The Oddball Alphas

Chapter 9

Kieran

My eyes widened more at the sight of Ted holding a beautiful orange dress draped over his arm while his other hand held the hanger. It has straps that go straight to the chest line where it forms a V. This would definitely tease these men, especially when it came to the skirt part that may end midthigh. I am not sure if it would be that short on someone like me who has my b**t.

I think Marabella bought it on purpose. She may want them to mate and mark me sooner so she can retire.

I turned my head to Ramsey, who had a box with shoes in it. They are the same color as my dress, which looked like sandals. There are straps that crisscross and are sewn together with the back to support my foot entirely.

And finally, I turned to Jake, who held a small flat box in one hand with the lid in the other. What I saw sent a torrent of emotions through me. It was like a storm had rolled over the ocean, sending the wind to make the waves slap each other for dominance. I wanted to cry as he tilted it down, showing me a butterfly necklace dotted with colorful gems. They were not all small ones. There were long green ones at the edges of the wings meeting the blackened center. Blue and red ones filled those wings with metal barely shown holding them together. Its beauty had me.

A memory assaulted me at the same time. A boy who was a few years older than me gave me something similar. It was not the same as the one Jake presented to me, since he could not afford a lot. There was paper in the wings instead of gems, but it made me so happy. My smile was broad like it is now, but I’m trying not to feel the pain. I’m trying not to remember his smile and how it made me feel like I was number one. He made me feel like I would always matter, but his betrayal ended the purity of that memory.

“It’s beautiful,” I mouthed.

The words were lodged in my throat, making it hard to use my voice. I felt like I could not speak with the sob that was threatening to spew out of me.

“I’m sorry,” Jake said, looking at me wide-eyed and concerned. “I got this out of the family vault. My grandfather had it made for my grandmother a long time ago. I thought you would like it.”

“I do,” I sobbed.

I threw myself into his arms with my arms going around his neck. I felt his arms wrap around me. I could tell that he felt bad and thought that he had done something wrong. He did and did not, which made this moment screwed up. I am so confused about how to feel. I want to be mad at him for giving me something that dredged up a horrible time in my life. At the same time, this meant more to me than I could possibly say. It gave me back a memory that was pure and innocent. A memory that should never have been tainted in the first place.

Ted and Ramsey slid up behind me and started nuzzling my neck, sending sparks and tingles through me. They were more comforting than arousing. I needed it. Plus, this was not one of those moments, except I kind of wanted it to be. I wanted them to give me something more than these chaotic feelings that had me bound in purgatory where I remained confused and lost.

“I’m lost, my fiery fox,” Ramsey said softly in my ear. “If you love it so much, then why are you crying?”

“Why do we feel like you are in chaos with your emotions, Darling?” Ted asked softly.

“Because my brother was the one who gave me my very first butterfly necklace,” I answered, still crying.

“Oh,” Ramsey said, drawing my attention to his wide eyes of acknowledgment.

Jake grasped my chin gently with his fingers and turned my head to look at him. His eyes were red-rimmed, showing that he felt my pain the most. I did not want any of them to feel as horrible as I do. Those are my emotions from a long time ago. I don’t know what to do to stop them from feeling me. It was like I wanted him to bandage it up and heal it with the kiss he gave my forehead.

“Your brother… Is he…?” Jake tried to say the word, but it did not seem like he could do that.

“Yes,” I whispered and nodded, but that was not entirely true. He is just dead to me, period. I will never forgive him for what he did to me. "He used to pick me up butterfly necklaces once in a while, saying that I still have time to bloom."

“He loved you very much, didn’t he?” Ted said as he kissed my head.

“We’re sorry that he is gone,” Ramsey said, turning my head to him with the tip of his fingers. “We’ll be your protectors in place of him.”

I only nodded, feeling a wave of guilt hit my stomach. I have not accepted them yet, and they are already promising me to become something that they will abandon later. It is inevitable.

“Come!” Jake said gently. “We need to dress you and get you ready to be the star of breakfast.”

I giggled at how robust he sounded suddenly. I could not help feeling giddy over it after they filled me with calm to ease the pain in my heart. I know that I needed that, but I know that they would abuse that power later.

“Okay,” I nodded.

“I’ll put the necklace away,” Ramsey said softly, almost like he was disappointed.

“No!” I snapped. “Jake, put it on me.”

“But it has an awful reminder for you,” he protested, and was shocked by my insistence.

“Please,” I added as I turned around and pulled up my wet hair.

It was seconds of waiting before I felt him behind me and shakily put the necklace on me. It took him five tries to latch it, which made me strive not to giggle at him. I could not believe that I would make him act this nervous. Or maybe it was the surge of emotions filling him. I could feel how elated he was that I accepted his gift regardless of the memory it gave me. That made me happy and I wanted to prove more to him, but I was pulled away by Ted and dressed in a minute.

He put my panties and bra on with no problems, which included fastening the clasp. His breathing was heavy from his aroused state, but I chose to ignore that and the bulge in his pants. My dress should have given him trouble with the wetness of my body, but it didn’t. He got it on without ripping it or pulling on the thread too much. It is a body-hugging dress that made them drool after Ramsey put on my shoes and fastened them snugly on my feet. I wanted to laugh at how bug-eyed they looked, but a knock sounded at the door. It sent Jake to answer it.

“Umm, should I help you guys?” I asked, feeling a little nervous and uncertain.

“No, Darling,” Ted chuckled as he moved to me swiftly. He took my hand and kissed it, while Ramsey took the other one. He shocked me the most because I did not see him coming to me like I had his brother. “This is your day. You will do nothing that you are not comfortable with.”

“Except the breakfast,” Ramsey groaned. "I am with her and the feelings she is exuding. I don't want to doit. I want to go have fun with my fiery fox."

“Baby,” Jake called, turning my attention towards him. “The omegas are here to get you ready.”

I saw the three females standing off the side of the door leading out of this room. They have their eyes lowered, hands clasped in front of them, and smiles on their faces. The one on the right end has brown hair and is wearing a green blouse and black slacks. The one in the middle is blonde while wearing a pink blouse and a brown skirt. And the last one on the left has black hair with a light blue blouse and black slacks. It looked like they were waiting to be dismissed, which I hope did not mean I would have to do it. At the same time, I am already uncomfortable with the thought of someone else designing me.

“Ladies,” Jake said as the brothers went to the door, “breakfast starts in half an hour. We hope that you can get done in twenty-five minutes.”

“Yes, Alpha,” they chorused.

They left, leaving me alone with these three women, who moved swiftly the minute the door shut. The blonde woman pulled out the chair to the vanity, and the two others pulled me along while talking. They unsettled me with their loud, excited voices yammering about me and the breakfast. It had my head turning from one to the other, looking at them wide-eyed and perplexed by over half of what they were saying to me.

“I know that you are future Luna Kieran,” the blonde-haired woman said. “We were told by Luna Marabella that you should look exceptional for breakfast. So, I will introduce the women for your benefit. The energetic girl is Mattie, who will do your nails, and the black-haired girl is Amanda, who will do your makeup. I am Elisa. If you wish to commune with your wolf, then that would be good. We need you to hold still and let us do our magic.”

I gave her a slight nod and began communing with Moonbeam before my mind could drum up something horrible being done to me.

You are fine, Kei. They will not harm you as long as I am here. I will rip out their throats.

I know. It just does not feel good.

Yeah, but our mates made us feel good.

That they did.

I could not help a small smile sliding up my face at the memory of that o****m. I had never felt anything like it. It was like I was exploding inside, losing my sight as I felt my release pushed out of me forcefully. If Ted had not kissed me, I would have screamed loudly instead of in his mouth. And their kisses… It was like I was needy for their tongues in my mouth to have a taste of their goodness. And the way it was making my arousal heighten… Ugh! Everything they did made it heighten to the point that I wanted relief that was just out of my reach. Ramsey had teased me too much and Jake was just as bad, but Ted never did. In fact, everything he did felt like a promise of something better later.

And you have got to fight that feeling, Kieran. They will hurt us like our first mate.

I know. I just… It is hard when these feelings are making me yearn.

I know, but you must, or we will be hurt again. They will give us to Hunters or beat us…

I know!

And that necklace is just one way they will do it.

It also reminded me of my brother...

Who betrayed you?! Who do you think helped to sell you to the hunters? Do you think he really cared about your pain when they tortured us?

No. I saw it myself.

“Luna,” Elisa called gently, “we are done.”

“Huh?”

I turned around to look in the mirror, seeing a new woman. Actually, I looked like the woman I was supposed to be a long time ago.