It’s the asshole himself, his chest rising and falling as he makes eye contact with me.
“Run, hide. I’ll handle him,” I say quietly.
Rebecca darts off without having to be told twice, Judge watching her with malice. “I knew this was all a lie,” I say through tears that form way too fast for my dignity.
“Diana, I can explain it all.” His eyes are hardened again, and all I can feel in the tether is anger.
“I don’t give a shit what you have to say. I sawyour propertysitting in your lap. You were also going to send the scraps to Titan! They don’t deserve that!”
His eyes widen, then look furious. Shock worms its way through our tether. “Diana, if you run, I can’t protect you.”
I laugh. “I’m not interested in yourprotection. I bet you’re one of those alphas who takes multiple omegas. You mated me as a joke to stuff in an attic, or another city? Hmm? Because of the stupid scent match that clearly means nothing!”
He looks absolutely enraged, holding his hand out as he continues to take cautious steps forward. “Come to me, Diana. This willallbe explained.”
“Where is everyone?” I ask, looking around for the reinforcements. “Why are you alone?”
“It’s just us. I left quietly. You don’t have to worry about anyone else touching you.”
“It’syouthat shouldn’t be touched!”
When I think I hear something over my shoulder, I steal the quickest glance, but that’s enough for me to sense Judge isrighton me. I whip my arm around and stab the needle right into his side, without even thinking about where. I depress the needle as it hits him, and based on how he stiffens, I probably hit something more than muscle. I take it out in horror, because I don’t want tohurthim.
Wait, why not?Fuckhim.
I step back as he bends over, holding his side.
He looks afraid as he lifts his attention to me, his forehead crinkling as he looks at me through his lashes. “Diana don’t…” His breathing labors. “Don’t you fucking leave.”
“I can’t do this, Judge. Ican’trisk that I’m being used. I simply can’t risk it,” I say, shaking my head, tears welling in my eyes again.
I take off running as he falls to a knee, shouting, “DIANA!”
I don’t look back. Rebecca grabs me as I run past a hallway,and I nearly screech, only to realize who she is, and I take off running with her.
We burst through a wooden door, greeted by the open air in an overhang that indeed looks like a drop-off point. And a whole ass jeep waits for us. I ignore the fear rippling in our tether. “This is real?” I ask.
The window to the back seat rolls down. “Hell yeah, it’s real,” Selene says, her short hair tucked behind her ears.
I nearly break down with tears right then and there, feeling as if I had been drowning in a sludge that I’ve finally been yanked out of. I run faster and jump into the backseat as she opens the door, and we embrace as Rebecca shuts it behind us. “You stink like him,” she says, petting my hair.
“Yeah, well, it is what it is,” I say, my heart breaking somewhere in there, but I know this is what Ineedto do. How could I possibly stay?
We don’t drive very fast as we leave the gates, the woman in front nodding and being let through. Selene chucks a few cantrips into the road once we’re far enough out, all the while I try to control myself and prevent hyperventilation.
As I see the Iron Castle behind us, I’m both regretful and relieved. Images of Roxy in Judge’s lap, as hisproperty, sear my heart. No one who respects his mate does that. There’s no fucking need for what he did.
“Where are we going?” I ask quietly.
Rebecca laughs in the front with the woman who must be her sister, crying out in victory.
Selene grins. “Well, we always talked about the Black Mirage, so I figured, why not aim for there?” She looks at me, concerned. “Are you okay with that?”
“Yes.Please.” There’s no way this is happening. I try to wonder how it could be a dream, but none of my tricks to wake up are working. The pain in my heart is far too real. “They’ll follow us, you know. This isdangerous.”
A mate is for life. Judge can’t let me just wander the wastes forever. Hewillcome for me as long as I’m attached to him.
“They can try. We’re heading to the train. As long as we hit it just in time, we have transportation ready on the other end of this.”
