Page 3 of The Alpha's Fake Mate

*

After dinner, Harly stayed by my side as I hobbled and stumbled my way down the long hall to the warden’s office on my single crutch.

When the door to the office closed behind me, Warden Chirl stood from behind his big oak desk and motioned for me to sit. Luckily, the chair facing him was plush leather, and soft. I almost sighed as I sank into it.

“Holland, how are you feeling today?” he asked gently.

“Better.” My voice came out raw and low.

Chirl had visited me twice in the hospital, his face wearing worried expressions. Both times when he turned to leave, I saw he held his hands behind his back so tightly they were bone white in color.

I knew there were things he wasn’t telling me, perhaps things he could never say. While the Alpha doctors and nurses seemed more worried about my beauty not being permanently marred, Chirl had my emotional well-being in mind. It swirled in his eyes and showed in those tightly clasped hands.

It was a good thing I’d been so out of it for those days, or I would have panicked every time an Alpha doctor or nurse touched me. Though they were gentle and professional always, frankly I never wanted to see another Alpha again.

“The doctors inform me you will heal perfectly. You will be fine. This is good news.”

“I guess.”

I looked down at my hands in my lap. My wrist and forearm was wrapped tight in a thick cast, the other hand decorated with two splints for my broken fingers. They were my littlest fingers, which was why I could still use the crutch with that hand.

“But the doctors do not take into account injuries and scars that cannot be seen.”

I closed my eyes and saw the blood well up in the carpet of the mating room. The memory of his terrible voice said, “Pretty little thing not so pretty anymore.”

Chirl brought me back to reality. “I’m going to recommend our Omega therapist, Sen. You’ll be seeing him once a day at first.”

I started to shake my head no.

“This is not up for discussion,” Chirl continued.

I lifted my head, my bangs dark in my eyes. “What would there be to talk about?”

“Well, for one thing, can you integrate back into the Omega population here on the farm?”

My heart seemed to stop. “What does that mean? If I don’t, you’ll send me away?”

“No, no, not at all. Shhh.”

I didn’t realize until then that I’d raised my voice to him.

But who cared? I needed to be blunt now. What had happened was a crime but no one was going to pay for it but me.

“But you are saying if I can’t be psychologically conditioned to go back to servicing Alphas again that my options are limited.”

“You can remain here.”

“Right. To serve Omegas?”

Like the others, I had hoped to one day find my mate and have a happy mate-bond. I never had a single thought I’d spend the rest of my life serving other Omegas like Nod and the other cooks and house-dads did. Like Chirl himself, though he wore the black robes of rank which meant he made a salary and possibly even had a real bank account.

“Yes.”

I’d had dreams, even if they were shitty Omega dreams. I’d hoped maybe an Alpha would love me and want to form the mate-bond. Maybe I’d have children one day and be able to watch them grow and learn.

“What other future could there be for me?”

“If you heal well, there is still the possibility of a mate.”