“Why do you let him speak to you like that?” I ask curiously.
Rose is a shifter, one of the youngest members of the group, and she holds the lowest rank as an omega. However, being a shifter, she knows she shouldn’t allow this human boy to walk all over her.
“He’s the boss’s son.”
“And?”
Rose’s mouth opens and closes several times, and Kai steps up to my side, slinging his arm over my shoulders.
“Ash is right. If he is giving you a hard time, tell Mitch—”
“Or better yet, kick him inthe balls.”
Kai drops his head, a deep sigh escaping his lips, and he absentmindedly rubs his forehead with his thumb and forefinger. Rose’s gaze flickers back and forth between us, and a playful grin spreads across my face.
“If he gives you any more trouble, tell me.”
“Us. Tell us, Rose,” Kai adds hastily, squeezing me gently to his side.
I cross my arms and glance up at him. “Don’t you trust me?”
“Oh, I trust you with certain things, but when it comes to this, no, not at all.”
“Why?”
“You’re kinda dark and scary,” Rose says, and her eyes immediately drop to the ground when I look at her.
“I wouldn’t describe myself as dark and scary,” I say, trying to keep my voice even. “We all have our shadows, Rose. Quirks that either attract or frighten people. I simply choose not to silence mine.”
Rose’s warm-brown eyes lift to mine, and she stares at me for several moments. A glimmer of hope grows in my chest like a seed sprouting after the rain. I sense that she is not afraid of me right now, and it feels like a small win. Kai’s arms wrap around me from behind and his lips press to the back of my head.
“I’m sorry,” Rose says, her voice soft and laced with regret.
I frown, taken aback by the unexpected apology. “What for?”
She sighs, her shoulders slumping slightly. “For judging you based on my fears. It was wrong. There’s just a spark in your eyes, like—”
“Madness?” Kai chuckles.
Her words hit me harder than I expected. My body fades instinctively, and my heart thumps loud and fast in my chest. Without a second thought, I materialize right in front of her, wrapping my arms around her in a tight embrace.
“Jesus, Ash. You can’t do that out in the open!” Kai’s voice cuts through the moment, his tone a mix of concern and exasperation.
I step back from Rose, a small smile playing on my lips. Glancing over my shoulder at Kai, I meet his gaze. “Jesus isn’t going to help you,” I tease, my smile widening at his familiar, half-frustrated expression.
Kai shakes his head, his lips twitching as if he’s fighting back a grin.
Chapter eight
Ashwiyaa
“Everyone has light around them, except for you. You have shadows.” -Richelle Mead
"Ican’t do it!” I scream, my tiny fists balled at my sides, trembling with a mix of frustration and fear. The raw emotion surges through me, but I’m too young to fully understand it, too small to know how to handle it.
A low growl rumbles in response, deep and menacing, sending a jolt of terror through my body. My eyes widen as I search the yard desperately for Penn, tears blurring my vision. He’s normally always here, always stepping in to take some of his father’s wrath, shielding me from the worst of it. But today, he’s nowhere to be seen.
The slap comes, swift and stinging, snapping my head to the side. I knew it was coming, had even braced myself for it, but it still takes me by surprise. The shock of it ripples through me, making the tears I’ve been holding back spill over.
