Page 38 of Mask and the Magnolia

Calix blinks a few times, looks down at the floor then back up over his shoulder. “Since I was nine.”

”And how old are you now?”

“I’ll be thirty next month.”

Jesus fucking Christ. How the hell has he been here over twenty years? Andsurvived? Especially since it doesn’t seem like he’s made any friends let alone become part of a pack. Where is his family? How did he get here?

Why the good goddamn do I care?

I shouldn’t. I shouldn’t give a shit about him.

Like I shouldn’t feel some kind of way whenever Hawthorne isn’t up to snuff, or when I haven’t seen him in more than a day or two.

The omegas? Our fuckingdoctors?

Definitely shouldn’t want them the way I do.

I figured that was because I haven’t been around an omega on a regular basis since I lived with my sister, but after the way I was ready to fuck Magnolia Reynolds in this very closet no more than a half hour ago, that’s not it.

Now I’ve got a beta tugging at my nonexistent heartstrings, making me want to protect him from whatever demons he’s been facing all alone for twenty fucking years.

I don’t think any of that was supposed to be part of my transfer to Blackhurst Ridge, or the treatment plan they’ve got running here.

”Everyone calls you Severe.”

I nod as I take a few steps toward Calix. “It’s my name.”

”Not your first name.”

”True.”

”What…” He swallows hard again, his eyes widening as he watches me reach for his hands that are now bleeding. “What’s, I mean, should I just call you, or I mean, I don’t have to call you anything or… Or I can just call you alpha, that is if you want me to talk to you or whatever, but?—”

”Korvin,” I grunt as I hold them palm up, inspecting every exposed surface to make sure it’s not more intense than a few thin lines of red. “And it’s fine if you call me that.”

”Korvin.” Calix says my name slowly, enunciating each syllable as if he’s counting them.

”Mhm.”

He sucks in a sharp breath as I find his pulse points, my thumbs smoothing back and forth over the absolutely erratic beating under his skin.

Yeah, I’ve officially fucking cracked.

Might as well embrace it.

I want to fuck my doctors, I want to protect my beta. I don’t know what the fuck I want to do with Hawthorne but I know he’s mine to do whatever that is.

This is so fucked up.

”Why did you tell me you know where Reynolds lives?”

Calix’s pulse slows, becoming more steady and rhythmic while his eyes stay glued to what I’m doing with my hands. “You want her.”

”So?”Perceptive little shit. I was hoping he didn’t hear my exchange with Reynolds. Then again, he was right outside the fucking door when I opened it. “I want other shit, too, why is she different?”

Without an ounce of hesitation, the beta blurts, “You want her, so I’m going to get her for you.”

I think this very broken, most likely ballistic beta just imprinted on me.