He looks down. I put my fingers on his chest, over his heart. “Please, could you get me out of here?”
My family's fate beats at me, and all I want to do is sleep, but I can’t while we’re here. No matter how safe I feel in his arms.
“Okay, we’re going.” Jarek whistles, and Mordecai and the black wolf with its blood-tipped fur turn.
The wolf lets out a howl that the Resistance echoes. It’s an eerie sound. I get goosebumps, but the Resistance disappears like they were never here.
All that’s left is a building full of corpses that’s painted in blood.
Jarek and Mordecai run through the streets and into buildings. I lose track of time as the aches get so bad I drift in and out of consciousness.
I stand beside a man on a hill, looking up at the stars, and he reaches out and takes my hand, and nothing has ever felt so right.
I jolt awake, my heart hammering in my chest, confused because I’m on my back, staring up at Mordecai, who is leaning over me.
“What?”
“Sorry,” he says and moves back, giving me some room.
There are several people here, some sitting, some are sleeping, and others moving quietly around.
“Here, I have clothes,” a voice I recognise says.
“Legion?” I turn my head too fast, getting head spins, but I’m so relieved to see him. “You’re alive!”
“Hey, you. Scaring everyone seems to be a habit of yours.”
I laugh but weakly. “Just keeping you on your toes. Did you get Sophie and Mia?”
“I did; they are safe.” Legion looks like he wants to ask something, but then he presses his lips together and backs off.
Mordecai is hovering, and I know I have to deal with it, but not right now. I can’t. I lay back down and curl up on my side. I cry silently, too afraid to let anyone see but the alpha whose guilt is heavy in the air, turning it sweet.
A whole day passes. I wake up for the tenth time, feeling refreshed and able to deal with it, or at least show it deep enough I won’t think about it every moment. I roll over and find Jarek lying so close our noses are almost touching.
“You really are alive? I thought I was dreaming.”
“I really am alive. I don’t think the gods are finished with me yet.”
“He ran you through with a sword,” I protest, letting out a sad little whine, which instantly makes him lose his smile.
He cups the side of my face.
“I’m made of magic. Hush, Omega, I’m here; it’s okay.”
I snort, but it comes out wet and pathetic and not at all brave and tough like I planned.
His thumb strokes across my cheek. “I am so sorry that I failed.”
I jolt and reach for him, clenching my hand in his shirt, dragging us closer still, his breath and mine are one now. “No, you didn’t fail—”
“I failed, and they took you, and you got hurt, Kaida.”
“You were stabbed with a sword, so if anyone should be sorry, it’s Mordecai,” I hiss and feel a prick of guilt.
“And we’re going to talk about that too because there are some things that he wasn’t able to share at the time, reasons,” Jarek says firmly.
“About this prophet omega again?” I ask with disdain.
