Page 111 of Ensnared by the Pack: The Complete Series (Destined Realms #3)
AUDREY
I woke the next morning in my bed, wrapped in a soft sheet, and completely alone. I vaguely remembered Bishop carrying me into the bedroom, lying down with me, and holding me until I fell asleep, but I didn’t notice him getting up.
A small twist of disappointment tightened my stomach, but I pushed it back. Bishop had pack responsibilities and from the bright sunlight streaming through the partially closed bedroom curtains, it was well past dawn.
As much as I wanted him to, I couldn’t expect him to stay in bed with me all day. He’d needed to get to work, and so did I.
I quickly showered, changed into a cream-colored shirt and tan pants, and braided my hair. The braid made me feel like I was ready to get to work and I hoped the bland clothing would make me less noticeable — since the dark green dress had done nothing to avoid Cyrus’s attention. I didn’t want to slink about the Residence, but I wasn’t completely safe here and the more I blended into the background, the better.
With my stomach growling, since I’d barely eaten anything at dinner, I knew my first step was to find food. After that, I needed to find Bishop and get the notebook he promised, something I wasn’t looking forward to.
I didn’t want to aimlessly wander the Residence and possibly get in trouble, but I also didn’t know who I could ask who’d know where he was.
Trying to figure out the safest way to accomplish what should have been simple goals, I strode into my sitting room to see the answers sitting on the dining room table.
I’d placed the bowl of fruit, cheese, and rolls that the older cook had insisted I take yesterday on the table, and beside it sat a leatherbound notebook and three pens.
Bishop must have brought them to my room while I was sleeping — and I wasn’t going to think too hard about how I’d been alone and unconscious with my suite door unlocked.
He’d also left me a small satchel big enough for the notebook and pens and a few other things like a wallet, which reminded me of how much I didn’t have and just how dependent I was on him.
I didn’t feel safe wandering around town. Lucius had said last night that the pack was already talking about me and Knox, and I didn’t want to risk the rest of the pack reacting like the betas had. But even if I did feel safe, there wasn’t much I could do. I had no money so I couldn’t buy myself food or even just a trinket that made me happy.
And while Bishop hadn’t used money with the shopkeepers when he’d bought me clothes, other people had exchanged coins for their purchases. The alphas probably had free rein over what they wanted or they had expense accounts and the bills were sent to the Residence. It wasn’t like everyone didn’t know where they lived or something.
I didn’t want to stay dependent on Bishop, Knox, or anyone else, which meant I needed to come up with good information soon and get Bishop to convince Cyrus to pay me for it.
That thought left a sour taste in my mouth. Would Cyrus even consider paying me? Or would he say I cost them money walking to the death god’s temple and was paying off my debt?
It was going to be like living with Merrick all over again. Cyrus was going to say I needed to work for him to pay him back for living at the Residence, and I’d never earn my own money.
I bit back a growl of frustration. I’d sworn I’d never go back to that and I wouldn’t. If Cyrus was going to demand my labor for room and board without any extra compensation, I’d find a cheaper place to live. It might even be safer than staying at the Residence.
Knox would be pissed, of course, but I could probably convince him it was for the best, especially if I found a place near the edge of town where we could spend time together.
I might even be able to convince Bishop it was what I needed, too. I’d never been on my own before, never been free.
My heart sank. All of that was only if Cyrus allowed it and he’d never allow it.
What was the point of even trying? He’d never let me go all in the name of protecting his brothers. If I begged, would Knox and Bishop even be able to get Cyrus to listen to them?
And the God damned frustrating part of me that was somehow attracted to Cyrus and fantasized about him didn’t want to leave at all.
Damn it! A week ago, I wouldn’t have had this fear. Cyrus had asked about my plans for the future, had seemed to care about me. Then in a flash, he’d acted like Merrick and all that confidence in him and the others vanished.
I trusted too easily because I didn’t want to believe all alphas were like Merrick, Sterling, and Royce. On TV, alphas were heroic and protective. And yes, it was foolish to think there was any truth in a TV show, movie, or book.
But just like I’d foolishly hoped there was someone out there who’d love me for me, despite all my weaknesses, I’d hoped I’d find a pack where I wasn’t the alpha’s slave.
And I had found it. The first part at least. Bishop wanted me for me. But that only kept a glimmer of hope alive for Cyrus and the idea that if I proved myself, he’d accept me. He’d respect me.
He’d care about me.
Praying that proving myself would set me free, I bit into one of the apples, opened the notebook to make notes, and tapped my pen on the paper. All the things I thought the pack might find useful rushed through my head and I realized I had no idea what the pack knew and didn’t know.
I knew they didn’t know about photography and movies, but did they know about electricity — even on a basic level — or what about light and sound waves?
It didn’t look like they had a whole lot of sophisticated medical equipment — which as shifters they didn’t really need — but did they know about blood pressure or the spinal cord or nearsightedness?
If they didn’t know about vision problems, did they know about concave and convex lenses that could magnify things or help them see things far away?
The list went on and on, and I was going to have to talk to someone and figure out what they did and didn’t know. Bishop wouldn’t have the time, not with how much I needed to know and how fast I wanted it. But would anyone else help me?
My thoughts jumped to Whil. Maybe she’d be willing to help. She’d been nothing but kind to me. Although after Cyrus had turned suddenly into Merrick, I had more evidence that I couldn’t trust my own judgment of people.
I’d approach her cautiously. If she reacted badly then I’d know she’d talked with Cyrus and agreed with him.
If not, spending time with her, even if it was just drinking tea while she worked, would ease my too-on-edge nerves and help me think. I’d gotten the impression not a lot of people visited her cottage library greenhouse at the back of the Residence’s ground. That would limit the nasty looks I’d get from people or the fear that someone was going to teach me a lesson.
Someone knocked on my door, startling me and making my pulse lurch then race at a furious pace.
“Audrey?” Nova called through the door. “Are you up?”
I released the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. Nova, for now, was safe. She could still turn on me, but nothing in her behavior suggested she would and she was even polite enough to knock and ask first before opening the door.
“I’m up,” I called as I hurried to answer the door.
“Are you hungry?” she asked, her critical gaze sliding over me.
Worry fluttered through my chest for a second, but quickly vanished. I didn’t feel like she was judging me, not like Velora and Finn had at dinner last night. It was more like she was assessing my health.
“The other betas have left the kitchen so I thought now would be a perfect time.” Her attention jumped past my shoulder to the table. “But I see you’ve already found food.”
“The older woman in the kitchen gave me the bowl last night.” But confessing that only reminded me of Cyrus’s comments about it. “She wouldn’t take no for an answer,” I mumbled.
Nova chuckled, clearly hearing everything I said with her better-than-human hearing.
“Yeah, Eloise is like that,” she said, affection warming her voice. “If you’d like a warm breakfast, I have no doubt she’ll want to cook something for you.”
That had been my impression of the older cook as well as the younger one. They’d also seemed concerned for me at dinner last night.
I glanced at the barely eaten apple in my hand and the bowl of food on the table. If I had something more substantial now, I could save what was in the bowl for when I really needed it.
“Come on,” Nova said. “I have half an hour before my next meeting. I’ll keep you company.”
“Thank you.” I instinctually dropped my gaze and Nova huffed, making me cringe.
“Head up, Audrey,” Nova scolded. “You’re Knox’s mate and you have more right to be here than they do.”
I shoved my notebook and pens into the satchel, grabbed the apple I’d taken a bite out of, and forced my gaze to meet Nova’s.
In return, she offered me a brilliant smile and held the door open.
“There’s something you need to know about Cyrus,” she said as we headed down the hall to the kitchen. “About all of the brothers, actually. They’re extremely powerful alphas.”
I nodded even though any idiot would have been able to see they were powerful.
“I have a hypersensitivity to alpha power, so I can feel how powerful they are even when they’re controlling it.” Her gaze slid to mine. “I suspect you can feel it, too.”
For a split-second I contemplated denying it, but it didn’t matter if Nova knew I could sense someone’s power level or not and it would be a small way to test her sincerity. I didn’t know how she or anyone could use the information against me, but Sterling would have figured out a way, which meant someone else could as well.
“I can,” I replied softly.
“Alphas with that amount of power have a stronger connection with their wolf and it makes it harder to control their instincts.”
Ah, so this was the excuse for her alpha’s behavior conversation.
“And no, this isn’t an excuse,” she continued as if she could read my mind. “It’s an explanation. Bishop deals with his wolf freaking out by being the life of the party, Knox doesn’t deal with it at all, just lets it take over, and Cyrus fights so hard to regain control he sometimes hurts the people around him. I know Cyrus yelled at you and I can assume he said some pretty awful things.”
“I’d forgotten my place and he reminded me. It won’t happen again.”
Nova sighed. “Knowing Cyrus, it probably will, but it has nothing to do with your place in this pack. It’s all about Cyrus and his wolf freaking out because he failed to protect you.”
We turned down the hall toward the kitchen, its door twenty feet away, and Nova grabbed my arm.
“You did nothing wrong,” she insisted.
“I didn’t think.”
“Your mate was in danger and you did what your instincts told you. You didn’t step out of line because there isn’t a line like that in this pack. You’re not a servant or slave or lesser than anyone else.”
I opened my mouth to protest that part, but she cut me off.
“You’re not lesser and if you can sense power like I think you can, you have an ability that very few in this pack have.” Her expression turned wry. “Cyrus will apologize. It’ll be long after you’ve gotten over it and moved on, but he’ll get his head out of his ass eventually.”
I nodded, not sure what to say to that or if I even believed it.
Regardless, I still didn’t have proof that it was safe enough to let my guard down around him or almost anyone else.
Nova’s wry expression softened with affection and a hint of sadness. She could tell I didn’t completely believe her. But she didn’t press the matter, likely knowing I needed concrete evidence and that would take time to get.