Everest's POV:

My head is foggy and my stomach is still sore from cramping even though I'm at the end of my heat. I'm aware that I'm not at home or safe with Matias... ugh, after that interaction with those guys who clearly know him, how can I feel safe?

I'm not sure on everything, but apparently he was telling me the truth when he said that Cody's death was his fault. Honestly, I thought he was lying and just saying that due to his guilt and sadness, but I never thought it to be true.

And, I didn't know how it happened, but I didn't think it had anything to do with someone he knows! Apparently the guy that pointed a gun at me had something to do with it.

And he knows Matias.

I open my eyes, because I may have a lot of random fears, but being scared of confronting the guys that knocked me out is not a fear of mine. I refuse to let them see me sweat or be afraid even though there's a feeling of unease in my gut.

It's dark where I am, and I sit up on the soft mattress under me. As my eyes adjust to the darkness, I see that I'm in a tiny room, and I also see that I'm alone. Everything is so loud around me, and my heart drops when I recognize the sound.

A small window sits just to the right of me, and I open the shade and my fears are confirmed. Out the window and below is a cover of clouds, and it is not as bright outside as it should be, so the sun must be setting.

I leap out of the bed and struggle for a brief second to get the door's latch to release, and I end up tripping once I push it open. I fall face first onto the carpeted floor and scowl when I see two of the guys in black suits looking down at me.

My chin hurts and I cup it with my hand, relieved when there's no blood on it. Even though I can deal with a lot, blood grosses me out.

"Are you alright?" someone asks me, and I know it's not Matias because he has a thick Italian accent. "Here."

I see an outstretched hand, which I blatantly ignore. If this guy thinks I need his help after he threatened me with a gun, he's fucking wrong. I push myself up from the ground and cross my arms over my chest.

"Where am I?"

"On a plane," Anthony says, but it doesn't sound like he's trying to be sarcastic. "Matias is in the restroom, but he will be back soon. He does not like flying, as it makes him nauseous."

I scowl. "Why am I on a plane?"

"Because you are Matias' mate."

"I'm not. There's no mark on me!" I argue, stomping my foot on the ground in frustration so I don't punch this asshole. "Turn this fucking plane around and take me home!"

Anthony sits at one of the tables and nods to the seat across from him, where I reluctantly sit. "You mean to tell me that the building where all rejected Omegas go is your home?" he asks me, waving a stewardess over who gets us both bottles of water. "It does not seem a place that one would call their home."

"What did Matias tell you?" I ask, irritated that someone I thought I trusted would share so much about my life.

"Nothing. I did my own search since we went through your room and obtained your identification."

I scowl. "Give me my things back."

"No."

Well, someone's straight to the point.

A door opens and Matias walks out, looking a bit ill. It'd be a sight that would make me feel bad and want to comfort him if I wasn't so pissed off.

Matias sits beside me, and I scoot away from him.

I don't care that it makes him look sad.

"It appears as though you cannot escape the attention of broken Omegas," Anthony says, reading his computer screen. "Infertile and rejected by your first mate? A sorrowful reputation."

The room feels much colder when he says that. My hands are trembling and I'm not sure if I was to cry or dive across the table and beat the shit out of him.

"Don't worry, the original surgery we had set up for your first mate will undo this," Anthony continues, and Matias tenses while I furrow my eyebrows. "If you had just followed our plan the first time-"

"Our plan?!" Matias shouts, and the octave of his voice makes a shiver run down my spine. "My parents' plan! They wanted to try an experimental surgery on Cody despite there being nothing wrong with him! If you think I will allow you to do that-"

Anthony cuts him off. "It is not your choice and you know that. It will not take place for a few months, so we will have time to prepare your mate."

"He's not my mate," Matias says, narrowing his eyes. "And you'd do well to remember that you're nothing but an errand boy to my parents, so don't cut me off."

"I'm their head of security-"

Matias doesn't let him finish and grabs my arm. His expression shows me to just follow his lead for now. Besides, I can always yell at him later and for now it'd best serve me to be around someone who isn't digging into my past and shaming me for it. He takes me back to the room where I woke up and closes the door behind us.

"I regret letting you spend my heat with me," I tell him, sitting down and crossing my arms. "You're conceited, you don't fucking care about anyone except yourself, and now I'm on a fucking plane to goddess knows where as opposed to being at home! And what the fuck is the experimental surgery they're talking about? You should've let him threaten me, there's no way he'd shoot!"

Matias scowls. "You think he wouldn't shoot? He killed Cody without hesitation, on my parents' orders. My mate. You think he wouldn't do the same to you? Clearly I give a fuck about you or I'd have left you to die and continued to live my life without you in it!"

"It's not like it would mean much," I growl. "Probably be more merciful than letting me go through an experimental surgery!"

He sighs, and I see him trying to calm himself down a bit. "You won't have that surgery. I promise you that."

"You let these assholes kidnap me. How the hell am I supposed to trust you to keep a promise?" I ask, crossing my arms, my teeth grit together in pure anger.

"I was caught off guard." Matias sits down on the bed beside me and sighs. "I'm sorry, Everest. You deserve better than this situation... I'm so sorry."

I start to feel a little bad because there is true sorrow in his tone and I can tell he is not happy with this situation. Probably not as upset as I am, but it's clear that he feels terrible about what's going on right now.

Awkwardly, I pat his shoulder. "Where are we going now?" I ask softly, trying to change the subject.

Neither of us is happy; in fact, we both want to go back home. So, we might as well be a team because we don't have much of another choice.

"Where I grew up," Matias responds, looking out the window. "Italy."

"Is your family there?" I ask him.

Matias nods, sighing. "Yes, and don't take anything they say seriously."

"Will they even be able to talk to me?" I ask, laying back on the bed. "What about that whole Italian thing?"

"My parents made my siblings and I all speak English at home. The majority of the companies that my parents' company trades with speak English."

I stretch and yawn. "Company?"

"Mhm. A well known company in Italy, but they deal with some shady material behind the scenes. Each company is almost similar to a rich, intimidating, modern day pack." Matias sighs once again, still not looking at me. "They wanted to experiment on Cody so that we could have kids... heirs to the company. That's why we left."

That catches my attention. "You were a runaway."

"Technically, even though I was legally an adult. Cody was infertile and my parents wanted him to go through the surgery to 'fix' him so we could have heirs. I'm the oldest and have the most experience,  therefore the company should go to me. I asked if one of my younger siblings could take it, but my parents were adamant that I do it because my sister is a female and my little brother is an Omega and they don't want him to lead unless he has a powerful Alpha mate. Cody didn't want to undergo surgery, and I was worried it would harm him, so we left."

"You could've gone anywhere... and you decided to move to America?"

Matias chuckles. "I needed a populated area, and New York is one the few big cities where my parents don't have connections so it was safest." He sighs deeply, laying down next to me. "It wasn't safe enough."

"You'll get me home, right?" I ask, turning on my side so I can see Matias. "You owe me that."

"I'll do my best... just give me a bit of time."

I don't really have a choice but to agree with him because I have no access or ability to leave on my own.