Bariloche Sector by Lexi C. Foss
Sven
Kari had beenasleep when I’d first tried to bring her food earlier. She’d torn up the couch cushions to make her version of a bed. I’d considered picking her up and taking her to a real mattress to curl up on, but she’d looked so cute sleeping in her tight, furry ball that I hadn’t wanted to disturb her.
Still, we would have to talk about the mess she’d made. That couch wasn’t cheap, and my dad wouldn’t be pleased to learn it had been destroyed by an Omega in wolf mode.
I’d probably be put in charge of cleaning it all up since she was my responsibility. But seeing her in her animal form made it all worth it. She had soft-looking blonde fur that matched her natural hair color. Which was interesting to me because my fur was dark brown mixed with streaks of white and therefore not at all like my chin-length ash-blond hair.
Hmm, I wondered if her eyes were blue or if they changed in wolf form.
When I opened the door to her suite this time, it was the first thing I discovered.
Blue.
I almost smiled. Until I realized the state of the room. “What the hell?” I breathed.
She’d destroyed more than the couch this time. The wood table had been reduced to sticks. The cushion fluff decorated various parts of the room. There were pillows gutted everywhere. Books reduced to paper shreds. Two overturned shelves. A smashed television. And an array of shattered dishes.
The Omega had thrown a tantrum.
She sat smugly in the middle, giving me a look that begged me to retaliate. What now, Alpha? her glittering irises asked.
I wasn’t even sure what to say.
“Why?” I demanded. “Why did you destroy the room?”
She huffed in response, the sound unapologetic and borderline annoyed.
I narrowed my gaze, trying to figure out what the hell this little wolf was thinking. A quick check of the kitchen showed that she hadn’t tried to eat anything. So I wandered to the bedroom—and found the sheets in tatters on the ground—and continued to the bathroom.
The shower smelled clean with no signs of someone recently using shampoo or soap. Which implied she hadn’t bathed either.
Just turned into a pretty blonde wolf and destroyed this half of the penthouse.
I didn’t bother to check the other side. This would already require significant cleanup. “Those were really nice sheets,” I informed her as I reentered the living space. She hadn’t moved from her spot, her expression still smug. “Most Omegas would have loved using those to nest.”
She bared her teeth at me, growling low in her throat.
“That’s cute,” I returned. “Want me to growl, too?”
She snorted as though to say, Do your worst, Alpha.
Clearly, she wanted a reaction from me. Some sort of reprimand. Or maybe she was punishing me for leaving by throwing this colossal fit.
Well, I wasn’t one for games.
I’d helped her out of a bad situation, and this was how she repaid me? By pissing all over my hospitality?
“Shift,” I told her. “Now.”
She lay down instead, her eyes drifting away from mine in subtle submission. I started to growl, only a faint shiver down her spine held me in check.
It hurt to force a submissive wolf to shift when she didn’t want to, and it seemed Kari wasn’t in the mood to be human today. Perhaps she was still healing. Of course, that didn’t explain the state of the room. But I couldn’t even pretend to understand what it was like to be in her situation.
Alphas were meant to take care of weaker pack members, not exploit them.
Sighing, I crouched before her. “I promised not to hurt you, Kari,” I said as softly as I could. “And I’m going to keep that promise.”
Her ears twitched, but she didn’t react in any way. Yet I suspected this was some sort of test on her part, a way to see how far she could push me before I unleashed on her.
Some Alphas lacked patience.
I wasn’t one of those Alphas.
Reaching forward, I gently stroked my fingers over her perky ear, the gesture meant to soothe. However, her fur flicked with uncertainty, her trepidation a potent scent that had me retracting my touch and standing once more.
If she was determined to remain in wolf form, I’d allow it for now. So long as she ate something.
I wandered to the kitchen in search of something animal appropriate and found a bowl for water, then grabbed a plate to put a raw steak on it.
She didn’t move, her body stiff on the floor as she waited for whatever I intended to do. The poor girl reminded me of an abused pet, her stance ever vigilant as she anticipated the worst in everyone around her.
It would take time to gain her trust—something I was unfortunately short on since my father wanted to introduce her to the pack. He didn’t plan to pass her around so much as offer her the opportunity to find an appropriate protector.
Omegas required sex, just like Alphas. The innate needs created a purposeful relationship where Alphas could knot and expel aggression in a fulfilling manner, and in return, the Omega felt safe and gratified.
However, I wanted more than that.
I desired a mate, and while biology might claim that to be an impossibility with Kari, my wolf felt otherwise.
Hence the shortened timeline—not only did I need to prepare her to meet the pack, but I also needed her ready to agree to be mine.
Fortunately, I adored challenges of all kinds. And this one would be the most rewarding of them all.
“I’m going to give you another day to acclimate to your new surroundings,” I said as I returned to the living area. “But I expect you to eat while I’m gone.” I set the bowl and plate in front of her. “A shower is also recommended.” I glanced around the room. “And maybe try not to destroy anything else. This is already going to be a bitch to clean.” Not to mention, expensive to replace.
She didn’t look at me, but those ears twitched again, confirming she’d heard and followed everything I’d said.
“Twenty-four hours,” I added as I started toward the door. “And I mean it, Kari. I expect you to eat. You won’t like the consequences if you don’t.”
I’d promised not to hurt her, and I wouldn’t, but I also wouldn’t tolerate self-harm. Of which, not eating qualified.
“If you don’t like the raw meat, then shift back. There are a lot of options in the fridge.” I gestured to the kitchen.
She didn’t acknowledge me.
Rather than repeat myself, I left.
She had twenty-four hours to show improvement.
If she didn’t, I’d show her how a real Alpha reacted in this situation. I suspected she wouldn’t enjoy it. But she’d survive. And she’d thank me for it later.
