She saved us. She gave herself up to them and saved us.
Casey could be dead. She could be dead. My omega cannot…be dead!
It takes everything to move, to react. I shift to human, and it all hurts so much more. I stagger under the weight of my agony.
“We need to go find Casey,” I say numbly.
Khaos is silent.
“Guys, we have to go get Casey. Let's go.”
Why aren’t they moving? Why is nobody moving?
My anger fires up, and I turn, whirling to yell at them, but the words die in my throat.
Standing in front of us is the alpha supreme himself. He’s huge and broad; his powerful countenance presses on us. I forgot how strong he is. His aura weighs heavily on me, trying to crush me into obedience. His smile looks far too satisfied and deadly. The alpha never approved of me and, judging by the way he’s watching me now, he still doesn’t.
“Father,” Khaos murmurs.
“My son…” he looks around and spots the corpses of the witches. “My son!” His annoyance is clear, but why would he be annoyed? They hurt us.
My confusion and outrage doesn’t seem to be shared.
Khaos and his father collide in a hug that has been years coming. More people appear from the forest trail that the alpha is standing on. My parents rush to us, taking a stiff Angel in their arms before they turn warily on me.
Do they expect me to lash out at them? Explode in a temper like I used to? Can’t they see we’ve all changed? Can’t they see I’m bleeding to death?
“Mika,” my mother’s voice is strained. She’s uncertain if she wants to approach me, probably nervous.
I have no doubt she’s wondering what hell I’m about to stir up now. Her hair is greyer, her eyes are still a warm brown I remember so well. My father’s chin wobbles, and hestruggles to stop the tears as he approaches. He throws his arms around both of us and holds on.
I can only remember a handful of times my father has hugged me since I aged past fifteen. I close my eyes, leaning into his familiar hold. It doesn’t help.
“My boys, my boys.”
“Dad?” Wrath asks, and I stiffen, turning my head so I can watch him.
His face crumbles before his father even answers. I know what that means, and I hate it for him. Wrath’s grief floods the bonds that are already throbbing with the pain of Casey’s absence.
“I’m sorry, son, she didn’t make it.”
Wrath closes his eyes, then tilts his head back, howling. His grief is raw; his mother and our mate, gone beyond our reach.
Not beyond our reach. Not yet.
“We have to go,” Riot growls.
Yes, exactly. I struggle free of my father and mother.
“No, Riordon, you have to stay,” the alpha, Cy, says with a calm that has my stomach doing a weird flop.
“No!” Riot snaps. “Our mate is captured and in danger. We need to go free her.”
“You have a mate?” Cy asks, looking at his son, ignoring Riot as he always does.
Khaos nods his head. “I think we do. She broke the bonds.”
The Alpha’s concern melts away, and he smiles, clapping a hand to Khaos’ shoulder.
