Miles pushed away from the counter, his restless energy propelling him across the kitchen. "Do you think we are in over our heads with helping her?”
"No," I replied firmly, watching Miles pace."Difficult, yes. Complex, absolutely. But not impossible." I leaned back against the counter, considering my words carefully. "She has remarkable strength beneath all that conditioning. It takes courage to question everything you've been taught, even when the alternative is terrifying."
Julian nodded slowly, his hazel eyes thoughtful. "She laughed today. Really laughed when I called her mother's opinions nonsense. It was... genuine. Unguarded."
"And she enjoyed the tomato from the garden," Miles added, pausing in his pacing. "Closed her eyes, forgot to be proper about it. There's a real person under all that programming."
Christopher brightened slightly. "She asked about dance classes too. Not because someone told her she should, but because she missed it."
"Those moments are what we build on," I agreed. "Small genuine responses that show us who she really is beneath the conditioning."
Julian straightened, his expression becoming more focused. "So what's our approach moving forward? How do we help her without making her feel like a project to be fixed?"
"Patience," I said simply. "And consistency. She needs to learn that our acceptance isn't conditional on her performance." I paused, considering the delicate balance required. "We also need to be prepared for regression. She may have breakthrough moments followed by periods where she retreats into familiar patterns."
Christopher nodded earnestly. "Like testing boundaries to see if we really mean what we say?"
"Exactly. She may push limits just to confirm they exist—or don't exist, as the case may be." I finished my water, setting the glass in the sink. "The key is responding consistently regardless of whether she's being 'good' or 'difficult.'"
Julian gave a sigh, “Are you sure you don’t want to be head Alpha Nicolaus. You do better with things like this.” I know he was teasing, but I could also see not knowing how to help Lilianna was bothering him.
I shook my head, a slight smile tugging at my lips. "You're the leader Julian. I'm just the one who reads the manuals." I studiedhis expression, noting the tension in his shoulders. "Besides, your instincts with her are sound. The way you offered her choices today, gave her space when she needed it—that wasn't an analytical strategy. That was genuine care."
Miles stopped pacing, turning to face us both. "We all have different strengths to offer her. That's the point of pack dynamics, isn't it?"
"Exactly," Christopher chimed in, his natural optimism reasserting itself. "Julian provides stability and protection, Miles offers grounding and patience, I bring comfort and nurturing, and Nicolaus gives clarity and understanding."
"Speaking of which," I said, checking my watch again, "I should head to the pool. The routine will help me process today…and maybe give her some time not to have all four Alpha’s in the house.”
Julian nodded, "Go ahead. We'll handle dinner and make sure she knows it's ready when she wants it."
"No pressure," Christopher added quickly. "I'll make something that reheats well in case she's not up for joining us."
I gathered my swim bag, mind already organizing the information I'd collected about Lilianna's situation. Something about her quiet strength resonated with me in a way I hadn't anticipated. Most Omegas who came through my legal practice had been broken by similar experiences—their spirits crushed under the weight of societal expectations and familial control. But Lilianna had maintained some essential core of self despite everything.
Those secret books she'd managed to acquire. The way she'd questioned her parents' assertions even while appearing to comply. The careful way she'd preserved parts of herself they couldn't touch. It spoke to a resilience that impressed me deeply.
"One more thing," I said, pausing at the doorway. "She may wake disoriented. The first night in a new environment oftentriggers anxiety, especially for someone whose movements have been so carefully monitored."
Julian nodded gravely. "We'll keep the hall light on and our doors ajar. One of us will hear if she needs anything."
"I'll be back by nine," I assured them, slinging my bag over my shoulder. "If anything changes before then, text me."
The evening air felt refreshing against my face as I stepped outside, a welcome contrast to the emotional intensity of the house. Swimming would help clear my head—the repetitive motion, the isolation underwater where sound disappeared and thought simplified to rhythm and breath.
I gave one glance back to the house, I knew this relationship would need time, but deep down I hoped it all worked out.
Chapter Fifteen
Lilianna
I woke to darkness, momentarily disoriented by the unfamiliar shadows surrounding me. Panic fluttered in my chest before memory returned—I was in the Vale house, in my new suite, safe from my parents' constant surveillance. The digital clock on the nightstand glowed showing it was Eight Seventeen in the evening. I'd slept longer than intended, missing dinner entirely.
My stomach growled in protest as I sat up, pushing tangled hair from my face. The house was quiet, though I could hear faint sounds of movement from downstairs—perhaps the others finishing their meal or settling into evening routines. I should join them, I thought, then immediately questioned the impulse. Was that my genuine desire or just the ingrained habit of making myself available whenever expected?
Nicolaus had said dinner was at seven but that I wasn't obligated to attend. A real choice, not just the illusion of one.
I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, feeling oddly vulnerable in my rumpled dress. The blue fabric was creased from my impromptu nap, and I knew my hair must be a disaster. My mother would have been horrified at the thought of me appearing before others in such a state—disheveled, unprepared, imperfect.
