Tears trickle from my eyes. “You’re an alpha pack,” I whisper. “How long before you make me line up like a good omega?”
This can’t be real.
I can’t let myself think this is real.
Lucien growls. “We willnot—“
“We don’t want that from you, Ava. Not now, not ever,” Max says, shaking my hand a little. He searches my face, looking for something.
“I don’t know how I managed to land in your room that day, sweetheart. But I did. And I think I knew from that first day that I wouldn’t walk out of that hospital without you. I would never have left you there, love. We’re taking you back to our home, but then it’s your decision. What you want to do, how you want to live. We will help you in any way we can, but you are completely free to make your own decisions. We will never force you to do anything you don’t want to do. You will befree.”
My tears flow faster at his words, and I glance between them with blurry eyes, their faces swimming in and out of my vision.
“Free?” It’s a whimper.
Lucien grabs my other hand. I don’t even pull away this time.
“Free,” he growls. The word settles into my bones.
When Lucien carefully lifts the knife again, I don’t stop him.
Freedom.
ChapterNineteen
Nikolai
My back slides down the wall of the hallway, my legs not enough to hold me up as my ass hits the ground.
I stare blankly at the wall, as the sound of Ava’s tears echo through the doorway of Bastien’s office.
Emery. Emery. Emery.
Her name thunders through my head like the beating of my chest. Permanent, unending.
Em.
Balling my fists, I put them to my eyes and push, hard. Trying to shove the tears out.
I didn’t realise how much this omega would remind me ofher. This is what her life might have been. If the Compound had gotten their hands on her.
Footsteps bounce down the corridor, and I wipe my face as my son appears, dragging a patient Leah by the hand. She gives me an apologetic look as Nash throws himself onto my lap, smooshing my cheeks together.
“You look sad, papa,” he says quietly. “Hug it out?”
I wrap my arms around my son and bury my face into his shoulder, blowing a raspberry and making him giggle as he wriggles away from me.
“What’s Bastien doing?” he asks curiously. “He said he can’t help me with the treehouse today.”
Leah ruffles his hair, rolling her eyes at me where Nash can’t see. “Am I not enough for you?” she asks wryly.
“’Course you are!” Nash looks contrite, and my heart swells. He’s sogood.
But his comment reminds me.
“Nash…” I start slowly, and he grins at me.
“Papaaaa…” he imitates me in a grunt, and I bite back a laugh.
