Page 4

Hiro

Monday Afternoon

Third Floor Common Room

T he nurse eyeballed us all, warning us silently to be on our best behavior. We’d gotten our usual lecture to not scare off the new patient.

Drake had grunted in acknowledgment, the extent of communication our resident alpha neanderthal offered.

Layne was having a good day. The omega was bubbly on her good ones and she’d asked questions the moment she heard we were getting another girl on our floor. Of course, they’d refused to tell us anything other than she was a new omega joining our floor.

Crew, a beta like me, was excited, but that was his usual reaction to anything new. I was curious but holding out hope she’d be a good addition.

We didn’t need more anger or drama here.

Drake absently shuffled cards from his spot on one of the worn couches. Layne was propped on a table, rolling a set of dice in her hands. She never stopped fidgeting. Crew was sitting next to me at another table. He was kicked back in his chair, the picture of casual with his jeans and faded graphic tee. The bored expression on his face wasn’t genuine, and his eyes were trained on the elevator.

We didn’t even bother to put something in front of us to make it seem like we were busy, which made me feel even more anxious.

Would she think it’s weird? Did we look intimidating because of it?

Overthinking would drive me crazier one of these days.

By the time the elevator opened and the nurse rushed to the new girl, all pretenses of fake business were gone and all eyes were on her.

What I didn’t expect was for her to look like that .

Tragically beautiful.

There was a pain in her eyes, one I’d seen in enough patients to know what caused it. Her expression was guarded, but not volatile, and that was a start.

She had a vulnerability about her that wasn’t jaded by years of bullshit. Because I wasn’t naive enough to think this world was kind to those of us with a diagnosis.

Hell, I’d lost friends and family because of mine.

Dissociative identity disorder.

Just uttering its title was like a curse. One mention of it and everyone looked at me differently.

But I didn’t ask for it.

Roman didn’t ask to die.

That night changed me forever. Just the thought of it had that dizzy feeling starting, and I breathed several times and locked it down before Roman came out to play.

I didn’t want protection, I wanted to meet the new girl.

“Everyone, this is Harlow Devoe. She’s our newest member of this little community. Treat her well,” Nurse Drew said absently as she took a paper from Harlow and walked away. Talk about feeding her to the sharks.

“We don’t bite,” I told her gently. Everyone turned to look at me, surprised to hear me talk. It took everything in me not to roll my eyes. “I’m Hiro.”

“Sometimes,” Layne muttered loud enough for her to hear. My cheeks burned but I didn’t shy away. It was the truth and Harlow would know soon enough.

Layne’s snark wasn’t anything new. And in all fairness, I did avoid them all on most days. But something in me couldn’t let her talk to Drake first. For some reason I didn’t want her to think we were all assholes like he was.

“I’m Crew.” The pyromaniac of our group was already giving her a flirty smile. She didn’t return it even though her full lips twitched in an attempt. Her eyes were numb, dead, and I didn’t like that. I could already imagine how great a smile would look on her.

“He lights things on fire,” Layne provided her running commentary. She tucked her shoulder-length, black hair behind her ear, and her smile was feral.

It seemed like we were in for a manic day.

Knowing her, it wouldn’t last long before she plunged into anger or depression, whichever came next this round. With her Borderline Personality Disorder we had to gauge when to avoid her or stay quiet for our own sanity. Or whatever you had left of it.

“Who wouldn’t?” Crew said with a snort. His deep-brown eyes lit up at the thought alone, his fingers tapping his legs like he did anytime he got excited or anxious. A bead of sweat formed on his brow and trailed down his temple. Another sign he was fighting off the intense impulse of his own disorder.

We were a chaotic group, and Harlow already looked overwhelmed.

“Nice to meet you.” Her voice had a sexy rasp to it, and I felt my chest clench, wishing she’d talk more, but she didn’t continue.

Instead, she dropped into the empty chair that was waiting for her. Nurse Drew had dragged it out in front, ensuring she was the center of attention. It was a bit cruel. Especially when I knew every one of us was studying her, not only to see what kind of person she was, but to see if she’d received the same ‘welcome’ that we all had.

Or some variation of it at least.

Roman hadn’t told me the details yet, but gossip in the cafeteria always threw it around anytime someone new moved in.

It was a mostly unspoken horror of Dark Haven, an initiation that none of us asked for.

“This is everyone on the third floor. I’m Layne. Crew introduced himself. Captain Broody over there is Drake. Don’t piss him off, he turns into a demon, and Hiro over here shares his head with another personality... well, one so far, you never know what will happen next. What’s yours?”

When Layne stopped talking, silence hung heavy between us all. Harlow stared at each of us in turn as if she was weighing our worthiness before giving us any sort of answer. Who could blame her.

Outside of this floor, I trusted no one here.

“Schizoaffective,” she finally answered, her voice empty of all emotion. There was a dare in her gaze now, begging for us to say something and ready to fight us if we did. I liked that she was strong, it’d keep her alive here.

Dark Haven wasn’t for the faint of heart.

The walls had ears. Every nurse here reported to someone else. The doctors watched everything unfold, taking notes all the while. There were cameras in every corner except our rooms and bathrooms.

And the sounds that filled the halls at night?

They were enough to induce nightmares.

But hey, we get college credits, right?

“What do I need to know?” Harlow broke the silence. It was a question we all should have asked upon arrival. But when I got here, I barely uttered a single word and went into everything unprepared.

“Don’t give too much away to these doctors,” Layne said honestly, her voice pitched low so Nurse Drew didn’t overhear. She’d moved to the nurses’ station to give us a moment to get to know each other. Probably so she could gossip with the others. But at least we didn’t have a nurse that hovered. “And don’t leave your room at night. No matter how curious you might be or what you hear.”

A shudder ran through her, and Harlow raised her eyebrows.

Something off to the side caught Harlow’s eye, and she gave a halfhearted smirk that turned into a glare. She mouthed fuck off before looking back at us.

Talking to things that we can’t see? Yup, she’ll fit in just fine.

Even Drake who was watching this unfold with his usual quiet intensity sat up straighter at that. She was under too much scrutiny for it to go unnoticed.

At least by everyone but Crew who continued the conversation like nothing happened.

“We have pretty strict schedules. We have breakfast, online classes, therapy, lunch, group therapy, more classes, dinner, then the night is ours to spend in here bored out of our minds,” Crew added on. “But don’t worry, I have a feeling we’ll be fast friends.”

“Friends. Interesting thought,” she said with indifference.

“We all felt like that coming in,” I admitted. “This floor is one of the best. More relaxed.”

“We all look out for ourselves,” Layne added on. “But sticking together comes in handy, too.”

“Enough of this bullshit,” Drake growled, shooting Layne a glare that could melt steel before stomping his way down the hallway.

“Don’t mind him, they can’t find the stick up his ass,” Layne said with an eye roll. “How about a grand tour?”

“Sure,” Harlow said. She stood up then, her long legs shaking, and for a moment, I thought I saw a trail of blood on her thighs. My heart dropped at confirmation of my earlier suspicions.

Roman took over for me the moment Dr. Vane had turned his cold eyes on me, but I could put the pieces together from the creepy comments he had thrown my way since that day. Then there were the physical clues. Bruises, scratches, and now seeing her, I knew he’d succeeded with her what he'd attempted with me.

Only She didn’t have a protector like I did, and it made me feel like someone punched me in the gut.

Helplessness.

Another feeling I was far too familiar with. What could I do as a patient? Yet I knew I’d never see Vane the same again. At least I rarely attended sessions with him. Roman wouldn’t allow it.

Layne started her tour with the common room we were already standing in. As Harlow stood her scent hit me square in the chest. It was fresh and crisp, like fresh fallen snow. Serene with a hint of sweet berries.

I knew she was mine right then… my scent match. They weren’t easy to find, but not impossible, and there was more that went into bonding than just scent matching alone, but it gave me a hope I had never felt before. Mates were never on my mind, knowing damn well no normal girl would accept us as we were.

Layne started talking, unaware of my internal revelations. Harlow didn’t seem to notice yet either.

Unless it was one sided…

“We have games, video games, though, not any decent ones, and TV. There are books and a library system so you can request new ones sometimes. I’d always ask for library time if you do, though, otherwise the nurses will ban them before you can get them. Snacks and drinks are always full, art supplies if you’re the art-therapy type.”

“Hmm,” was all Harlow said. Her eyes were starting to liven up a bit as she gradually took everything in.

“Down the hall are our rooms, it’s past the nurses’ station,” she said as she led us all that way. “Drake, Hiro, Crew, me, and now you. We have another empty room, but they don’t fill up quickly here. Dr. Vane is pretty picky on who he lets in.”

“They let you in,” Crew joked.

“Try not to kill us all next time you see a flame,” Layne shot back, both of them laughing easily. On her good days, Layne easily led our conversations.

“Any big rules?” Harlow asked as she peeked inside her room. I knew what she saw and recognized the disappointment there. A wooden desk, a standard chair, one dresser, a bed that was made for a dorm, and a window that had thick, black bars on the outside of it.

The white cinder block walls were the worst, and the entire room could be described as drab at best. The only real decoration was the singular clock hanging on our walls, out of reach.

“We’re allowed to add things to it. We get paid for our participation in Dr. Vane’s case studies, which are pretty much mandatory, and we get a prepaid debit card so no worries with banks and shit. If you earn your outings, you can grab rugs and shit so it doesn’t feel so...” Layne trailed off as she searched for the right word.

“Prison-like,” Crew supplied with a chuckle.

“Bathroom?” Harlow asked as she glanced around. The moment Layne pointed it out, she slipped inside without a glance back. We all heard her talking to herself, and I had a feeling she just needed a moment to process and breathe after being forced to go from Vane, to us, and right on to more, if I knew this place.

When she stepped out again, her face was wet like she’d splashed it. Her clothes were smoothed out a bit, and she looked a bit more put together than she had when she stepped onto our floor.

“Can I see your room?” Harlow asked curiously, focusing on Crew. Jealousy panged sharply in my chest, and I wanted to bring her attention back to me. But I didn’t push it because she seemed to finally be relaxing. Harlow was no longer biting out her words and the rasp was even stronger now.

It was a soulful voice, and I loved how it sounded.

“Stop drooling, Hiro,” Layne teased as we walked toward Crew’s room. He took the lead, telling her all about what he’d decorated his room with, and I’d hung back, giving Layne ammunition to move in.

“I’m not,” I said easily. “Just studying her. She’s interesting.”

The, ‘she’s mine’ was left unsaid.

“And blonde,” Layne said with a huff. “And talks to herself.”

So, she caught that, too. Or maybe she knew more about Harlow’s diagnosis than I did. We’d all know soon enough. There were few secrets between us at this point.

Group therapy made sure of that.

“Dr. Bradley wants us to do an introductory group therapy session,” Nurse Drew called out. “Meet in the common room in ten minutes. We’ll do it before hitting the dining hall.”

“We eat with other floors?” Harlow asked. “How many patients are here?”

“Too many to count,” I said honestly. “It’s like your typical school cafeteria just with orderlies walking around the tables to keep the peace. Fights break out often. Food flies around the room sometimes. There’s at least one outburst per meal.”

“It’s all fun, clearly.” Crew grinned. “Free entertainment.”

Harlow abruptly turned her head. There was no one on her other side, but from the low growl she let out, she wasn’t happy.

“Fuck. Off. I don’t want you here.” There was a tremble in her voice that had me curling my hands into fists so that I wouldn’t reach out to comfort her.

Not everyone liked to be touched.

Me? I longed for it.

When Harlow turned back around, we were all staring at her, and her cheeks tinted pink. I liked when she blushed, it made her seem more vulnerable. Not so hard to talk to. Maybe now that she was here I wouldn’t just be a hermit in my room.

“Have you had your intake for the classes yet?” I asked her so she wouldn’t dwell on her random conversation with the unseen. Though, I’d be lying to myself if I said I wasn’t dying to know what she did see. Or maybe who.

“No,” she said. “Aren’t they all basics? I assumed a place like this didn’t give full degrees.”

“Wrong,” Layne said rudely, pushing her hair back over her shoulder. Harlow raised her eyebrows at her sudden change in mood, whereas the rest of us didn’t even flinch. She’d learn soon enough. “I’ve got my associates and moved onto classes for accounting.”

“Accounting?” It was the first smile from Harlow, and she tried to hide it with a cough, but Layne noticed. It was brief, only a half smile, honestly, but it did light up her face for the briefest of moments. It took everything in me to force myself to look away rather than being a complete creep and intently watch her.

“Yes, and not the kind that involves shaking my ass on a webcam, smartass,” she bit out. “Numbers are my thing. They never change, never talk back. And I won’t have to deal with people.”

Harlow nodded then. “I can understand that sentiment. But I’m terrible at math.”

“We can help. We study together every night after free time and before bed,” Crew told her. “Get ready to spend an obnoxious amount of time together. You’re stuck with us.”

“I’m gathering that,” she said. She twisted her fingers in the sleeve of her shirt.

That must be her nervous tic. Or one of them.

Reading people was my specialty, and I could gauge all their moods fairly quickly. Dr. Bradley said it was a trauma response. Keeping myself safe from the verbal assaults I’d endured as a kid. Roman’s existence was proof that I clearly hadn’t worked through it yet.

“Rock, paper, scissors on who gets to tell Drake?” Crew asked, holding up his palm and a fist. Layne simply turned and sauntered back to the common room.

“I’m not going,” Harlow said with a snort, following Layne.

“That leaves you, Hiro,” Crew said, losing all hints of his usually teasing smile. His fingers were tapping his leg again as he waited for me to fight him. But that wasn’t my style, and he knew it.

At my prolonged silence he tapped faster and chewed on his lip. His umber skin was starting to glisten with nervous sweat.

“He’s nicest to you,” he reasoned.

Drake was nicest to me. But that didn’t mean he was nice. Or pleasant. He’d brought Roman out of me more than once.

He was also my scent match, too, something neither one of us had said out loud. I simply breathed him in from afar and resigned myself to a life alone. He terrified me sometimes and I knew he wanted nothing to do with me.

“Fine,” I said with a sigh. The last thing I wanted to be was responsible for someone’s panic attack. I’d had enough to not wish those on anyone.

Crew gave me a pat on the shoulder before walking off. I watched him hurry away until he’d reached the end of the hall, only then turning to look at me.

With a shaky breath, I turned and moved down the hall, breathing evenly to keep myself from freaking out. Before I knew it, my string was in my hand, twisting between my fingers and giving me a way to ground myself.

I’d barely knocked before the door was ripped open. Drake was terrifying, staring down at me with a deadly calm that had me questioning all my life choices.

Something about him felt different from anyone else. He wasn’t just quick to bite out his words and snap at the easiest moments, an evil seemed to lurk just under the surface.

And if you were unlucky enough to draw him out, you’d be lucky to get out with your life.

I had a feeling that many didn’t.

He was the only one who rarely shared in group. Though what he shared on occasion was enough to make you want to cover your ears and run. Trauma wasn’t a competition, we all carried it differently, but if it was... he’d win.

His scent of rich, dark chocolate and spicy chili hit me. It was spicy, savory, and sweet at the same time. My mouth watered and some of my panic slipped away.

“We have group therapy to welcome our new girl. Nurse Drew asked us to meet in the common room in a few minutes,” I blurted. He ran a hand through his shaggy, black hair and clenched his defined jaw. His face reddened slightly in annoyance, but he blew out a breath and nodded.

That was enough for me to turn and run away, back to the others who were waiting in the common room.

So was curiosity.

What would we find out about Harlow? Was she just as fucked up as the rest of us?