I may have been locked away in the facility all my life, but I know exactly what he intends to do.
“Not like this,” I whimper, my eyes fluttering shut.
I don’t want to be bonded like this.
It strikes me that my first impulse is to think not likethis. I think part of me likes the idea of being bonded to someone. Belonging to them and them to me. Being protected and safe and never having to worry about rules or punishments ever again.
But I don’t have time to unpack that, because my whimper seems to have drawn Ash out of his hazy fog.
It’s a slow transition. It starts with his breathing. Then he’s pushing himself up, letting go of my hands, and blinking down at me, confused.
His pupils slowly get smaller, and then there it is: recognition.
My lips quirk up into a wobbly smile.
“Hi, you’re back!” I whisper, swallowing hard.
He goes deathly pale before pushing himself off of me, his back slamming painfully into the wall. The chains attached to the cuffs on his wrists clink as he runs his hands through his hair.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!” He hisses.
My fingers tingle as I push myself up, flexing my sore forearms. I wince as I glance down at them. They’re probably going to bruise.
“It’s okay,” I say, scooting closer to him and reaching a tentative hand out.
I freeze right before touching his arm, remembering the way his body moved like a coiled snake when I reached out and touched him in his sleep.
“What thefuckis wrong with you?” He bites out, lifting his head to shoot me a glare.
My shoulders curl inwards as I brace myself against the thick wave of his charred sage scent. Goosebumps rise on my arms, the chill of the drafty wind kissing my skin.
“Why—why are you so angry?”
“Why? Seriously? You’re asking mewhy?” He lets out a bitter laugh, throwing his head back.
I can’t help but compare the grating sound to Griffin and Rowan’s laughter, and my heart breaks a little. Ash must’ve been through terrible things to react like this. I shouldn’t take it personally.
Plenty of the girls at the facility would act moody and lash out at everyone around them because of the punishments they were given.
I still stayed. I still listened. I still tried to help.
I can do the same with Ash.
It’s what I was brought here to do, anyway.
“I am,” I nod, taking a deep breath and bracing myself against his nearly overwhelming dominance.
The confirmation seems to shock him, because he just stares and blinks at me for a couple of seconds.
“You’re serious,” he scoffs. “Why the hell were you just lying there and taking it? Why didn’t you—I dunno—fight back or something!”
It’s my turn for my brows to draw down in confusion.
“You thought I was prey, right?” At his reluctant nod, I continue. “Fighting back would’ve just made you more upset.”
“I could’ve ripped your throat out,” he says, his voice strained.
“I don’t... I don’t think that’s what you were planning on doing,” I say, wrapping my arms around my legs to brace myself against the cold.
