Crimson Summer || Book One

I Need You Now But I Don't Know You Yet

One Year Earlier

~Tora~

"I'm sorry Tora, please forgive me,"

Matteo pleads as he presses the ice pack to my badly bruised cheek from the direct blow I took to the face. It's going to swell up like a purple balloon by the time morning comes and then he won't want to look at me until it's gone. So I'll try to enjoy this private time with him while I can after sneaking up to his room in the dark just so I could curl up on his lap. 

"It's okay Alpha," I whimper slightly when he moves the ice pack just to kiss the bruise, purposefully showing me I'm his through the pain.

"You just can't talk to me like that. I'm an alpha Tora and your a weak omega, it's only natural for me to hit you when you talk back. I can't help it that alphas are just born like this. You should know by now you can't speak around my friends," Matteo reminds me and I nod. 

He can't help it because he's an alpha, so he's always going to hurt me like this. He always has ever since we were little.

"Alpha, Colton was just asking-"

"I don't care what he was asking, you are not allowed to speak to anyone else. Do you understand?" Matteo's voice rises and fear freezes up every muscle in my body so I shut up just in time. 

If I had said another word he would have hit me again. I'm in so much pain, every day feels like I'm just replaying the same actions with different conversations. 

"Yes alpha," I nod and he pats me on the head with a proud smile. But I know that smile which means I know what comes next. As badly as I want to, I can't sigh or roll my eyes, only start my endless daydream that would continue through the night about anything but being with him.

Is there such thing a thing as a 'nice' alpha? Or is this as good as it gets? 

In the past, omegas who make it past childhood are always mated to alphas. The alpha of Forester is too young, the alpha of Kailea already graduated last year and is mated. Leaving only two alphas. 

Alpha Matteo of Lotus and Alpha Galen of Crimson. 

And the Alpha of Crimson is terrifying. 

With jet black hair that matches his dark soul and unsettling multicolored colored eyes, the crazy rumors and accusations about the man might actually be true. He's at least seven feet tall and could snap my neck with one hand without breaking a sweat. The man has never once cracked a smile, doesn't look in any one direction, and probably hates the world along with everyone in it. 

But imagining just the sight of him sends shivers down my spine, shivers that Matteo thinks are meant for him. 

Suddenly he's not as attractive as I once thought. 

"Good pup, now go lay on the bed for me," Matteo commands and I do.

Because the reality is since we're both Lotus I will probably belong to him for the rest of my life so I might as well get used to it.