, "Nothing you need to worry about, Castile."
Eddie stepped closer, a look of disgust aimed at Jesse. "Let her go, or I will get Alpha Belikov."
My heart dropped at the idea of Dimitri seeing me standing like this with Jesse but it seemed the threat worked. With a sneer, Jesse stepped away from me, but not before running his hand down my cheek.
"See you around, Rose."
I didn't move until Jesse disappeared around the corner, the front door opening and closing. My body deflated, sliding down the wall until I was crouched, arms wrapped around my stomach. I tried to remember how to breathe, forcing all of those memories out of my mind, hoping to never think of it again.
"Are you okay?"
I had forgotten Eddie was still there, snapping my head up to look at him. "Don't tell anyone," I ordered. I watched his indecision, standing from my spot and stalking towards him, "Just keep your mouth shut." I growled as I pushed past him and up the stairs. I felt dirty, on the edge of breaking again.
I don't think I had made it up the three flights of stairs so quickly before, running straight for my room. I locked the door then dragged the chair to be behind it again, wedging it under the handle.
I knew it wouldn't stop anyone, especially if Jesse was as strong as Dimitri, but this way I would have some warning if someone was trying to get in.
I crossed to the bathroom, locking that door as well. I didn't really think Jesse was dumb enough to try anything like breaking into my room in the Alpha's house, but my mind wasn't being logical right now.
How could I be stupid enough to forget that Jesse was here? The day he had left was one of the few joyful ones I had at the academy, and now I was in the same place as him again. He had been bold there, it sent chills down my spine to think of what he would risk doing here.
I turned the tap until the water was near burning, welcoming the sensation as I stepped under the spray, scrubbing at the spots he had touched.
The act of washing away the memory of him was too much like last time, though this time I had no bruises and tears. The scars on my back ached with a phantom of pain brought on by the memories.
Don't think about it. I took a deep breath, bracing my hands on the tiles of the showers. Don't think about it.
I didn't sleep much that night, and when I did, it was of cruel smiles and the sound of a whip. More than once I woke with a scream on the tip of my tongue. It was late in the morning by the time I made my way downstairs.
I was jumpy, feeling like I needed to check behind each corner in case Jesse was standing there waiting for me. Entering the kitchen I bumped straight into Ivan, making me jump back with a yelp.
"Whoa, sorry." Ivan apologised quickly, my reaction surprising him. "Are you okay?"
I nodded my head, "Yeah, just surprised me." Glancing around the kitchen, I was glad to find it empty. I ducked around Ivan and to the fridge, taking the leftovers Olena kept in there. I felt his eyes on me.
"You just disappeared last night."
"I was tired," I replied easily, not looking back at him. I just needed some food and then I could go back upstairs and lock myself back in safety. My stomach had been in knots all morning, to the point I threw up this morning, I was hoping that eating something would help.
"Dimitri was worried, so was Alberta. She went up to say goodbye but your door was locked."
I was still awake when she did, too scared to open the door for her. I knew if I did I would tell her everything. "Like I said, I was tired. I must have been sleeping." I finished making my sandwich, grabbing two bottles of water from the fridge before making my way back to the staircase, going out of my way to sidestep Ivan.
"Did you want me to take you to see Dimitri? He's down at City Hall again." Ivan followed me up the stairs, hanging around like a bad smell.
"No, thanks. I'm just going to rest today."
"Are you sure? Because—"
I turned to face him, barely holding myself back from screaming. Through gritted teeth, I told him, "I'm fine. I just want to be by myself. Back off." This time when I left, he didn't follow.
I had no doubt that that little exchange was going to get back to Dimitri, but I didn't care.
Back in my room, I locked the door, pushing the chair under it again.
Even in the light of day, I knew it was a waste of time to do. One kick from Dimitri had sent this chair flying. Jesse was the strongest at the academy, part of one of the Royal families, it would be useless.
What I needed was a weapon, though I doubt Dimitri just had knives lying around, not when his body was essentially a weapon. Still, I went through the room, putting everything back as I found it, but Dimitri didn't seem to own much other than a large collection of Western novels. I half expected to find a cowboy hat concealed somewhere.
At least the books gave me something to do to pass the time.
They reminded me of Dimitri, making me feel a little better. I hated to admit that I missed him, wishing that I could smell his scent again. Everything in here had lost the lingering scent considering how long it had been since he had been in here.
Chewing my lip, I decided to risk venturing out of my room. I couldn't hear anyone moving around outside, so I slipped out into the hallway and down the stairs to the second floor.
I had never felt more creepy than I did right now.
Keeping an eye out for anyone watching, I let myself into Dimitri's room. Instantly, I felt relaxed. I eyed the bed knowing that I could easily lay on it and have a peaceful sleep but then it would risk me still sleeping there when Dimitri returned, and I was already being weird enough without him seeing it.
I searched the room, finding his duffle bag full of clothes hidden in the bathroom. I didn't know when he had packed this, I had noticed there were fewer clothes in the closet but didn't think much of it at the time.
Dimitri being Dimitri, everything was organised and folded. Not wanting to go through it, I took the shirt from the top and then rushed back up to my room silently cursing myself the whole time.
What was I even doing? Since when did I become this creepy to be stealing his shirt and then going as far as to lay it on the bed beside me. I would have made myself return it straight away if I didn't feel the tension leave me when I laid next to it. His scent wrapped around me and I felt safe. The fear that clawed at me receded enough that I felt I could breathe again.
Closing my eyes, I was pulled into a deep sleep, dreaming of Dimitri and I running through the forest again.
For two days I stayed confined to my room, refusing to leave for much else than food or when Dimitri would be home. I felt safe enough to know that Jesse wouldn't try anything around him. So when Dimitri came home and asked me to walk with him through the garden, I did. I knew he wanted to ask me what was bothering me, but I never let him bring it up.
Dinner was an awkward affair, spent mostly with me pinned under the eyes of Yeva, or trading glares with Sonya the one time she ate with us. I avoided downstairs otherwise, not wanting to run into Jesse or Eddie. Viktoria had tried enticing me out of my room to join her for shopping, but I turned her down each time. She was hurt that I was avoiding her, but I didn't know how to tell her why I didn't want to go to town.
Even Alberta was concerned by my sudden want to not leave. When she came to visit me the other night, she learnt I had placed the chair in front of my door. I played it off as I was moving things around and just forgot to put the chair back, but knew she didn't believe me. So I stopped putting it there just in case she came back to check.
Dimitri's shirt was losing his scent, which brought back the nightmares.
I would dream of his hands on me, of me begging him to stop. Then the dreams would change to the cells, me curled up against the concrete wall as I tried to ignore the pain radiating from my back.
I tried to stay awake so I wouldn't be pulled into those dreams but eventually, my exhaustion would win.
I felt something light brush against my nose, the sensation pulling me out of the only dreamless sleep I had had in days. When I felt it again, I swatted around my face, thinking it was a bug that got into the room.
It was only a second later I felt it again. I pulled the covers up over my face.
"Come on. You can't sleep all day."
I froze at the voice. Oh god. It can't be. I pulled the blanket down and screamed.
I backed up in the bed, almost falling off as my limbs got tangled up in the blanket. I covered my mouth, stopping any more sound from escaping.
"Not the reaction I was expecting." She giggled.
I swear I could cry from the sound of her voice. Sitting in front of me, looking so similar to how she had three years ago was Lissa. When she smiled, I did cry. I threw myself forward, toppling her onto the mattress, her arms coming up to hug me back. "Holy shit! Lissa, how are you here?"
She laughed again, green eyes crinkling, "Alpha Belikov called me."
"What?"
A sudden approach of feet made me look to the bedroom door, watching as Dimitri and some others entered my room. His eyes were wide, searching the room before coming to land on me. "Rose? Are you okay?" He stepped towards the bed with his hand held out.
More tears slipped out of my eyes as I jumped off the bed and into Dimitri's arms, burying my face into his chest. "Thank you," I whispered against him.
He didn't respond at first, but then he wrapped his arms around me and held me close. He straightened, my feet lifting off the ground, feeling secure in his embrace.
After a moment he lowered me again, using the pad of his thumb to wipe the tears from my cheeks. I looked back at Lissa in awe, then to him, "How did you…?"
"Alberta got me her number. I thought you would like to see your friend." His explanation was almost hesitant as if he thought I would be upset. I grinned up at him, earning a smile in return.
I crawled back onto the bed, pulling Lissa into another tight hug, "I can't believe you're here!"
"Well, when I found out where you were, Christian and I came straight away. Thirty hours is a really long drive but it was worth it." She grinned at me.
Her eyes were taking me in as much as I was her. Her blonde hair was longer, still managing to look perfect despite me pushing her over before. She had matured, no longer a teenager, but starting to look like a grown woman.
"Wait, Christian?"
Lissa laughed, "Yeah, he was in here a moment ago," She pointed at the door.
I glanced back, noticing that the others had left, only Dimitri remaining. At the time, I had only seen him, I couldn't even remember who else was there. I gave them both a sheepish look. "I was distracted."
Dimitri chuckled, "I'll leave you two to catch up."
Lissa waited a whole two seconds after he closed the door before shooting me a look, "He's so hot! How did you meet him?"
I laid back with a sigh, "That is a really long story." Lissa laid down beside me, reminding me how we used to spend hours lounging together gossiping.
"How about how you ended up living here?"
"Same story, but short version, I'm mated to him."
Lissa's eyebrows shot up, "What!"
xXx
Dimitri POV
I ran my hand through my hair, sighing as I made it back down the stairs to the first floor. I had been down in the kitchen with everyone when I heard Rose's scream. I swear my heart had stopped beating until I saw she was fine.
Then she hugged me and my heart stopped again.
It felt amazing to have my arms around her, even if it was fleeting. Just like seeing her smile, the sight of it was breathtaking, especially after the past few days. I don't know what had happened when she left to see Viktoria after we ran together. Something changed.
Just when I thought we were making progress, Rose started refusing to leave her room, and when she did she was withdrawn, her mind elsewhere as she searched her surroundings all the time. Something was scaring her but I didn't know what.
Growing desperate I had asked Alberta about Lissa, hearing her name mentioned before. I thought maybe Rose needed a friend she trusted, someone her own age. It had only taken one phone call for Lissa to come here, eager to see Rose again.
Alberta and I had warned her that Rose may be different from what she remembered, that the academy had affected her in more ways than she was willing to tell us. Leaving her boyfriend downstairs, she went straight to see her friend.
I could only hope that this worked.
I wanted to see the Rose that I was with in the forest again, that wide smile that was on her face. Her excited eyes when she kissed me.
The memory of our brief kiss haunted me, leaving me craving more.
Entering the kitchen, Alberta gave me a questioning look. "She's fine, they are talking now," I told her.
"That's good, I'm sure they will be there for a while." She replied, cupping her hand around her mug. Rose's change in mood had been concerning her as well, when she mentioned that Rose had been blocking her door with a chair he caused me to panic more.
Was Rose scared of me again?
Maybe the kiss had scared her, being too much too soon. The information I had heard about what the academy was like for omegas hadn't helped ease my concerns. Both Eddie and Ivan had been informing me about what the conditions were like there. It amazed me that the staff were allowed to get away with these things.
Though considering they had been the ones to drug Rose in the first place, I wasn't overly surprised. The more I learned, the more my heart ached for my mate and what she had to go through. I knew there was more that Eddie didn't know of, or wasn't revealing.
I had seen the scars on Rose's wrist, and my mother had told me about the ones on her back. She had seen them when she undressed Rose the day we brought her back to the pack. To have scars like that form on a werewolf, it either had to be a serious wound, or something prevented her from healing properly.
I took my seat beside Ivan, drinking what was left of my coffee. I surveyed the room, "Where's Christian?"
"He was tired so I showed him to his room," Ivan supplied, leaning back in his chair with a pensive look. Even my mother was silent. Rose had been here for just barely a week and yet everyone here cared deeply for her. It filled me with pride knowing my mate was accepted by them, now if only Sonya and Babushka could be so kind.
I knew Sonya was just being overprotective, her pregnancy making it worse. But I had no idea why Babushka was so cruel. Sure, she wasn't always kind to people, but there was usually a reason for it, I just didn't know what her reason was for treating Rose that way. Despite how many times my mother and I have asked her, she never answers.
We all sat around the table in silence, only being broken by my mother offering food and more coffee. I should be in town catching up on the endless paperwork I had but I wanted to stay close to Rose. Viktoria had mentioned that Rose was calmer when I was around, I contemplated just getting someone to bring everything here so I could work in the room next to hers.
The sound of laughter made us all perk up, a moment later Rose emerged with her arm looped through Lissa's.
"Do you remember when he tried cooking the turkey," Rose snorted, making Lissa break into another fit of giggles.
"He's doing much better since then," Lissa assured Rose, "I'll make him cook while we are here."
"How long are you staying?" Rose asked. Lissa paused, eyes shifting to me.
"You're welcome here for as long as you would like," I told her with a smile. As long as she made Rose laugh, Lissa and Christian could move in for all I cared.
Rose started fishing through the fridge only to be shooed away by my mother. "Sit down. I will make you both some lunch." She patted Rose on the cheek affectionately.
"Thank you, Olena," Rose grinned, taking two coffee cups and filling them. They both took a seat at the table opposite me.
I took the chance to study Rose more, noting the shadows under her eyes. She still wasn't sleeping well. When in her room, I had spied my shirt on her bed, recognising it as the one that had gone missing a few days ago. Her scent had been lingering in my room and I guessed she had been in there for something. Pride swelling in me that my scent brought her comfort, I just wished she would just come to me instead.
I watched as Rose put three spoons of sugar into her coffee, no doubt to keep herself awake. Lissa did the same, currently running off little sleep. Christian explained that they had packed and then drove straight here, stopping for only a couple of hours for sleep. Lissa had been so excited to see her friend that she hadn't slept most of the drive.
It was amazing to see Rose relax around her friend, even more so than she had with Alberta. The three of them fell into an easy flow of conversation. Part of me considered leaving so they could be alone, but Rose's eyes kept flicking to me with a soft smile and I couldn't bring myself to do so.
"So, Alpha Belikov," Lissa started, drawing my attention, "I had heard a lot about you from Christian's aunt, but she didn't mention you were mated."
I was thrown off by how forward she was, but I shouldn't expect any less from the last remaining member of the Dragomir line. She came off as sweet and gentle, but I could sense the alpha power that she radiated. "Who is Christian's aunt?" I asked casually. Rose was giving her friend a look, a mix of confusion and annoyance.
"Natasha Ozera."
I hid my grimace at her name. Tasha was a friend I used to be close to, but in recent years, we grew apart. She had become lost more in the world of politics and the power struggle of Court. Though we support a lot of the same ideals, it wasn't a world I cared for getting caught up in.
Lissa was watching me, waiting for a response. I turned to face her fully, "She doesn't know because I am waiting until Rose feels comfortable to be telling others."
"I would pay to see that," Ivan muttered into his coffee, using it to hide his smirk.
Seeming to accept my response, Lissa nodded, moving to another subject.
Rose's eyes flicked to mine, looking apologetic. "I'm sorry. She's just protective." She sent through to me.
"It's okay." I smiled at her to reassure her. If anything, it made me like Lissa more knowing she was protective of Rose.
"So, is anyone allowed to train here?"
I quirked my eyebrow up at Lissa, confused. Rose groaned. "Don't Liss."
"What do you mean?" I asked, intrigued.
Lissa twirled her mug between her hands, "Well, Rose was learning how to fight before—"
"Yes. Before. I don't do it anymore. Just drop it." Rose grounded out, giving her a pointed look.
"Rose, you used to dream about joining this pack and becoming a pack warrior. Now you're here, so why not?"
"You want to be a pack warrior?" Ivan asked bewildered.
Rose turned on him with a glare, "Yes. I know it's stupid. I've been told many times just how impossible it is!"
I reached across the table to cover her hand, squeezing it when her eyes flicked to mine. "I don't think it's stupid. If you want to be taught how to fight, I'll teach you."
Her eyes widened, a look of hope aimed at me. But then she frowned, shaking her head, "No. Look at me, I can turn sideways and disappear."
Ivan laughed at her description but bit his tongue when I glared at him in warning before turning back to Rose, "That's because you aren't eating enough, we can fix that."
"That and you aren't taking the drugs anymore."
As one we all turned to look at Lissa. Rose's hand flipped under mine so she was holding my fingers. "What do you mean?"
Lissa straightened under everyone's gaze. "You know, the one they put in your food."
I glanced at Ivan, seeing him deep in thought. "Is that true?" I asked.
He nodded, "Some mentioned it but I couldn't get it confirmed."
"I'm sorry. I was eating drugged food? For how long? What does it do!" Rose demanded, looking between the two blondes.
"You would have been eating it since you got there. They've been doing it since the thirties. It's stuff that's meant to keep omegas weaker and smaller." Lissa appeared reluctant to reveal the information, watching Rose's reaction with sad eyes. "Apparently the old King was worried that omegas would fight back and so he had the drug created. It makes you and your wolf weaker. I'm sorry, I thought you knew."
Rose covered her face in her hands, my heart clenched as her shoulders started to shake slightly. Lissa reached to comfort her when Rose threw her head back and laughed, startling us all.
"Rose?"
A tear escaped her eye, but she kept laughing, "Sorry. It's just… It all makes sense now. I thought I was going crazy, thinking it was all because of being an omega. But no, it's because I was being drugged for the last three years without knowing it."
Unable to sit and keep watching, I stood and walked around the table, crouching beside her and wiping the tears from her face. Though Rose was laughing, I knew how upset she was from them drugging her when I claimed her, and now she has just learnt that it had been happening for years.
She looked down at me, the smile slowly slipped as her expression broke. New tears fell as she leant forward and pressed her face into my neck, hands gripping the back of my shirt as she cried.
A wild Lissa has appeared!
