Iâd lost my grip on reality.
I lay in the dark corner of the cell and traced colorful flashes of light, giggling at how they danced in front of my eyes. If time passed, I didnât know it. Every moment felt the same, and I couldnât find it in myself to care. Sometimes I had flashes of a panicked whisper in the back of my mind that screamed that I needed to care, needed to escape, needed to do something. But the voice faded away as quickly as it came.
My alphas visited in my dreams. They shouted at me, told me what a defective omega I was, and how they never really loved me. I woke with tears in my eyes, but I couldnât find it in myself to hate those dreams because, for a few moments, I could imagine that my alphas were alive. It didnât matter if they hated me. I just wanted them back.
Then they started coming to me in my hazy waking hours. Their ghost selves were just as I remembered them. Theo sat beside me and stroked my hair, whispering how sorry he was. Ben made sarcastic comments about my choice of lodging. Cam said nothing. He just held me with solid arms, lending me his heat in the freezing cell. I never knew ghosts could feel this real.
The cell was kept in total darkness except when I finally fell asleep. Then the lights would flash on, waking me in a panic, my heart pounding. My alphas were there, soothing me with quiet words and soft touches.
Genevieve flitted in and out of my cell, dropping off water and food at sporadic intervals so I couldnât track the days, not that it mattered.
Thirst clawed at my throat. The first few times she brought me water, I chugged it down in seconds. Now I knew to savor it, even though it tasted funny. I never knew when Iâd get more.
âItâs probably drugged,â ghost Ben said, sniffing the cup I was holding. It carried a heavy metallic scent that was familiar, but I couldnât quite place it.
âI donât care,â I said, resting my head on his shoulder. âIt doesnât matter as long as I get to be with you.â
Minutes, hours, or days later, Genevieve returned. I squinted against the light streaming into the cell, my eyes stinging. I didnât move from my spot in the corner. Camâs chest rumbled behind me in a growl and I patted his leg. My alphas didnât like her because of what sheâd done to me.
Genevieve fumbled my water cup and it spilled across the floor.
âKind of looks like blood,â I mused, watching the spreading pool of water.
âThatâs a bit morbid, love,â ghost Theo said.
I shrugged.
I was numb as I watched a guard come in and hit Genevieve hard in the face. Her head snapped to the side, but she didnât cry out. I wondered if she was actually here or if she was in my imagination.
âAre you real?â I asked her. Maybe she was a ghost, here to haunt me in death, just as she did in life.
She didnât acknowledge me, just scurried out of the cell, returning moments later with a new glass of water.
I sighed. âI wonder why my brain is hallucinating you instead of someone I like.â
The cell door closed, locking me in darkness again.
âYou should eat, precious,â Ben said. Cam stroked my hair.
âDonât want to,â I pouted.
But eventually, hunger and boredom forced me to crawl across the dirty floor. I felt around in the blinding darkness until my hand bumped against the water glass. I took a sniff, surprised when I couldnât scent the usual metallic edge. I drank it greedily before dragging my plate back to the corner.
âYour cooking is so much better,â I told Ben, taking a small bite of the bread theyâd left me.
âWhat a compliment,â ghost Ben said dryly.
I laughed and took another bite of food.