by Merel Pierce
While the answer satisfied his curiosity, it had the unintended side effect of rousing his temper as well. “Do you have a theory on why she has chosen to keep the baby of her rapists?”
The older man frowned. “I would like to say that her budding dynamic has spurred a mothering instinct in her, but I’m not certain that is the cause. However, the girl wouldn’t discuss it. Whatever her reasoning, she is resolute.” The doctor regarded him cautiously as he continued. “I understand that it is not commonplace for an alpha to raise another male’s child, but Mr. Petrovski, if you do not intend to allow her to keep the baby, it’s best to make that clear now. Separating her once it has come will be difficult and doing so with no preparation will devastate whatever progress you may make with your omega in the meantime.”
“Wise advice,” Nikolai muttered, “What of a treatment protocol?”
The psychologist glanced over his shoulder towards the closed room behind them. “Honestly? I think you should take her home.” When the alpha looked skeptical, he shrugged a shoulder. “It’s an unpopular recommendation, and one that Dr. Reynolds won’t understand or agree with. But in my opinion your recently paired omega will recover more satisfactorily under the care of her alpha than in a hospital setting,” he explained as he gave the younger man a knowing look. “Our presence only agitates her and interrupts the bonding process, much as it did this morning.”
“At this point she will require minimal maintenance care for her physical injuries, and you can certainly bring her in for those treatments or hire staff that will come to your home. While I do insist upon her beginning therapy as soon as possible, the girl’s recovery depends most heavily upon the support of her alpha.”
“I see. How soon would it be advisable to remove her?”
“I see no reason that it could not be done today, if you wished,” the man offered evenly. “I will persuade Dr. Reynolds of the benefits. While I imagine your omega will protest, I have no doubt you will find a way to persuade her.”
Nikolai approved of the doctor’s train of thought but couldn’t help wondering if the man was simply attempting to placate him. Regardless, the idea of having the girl to himself at home where there was a bed was appealing after nearly a week of sleeping in a hospital chair with nurses constantly interrupting their tenuous peace.
“And you believe this is for the best?”
“I do. The less outside influence she has at this point, the better.”
“What other words of advice might you have then, to help guide this undertaking?”
“Be patient,” the doctor said earnestly. “It is likely she will be cleared for sexual activity long before she is actually ready to engage in it and doing so against her will may trigger her and hinder your progress. I believe she will come around in due time, if given the right incentive. Being an alpha, I am certain your instincts will provide you with all the tools needed to help repair the damage your mate has suffered. When you are ready for her to start therapy, please feel free to contact me.” The doctor extended his hand to the alpha then, insinuating that their conversation had reached its conclusion. Nikolai took it, shaking his arm briskly.
“Thank you for your time.”
“Certainly, Mr. Petrovski.”
They returned to the girl’s room together, and while the psychologist persuaded the reluctant doctor away from the blinds she’d just opened, Nikolai retrieved a small bag from the closet. He deposited it on the bed next to his very wary looking female. She glanced back and forth between him and the canvas tote several times before speaking.
“What’s this?”
“Clothing.” Nikolai replied simply. “I’d like you to get dressed.” The girl frowned up at him uncertainly.
“Why?”
“Because, little wolf, we are going home.”
Chapter 24
As predicted, his omega protested heartily. At one point she’d dissolved into a full-blown tantrum, forcing him to jam a chair beneath the door handle to keep the staff out while he bickered with her. In the end he accused her of acting like a child in front of strangers and her own embarrassment as he pointed to the concerned people at the window put an abrupt end to her screaming. She sat in a defeated heap on the floor where she’d crumbled in her fit, panting and sobbing softly to herself.
Once she settled, he pulled the girl to her feet and led her to the bathroom where he handed off the clothes to her and again instructed her to dress. When she finally complied, he praised and purred through her concerned sulking. He smoothed her hair and murmured lowly to her, reminding her that someone might be harmed if they tried to intervene or take her away from him when he opened the door.
Judging by how she drew herself up and grew quiet, his sweetly given threat seemed to have made it clear enough what would happen if she caused trouble. Feeling assured that she had submitted to his will, he removed the barricade and placed a guiding hand on her back as they exited the room.
His omega had enough humility to apologize to the gathered staff, assuring them with weak little smiles that she was all right and had simply overreacted because she was tired. Though no one believed it, they couldn’t argue the point either, not with one of the most powerful criminal entities in the city standing beside her. That aside, the alpha had shown her no violence. She was his mate, and she would go where he led, willingly or otherwise.
The drive from the hospital was spent in tense silence, but upon arrival at their destination, she allowed him to hand her out of the vehicle without complaint. The little female was momentarily distracted by her surroundings, gazing at the palatial hilltop estate in awe as he led her up the stairs towards the entrance.
“Is this the same house as before?”
“No.”
She glanced over her shoulder, surveying the lush grounds and high stone walls with apprehension. “How many houses do you own?” The judgment in her tone made Nikolai smirk.
“Several.”
She was quiet again as they moved through the foyer and mounted the grand staircase that rose half a level before splitting to travel up both sides of the back wall to the second floor above. A discreet glance told him that his omega was making a study of everything she saw, no doubt filing the information away for later. Her almost analytical assessment pleased him, even though he knew it was likely she’d use any knowledge gained to escape if the chance presented itself.
They turned left at the landing, and Nikolai slowed when he noticed she was struggling to keep up. She did her best not to seem winded, but the way she winced as she tried to match his stride told him she was still hurting. He moved leisurely as he guided her along the upper hall, allowing the female time to make her mental notations and proceed at a pace that was obviously more manageable for her.
When they reached the last door on the right, he stepped in front of her and entered a series of numbers into the code reader mounted on the wall beside the painted metal panel before them. The girl’s brow furrowed as the unconventional door slid back along an inset track, disappearing into the wall and leaving the door frame empty. When he motioned for her to go ahead, she hesitated.
“Are you going to lock me in there?”
“The lock is for our security, December.” She folded her arms over her chest and eyed him warily, obviously doubtful. “Anyone who attempts to sabotage it from outside the room will be unable to enter.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“My patience has been worn extremely thin over these past few weeks, little wolf,” he threatened, “I’d advise you do not test me.” He lifted an arm and pointed with less than subtle intent. “Go.”
***
December begrudgingly obeyed, too nervous to expend any more energy bickering with him when she knew it wouldn’t change anything. She moved slowly inward, giving the room a cursory once over as she did so.
The space was modern and sleek, entirely devoid of the old-world elegance and warmth of the first room he’d kept her in. Everyt
hing was decorated in shades of gray and taupe, projecting a cool sort of indifference upon the matching furniture. They were all simple, unattractive shapes of polished aluminum and neutral fabrics. Two chairs, a dresser, a bed. The lack of personality in the room was depressing. In fact, it's only redeeming quality was the large bay style window that covered nearly the entire expanse of the far wall.
December moved towards it, climbing up on her knees in the window seat to press her palms against the cool glass as she took in the view of the city. From here, it seemed to stretch out for miles in every direction. Above the city skyline a picturesque blue sky dotted with fluffy clouds framed the scene. In the haze of the distant horizon she thought she could even see the shadows of the mountains. It was at that moment she realized just how long it had been since she’d been outside, and how much longer still since she’d seen the city in a way that didn’t make her sad. From here, it was beautiful.
She sat back on her heels, glancing down to inspect the cushions she was seated on. Simple, but comfortable. She could easily see this becoming one of her favorite spots. In her idle inspection, she happened to notice that the window frame had been marred in several places. Her brow furrowed as she leaned forward to brush a fingertip over the small black discs imbedded in the wood. Screws. She frowned, glancing over her shoulder at the alpha standing nearby.
“You screwed the windows shut?” She accused. “Really?”
“For now.”
Unsatisfied by his answer, she slid off the bench to her feet and turned to face him. “You realize if I wanted to throw myself out the window, I could just chuck one of those awful chairs through the glass, right?”
“Yes,” the alpha murmured evenly, “But it would likely take you several attempts, and the extra time and effort it would take for you to break the window would give me an opportunity to stop you from doing anything foolish.”
She folded her arms over her chest, glaring unhappily. “So, this is my new prison, then?”
“Would you rather there were no windows?”
“Never mind,” she muttered, sighing as she let her eyes roam over the rest of the interior. “Do you want to give me the tour, then?” Thankfully, instead of commenting on her attitude he simply motioned for her to follow as he crossed the room.
She trailed behind as he moved past the bed towards the opposite end of the room, pausing when he neared the trio of doors that lined the wall. “The bathroom is on the right. The center door leads to the office where I will be working for the time being.” He tilted his head towards a metal door at the middle of the line. “When I am working the door is to remain open, unless I am in a meeting,” the male instructed.
“Will there be, uh, other alphas here?” December asked, suddenly nervous. His expression softened, the warmth of his bond licking at her anxious mind.
“On occasion, sweet one. But you’ve nothing to fear. Come, let me show you.”
He then moved towards the door on the far left, sliding back the mirrored panel and extending a hand her direction. Cautiously, December came forward. She peered into the space beyond, recognizing it as a closet. Confused, she sent a questioning glance his direction. “Ok?”
“I should have shown this to you before. But I confess, I didn’t think it would be necessary.” The alpha slid sideways into the narrow space, reaching onto the shelf above his head to retrieve a small device attached to a lanyard. He turned it so that she could see the buttons that lined the front. There were four: One marked with an ‘O’, one ‘C’, one ‘L’ and the last with an ‘A’. Watching her closely, he pressed the ‘O’.
December startled as a mechanical whirring sounded and the side panel of the closet behind him sunk back and disappeared. Behind it, a small room had been revealed by the retreating of the hidden panel.
She frowned. “Your other house had one of these?” The alpha nodded solemnly. “Jesus.” The realization that she could have been spared all her pain and misery if he’d just told her about the panic room tasted bitter.
“Had it occurred to me that someone might think to attack my home, I’d have shown you,” he admitted, genuine remorse tainting his tone. “Hind sight is of course, 20-20.” He allowed his gaze to follow hers as she looked over the small dimly lit room. “Once inside, you hit the ‘C’ to close the door, and the ‘L’ to lock it. If you feel you are in danger you can use the ‘A’ button to sound a silent alarm that will contact me and my offsite security team.”
“What’s to stop someone from sabotaging the power?”
Nikolai smiled, obviously pleased by her question. “The metal unit is encapsulated. If power to the house is interrupted, it has a battery powered generator that will provide at least 24 hours of uninterrupted support to its functions.” He gestured for her to step forward. “There is secondary bank of cameras that run on a wireless network powered from within the unit itself. These cameras would have to be sought out individually and disabled one by one by someone outside if they wished to cut off access.”
December took a tentative step into the closet, pressing her back to the wall as she squeezed past him to get a closer look. It was a very small space. Too small for the comfort of an alpha, though she supposed if you were concerned about your life being in danger it wouldn’t matter that you were uncomfortable. There was a padded chair mounted in the center on a swivel base, a control panel keyboard and cameras mounted on one wall, and a slender cabinet on the far wall that featured a keyed lock.
“What’s in the cabinet?” She queried.
“The cabinet is empty, currently.”
She doubted that, but didn’t say so out loud. “How do you turn on the power?” She leaned forward, peeking around the edge of the door frame without setting foot inside.
“The switch is on the console.”
“What if someone tries to shoot their way in or something?”
“The metal structure is bullet proof and blast resistant. There are two separate locking mechanisms and it would be difficult to breech both.”
“Hmmph.”
Nikolai laid a gentle hand to her shoulder, urging her to step back. When she had he pressed the button and the unit closed. She watched the panel move back into place skeptically, knocking a fist against it when it had. For all intents and purposes, it sounded like she was knocking on a wall. The male surprised her by extending the remote her direction. “This is for you, though I will warn you now, I have the means to override the door if you choose to attempt to hide from me.”
She took the offered item, wrapping the lanyard around her fingers as she glanced up at the looming alpha uncertainly. “Really?” He dipped his chin. “Uh. Thanks, I guess.” Suddenly uncomfortable with how close they were to one another, she side-stepped until she could back out of the closet. The male followed.
Once they were out in the main room she turned away, pretending to continue her observations as she clutched the remote tightly in her fist. “So, what happens now?”
“You will begin therapy,” he replied from somewhere behind her. December made her way over to the awful chairs in the corner, plopping down on the overstuffed cushions with a sigh. The male tucked his hands into the pockets of his suit pants as he approached, angling his head as he paused nearby. “And we will focus on your recovery.”
She shot him a dour look. “I don’t need therapy. What I need is for everyone to give me five freaking minutes to get over this before they decide I need mental help.” The alpha sighed, slowly lowering himself to a crouch beside her. He captured her chin gently between two fingers, turning her face his direction.
“It wasn’t a question, sweet one. You’ve put it off long enough, and I’ll not have you sabotaging your own recovery.” December refused to look at him, instead folding her arms over her chest as she sat back in a slump. He released her chin, retracting his hand to rest on the arm of the chair. “But I will allow you a few days to settle in first.”
“Thank Christ for small miracles.” She sh
ot him an unhappy look. “Look, I’m not some stray puppy you found in the rain and brought home because you felt sorry for me, so let’s get something straight.” December’s eyes narrowed. “What happened to me in the last couple of weeks? That negates any debt I owed you, do you understand? Even if I hadn’t been raped repeatedly because of you, I killed three of the assholes who tried to sabotage your business, so don’t you dare act like I owe you anything!” He opened his mouth to speak, but she held up a finger to stop him. “Oh no, buddy. You’re going to shut up and listen until I’m through!” Though the alpha’s jaw tensed with displeasure, he remained quiet.
“I don’t know why you marked me. If you just felt guilty, or if this is all some twisted game to you. But what I do know, is you are a colossal asshole for doing it!” She hissed angrily. “I know I marked you first, believe me I regret it. But the truth of the matter is, we could have still gone our separate ways if you hadn’t done what you did.” She threw up her hands in exasperation.
“Now I’m stuck here, with you. You realize that, right? I’m damaged goods, and you bound us together. I can imagine what all your buddies are going to say about that.” She snorted indignantly. “Life might not have been great before, but at least it was my life, and let me tell you, you son of a bitch, I’m not scared of you. If you expect me to do anything you say you better be ready to compromise, because I’m not spending the rest of my life being bullied by an entitled alpha! I can take care of myself, if you haven’t noticed, so stop treating me like a child!”
The man leaned back on his heels, a mixture of anger and uncertainty darkening his handsome features. He regarded her in dumbfounded silence for several moments before taking a measured breath and rising to his feet. The alpha seemed conflicted. December could see him struggling to refrain from acting on the instinct to put her in her place, to force her submission and quell the attitude that caused her outburst. She should have been nervous, but the fact that he hesitated gave her the confidence to continue glaring up at him.
