My sins (on hold)

Atlas

When I awoke, I found that everyone had disappeared except for Dante who was loudly snoring  beside me. I shifted out of the painfully thin bed and crept into the hallway to find something edible to hold myself over. After aimlessly stumbling around, a kind nurse gave me directions to the cafeteria. 

I sat in a chair pressed against the corner and shoved dry fruit loops into my mouth while surveying the room. I needed a break from the anxiety filled hospital room full of the overwhelming smell of guilt, stress and relief. 

I paused mid chew, seeing a familiar blond, curly haired omega.  To be honest, I didn't have the energy to jump around, waving like a crazy person to get his attention and invite him to eat with me. I opted to instead watch his every move like a stalker.

I wondered why Ronan and Caspian let him wander off by himself. I guess I could keep an eye on him. I convinced myself that I was just watching out for him and not staring at him like a creep. 

I looked away for a split second to scoop up a new spoonful of the colorful cereal when Caden disappeared. I stood up quickly searching the small cafeteria and finally found him in the opposite corner, half hidden behind a counter. His lips were moving, as if he was talking to someone.

I automatically assumed it was Ronan or Caspian but when Caden stepped back, the person he was talking to stepped forward. It was a female. I jerkingly stood and swiftly raced across the room to Caden and his new girlfriend. I mentally prepared myself to meet this girl, whoever she was to him.

Soon, I was close enough to hear their very heated conversation and I slipped out of their line of view to listen in, suddenly very curious.

"Caden, baby, I don't understand where you are coming up with these delusions. I loved you, you were loved. We were in love. I helped you when you were in a tough spot and you repaid me by spreading rumors about me." The female practically purred this out. There was a dark underlying edge to her voice that made my skin itch.

Caden hissed, "they weren't rumors and you know this. You're a fucking bitch, Katnis. You deserve to rot in hell. You shouldn't have a fucking pack and I will make sure you never get the privilege of having an omega, ever again."

Her overly sweet voice turned to sharp nails, "was that a threat. Has my pretty boy finally gained some balls to talk back to his alpha? You're not fooling anyone, we both know you don't have the guts to confront me in public or to tell your little boyfriends about me."

Is she an alpha? The only thing rarer than a male omega was a female alpha.

"Don't call me that! They aren't my boyfriends, they're my pack -"

The female alpha scoffed, "Oh, please. You'll come crawling back one day when you need my help again. They don't actually love you."

Caden sighed, "I'm not having this conversation with you. Just fuck off, I'm done with you and your pack."

Her voices turned sweet again, "one day you'll come back to us, baby. We will welcome you with open arms even after you shamed us with your rumors."

Caden growled clearly frustrated, "just stop. I can't have this conversation with someone who acts like a petty child. Just own up to what you did!"

 "Here you are. Accusing me again of something. Just give it a rest."

 I heard a sound of something unzipping and then the sound of skin hitting skin rang out. I jumped out of my hiding spot and ran over to where Caden and Katnis were. Caden stared at Katnis in wide eyed with disbelief while Katnis sneered back at him. 

I muster the most no nonsense voice I had, "is everything okay over here?"

The women turned to glared before a surprised expression flashed on her face and she smiled back at me. I guess she noticed I was an omega. "Hello there cutie, my omega and I were just having a little chat."

I frowned, not buying her obviously fake story, "it didn't sound like it was just a conversation to me."

She looked me up and down as if sizing me up. Before she could say anything a dominating harsh voice cut through the tension, "step away from my omegas or I will rip your fucking throat out." I felt Caspian's breath on the top of my head as he leaned over me to get closer to Katnis, "is that clear?"

Katnis seemed to have lost all of her earlier confidence and her head jerked in a nod before she scurried off.

I moved closer towards Caden to check on him and also because I didn't want to look at the suddenly very talkative monster breathing down my neck. Caden turned away from us and bent to pick up a syringe off the floor. Before Caden could thoroughly examine it, Caspian plucked it out of his hand and tucked it away from view. 

Caspian fixed Caden with a hardened expression, "Who was that, Caden?" He asked.

Caden shrugged, avoiding eye contact.

I felt sorry for him. There definitely should be a conversation between Caden and his alphas about this lady, she clearly threatened him and then tried to drug him. But, it was wrong for Caspian to force Caden to tell him. He was clearly traumatized from seeing this person from his past. 

I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around his waist, giving him comfort, which is what Caspian should have done, not yell at him for answers. I turned my face to glare at Caspian, he scowled right back at me or that might have just been his resting face. 

He eventually gave in first and looked away from my stare, "let's go back to Dante."

I grinned at him, I beat him in the staring contest. I pulled away from Caden and grabbed his hand to pull him along. Caden and I had to practically sprint after Caspian to keep up with his long strides.

When we reached the floor Dante was on, I heard a booming voice. We quickly walked across the floor, finally getting to Dante's hallway. I only became more nervous because I realized we were getting closer to the loud voice echoing across the floor.

I unintentionally squeezed Caden's hand and slowed my pace. Caden seemed to have gotten the message because he stopped in the hallway and leaned down to whisper in my ear, "that's Atlas. He's trying to knock some sense into Dante because he does crazy stunts like this all the time and gets hurt. Nothing to worry about." 

His voice sounded softer and wobbly. It was like obvious that he was still shaken from the woman in the cafeteria. I opened my mouth to comment on my observation, I didn't get a chance because Caden kept walking and pulled me along. I could hear only focus on the angry voice that awaited us as I followed Caden.

His words did anything but comfort me. The yelling was happening in Dante's room, our destination. Now I have to meet someone new who already didn't seem to be in the best mood while I haven't showered in a hot minute. What a horrible first impression.

Once we arrived at the door, I noticed that Caspian hadn't gone inside and instead had reclaimed his seat outside of Dante's room, silently guarding his pack mate.

Caden reached for the door, but I stopped him. "Shouldn't we wait until he's done?"

Caden slightly smiled, "no, he'll be very happy to see us. He's the last to meet you, he was getting jealous."

I blushed, jealous to meet me?

Caden pushed the door open and I could finally hear what words were being screamed at a very jolly looking Dante who was relaxing on the bed. I glanced at the man whose back was towards me, Atlas was for sure the tallest, but Caspian was only an inch or two behind. Atlas had to be just as big as Caspian if not bigger. 

Caden really knew how to pick his men. Dante spotted us first and he lit up. Atlas must have noticed that Dante's attention had shifted because he turned to look at us. I gasped and reached out to grab onto Caden.

 Atlas had red eyes. 

Was that normal for a wolf? His red eyes combined with his shorter, dark, black hair mixed with dark stubble gave him a scarier look and made his eye color look more intense. 

I couldn't pin point an exact scent from him. He smelled of pure dominance that made my spine want to crumble. I almost collapsed until I blinked and his scent was gone. I inhaled deeply, nothing. No pressure that made me want to collapse at his feet. 

When I came back to my senses, Atlas was holding his hand out for me to shake, "hello, Odette, I've heard a lot about you. My name is Atlas Vance."

I placed my hand in his for a firm shake.