Chapter 67 67. Telepathetic
Tabitha’s POV
“That’s good. Classes will start next month, so you’ll have enough time to prepare,” Mom says later that night during dinner. She seems pleased when I informed her about my successful enrollment in Kaelara University.
“They produce capable graduates. You’ll leave with more than just a degree, you’ll leave with connections and discipline,” Alpha Emery says while cutting through his steak.
Spoken like a true commander.
I flash a smile. “Yeah, I’m actually looking forward to it.” Not really, but I rather have a decent dinner than challenge an Alpha’s words.
“Kaelara University has always demanded excellence. It’s built a reputation that outlasts time. My sons walked those halls, just as many in our family did before them. The university sharpened their focus and reinforced the standards I expect of them. Now, you’ll see for yourself what it has to offer.” He nods at his sons who are quietly listening to him—or not. They look bored or uninterested at best.
I glance at the brothers. Evren sits straight and cuts his steak without looking up,. Luca glances my way now and then but keeps his expression closed. Jace leans back and holds his fork idle while he watches me. Reed pokes at his plate and keeps his eyes on me like the food is just decoration. Meanwhile, I have to pretend that I am enjoying the juicy steak on my plate when I can barely focus with all their eyes shamelessly gawking at me. This is the first time in the past week that I am sharing a meal with them. I would have avoided them if I could but that would be too suspicious. The last thing I want is to get interrogated by my mom and her husband.
Alpha Emery looks toward his sons. “Wouldn’t you all agree?”
Jace hums, spinning his fork in the mashed potatoes. “Sure. They’ve got a nice pool,” he says boredly while lazily stabbing the slab of meat on his plate.
Alpha Emery exhales through his nose. “Of course, that’s what you’d remember.”
Mom chuckles softly beside him. “It is a beautiful campus though. I passed by a few times when I was still working at a dental clinic nearby. The place looked more like a resort than a university.”
Yeah, those were the days when Mom worked as an assistant in a dental clinic. She used to tell me how she wanted me to study at Kaelara once I went to college. Back then, it was nothing but a pipe dream. The only way I could’ve stepped foot on that campus was through a full-ride scholarship, which wasn’t happening with my less than exemplary grades during high school. Well, it was hard to achieve good grades when I was consistently getting bullied at school, anyway.
When we left the island, I enrolled in a state university. I still had to work several part-time jobs just to afford tuition, although it wasn’t nearly as steep as that of Kaelara University. Even then, it left us with student debts that hung over our heads for years. And hell, I guess even if Mom’s marriage with Alpha Emery came out of nowhere, at least it took care of all our financial burdens, and now I can attend the very school I once thought I could only dream about without worrying about tuition.
A part of me wants to enjoy all these privileges, but I can’t fully rejoice knowing that every comfort I have now comes from the Aldairs, and that means I’ll always be indebted to them, whether I like it or not.
Mom cuts another slice of steak and looks at Alpha Emery. “Do they still hold those art showcases every semester? I remember seeing the banners back then. They always had students displaying sculptures in front of the main gate.”
“They still do,” Alpha Emery replies, dabbing his mouth with a napkin. “The university partners with a few galleries in the city now. I was invited once to judge one of their photography exhibits. The talent there was remarkable.”
“I bet it was. That campus always looked so alive when I passed by,” Mom says, smiling faintly.
Their voices fade into a soft hum while I push a piece of carrot around my plate. Beside me, Reed’s fork slides into view and spears one of my roasted potatoes.
I turn my head sharply. “Hey,” I whisper, “are you serious?”
He grins, eyes glinting under the chandelier. “What? You were ignoring it.” He leans in until his shoulder brushes mine. “Would be a shame to waste the best thing on your plate.”
“Why don’t you eat your own food and stop stealing from mine?” I rebuke in an irritated whisper, trying not to move my lips too much.
Reed pops the stolen potato into his mouth. I grit my teeth as I watch him chew it slowly, his head tilting tauntingly toward me. “I could,” he murmurs, his hot breath caressing my cheek, “but I like what’s yours better.”
I tighten my grip on my fork, pretending to focus on my steak. My heart skips when he lowers his voice even more, his tone almost a whisper against my ear.
“Maybe it’s because I already know how good you taste.” His voice pounds inside my head.
The words send a jolt through me and it takes me all the willpower to maintain a poker face. This brute…
“Stop doing that!” I hiss under my breath. I’m still not used to them speaking through my mind!
But Reed looks unfazed. If anything, his eyes grow even more amused as if he is enjoying pushing all my wrong buttons right under our parents’ noses!
“But I don’t want to.” His syrupy whisper makes my skin tremble. “I like how you blush silly whenever you get embarrassed over something.” He snickers and winks at me.
“Reminds me of how flushed you looked last time. It was hot, really. Seeing you all sweaty and out of breath while begging for me…begging for us. It was like you couldn’t get enough…”
Images from the night at the forest flashes in my mind, how I was on my knees and begging for their cocks. Shit. I have no idea how he’s doing it but I’m sure that Reed is the one who is blasting all these memories back in mind.
I thought the mind link was only for communicating, not for… this. Not for shoving memories straight into my skull like a damn projector! Heat creeps up my face as the images sharpens and becomes more vivid, it’s like I’m reliving the moment of me on my knees in the forest, my fingers clutching damp soil, their shadows moving over me like predators circling prey. A slow heat crawls up my neck. He’s doing this on purpose!
“C-Cut it out! up!” I grit out, barely controlling my voice.
Reed smirks.
“You remember, don’t you? You moaned so loud and made a mess out of yourself. But you didn’t mind getting dirty for us. You were so sweet for us, princess.”
I can hardly think straight as Reed scoots closer to me, his breath, his scent—and his maddening voice inside my head make my heart go haywire and it pisses me off how even I can no longer tame myself. It’s like they have willed me into submission since that night at the forest floor near the waterfalls. And now, they can strum me in whatever direction and my body just follows. Damn it.
Reed bites down on his fork, teeth glinting as he flashes me a slow, wicked smile around the metal. He feeds me more scenes through the mindlink, and suddenly I’m seeing everything through his eyes.
I’m on the picnic blanket, hair messy, lips parted, my expression dazed and wanting. My skin shines under the moonlight while they take turns kissing me, their hands roaming like they can’t get enough. I look drunk on them, breathless and flushed, every inch of me begging for more.
It’s obscene watching myself like that, like I’m trapped in his head, forced to see what he saw that night—and how filthy I looked through his eyes.
“Enjoying the show, princess? Want me to take it up a notch? I can show you how filthy you look while sucking our co—”
I stab the largest piece of potato on my plate and shove it in his mouth. That shut him up.
Mom and Alpha Emery both stop mid-conversation and look our way.
“What was that?” Alpha Emery asks, frowning at the sight of his son struggling to chew with his mouth full.
Oh shit.
I straighten so fast I nearly knock over my glass.
“Ah—Reed was asking for my potatoes, so I just gave him one!” I force an awkward laugh. “You know how he is. Always stealing food.”
Reed looks like he’s about to choke on his laugh. His cheeks are puffed out from the giant potato wedged in his mouth.
Alpha Emery exhales sharply through his nose. “Reed, stop pestering your stepsister and eat your own food,” he says in a firm voice as if he is scolding a toddler.
Reed nods obediently, lips twitching as he chews. Yeah, the brute doesn’t look sorry one bit. I suddenly have the urge to elbow him. Hard.