Chapter 7 The Awful Memory

• Erica's POV
• Loud banging on my bedroom door wakes me from a restless sleep. I tossed and turned all night long thinking about the triplets having my bras and panties.
• Groaning as I get out of the bed I open the door to see a short, grumpy Omega standing in front of me. She is dressed smartly in a pair of black slacks and a white button down shirt. Her gray hair is pulled into a tight bun on top of her head.
• "Do you think you can just sleep the day away?" She huffs at me. "The Luna told me that you would probably give me troubles but I never imagined that it would be on your first day."
• Never in my life have I been spoken to in such a way from an Omega but I have to remember that I am no longer a ranked member of a pack. I am nothing more than a rogue.
• "I am so sorry," I apologize to the Omega. "I wasn't told what time to report."
• Walking into my room uninvited, the Omega looks around my room with disgust. I have yet to clean up the mess that the triplets made of my things. "You are to wear black pants and a white shirt. If you don't have any, some will be issued to you. You will report to me in the kitchen every morning at 5:00 AM. From there I will give you your tasks for the day."
• I look at what the Omega is wearing and realize I didn't bring the appropriate clothes. "I don't think I have the appropriate items to wear," I say quietly.
• "I should have known," the Omega hisses at me and she tosses a set of clothes on the bed. "Today you will be cleaning the triplets' bedrooms."
• Unable to stifle the groan that leaves my mouth, the Omega shoots me a dirty look before she continues. "The boys like to sleep in so you will be working with me in the kitchen until they are awake. I can assume that you don't know how to cook?"
• Swallowing my pride I answer the Omega with a tone of respect. "Yes, ma'am, I am able to cook simple things."
• The Omega grunts in my direction. "That's something. Now get dressed and meet me in the kitchen in five minutes."
• "Five minutes," I sigh. That doesn't give me enough time to shower.
• I slip off my pajamas and quickly put on the clothes that the Omega gave me.
• Throwing my hair into a messy bun, I glance in the mirror and shrug. This will have to be good enough. I silently curse myself for not asking her name. I cannot call her 'the Omega' the whole time that I work here.
• Running out of my room, I make my way towards the kitchen, not wanting to make another poor impression. Just as I am about to turn the corner to the kitchen I bounce off something hard and get knocked to the ground. I look up and see Bryce smiling down at me. "Good morning, Fox," Bryce says as he offers his hand to help me up.
• Swatting his hand away I pick myself up off of the floor. I brush past him without giving him the satisfaction of responding, and head straight into the kitchen.
• The Omega is standing there looking at her watch, tapping her foot impatiently. "You are one minute late," she snaps at me.
• "I am sorry, Ma'am," I stutter out. "I ran into one of the triplets."
• "Yes, Bryce," the Omega says. Without giving me a second look she thrusts a bucket of cleaning supplies into my arms. "You will be cleaning his room first this morning."
• I nod as I take the bucket of cleaning supplies and move to head out of the kitchen. Before I reach the door I turn to the Omega and she meets my eyes with a glare. "My name is Erica, by the way," I tell her meekly.
• "Rita," the Omega grunts back at me and she continues her cooking.
• Lugging the bucket of cleaning supplies up the stairs, I stop outside of Bryce's room. I haven't been in this room for many years.
• Suddenly I am plunged into a memory from the past.
• **Flashback**
• "Eight, Nine, Ten! Ready or not, here I come." I hear Ace shouting down the hall.
• I still haven't found a place to hide. He said that if he finds me first I have to give him a kiss. YUCK!
• Slipping inside the closest room, I realize that I am in Bryce's room. There are clothes all over the floor and dirty dishes piled up on top of all of the dressers. I wrinkle my nose at the smell. It smells like stinky boys in here.
• I spot an oversized wardrobe in the corner of the room and I realize that it will be big enough for me to hide in.
• "I am coming to find you Little Fox," Ace's voice echoes through the halls of the pack house. "You better pucker up!"
• Without hesitation I jump into the wardrobe and steady my breathing. I don't want Ace to find me first. I hear the door to the bedroom open and soft footsteps coming inside.
• "I know you are in here, Little Fox," Ace laughs. "I would know your scent anywhere."
• Suddenly I hear the lock on the wardrobe click shut and the sound of laughter coming from the outside. The air inside of the wardrobe begins to feel too thick and I let out a terrified scream. Pushing on the doors to the wardrobe they will not budge. They locked me inside.
• "That is what you get for hiding in my room," Bryce howls with laughter as I continue to push on the doors.
• "Please let me out," I beg. Tears are streaming down my face. "I promise not to hide in your room ever again."
• "It is too late," Bryce yells through the heavy wooden doors. "Now you are mine forever. No one will think to look for you here."
• **End Flashback**
• The door in front of me swings open and breaks me out of the awful memory of the last time I was in this room. Bryce is standing in front of me with nothing on but a pair of gray sweatpants. His chiseled chest is fully on display.
• "Are you going to stand out there all day or are you going to come in here and clean my room?"