The next time I opened my eyes there was soft light streaming through the bedroom window. I realized that I again slept through the night. Did Marcus come to get me for dinner and decided just leave me to sleep, or did he attempt to wake me but I just didn't respond?
I figured it wasn't a big deal. There would be other dinners with him and his pack I was sure.
I pulled the heavy blankets off and crawled out of the bed with a groan. My entire body still ached both from the trauma in the forest and from being in bed for so long.
I was still wearing the clothes from yesterday, now rumpled from being slept in.
My back cracked as I attempted to stretch out my poor muscles. Then decided to take a hot shower in hopes of releasing some of the tension.
The bathroom was huge and stocked with more that I could use for the rest of my life.
The shower had so many setting that I could have used a manual just to figure out how to turn it on.
Once I got the water running and to a good temperature I pulled off my clothes and then stopped as I caught a glance at myself in the bathroom mirror. I still looked like me, the tired grey eyes, the wild red hair, but there was something different. The angry red scar was now a thin silver line and I could now see muscle definition that was never there before. I was always a twig but being an artist and not being permitted to train with the rest of the pack made me look like exactly what I was, a frail weak omega.
I placed my hand on my stomach and felt the firm muscle underneath. How could something like this happen? It takes months of training to gain muscle like this. For me it had only been two days.
I decided to not think too much about it and stepped into the shower. The water was perfect and it soothed my sore body. Once I scrubbed the last two days off me I wrapped myself in a fluffy towel and went to look for some clean clothes.
As I stepped into the bedroom I saw a set of clothes had been set out for me along with a breakfast tray.
The black pants and grey sweater fit perfectly and once I was finished dressing I dug into the food that was left for me. It was a simple breakfast of toast, eggs and fruit.
As I was eating I noticed there was a note tucked partially under the plate of food on the tray.
I opened it to find neat masculine hand writing.
Riley, I have pack business to attend to and will be in meetings all day. Feel free to tour the pack house but do not leave the building without me until I know it is safe for you. One of the guards will accompany you today and will escort you to the library if you wish.
I will be home in time to join you for dinner.
Marcus
Well it looked like I would have to entertain myself today. That was fine. I was used to being alone. I grabbed the bottle of orange juice from the tray and went to get the suppressants from my toiletries bag that I had placed on the beside table.
It didn't take long for me to notice that they were missing.
"Damn you Marcus!" I slammed the bag back on the table. Half of the contents spilled to the floor but I didn't care. He must have taken them while I was asleep, and of course he wasn't even around for me to confront him.
I started to frantically pace around my bedroom. What was I going to do once the suppressants wore off? Then every alpha in the pack house would know that I am an unclaimed omega. Was this Marcus' plan all along? To trap me in his territory while I go into heat so he can claim me?
"That is not fucking happening!" I spat as I paced. "Peter told me I could trust him."
I quickly wiped away the tears that were threatening to fall and took a few deep breaths to steady myself. I would not give him the satisfaction of seeing me cry. I would just bring it up at dinner and see what his reaction would be. If I didn't like what he had to say then I would find a way to escape this place.
Once I got myself under control I decided to take advantage of a free day without Marcus. It would be a good chance to map out the pack house so I could plan the best escape routes.
Of course once I opened the door there were two beta guards keeping watch in the hallway.
"Mister Blake I have been assigned as your escort." The beta with randy blonde hair and dark rimmed glasses bowed to me. "My name is Quinn. This is Jiro." He gestured to the large alpha that was guarding my door.
"He will keep you safe outside the pack house and I will watch over you in the pack house when Marcus is not here." Quinn explained. Jiro just nodded once in agreement. "Now I was told to give you a tour of the house and take you to the library. Shall we go?" Quinn gestured for me to follow him, which I did since I didnt have anything better to do.
The house tour was actually quite short. The building was only a fraction the size of the Dark Pine pack house and only had two floors. The second floor was for family and high ranking guests while the main floor bedrooms were for lower ranking guests, staff and their families. Marcus' private office was on the second floor but he had a smaller office attached to a boardroom that was right beside the library.
The only exits in this house were the front door and the door off the kitchen into the greenhouse and gardens. Which would make escape difficult as I was sure both doors were watched all the time.
By late morning I found myself in the library. It wasn't as large and extensive as his father's but it still had two floors and a good selection of books.
It also had a nice reading alcove with large windows that looked out at the gardens and forest beyond, and let in a lot of natural light. It was a perfect spot to curl up in and do some sketching I decided. So I went back to my room with Quinn walking quietly behind me like an annoying shadow to grab my sketchbook and pencil case.
Once I got back to the library I settled in the window bench with a blanket and started to sketch.
An hour later I heard the library door open and an older woman with kind eyes and her silver hair up in a bun enter with a tray.
"I have brought lunch for you master Riley." She said with a smile as she placed the try on a nearby table.
"Thanks." I mumbled. "But you don't have to be so formal with me. Just Riley will do."
The woman's eyes shone with laughter. "Whatever you say master Riley." She replied with a wink then turned and left the room.
"Grace seems to like you." Quinn observed as he watched the older woman leave. "She has worked in the pack house for as long as I can remember and has always been like a mother to Marcus."
I looked over at Quinn as I approached the table. The food smelled amazing which caused a loud rumble to escape my stomach.
"And it would seem she has impeccable timing."
My face flushed in embarrassment but it didn't keep me from digging in to the comfort food that was on the tray before me. She had brought me a bowl of thick tomato soup with the most perfect grilled cheese sandwich that I had ever seen.
As I was stuffing my face Quinn wandered over to the window bench where I had left my open sketchbook and looked down at it.
"What are you drawing?" Quinn asked as I shoved the grilled cheese in my mouth.
I looked over and saw that he had picked up the book and was scrutinizing the pencil sketch on the page.
I shrugged. "I dunno, just something that came to me while I was sitting there. I don't always have a subject in mind when I start to sketch. Sometimes I just let my pencil glide over the paper and what comes out is even a mystery to me until I'm finished."
Quinn just blinked at me in confusion. "How can you not know what you are drawing?"
I thought about it for a moment as I ate my lunch.
"It's like meditation. When I am in the zone I draw more subconsciously than when I work on an assignment or commission. It helps to relax a d clear my mind. Why do you ask?"
I finished my lunch and licked the last of the sandwich crumbs off my fingers as I turned to Quinn who had walked over and set my sketchbook on the table.
"Because you drew one of the Blood Dawn enforcers."
I looked down at the page and sure enough a large wolf with fierce eyes stared back at me. I knew this wolf. It was there in the forest the night I almost died.
"Are you sure?" My hands started to shake as the memories came flooding back.
"Yes. I know those markings. That is Ronan, their head enforcer."