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STELLA'S eyes grew wide as Valeric began to walk out of the manor with her thrown over his shoulder. She immediately panicked and struggled to free herself. "Put me down!" 

But the man wasn't listening. It was as if he was deaf. 

Out they went, down the white staircase, to proceed towards the black roll-Royce he'd come in. But the whoosh of air whirled past them, and right in front of them, someone stood with his arms spread out. 

"Let me come with her." 

Valeric's eyes lowered coldly toward the black-haired young man, who seemed to be in his early twenties. He was slender and not very tall—just a bit taller than Stella, but he was meeting his gaze with unwavering hazel eyes. 

"And who are you?" he asked. 

"Alex!" Stella exclaimed the young man's name. She was furiously shaking her head at him, afraid that Valeric might hurt him.

But Alex didn't appear too afraid. "I'm not trying to stop you from taking her. She's your wife. But I want you to let me come along." 

"And why would I do that?" Valeric cocked an eyebrow. "Are you her lover?" He was peering daggers at him, and it was clear that, depending on his answer, he would either step aside dead or alive. 

"Not at all! The young miss and I have nothing going on," Alex choked out, grappling against the pain pulsing through his head and neck. He suddenly felt suffocated. 

"Then why? Answer me." 

"She needs someone with her." He breathed heavily, finding himself unable to stand before the man any longer. "I've always watched over her, and I'd like to continue even at your place. I think—I think it'll make things easier for her." 

"You're an omega?" 

"Yes." He nodded furiously. 

Valeric appeared slightly reluctant. But he did turn his head to look at Stella, who was gazing at him. "Do you want this?" 

"Huh?" Stella was a bit taken aback. 

He frowned at her. "Do you want him to come along or not?" 

She looked over at Alex and slowly nodded her head.

Valeric stepped past Alex and pulled the door of the car open. He sat her down in the seat, got in next to her, and shut the door.

"Get in." 

Alex, whom the order was directed at, hurried over to take his seat next to the chauffeur in the front. The driver turned the steering wheel and drove off the Ferguson compound to speed off onto the road. 

The entire family watched, and as soon as the car was out of sight, the two sisters, Magdalene and Juliet, turned to each other and burst into laughter. 

"Papa, do you think she will live?" Magdalene asked. 

"Live?" Juliet gave her sister a ridiculous stare. "Did you see that man? He's scary when he's quiet, and when he talks, he makes me shiver. Everything feels cold around him." She shivered violently. 

"I was scared he might kill us if something went wrong." 

Magdalene shrugged and scoffed. "None of that matters now. We've gotten rid of her, and if she dies over there, that's her business. She'll be better off dead, anyway."

"Omegas like her shouldn't exist." Juliette concurred with her. "We might see her on the news pretty soon," 

"Girls!" Mr. Ferguson cleared his throat and pointed at the door. "Inside. Now!" 

"Yes, papa." 

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The car was driven through the gate and the cobbled pathway to be parked in the parking lot, alongside six other cars. 

Stella stepped down with her hands clenching tightly onto her wedding dress and looked up at the glass building that seemed to kiss the sky. 

So this was his home.

She wondered how he could sleep soundly at night with barely anything except a wall of glass keeping him from death. 

Her body flinched on its own all of a sudden at the abrupt feel of someone's hand resting on her shoulder. She'd thought it was Valeric, but it was simply Alex, who held a warm smile. 

Valeric glanced at them from the other side of the car with cold eyes and straightened his suit. 

"Come over here," he said, reaching his hand out for her. 

Stella wasn't moving at all. She was genuinely afraid, knowing that once she stepped into the building, there would be no turning back at all. It would be the end of her. 

"Come over here," the man repeated. This time, there was a bit of roughness in his tone. 

Her body had moved on its own, and the next she knew it, his large hand was clutching onto hers. He walked her towards the entrance door and led her inside. 

Her eyes rose, and she stopped. 

The grand foyer was bathed in the natural light of the half moon burning in through the glass ceiling with a large, fixed chandelier. On the white walls were bay windows covered in cream-colored soft curtains that showered themselves down to the marble-checkered floor. 

At the very center of the foyer stood long, wide black stairs that led all the way up to the second floor. The length alone was exhausting to look at, and Stella felt her head ache at the thought of climbing through each step. 

She shook her head and proceeded to walk to the stairs. But her wrist was snatched, and her whole body was pulled back to slam against a solid chest. There was no longer any space between them; they were so close, that she felt his chin nearly rest against her skinny shoulder, his lips next to her ear. 

"Do you even know where to go?" Valeric whispered.