Page 65 of No Escape

A warm, fuzzy feeling in my chest takes over as the euphoria dissipates. It’s a strange contentment found from being surrounded by the two of them.

We’re a mess of fluids and bodies, but I yawn. It finally feels like I might be able to rest. Well, as long as the two of them don’t disappear while I sleep.

* * *

“Why is this still happening?” I ask, wiping at my mouth as Valor flushes the toilet. “You’ve knotted me a bunch of times. I’ve soaked up plenty of your pheromones and both of your cum.”

Really, we’ve done little else outside of sex for at least twenty-four hours. The door buzzed a few times for food delivery, but they never bothered to go collect it, and I’m pretty sure it’s the middle of the night again. Waves of heat are tricky to track without a clock.

“I wish I knew.” The massive alpha scoops me up like a bride and carries me to the sink. Bending to the faucet, I cup a handful of water and rinse my mouth. Valor patiently waits as I brush my teeth, grab a drink from the bottle of water, and dry my mouth.

“Maybe we should have more sex? I’d do just about anything to make the heaving stop.”

Valor chuckles, holding me to his chest as he walks us out into the bedroom area. “I won’t turn down sliding inside you, but I don’t think sex is going to help with the vomiting or the headache. I’ve got a feeling that’s your body acclimating to your new normal without the suppressants.”

“Yeah, well, I hate it,” I whimper, burying my nose in his pec.

“I know you do.” Valor grabs one of the blankets from the edge of the mattress, ducks under his loft, and lowers himself into the gaming lounger before bringing me to kneel over his lap. “For the record, I don’t much care for it either.” He sighs heavily, tucking the blanket around my back.

I snuggle closer to his bare chest, wishing I was still nude. He put me in one of his huge T-shirts, but if we’re not careful, I’ll sweat through all of their clothes before the facility bothers to return their laundry.

“Thank you for taking care of me. I’m sorry I wore Omen out.” The beta was dead to the world when I scrambled from the bed to be sick. There’s no way to know exactly how long has passed, but I’d guess it’s been at least an hour or two of this awful cycle of being violently ill. I’ll feel better for a short while, then spike a fever and get nauseous. It goes on until I vomit, and then the headache starts before we do it all over again.

“No need for thanks.” Valor pats my back over the sheet. “It’s hard for me to see you suffering.” He goes rigid under me and finally exhales heavily. “My mother dropped me off with her sister when I was barely two weeks old. My Aunt Clara claimed my mum swore she’d come back for me, but she never did. She died when I was four from an overdose.”

My heart aches at his words, and I have no idea what to say to that. I finally settle on, “I’m sorry.”

He shrugs. “I’m not. I never knew her. How could I mourn someone I never spent a day with? Not that I can remember, anyway. It was fine. I had Clara, and that was enough. In my early teenage years, she was diagnosed with ALS. Her deterioration was fast.” His head shakes violently. “Too fast. I took care of her, just like she took care of me, but it’s hard for me to be around someone when they’re suffering.”

“She was your mom, maybe not biologically, but she raised you.” My eyes ache, and I’m not sure if I’m picking up on his emotions or if the reminder of my mom hits me harder than I’m expecting. My arms are tucked under his, and my fingers dig into the backs of his biceps. “I lost my mom, too, but for her it was quick. I mean, to me it was fast. It wasn’t slow like an illness, that’s all I mean. She…” My voice breaks, and I swallow thickly. “Her car went off the road and into the river. She survived the crash, but she drowned before they could get her out. I have some issues with confined spaces because of it, and I wasn’t even with her when it happened. I’m so sorry that my being sick is bringing up bad memories for you.”

“Shh,” he coos, kissing the top of my head. “Don’t apologize. It’s not your fault. I only wanted to explain. I’m sorry about your mum.”

I nod. “I guess we all have damage.”

“That we do,” he murmurs and begins to purr.

I’m not sure if he’s trying to comfort me or himself or some combination of the two.

It’s probably the latter.

“Tell me about your life back in the States,” Valor says.

It feels like he wants to move away from the subject of our lost family members, and I’m more than okay with that.

I shrug.

I don’t think I’ve told them that my dad is a senator. At first, I thought it would be better to keep that to myself, but I’m no longer afraid they might use anything I say against me.

“My dad remarried really fast after my mom died. He said it was because married men do better in the polls—he’s a senator. Anyway, my stepmom has never been the warm and fuzzy type.” I rub my face against his skin, and I think it’s my body subconsciously trying to soak up his pheromones. “Once I graduated, I knew the only way they would let me live on my own was if I stayed in the dorms. I thought it would be my best chance to meet a pack or even an alpha or two, but having a well-known politician as a father is complicated. Being followed around at all times by two ex-military bodyguards hasn’t made it easy to meet anyone.”

“Did they not come with you on the trip you were taken from?” Valor asks.

My cheeks heat, and it’s hard not to feel like a complete idiot. “They did, but they were jet-lagged from our flight. I lied and said I was going to stay in. My friend and I went to a club, and a group of men grabbed me on the way back to the hotel.”

“I’m still having a hard time understanding that. All the omegas are supposed to be here of their own free will,” he says, sounding disgusted.

“Maybe they’ve had trouble finding willing omegas and had to get creative?” I suggest. “The woman they brought in the same day as me, Elsie? Elyse? Whatever her name is, she was clearly afraid. Once they let us out of lockdown, I think I’ll ask her how she came to be here.”

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