We stared at each other, the silence hanging heavy between us.
“Oh.” I squeezed my hands together awkwardly. “Um, no, Finch and Kaos have made it pretty clear they don’t want me. They actually kind of hate me.”
“Then they’re being idiots,” Ocean said.
“Ocean. This whole mess is my fault. I’m not good for any of you.”
Ocean tipped his head to the side, and his hand slid through the bars, touching my arm and sliding down so my hand was in his. His voice became gentle. “Whatever reason you put me down here, I know it wasn’t your fault.”
I shook my head, a lump appearing in my throat. “No,” I said. “No, you can’t think that. It was my fault.”
“Tell me why you did it,” he pressed gently.
My eyes were stinging as he held my gaze. I swallowed. “My father… he’d have killed you,” I whispered. “It was the only way I could of think to save you.”
“See?” he said.
“But it was my fault. I provoked Madison. You only stepped in to try and help me…”
“Don’t believe that,” he said. “I can feel you, Laurel, and I can see you’re trapped here as much as I am. They’ve hurt you and tried to make you small, but they failed. You still shine so brightly, despite everything. I can’t believe they don’t see that.”
My vision swam as tears welled in my eyes.
“What do you want after all this is done?” he asked.
“I want to come with you,” I admitted. “And after I found out that Kaos was Demon, it made sense why you were all here. Why Finch bonded me.”
Ocean shook his head, his face darkening. “Finch never should have done that. Trust me, I’m going to do everything I can to make that up to you. And I understand if you never want to see Finch again.”
I shrugged. “I was going to be owned by a pack, no matter what. It’s actually kind of funny that I’m now bonded to someone my father didn’t choose. And I’m glad I’m bonded to you.”
Ocean shook his head, his blue eyes wide with concern.
“Silver lining, right?” I said, squeezing his hand through the bars.
He barked out a laugh, but his face softened. “I wish we could have done it properly, though. Offered you a proper bond. A princess bond.” He frowned at the flash of fear that coursed through me at his suggestion.
“Sorry,” I said, and he squeezed my hand. “My first mates… my dad made me match them through scent samples. I’m pretty sure he got them from the criminal division at the Institute. I was sixteen, and he offered them money to make me a duchess, but he shot them after.”
“No wonder you ran,” he said softly, pulling me closer until he could thread his arms through the bars and around my shoulders.
I looked up at his face, and he leaned down through the bars, pressing his lips to mine in a gentle kiss. He was like sunshine again, so bright and warm, and it hurt to be near it.
I pulled away, but his arms tightened, stopping me from fleeing.
I stared at the ground. “Please let me go,” I said with a sniff, a tear dripping from my chin to the ground.
“Laurel,” he said, and I shook my head, wrenching away.
“I’ll come back,” I said, walking away before I could change my mind. My stomach felt a little wobbly, but I couldn’t shake the warmth he’d left me with.
Hugo beckoned me over before I could leave. I tried for a small smile at him, but it wavered and fell away at his flat look.
“Your alpha doesn’t have much longer,” he told me grimly, “before he starts losing his mind. Three, maybe four more fights, at most.”
“What?” I asked, panic grabbing hold of me. That wasn’t long enough. “I thought it took longer than that!”
Hugo shook his head. “I’ve seen this happen enough.”
