(ASA)
"Come on, kid. We're both going to catch pneumonia." He moved closer, and I recognized the bulky shape of Ronin.
"I don't want to go back there. Just tell him you couldn't find me," I hissed.
"I can't do that."
"Why not? He doesn't even want me there. He as much as told me so." I scowled. "The alpha you serve is a cruel, heartless asshole. Do you know that? Does it not matter to you so long as you get your paycheck?"
"You're wrong about him." Ronin's voice was gentle.
"No, I'm not." My voice wobbled.
"Come along, Asa. This isn't the time or place."
I shook my head, and water flew from my wet hair. "What if I won't go with you? Are you going to beat me into submission?"
He laughed. "No."
"Well, I'm not coming with you. No way in Hell," I barked.
"You're making a mistake, kid."
I snarled, "Fuck you, Ronin. Fuck you and Zev too."
"If that's how you want to play it." His tone was matter-of-fact.
I heard a click, then a pop. I grunted as it felt like I'd been slammed on the back of my head with a baseball bat. Every muscle in my body seized, and it felt like slow motion as I fell face-first toward the ground.
I couldn't cry out. I couldn't move to break my fall. I could only endure the excruciating pain as I lost consciousness.
****
I opened my eyes, feeling confused.
Then memories of the rain and Ronin came back, and I sat up. I winced because my muscles ached, and my head throbbed. I didn't recognize the room I was in. It definitely wasn't my opulent suite back at Zev's home. The thin comforter I lay beneath was plain white and threadbare. The carpeting was worn beige, and the paintings on the walls were generic photos of flowers.
I was in a motel?
My brain was hazy, and it took me a moment to realize I was naked under the comforter. My face warmed, and I noticed across the room that my wet clothes were hung over a chair, dripping onto the carpet. The sound of running water came to me, and then a door at the end of the room opened.
Zev stepped out, drying his hands on a small towel.
My stomach dropped as our eyes met. "You're awake." His voice was emotionless.
My throat was so tight I couldn't speak. I simply glared at him, anger buzzing through me.
"You'll be lucky if you don't catch pneumonia. You were soaked." He sighed and sat on the end of my bed. I quickly pulled my feet away from him, and he scowled. "Ungrateful as usual, I see."
"Grateful?" I hissed, face quivering. "You fucking tased me." He sighed.
"I didn't do anything of the kind. Ronin did that."
"At your command!"
"I was really hoping you'd just come back quietly. I guess you didn't want to. Ronin is the sort who'll get the job done, no matter what. That's why I trust him with situations of a … delicate nature."
"So, you see nothing wrong with him shooting thousands of volts into my body?" I asked incredulously
He winced. "To hear him tell his side of the story, you weren't being very cooperative, Asa."
"You're unbelievable."
He scowled. "What I find unbelievable is that you thought you could run and I wouldn't find you."
"Why do you care? You made it crystal clear you don't want me. I'll kill myself before I let you loan me out to other alphas." My voice shook. "Do you hear me? I'll take my own life first."
"Asa—"
"How dare you even threaten me with that. How could you even say that to me?" My voice broke, and I was horrified when my eyes filled with tears.
He winced and held out a placating hand. "I wouldn't do that. I swear on my life, Asa, I'd never, ever do that to you or anyone else."
"Liar," I snapped.
"I'm not lying. I will never do that to you. I promise." His eyes glittered as he spoke. "I could never… hand you over to another alpha."
"Then why did you say that?" I demanded, feeling a little bit of relief.
I wasn't sure I trusted him, though. Maybe he was just saying that so I'd go back quietly.
"We can talk about all of that later. Just know I won't do anything that horrible to you. Not ever. I lost my temper, and I said some stupid things."
He sighed and met my gaze. "I'm sorry, Asa. I owe you an apology. I was an asshole to you. I truly am sorry."
Shocked at the apology, I blinked at him in confusion.
Since when did alphas apologize? That was certainly a first for me. I didn't know what to say. He truly had terrified me. I couldn't just say it was okay. But I did appreciate that he'd said he was sorry.
"Th… thank you," I said, not knowing what else to say.
"This situation is perplexing for both of us. I've never been in this position before. The only omega I ever had in my home was Lukas. I loved him from the beginning, so I didn't have to navigate these things with him."
My stomach twisted oddly at his words. I wasn't sure why.
I knew he'd loved Lukas. He'd been completely honest about that. Maybe his words made me feel like an outsider? He was sorry he'd been mean to me, but he wasn't pretending he was happy to have me in his home. He was going to bring me back there with him, but it was only because he'd bought me. Not because he wanted me there.
"Why won't you just let me go?" I asked quietly. "You don't want or need me. We'd both be happier if you just let me leave."
He frowned. "And do what? You have no money. You have no job. You came to The Auction because of those things. Why would you suddenly want to be on your own?"
I shrugged. "Maybe I could find an alpha who would love me. I'll never have that if you keep me locked up in your house. You don't want me. You've been very clear about that. You're condemning me to a lonely life, Zev."
"Maybe that's true," he mumbled. "But the things I said are also true. You can't survive on your own. That's why you joined The Auction."
He was right. I had no money or job prospects. But I'd been going to try on my own when I'd left his house. After being sold off in The Auction and seeing what my life would be like in Zev's custody, maybe being out on my own would be better.
"M… maybe we could live apart?" I said softly.
"What?" He scowled.
"You don't want me in your home. I'd be happier in my own place. You could put me up in an apartment in town." I shrugged. "It's not like money is a problem for you."
"People would talk. I'm not okay with that."
I frowned. "People will find out eventually that we're not sleeping together."
His mouth thinned. "Is being around me so awful?"
Feeling confused, I said, "No more than it is for you to be around me."
"Then why are you working so hard to escape me?"
"Well, because, Zev, you've made it clear you don't want me.
You're still in love with Lukas, and you don't want me."
"You keep saying that, and it's all wrong."
"Saying what?" I asked.
"That I don't want you." His eyes had a weird glow to them. "It's not that I don't want you, Asa." His voice was a low rumble. "I want you very much."
I shivered as his meaning sank in, and my dick hardened against the cotton sheets. "You're so confusing," I whispered. "I don't understand what you expect from me."
He clenched his jaw and pulled his gaze from me. "That makes two of us."