With Caspian’s mind fracturing, it was harder to maintain concentration. His shaking reverberated through my body, and the memories assaulted me as well.
I shut my emotions off whenever Camille had an ‘accident’, as Michael liked to say. There was no one we trusted enough to clean up after her except ourselves. I treated it as a job, and the blood and viscera were simply part of it. Flint used his healing aura to subdue Camille, but her mind shattered just as badly as Caspian’s when he went rogue.
With Caspian breaking down beside me, I couldn’t keep the memories subdued, and Camille’s screams echoed in my mind.
I let him clasp my arm, both of us taking deep breaths as I changed gear. I needed him as much as he needed me. It wasn’t just Camille’s face that assaulted my vision as I focused on the road. It was the look of pain and despair that Kai held whenever his anxiety and mistrust took over. And the aching shame and hurt that bloomed from Melanie whenever we treated her—treated them both—like anything other than the most important people in our lives.
“We have two omegas who are waiting for us and who need us. You’ve seen what Zania will do to Camille when she’s pushed. How do you think she will react now that she’s taken action?”
“Sin, my head feels like it’s going to explode. I’m going to fucking punch you if you don’t just tell me.”
I had to remind myself to be understanding. Caspian may have been familiar with death in his line of work, and from his own experiences of going rogue, but seeing the damage Camille could cause was quite another thing.
“Zania hasn’t hurt Kai like this because we bonded with him immediately. I know you like to believe that your mother only attacks with her words, but this must be evidence enough for you. How do you believe Melanie will fare if we don’t bite her?”
The silence that fell around him was deafening as the meaning of my words sunk in.
He pressed his lips together, his fingers digging into my forearms.
“We just need to last until the Selection Ceremony,” he growled.
“Do you really believe that? Because there is no doubt that Zania will continue to target Melanie, whether we maintain this pretence or admit how we feel about her. What do you think Kai will do if we don’t bring her into our pack? Imagine his heartbreak if Melanie died because we chose to yet again ignore what our mothers are capable of.”
And my heartbreak, too. Despite how much Kai insisted Melanie belonged to him, she would only truly be bonded if Caspian or I bit her. But it was unfair to bring her into a pack where one member still rejected her. That kind of dissonance could fracture our pack bond and our minds completely.
I sighed as I put my foot down. The faster we reached the restaurant, the better.
His heartbeat was too erratic, and I couldn’t trust Caspian to remain stable throughout the conversation.
Though I did play with the idea of pushing him, making him more enraged, forcing him to go rogue. Then, releasing him into the restaurant to test and see if any of the omegas in there still wanted him while he attacked other alphas and destroyed the room with his blind fury.
“Why do you think we never revealed Camille’s power to Zania or anyone else? It is no coincidence it has taken this long for youto discover the reason Camille is ill. There are too many people in the world who would manipulate her for her power.”
I finally met my mate’s glare. His skin had lost most of its colour, the shards of red in his eyes expanding, his lips drawn back over his teeth as he dragged in breath like he was suffocating.
“Caspian, if Zania discovered Camille’s abilities, she would not have been able to live such a quiet life. We hid this from you to protect you and her. And for Kai and myself as well.”
“What’s Michael going to do to her then? Is he going to sell her off?” Each question made him more worked up. “What if he rents her out? What if he turns her into a—”
He choked off, his aura like shards of ice slicing through me. I endured Kai’s frantic bites over the years as he pierced my skin repeatedly to claim me. I could endure Caspian’s attacks as well.
I turned the car onto the road that led directly to the restaurant.
“We have to protect Camille,” he gasped. “We have to stop him. We can just find a way to get her back.”
“We have other things we must do. Flint and Lily will take care of her.”
“Turn the fucking car around! Sin, I swear to fucking God! We have to go back for her! We don’t know what Michael will do to her!”
I slammed on the brakes as I pulled into the overflowing car park.
“Camille is not your Omega!” I yelled.
My hands creaked on the steering wheel, as if that could stem the rush of anger that burst through me. “We have two omegas! And they are waiting for us inside.” I trembled as I forced myself to breathe, to slow my heart, to stop Caspian influencing my state.
His shock pounded from him, and both of us needed time to stabilise, despite the urge to attack each other swelling.
“If you can’t focus, we may lose one of them soon,” I pushed the words out.
