Chapter 5

MIA

Finally, I felt the motion stop, my eyes still shut tight. I refused to open them and meet Khalid’s gaze, and it was easy because his scent weakened my senses.

A thud sounded, and he released me from his arms. My unsteady legs gave out, and I crashed to the floor, unprepared. The door shut behind us.

Khalid walked slowly into the dark room, his footsteps matching the pace of my heartbeat. Somehow, I wasn’t panting anymore—I wasn’t feeling anymore.

I tried to take in the room from where I sat on the floor, but the darkness made it impossible.

A click turned the light on, and suddenly my eyes scanned the room. I swallowed hard as I beheld the archery weapons, swords, and several drawings on the wall. At the far end stood a shelf filled with books, and a closed box on top of it. The entire room reeked of his scent, making it even harder to think.

“The curious type, eh?” he mouthed.

His voice made my heart skip a beat and brought me back to my senses. He sat in a chair across from the bed, the first few buttons of his shirt undone, his chest rising slowly like he had all the time in the world—and I should dread every second of it.

I was dumbfounded, unsure of what to say or ask. Every core of my body was against me staying on the floor. My senses screamed at me to move closer to him. But with the look on his face, I would be sorry for myself if I took that advice.

“When did you find out?”

His tone was low, almost silenced, like he too was confused and didn’t know what to say.

“Why am I here?” I finally spoke, getting up from the floor. The last thing I wanted was for him to think I was half as miserable as he probably believed me to be—even though I was.

“I had plans for tonight. And they didn’t include me asking questions without receiving answers. You’re in my room—my space—my house—at my mercy. So if I ask you to do something, objecting should be the very last thing on your mind.”

His words took me aback; the underlying threat shattered the little courage I’d managed to build. I had a feeling he never talked this much, and I figured pushing him to do things he usually wouldn’t was a bad idea.

I felt my head nod, a complete contrast to the brave act I had just put on.

He didn’t move. His expression stayed still, the beauty of his face distracting my already distorted mind. He seemed so wary of me—but why did it feel like I could never resist him?

“T-today. I—I found out today.”

A few seconds passed, then he responded, “Then you told Dilan so—”

“I didn’t tell—”

“What does he want with you?”

He stood from the chair and began walking toward me. My breath caught in my throat, panic coursing through my veins. Bell was out of her mind, ignoring the tension and dancing around despite the fact that this same man rejected us.

I tried to move backward but found I couldn’t. My legs were tied to the floor, and my eyes to his. Finally, he was standing right in front of me—too close for my own good, too close for his.

It took all my strength to stay upright and not lose my legs.

I shut my eyes again, a futile attempt to stop myself from losing control. I was shaking as I answered, “I don’t know what he wants. He just seems to care and wants to help. Why do you—”

“He doesn’t damn care about you!”

Something struck my chest, and I felt tears welling up—not because of what he said, but because he yelled at me.

I bit my lips to stop them, but the next second I tasted salt and realized it was too late. My head dropped, yet I felt him stiffen as I started crying.

“You’re standing too close… please,” I muttered.

I felt his presence as I wept. Then, a minute later, he walked away. I heard the door shut behind him. I cried even more. My body shook as I lowered myself to the floor, gasping and sniffling.

Some moments later, the door opened again. His scent filled the room once more. But I noticed footsteps following his.

“Hmm hmm...”

Slowly, I raised my head and saw a guard staring at me.

“Eh… my Lady. We can go now.”

I sniffed again and turned around. Khalid was nowhere to be found. It was just me and the guard in the room.

“Go where? Where are you taking me?”

“Back to the maid’s quarters.” His brows narrowed, like he was anxious. He didn’t seem comfortable in Khalid’s room either. I had a feeling I had to go with him or he’d get in trouble with Khalid.

“Okay.”

I raised my hands because I thought I saw him stretch out his, but he stepped back quickly, a terrified expression on his face.

I figured he didn’t want to touch me for some reason and got up by myself. He led me out of the room and into a hall I’d never been in—which seemed plausible for a maid who had served every room in the massive pack house.

But I knew why neither I nor any other maid had ever been here: Khalid hated Omegas. Thus, his chambers were the only place maids in the house had never seen or entered. It was safe to say I was the first Omega to ever cross its threshold.

Soon we reached a point I recognized, having passed some other guards on the way. Caleb, as he told me he was called, continued leading me onward. Then I realized he wasn’t heading to the maid’s quarters at all.

“Wait, Caleb.” He halted and turned around, a puzzled look on his face. “Where did you say you were taking me?”

“Oh… the maid’s quarters.”

“We both know this is not the right direction.”

“Uh… My Lady, Lord Khalid said to—”

“Said to do what?”

“K-keep you under the pack-house.”

I froze, my system halting for a moment. Under the pack-house meant the dungeon. Why did he—

“My Lady...”

“Enough with the ‘my Lady.’ Just call me what you really think I am. Call me what you’d call me if your Lord Khalid wasn’t in the picture. Useless Omega? Worthless thing?”

“You—you really need to understand. I might lose my head if I don’t do what he says. So, please… I’m not like the others. I don’t have anything against Omegas. I don’t even care that you’re one. I believe all of us are equal, and I’m not saying this because I want you to willingly walk into fire to save me from it.”

His words touched me, and so did his expression. I could see he was genuinely terrified. Guilt scratched at my skin. It really wasn’t his fault. He was just the messenger. All of this was Khalid’s—

“Please…” he said again.

I looked at him, fighting back tears, and followed him. He led me out of the house into the cold. Then, in the darkness, we began to descend the stairs to the underground dungeon.

Suddenly, my eyes caught a movement. Shiny blue eyes climbed up the stairs of the dungeon, and I fought with the darkness to see who it was.

Caleb saw it before me, and gasped before his shaken voice said, “Lord Dilan?”