I make it back to the building, but Cadel appears out of nowhere before I can cross the road and enter it. He grabs me by the throat and pins me to the side of a building. I think if I were anyone else in the world I might be terrified, but I’m not afraid of him. Strangely aroused and fighting to suppress a moan, but not scared. His eyes are narrowed with red flames in their depths. Danger ripples through his aura with deadly menace.
“Where were you?” Three words spat out through his teeth, full of rage and jealousy and obsession. “That’s twice I’ve woken up to find you gone, Omega,” he growls.
I melt.
I try to answer, but I can’t focus when he’s leaning in like the minute I tell him someone looked at me, he’s going to kill them. His tight hand around my throat is a collar, a brand that screams to everyone, but especially me, that I belong to him.
His scent is slamming into me, stronger and faster with each breath, the heat of his temper flooding the air.
“I had to do something—”
His fingers tighten, cutting off my words.
“There is nothing that could warrant you running off in this city, Kaida,” he says in slow menace. “You could have died, been captured, fallen and hurt yourself. Anything could have happened, and we wouldn’t haveknown.” He punctuates that statement by slamming his free hand against the wall, right beside my head.
I don’t take my eyes off him. I reach up and slide my fingers along his stomach, feeling his muscles tense. With a wicked smile, I lean into his hold on my throat.
“I know, and I’m sorry,” I say in a husky voice. My eyes widen. “You didn’t think that I was running away, did you?”
Cadel snarls.
“I wasn’t,” I protest. “Cadel, I could never be scared of you. I would never leave you. But I needed to lead him away.”
“Him?” Cadel barks, his nostrils flaring. “Who is him?”
I swallow hard and debate how much to tell him. “You know I grew up with the Warden, right? I couldn’t let him find you.” I run my own fingers up against his throat, the lightest touch, an apology and a plea.
He leans in, growling, his fury sparking in the air. I bite my bottom lip and close my eyes, holding perfectly still as he runs his nose down the side of my face. I turn my face to his, but he pulls back, leaving me disoriented and panting. The smell of my slick is turning the air sweet, but he’s still mad. He’s not even…I let out a whine.
“Alpha,” I plead.
“So you…” Cadel trails off, his face turning dark.
“Led him away, that’s all,” I murmur in frustration.
“You led him away?” Cadel echoes, and his fingers twitch on my throat.
I almost offer to show him the photograph, but then I remember he’s not in it, and I hold my silence, but my arousal eases, letting my head clear just enough to really get a look at his face.
“I didn’t want him to hurt you,” I try to explain. “You were all so tired. I just wanted you to be safe.”
Cadel leans in and lets out a fierce and frustrated growl that has my knees going weak. Only his hand on my throat keeps me upright.
“Cadel, you have to trust me,” I whisper, licking my lips. “I lived all these years alone. I have survived so much. I know him. We met up, I escaped—” I slam my teeth together as he pulls back, his eyes glowing an eerie and terrifying red.
“You met up with him?” The words are an explosive hiss of pure rage.
“Well, it wasn’t intentional,” I say quickly. “I was trying to hide, but he knew where I was going and was waiting for me. Luckily—”
“He was waiting for you?” Jarek echoes.
I look past Cadel and see my mates. The bonds on my shoulder and breast throb in a happy welcome. The omega side of me wants to get on my knees and crawl to him, easing that unhappy look in their eyes.
I take a breath and quickly huff it out, realising that breathing their combined furious scents was a massive mistake.
“Yes, it was annoying that he was waiting for me. We talked and yelled at each other, and then I escaped.” I try for humour, but it’s hard when I’m whining and talking in a husky voice, my thighs clenching together as my slick gathers.
“Kaida, what were you thinking?” Mordecai hisses.
