|The Lost Omega|

24

Only a few doors down is the guest room. In similar taste to the rest of the mansion, it is posh and equipped with a king-sized bed dressed in a red velvet blanket. All of the decors coordinate perfectly with the curtains and carpet.

Once the maid swiftly leaves us my eager mother pulls me into the corner, "Come here, we don't have much time" she whispers in a hurry.

"Time for what?" I ask.

"I've been making arrangements since you've been gone. Brandon and his Brotherhood are going to help get you out of here" she fills me in on the matter. Disbelief smacks me in the face. I never would've imagined my mom would take this course of action.

"What about his security? It's going to be a warzone" my voice comes out shaky and unsure. Since my first escape attempt, he has this place crawling with guards.

A grin curves onto her face, "No it won't because I have a plan for that too" she digs into her pocket and retrieves a pill bottle.

"They won't be a threat once we can get these into their system. All we have to do is offer them some freshly squeezed lemonade as a friendly gesture".

Staring at the bottle I think out loud, "Okay, this is a lot".

My mother does what she can to reassure me, "I know it's overwhelming but we must go through with it. There is no other way" she places a hand on my shoulder. My eyes shift to the ground and just as I'm about to speak a knock at the door almost makes me jump out of my skin.

"Who is it?" My mom calls out.

"I was sent to deliver a message from Abel he's inviting both of you to visit Niagara Falls" it's the voice of the same maid that escorted us here.

The two of us breathe a sigh of relief, "Thank you, we will be ready in a few moments" she responds to send the woman away.

For the sake of the plan, I question what our next move should be, "Should we go?"

"Yes, we can't draw suspicion It could ruin everything. As horrid as it sounds, we should try to enjoy ourselves so he can lower his guard" she remains level-headed regardless of the quick change in circumstances.

It's not what I wanted to hear but it's for the best. Being taken by him is enough, let alone having to play nice. My mother may be good at it but I'm on the verge of breaking.

"Cheer up, Anastasia. This will all be over before you know it" she notices my frown and brings me into a warm hug. We stay intertwined in silence, holding each other like it will be the last time. The second we leave this room it is game on, we're getting home by any means necessary.

Freshened up from the break away from Abel, we emerge from the bedroom ready to go on the faux-family outing with my so-called Alpha. The staff notified us that he was already waiting in the car. Not wanting to be a bother we decline their offer to chauffeur us.

The raised afternoon sun beams down on us as we approach. With a pleasant expression, he greets us as the driver opens the door. My mother nudges me in first so that I'm sitting next to Abel, leaving her the window seat.

They engage in small talk as we begin the journey. The conversation is mainly centered around his family's heritage, "My bloodline has a special connection to the Niagara, according to our myths, the water glows with spiritual energy on the night of the blood moon."

"That's very interesting, isn't it Anastasia?" My mother forces me into the mix.

"Um...Yeah, that's super cool" I say the first thing that comes into my mind. Growing up I was somewhat intrigued by the natural wonders of the world but when it's related to Abel it loses all appeal.

"You're going to love it dear." He playfully pats my thigh. Instead of recoiling, I smile slightly to not seem standoffish. For the rest of the ride there, I'm able to fade back into the background. My mother plays her role well. Judging by his demeanor he's becoming less on edge about her visit.

The short exchange ends when we arrive at the nature reserve, which happened to be only fifteen minutes away. In true gentleman fashion Abel lets us out of the vehicle first.

The potent foresty smell reminds me of my old pack. You never forget the aroma of the outdoors, especially when you've spent years exploring the scenery of regions across the country. Acting as a tour guide, he shows us to the cliff that spills into a magnificent waterfall. The clear blue stream is breathtaking yet dangerous. I haven't seen anything like in my life.

"This spot is very special to me and one day it will be for you too. It's the perfect location for our ceremony", he looks into the distance, taking in the sights.

"It's better than I imagined" I admit to the waterfall's charm while ignoring his mention of that dreaded event.

Abel slides closer to me and wraps his arm around my waist, "I can see it now. Knotting you right here under the moonlight".

Quickly my mother interjects, pushing her body between ours, "You plan on having pups with my daughter? I don't see how that can work if she stays with me in the South" she seems taken by surprise to hear this from him.

The awful sensation of vomit climbs up my throat but I'm able to suppress it. Going off her comment, I realize exactly what knotting is. Saying I'm revolted doesn't even begin to describe my feelings. To make matters worse, it instantly clicks that this is what was being spoken of when I met the Northern council.

Abel becomes annoyed at the interference, "Excuse my vulgarity but it won't take long for me to make it happen then you can take her home".

"That will need to be discussed, it wasn't a part of our agreement" she folds her arms across her chest. Although she isn't completely objecting, I'm sure she has no real intention of following through.

The unbearably awkward conversation makes me gravitate further away from him. Abel notices my elevated apprehension and wishes to continue the talk away from my prying ears, "Janice may I speak to you in private?" he motions to a spot a long distance away.

My mother has no choice but to comply, leaving me near the cliff alone. As minutes fly by, I take in the beauty encompassing the entire Niagara. Just for a moment, I try to put all the awful thoughts out of my mind. It's not an easy feat knowing what is being debated. Abel wanting to have babies with me wasn't a notion I could foresee. My kidnapping came across as a bid for political power, not with the intention of us creating a family. The entire time I was taken by him, our relationship was never romantic in the slightest.

A loud laugh jerks my sights over to them. It's the sound of pure glee, he thinks he's going to get what he wants. The man's smug smirk is something out of nightmares.

As they toddle back over to me, my mother can't help but roll her eyes. Abel on the other hand is on cloud nine, "My apologies baby but we must cut this short. We have much to discuss and I would prefer if we talk back at our home".

My brows furrow a bit, "okay that's fine" I agree to go along but it's strange. The abrupt end to our stay isn't what I expected out of him, being he was thrilled to bring us here in the first place. Something more important must have captured him.