It was one month later. Alex was sprawled out across the couch, eyes closed. She shifted, letting out a quiet breath as she felt her collar rub against her neck. The door opened, and the omega looked up, blinking the sleep away.

Michael stepped into the penthouse. The door closed behind him, and he approached. "Hello."

Alex tiredly sat up, yawning and nodding her greeting.

Michael sat down beside her. "And how was your day?" He mindlessly rubbed the silver bracelets on his wrists.

Alex barely noticed, keeping her gaze on her lap. "It was good, Alpha."

Michael grunted in approval. He reached up to scratch her head like a dog. Alex didn't protest. "Where's Adam?"

Alex opened her mouth to respond, but a loud yawn cut her off.

The alpha frowned. "Tired?"

"I didn't sleep very well, Alpha." Alex flicked her tongue out of her mouth at 'Alpha.' It still sat bitterly on her tongue, but she knew far better than to leave the word out.

"Hm." Michael stood up. "You know, you might sleep better if you slept in my bed." The omega quickly shook her head at the notion, and Michael shrugged. "Very well. But it's going to happen." He walked away before Alex could respond.

The omega buried her head back in the pillow. One month. Four weeks she had been here, and she had lost all hope of escaping. No one was coming for her; there had never been on single visitor, no one who knew who she was and who she really belonged to. Lucifer had probably given up searching for her. Alex was beginning to face the reality that she might be here for the rest of her life.

Adam stalked into the room. He sat down on the couch, right on top of Alex's legs. "Get off," she growled, trying to kick him away.

Adam growled back down at her. "Move yourself," he snapped. "You're taking up the whole couch." He wedged himself between the back of the couch and her legs, and then attempted to shove her off.

Alex let out a snarl. Adam was worse than Michael. "Get off of me, you bitch!" She sat up, shoving him away. "Seriously? What's your problem?"

"Stop." Michael walked into the room, arms crossed. Both of the omegas ceased immediately. Michael stepped in front of them, frowning. "I'm in no mood to deal with your shit. Alex, to your room. Adam, stay here."

Alex freed her legs and hurried away, glowering. Adam was a dick. He was a total suck-up around Michael, but a bully around her. She hoped Michael put him in his place. She reached her room and slammed the door.

Her room was still as empty as it had been when she had arrived. The walls were bare, and the only pieces of furniture were a small bed and a nightstand. The small closet held only a few articles of clothing that Michael had boughten for her, and were nothing of good quality.

Anger pulsed through her, red and hot. She hated it here. She hated Adam, she hated Michael, she hated this room and this house and this town. She hated it all. She lashed out, fist connecting with the plaster wall.

"Alex."

Alex hesitated, then dropped to her knees. "S-Sorry," she mumbled, voice shaking. A hand came to rest on her head, and the omega winced. "Sorry, Alpha."

Michael's fingers ran down to her collar. "I appreciate your formality, but I don't think your heart's in it."

Alex let out a whimper. "I just want to go home."

"Home?" Michael raised an eyebrow. "This is your home."

Alex weakly shook her head, but didn't argue.

Michael stroked her hair mindlessly, letting out a soft sigh. "You'll forget about him," he promised. "In a year or two, maybe less. But eventually." He dropped his hand, nudging her foot. "Come on, get up. It's time for dinner." He crossed the room. "I'm calling in a pizza."

Alex watched him go. When he beckoned, she followed.

Michael disappeared into the kitchen, and Alex walked into the living room, sitting quietly down on the couch. Adam was curled up in the armchair, and he growled when she entered.

Michael reappeared with the phone in his hand. "Yes, that will be all." He hung up and tossed the phone onto the coffee table before sitting down beside Alex. Without a word, he turned on the tv, pulling Alex closer.

She didn't protest.

...

Ten minutes later, Michael went go retrieve their meal. "I'll be back in fifteen minutes," he promised. "We'll eat when I get back." With a glance at Adam, he added, "Don't fight." He then pulled on a jacket over his t-shirt and disappeared down the elevator.

Adam stood up from the couch, stretching out his long arms, purposefully knocking Alex in the head. "I'm going to go watch tv," he drawled, disappearing down the hall.

"You know that's not allowed!" Alex shouted after him, then stopped with an angry huff. It wasn't like she cared about the rules. But Adam always told Michael when she watched tv, but whenever he watched tv without permission, he always got of scotch free.

She plopped down on the couch with a huff. "Lucifer didn't care when I watched tv," she muttered to herself, half angry and half despondent.

...

The phone rang. Alex looked up, pulled out of her thoughts. How long had she been sitting there? It rang again. "Adam!" No answer. "Get the damn phone, Adam." Still nothing. The phone rang again, and Alex sighed. She reached over the arm of the couch to answer the phone. "Hello? Michael's not here. He'll be back in a few minutes, though." With a glance at the clock, she added, "Any minute, actually."

A short pause. Then, "Alex?"

Alex froze. "What? W-Who is this?"

"Is that really you?" The voice was filled with confused concern."What the hell are you doing there? I-I called for Michael."

"I-I-"

"Alex? It's Gabriel."

Gabriel. Alex blinked nervously. "I, I . . ."

The door opened. Michael stepped through. Their eyes met for a brief second, and Alex swallowed nervously.

"I shouldn't be talking to you." Alex went to hang up, but Michael crossed the rooms in three steps, snatching the phone from her hand.

"Who is this?" Michael's face darkened as he listened. Then he roughly hung up the phone, turning on the omega. "What the hell have you done?"