Not yet.
It would definitely form a dark bond right now.
“Any information on what he actually wants?”
“Nope,” Skinner says. “Just that we’re supposed to treat this coming dickface like he’s welcome. The usual diplomacy bullshit.” He glances at me sideways after kicking the dirt. “What about your omega? What if he knows, and that’s why he’s moving in?”
My hand twitches toward my pocket, where the comm screen sits, just waiting for me to peek at her. Oh, I don’t like that feeling that she’s beingtargeted.
I can’t tell if it makes me proud or terrified that she’s getting bolder. I can sense that she’s itching for something more to happen, that my presence isn’t enough. Which means any control I have now is going to slip away.
I was dreading this.
The only thing that can help is to mark her. To bond her to me so I can feel her, even when we’re apart.
“Diana is adjusting,” I comment after a time. “We might have to resort to some extreme measures.”
“That a good thing or a bad thing?”
“I don’t know yet.” The words scrape out before I can stop them. “Keep a watch on that rider. When he gets closer, we’ll have to take actions that I’m not going to be proud of.”
He clears his throat with another nod, because he knows what that means. “You still on for Scarlett Offering?”
I stare into his dark eyes. “Withherin the mix, it’s theonlyoption.”
He sucks his tongue to his teeth, releasing it quickly. “Sounds good, sir.”
I head out of the kennel, hands back in my coat pockets as I breathe in the colder air, looking through the open gates toward the dark horizon where Titan’s rider will eventually appear.
The actions I need to take to keep his attention off of Diana already make my stomach turn sour. My gaze skims over an alpha named Axel with his omega, who makes sure he’s wearing his helmet this time before he goes on one of the last patrols for the season on a bike.
My attention moves to the very top of the building, four stories up, where a glass wall merges with the roof pitch. Where I know exists an omega that is making me risk a whole fuck ton more than I’m comfortable with.
Diana thinks those deep sleeps are just for her, but she doesn’t know that her scent is calming tome, too. And I actively prefer avoiding anything related to my heart, which is why letting our bodies speak to each other is safer.
If I not only found my scent match but was able to hide her away, and something still happened to her? When her safety is my utmost responsibility?
Oh, I’ll make sure to drag Titan down to hell with me.
Nothingwill stop me then.
DIANA
Well,isn’t Judge Mister Fancy for having matching furniture? I’ve only ever seen it like this when furniture isfreshlymade, not reclaimed. As I pass by an antique bronze-framed mirror, I stop when my wild image is reflected back, my hair in serious need of brushing. I near it, looking my body over.
“I look terrible,” I mutter, resisting the temptation to straighten out my hair. It’s one thing to want him when he’s growling, but a whole other for me to want him just for thesakeof it.
This space reminds me a lot of the old medical facilities, with the tall stone ceiling and large, bright windows. There’s a kitchen in here, something that looks installed after the fact, along with a couch, table, and, surprisingly,paintingson the wall. I near them, unsure if they’re real or not. A lot of artwork seems not to have been authentic from before thebloom.
It’s a lot of artistic strokes that don’t quite make sense, but it still forms a pretty picture from the pale blues, some golds and creams, to the dark grays. Almost what I imagine looking at an ocean might be like. Then there’s a painting of amountain chain with a sunset. It looks like mountains found out west, something I’ve only seen in books.
If it weren’t for books, I wouldn’t even know what half of the world looked like.
There are a few doors in this open space, and I immediately try them all. Locked, of course, except for one that leads to a bathroom, which I now realize connects back to his bedroom. Nope, I don’t need to smell what his dirty clothes and bedding are like.
That makes me think of Roxy, which oddly makes meaggressive.
The bathroom tells me enough—everything is neat and folded, and smells heavily of suppressants. So he really is covering himself up after he’s done with me. I know there’s logic in it, but that also makes me anxious. He is trying to hide me, which could also mean this could turn into another situation where I’m being used and don’t know it.
