With a blink, he steps around the column to approach Rodrigo, apologizing with every step as the rebellion leader’s body returns to its normal size. He levels Andrew with a glare that could kill, making him wince.
“I have never done such a thing,” Andrew explains.
Rodrigo gets to his feet with the help of Lucas, now at his side. “We’re done here,” is all he says in response before the two of them turn and leave us.
Andrew runs his fingers through his hair before dropping to his butt on the ground with a sigh. I’m first to kneel beside him, followed by Zeph and Erich.
“I think you pissed off the boss,” Erich says, tone humorous, not antagonistic as it once would have been.
Andrew lets out a huff of a laugh. “He didn’t want anyone to know.” He shakes his head. “I broke his trust.”
I frown before Zeph chimes, rubbing Andrew's back, “We just won’t tell anyone, hm?”
Andrew looks at Zeph, then Erich, then me. “I would appreciate that. So would he.”
“So, what happened, exactly?”
Andrew begins to rise, wipes the dirt from his ass and frowns. “It’s… difficult to explain, but, Rodrigo was planning something to try and trip me up. And as I dug into his intentions, into his mind, I found this… string.” His head shakes. “Not literally, but something in his mind that I could pluck at and follow the vibrations.” His gaze takes on a faraway look, peering beyond Erich’s form into some other place. “I followed it to his emotional center. There, I was able to take full control.” He sighs, his shoulders hunching. “I don’t want to do that again.”
“Your eyes were glowing,” I tell him unhelpfully.
But he turns to me in surprise. “Truly?”
I give an affirmative nod before taking his hand, kissing his knuckles.
The evolution of our powers may all be new to us, but in my heart, I know this is how we are all meant to be.
We need to embrace it. Together.
Andrew
Self-control and honesty are things I have always valued in life.
Without them, I am lost.
Yesterday, I lied to my pack.
Instead of simply finding an emotional cord inside Rodrigo and manipulating it, what actually happened was far more sinister. That string I followed into the depths of his mind, I became one with it, playing it at my will. The changes in Rodrigo were immediate; I’d think it, he’d feel it.
I lost the self-control I value so much, exchanging it for control over another. And then, I lied to those closest to me in an attempt to cover it up.
Zephyr approaches, his lilac and cherry scent carrying on the breeze before he’s in my line of sight. He crosses in front of me and then drops down beside me on the bench.
“You know,” he begins, “when I was in Tenebrosa, there were many times I’d lost all hope.” He leans forward, elbows on his knees, hands clasped in front of him. “I’d been there so long, I never thought I’d make it out. Alive, anyway. Definitely never expected to find a pack and maybe even be happy someday.” He turns his head to look at me over his shoulder. “Now that I have hope for the future, it’s tough to navigate. I don’t know what to do, how to handle it most days.” His head drops. “Some days, I’m back in that place, being pumped full of drugs, cut open…” His voice is almost air.
Anger blossoms in my chest. Pure rage burns through my veins, and I have to stifle a hiss-like growl that threatens to escape my lips. Instead, I place my palm on Zephyr’s back, run it along his spine slowly.
No words will ease his past. Not even from me.
“I told Nyx everything that happened to me,” he whispers. “She still loves me. But will you?”
I freeze at his question, confused by why he’d ask. Nothing that happened to him was his fault. “My feelings for you will only ever grow.” I mean that with every fiber of my being.
He sits upright, and I keep my hand on his back. It may bring me more peace than him.
“Once I hit puberty, I’ve always been considered more masculine than the average male Omega. Being at Tenebrosa as a Cursed adolescent, this brought unwanted attention. The lead scientist there was fascinated by me, more physically than for my power.” He swallows hard, those light purple eyes glistening.
Sickness wells up in my stomach, and it takes every ounce of my control not to read his thoughts, learn what I want to knowbefore he says it. But this is his story to tell, and because of that, I hold back. Barely.
