Chapter9
1207 Words
Anna's POV
I stared at the bag of food sitting on my floor. Steam was still rising from the thermos of coffee. The smell of fresh pastries filled my tiny apartment.
My stomach growled loudly. I hadn't eaten since yesterday morning. But years of surviving on scraps and Derrick's games had taught me one thing. Never trust free food.
I opened the bag carefully and spread everything out on my small kitchen counter. Scrambled eggs. Crispy bacon. Three different kinds of pastries. Fresh fruit. Even a small container of honey.
It looked perfect. Too perfect.
I grabbed a fork and poked at the eggs. They looked normal. I sniffed the coffee. It smelled like heaven. But Derrick had taught me well. He used to slip things into my food. Pills to keep me weak. Herbs to make me tired.
I took a tiny bite of the scrambled eggs and waited.
Five minutes passed. Then ten. I didn't feel dizzy or sick. My heart rate stayed normal.
I took another bite. Then another. Before I knew it, I was shoving food into my mouth like a starving wolf. Because that's exactly what I was.
The eggs were fluffy and seasoned perfectly. The bacon was crisp. And the croissant? It melted in my mouth like butter and clouds had a baby.
"Oh my god," I muttered with my mouth full. "This is amazing."
I hadn't had a real meal in days. Maybe weeks. I'd been living on instant noodles and cheap sandwiches. This breakfast tasted like something from a fancy restaurant.
When I finished, I licked my fingers and sighed. My belly was full for the first time in forever. I felt almost human again.
I looked at the wooden boards and the hammer Ronald had left. My window was still broken. Cold air kept blowing in. I should fix it myself, but I was exhausted.
I walked to the window and looked down at the street.
Marcus was still there. He was leaning against the brick wall of my building, arms crossed, eyes scanning the street like a hawk. He looked alert and dangerous.
But I remembered Marcus. He'd been around the pack for years. He was one of the only wolves who never laughed at me. Never called me names. He'd actually nodded at me once in the market like I was a real person.
I cracked open my window and stuck my head out.
"Hey!" I yelled down.
Marcus looked up immediately. His hand went to the weapon at his belt before he realized it was me.
"If you're going to stalk me, at least be subtle!" I shouted.
A slow grin spread across Marcus's serious face. He gave me a crisp military salute.
"Can't be subtle when I'm protecting royalty, Anna!" he called back.
I felt my cheeks get hot. "I'm not royalty!"
"Tell that to the Twin Alphas!" Marcus laughed.
I slammed the window shut, but I was smiling. Just a little bit.
I spent the next hour cleaning up the broken glass from my floor. I swept it into piles and dumped it in the trash. Then I used duct tape and a garbage bag to cover the broken window. It wasn't pretty, but it would keep the cold out until I could fix it properly.
When I was done, I collapsed on my couch. My body ached. My shoulder was sore from where I'd slept on it wrong. My knuckles still hurt from punching Derrick.
But my belly was full. And for the first time in days, I felt safe.
I pulled out my phone to check the time. Almost noon. I had three missed calls from a number I didn't recognize and one voicemail.
I deleted the voicemail without listening to it. Probably a spam call.
I was about to put my phone down when it buzzed in my hand.
A text message from an unknown number.
I opened it, my heart beating faster.
Dinner tonight. Neutral territory. Just talk. We promise. No pressure. Pick you up at 7? -R&R
R&R. Ronald and Ryker.
I stared at the message for a long time. My thumb hovered over the delete button.
They wanted to take me to dinner. Like a date. Like I was normal.
But I wasn't normal. I was the girl who got cheated on. The girl who got thrown out in the rain. The girl everyone laughed at.
Why would two Alpha Kings want to have dinner with me?
My wolf stirred inside my chest. She'd been quiet since this morning, but now she was awake again. And she was practically purring at the idea of seeing the Twins.
"Traitor," I muttered to myself.
But my wolf didn't care. She wanted them. She wanted to be close to them.
I typed out a response and deleted it three times.
Finally, I settled on something simple.
Where?
The reply came back almost instantly.
Antonio's. The Italian place downtown. Best pasta in the city. We'll behave. Scout's honor.
I snorted. Like either of those Alphas had ever been Boy Scouts.
But Antonio's was public. Neutral. Safe. If they tried anything, I could scream, and people would hear me.
And I still had my gun.
I typed back slowly.
Fine. But I'm driving myself. And if either of you tries anything, I'm leaving.
Another instant reply.
Deal. See you at 7, little wolf.
I threw my phone on the couch and put my face in my hands.
What was I doing? I'd just agreed to have dinner with my supposed fated mates. The same mates I'd shot. The same mates I'd been trying to avoid.
But my stupid wolf was doing backflips inside my chest. She was so happy she could barely contain herself.
"This is a bad idea," I said out loud.
My wolf disagreed. She sent me an image of Ronald's gentle amber eyes and Ryker's dangerous smile.
"Fine," I groaned. "But if this goes badly, I'm blaming you."
I looked at the clock. It was only noon. I had seven hours to decide what to wear, what to say, and whether I was completely insane for agreeing to this.
I walked to my closet and stared at my clothes. Everything was black leather, ripped jeans, or band t-shirts. I didn't own a single dress.
"Great," I muttered. "Just great."
My phone buzzed again. Another text from R&R.
P.S. Wear whatever makes you comfortable. We like the leather jacket.
I felt my face get hot again. They were watching me somehow. Or maybe they just knew me better than I thought.
I grabbed my favorite black jeans and my scuffed leather jacket off the hanger.
If I was going to do this, I was going to do it my way.
No fancy dresses. No pretending to be someone I wasn't.
Just Anna Russell. Biker girl. Orphan. Wolfless omega.
And maybe, just maybe, their mate.
I caught my reflection in the mirror and barely recognized the girl staring back at me. My eyes looked brighter. My skin looked healthier. Even my hair looked shinier.
The suppressants were finally leaving my system.
I was waking up.
And tonight, I was going to find out if the Twin Alphas were worth the risk.
- Writer
