He huffs and grabs my face between both his hands. Cadel doesn’t even move.
“Do you see a monster in me?”
I stare at him, my eyes getting bigger and bigger.
Mordecai stands in the dark watching; I can just make out his shape.
“No, I don’t see a monster in you.”
Jarek growls and hugs me hard.
“So, why would you think you can’t trust yourself?”
The words sit on my tongue, but when I open my mouth to say something, anything, only a jumbled mess comes out. Jarek leans down until his face is level with mine.
“You don’t have to be anything but you, Omega.”
The sincerity, the honesty, and softness of his eyes melts around the knot of confusion and fear, and finally, the alpha scent reaches in and starts soothing the frayed edges.
Jarek smiles widely and winks before he lets go and jumps up on the slab of stone, staring up at the light that’s shining down.
“I want to dance in the moonlight,” Jarek says. “I’ve dreamed about it.” He turns back. “With you. One day. But tonight, I’ll settle for the giant grump instead.”
He jumps across the room and pulls Mordecai into a dance that has the two of them pressed against each other. Cadel pulls me between his legs and holds onto my thigh.
I close my eyes, running my fingers through his hair, and let exhaustion wash over me.
Despite everything, I’ve never felt safer or more at home than I am when I’m with these alphas.
It’s terrifying.
Chapter 25
Friends at the end
The door slams open and falls off whatever it was holding on to, crashing to the floor with a boom. Bear stands in the frame, his chest heaving.
“Taryn is missing.”
Mordecai growls. “I told you she was a runner. Jarek, Cadel, I need you to help me.”
I cock my head to the side and watch them rush off.
“Yeah, sure. I’ll just wait here until you get back,” I grumble.
I wander out of the room, but instead of going towards the mayhem, I keep walking down this abandoned section of the school. I find part of a collapsed wall, but I manage to squeeze through a little gap. In the first room, I find about twenty dirty and faded plastic chairs that look like they’d only be big enough for a small child, but sitting on one is Taryn.
I walk in and stand there, watching her. She’s got her eyes closed and is rocking slowly back and forth.
“People are looking for you,” I say, and I really don’t have much sympathy for her.
Taryn’s eyes open, and I immediately want to bite my tongue on the harsh tone.
“They can keep looking. I’m not a doll or a captive. I’m a person, an omega, and I don’t want to sit where they tell me to sit.”
I snort a laugh and move into the room, sliding to the floor and sitting beside her.
“Good for you. Nice hiding place, by the way.”
