I slammed the door and fell to my knees immediately before the tears came harder. The weight of everything hit me at once and broke the dam holding back my emotions. I was tired, frustrated, angry, betrayed, and lonely--and I felt each one more strongly than I ever had before.
It wasn’t supposed to be this way.
I sobbed into my knees, shaking, while Bastian rubbed my back as my sole meager comfort. It wasn’t much, but I would take it.
I just found myself wishing it was one of my mates instead.
“I’m sorry,” Bastian murmured. “I don’t really know much about wolf politics, but I don’t want you to be so upset.”
“What am I supposed to do, Bastian?” I demanded. “Smile and act like I’m not a prisoner here? And don’t tell me I’m not, because Blaze said it himself. I’m going to be a breeder for the rest of my life!”
Bastian frowned sympathetically. He didn’t try to cheer me up. He glanced down at the floor and sighed. “I would take your place, if I could.”
“No,” I muttered. “No one should have to do this. Not against their will.”
We were quiet together as my sobs faded and my tears dried up. Now I was mostly tired. Exhausted.
I wanted to curl up and sleep until this miserable experience was over, but I knew I couldn’t do that. Giving up meant not doing the best for my baby. Giving up meant my child would have to grow up as a slave to the gryphon pride.
I couldn’t wait for Ramsay, Eric and Colton to plan my escape. I had to do something, too.
As difficult as it seemed, I raised my head and dried my tears. No more moping. I couldn’t let Neil get the best of me in a time where I needed to be at my strongest.
“Feeling a bit better?” Bastian asked as I got to my feet. “Here, let’s get you cleaned up.”
I washed my face off in the white ceramic basin, which--like everything else here--was grand and large enough to suit a gryphon. The tub looked like a swimming pool.
“I think I just want a moment alone, if that’s okay,” I told Bastian, who was scurrying around with towels in his arms.
“Oh. Of course,” he said, nodding. He put down the towels. “I’ll be right outside.”
When Bastian left and the door was securely shut behind him, I took a moment to survey the room properly. There were two huge windows of pure glass, similar to Eric’s home. They overlooked the mountainside, and the steep, dangerous drop below. My heart sank. There was no way a wolf could climb up or down on such a sharp-angled slope. That meant a direct escape route from my bedroom was out of the question.
Unless someone with wings was there to help me.
Bastian… No. Even if he did want to help me, I didn’t think he would help orchestrate an escape plan--and even if he would, I couldn’t put him in that position. He couldn’t bear this burden for my sake.
But there was no one else to help me. All the gryphons here seemed dead-set on my fate as a breeder, which clearly didn’t involve my escape.
I suddenly paused. What had Bastian said earlier about a single omega?
I rushed outside to find a startled Bastian.
“That was a quick bath,” he said.
“I need your help,” I told him. “I want to talk to that gryphon omega you mentioned.”
“Tholan?”
I nodded. “Yes.”
“Oh! That’s a great idea,” Bastian said, beaming. “I bet he can help you with any pregnancy questions.”
“Right.”
Did I feel slightly bad about lying to Bastian’s face? Yes. But I wasn’t going to let an opportunity slip out of my fingers just because he was my only friend here. I needed to escape, friendship or not. I was sure he would understand.
“Great! I’ll take you to him right now.” Bastian headed up the hall towards a spiralling staircase to an upper floor.
