With my free hand I trail my fingers over his arm. Over his hip. Over the pronounced scar jutting up his hip from the sweatpants he’s wearing.
“You don’t have to,” I tell him as I watch him wince the moment my fingers trail down his body. Alongside his hardness. “You’re here,” I say softly. “That’s all I want: You here.”
He kisses me again, slower. Softer. I feel the faintest wetness against my cheek, but I’m not sure if it’s his tears or mine I feel.
Perhaps it’s both.
When we break away, I feel that rumble in my chest. The purr that seems to keep coming back.
I pull him to me, and he whines against my chest. Must be the omega chemicals. I stroke his hair, loving the feel of it between my fingers. Something inside me is sated beyond satisfaction.
It’s similar to the way I feel when Olly lets me take charge of things.
Though I know I won’t be taking charge of anything right now except sleep. Because the sound of Emmett’s heartbeat is loud in my ears, as is his steady breath and soft whines.
And for the moment, that’s enough. My mate is here. He’s alive.
When the sun rises, we fight back.
Because Sneed is not going to walk away from this.
I’m going to make sure of it.
Chapter 33
Diego
Em doesn’t look too good.
He looks like death warmed over, actually, and I didn’t miss his grimace when Auryn jumped into his lap. I didn’t miss the way he paled when Gage asked what happened at the Orion house.
Something terrible happened, something he won’t even admit to Gage.
And it happened because of me.
I wish I could get closer to him, but Auryn won’t let anyone near him. She’s in full “mine” mode. Strange for an omega to be so possessive and protective, but then again, she almost lost him.
Wealmost lost him.
At least he ate. I was starting to worry. A whole day without food after the ordeal he endured–not to mention the fact that I doubt Sneed let him eat–is too long. Even for being captive for such a short time, he’s lost weight.
After Auryn took him to her nest, Gage wandered off, grumbling about needing time to think, and Olly went back to his lab.
I’m alone.
As alone as I was when I entered the Orions’ pack house.
It was only ten minutes. Not long at all … but the way the Orion alphas jumped me … the savagery with which they beat me before shooting me …
I should be dead. I shouldn’t be walking around while Em suffers. He shouldn’t be suffering, period. He should have gone to get Gage.
Why didn’t he go get Gage?
As I pace the halls of the dorms, Olly rushes past me towards Auryn’s room.
“Olly, wait! It’s just Em andla princesaright now. If you interrupt them–”
“I need to talk to Auryn,” he says, his face flushed. He grabs my arm and drags me along with him. “Actually, I could use you.”
