We were all fucked in the head. One of our primary reasons for never attending Scent Matching events. For never searching for the one that was meant for us. We’d been satisfied with Susanna, because she knew we could never be ‘fixed’.
This girl deserved perfection, not three emotionally stunted Alphas.
But with her here? It calmed the restlessness and agony inside me. The same peace radiated from my bonds to the other two. I struggled to swallow and slid my wet hand up to her damp cheek. I rubbed the soft swell. Her lips twitched, and she nestled deeper into Cade’s arms.
We had to make this right by any means possible. I was prepared to crawl over hot coals if that was what she ordered from me in order to gain her forgiveness.
Dorian hadn’t stopped pacing outside the bathroom door. His anxiety seeped through the bond, leaving a sour taste on my tongue.
We couldn’t let her go. It wasn’t even an option, and she wouldwantto leave. We wouldn’t be able to give her the one thing she wanted: freedom. And she would hate us more than she already did.
I exhaled shakily.
We would have to take her choice away. Keep her sequestered. Hopefully we would survive under the guilt, because she wouldn’t need to work hard to destroy us.
We’d treated our Scent Match like a common whore.
I exhaled hard.
And it was the greatest regret of my life.
“What are you thinking about?” Cade whispered. He met my gaze, his eyebrows scrunched together.
“If she will forgive us.”
Cade’s eyes widened, and the red bloom on his face caused by the steaming water leached out of his skin. Dorian’s panic hit my stomach. The sensation was so abrupt and harsh. He must have walked back into the bathroom.
“She will,” Dorian gritted out.
I frowned, clasping her hand in mine. It was so tiny . . .
Chapter 23
Ibreathed in the coffee scent tickling my nose. Trying to move on the mattress didn’t work.
I opened my eyes to find an unfamiliar dark gray ceiling. Arms wound around me, tangled so tightly I couldn’t tell who was who. Chests crowded me to the point that my cheeks were smashed between them.
Cade groaned, the noise vibrating against my ear. He inched closer toward me, legs tangled with one of mine to where I couldn’t move, much less try to free myself. Rafe lay between my legs, his head pillowed on my sheet-covered sex while his hand stayed on my side, fingers pressing into my belly.
They had mepinned.
Dorian, on the opposite side from Cade, held my arm to his chest, my hand tucked under his jaw. I wouldn’t be able to get up without waking them. Which I was sure was purposeful.
Soreness radiated through my body, even without moving, which told me how much the heat had taken out of me. All the suppressants I’d taken had caused it to hit me harder and longer, but I felt the difference in Repressitol. I couldn’t imagine the effect it would have on an Omega that had been taking the harsh drug for months, let alone years.
I shivered and clenched my hands until my nails pinched my skin.
Small snippets of being submerged under warm water whispered along my memories. They’d bathed me after I’d collapsed from pure exhaustion. I’d only been able to rouse in short bursts, very, very short bursts. All I’d managed to do was lay in whatever arms cradled me, spent and exhausted.
It was . . . disorienting.
Now they had me clasped in their arms like I belonged, and it set my teeth on edge. I gave an experimental wiggle, but it did nothing.
I sucked in a hard breath and released an ear-splitting scream.
Dorian jerked back and thudded onto the floor. Rafe was up, eyes frantically scanning the surroundings, head swiveling. Cade startled, body jolting against me, and arm winding around my waist harder. It didn’t take Dorian long to stand, blinking sleep out of his eyes.
In the silence after, they were so still. Nerves swirled in my stomach.
