My heart is beating too fast. My breathing is ragged.
Then I feel each of my men — my pack — rest their hands on my arms or shoulders, reassuring me. My breathing steadies.
“Won’t they be able to smell us?” Zero hisses.
“The corridors have excellent scent ventilators,” I reply. “Plus, they’re cleaned with scent canceling products. I should know as I had to use them.”
“But what if…?” Lionzio whispers
“Be quiet,” Icarus cuts him off, sharply. “I don’t know who you really are. But it appears that we are now hiding from the Frosts. So, be fucking quiet.”
“You’re the one who is talking,” Piper grumbles.
I elbow Piper, when I hear voices coming down the corridor outside.
I grit my teeth.
It’s Maya.
She sounds angry as well.
Dad does too.
It sounds like a heated argument.
This won’t go well for Dad.
I rest my fingers around the door handle, unable to stop myself. Then I lay my head against the door, listening as hard as I can.
“He needs a doctor.” Dad sounds worried enough to have forgotten that he is talking to Maya. She never accepts Omegas making demands like that. My heart is in my throat.Stop talking, Dad. Just stop.“I have had to put up with a lot over the years. I have suffered and I haven’t said anything. You can beat my ass, but I won’t stand by while you put my kids at risk. How can you be so heartless? Maya, don’t you feel anything for any of us? Are we…your family,Omegas…just pretty dolls that you can break and then throw away when we don’t bring in money for you anymore? This is yourson. He could die.”
I gasp, before I can stop myself.
Icarus’ palm slams over my mouth, but his hand is shaking too.
Bird.
What’s happened to my brother?
Slowly, Icarus removes his hand, and I squirm out of the men’s hold to sneak the door open just a sliver to peer out into the corridor.
I have to know what is happening to Bird.
When I see that Maya has stopped outside the door, blocking it with her back, I hurriedly crouch down.
Fear crashes through me.
It’s worse when I look up, and Maya takes several steps away from the door. Then I can see that Dad is standing facing her.
His cheeks are streaked with tears.
My stomach drops.
I have never seen him look like that —broken, like he said.
He has always hidden his pain behind smiles.
But the mask has been shattered.
