I didn’t know what time it was, but the morning had to be near.
It felt like we’d been in this boiler room forever.
The cells would open soon. Our appeal would be called. The others had no way of knowing where we were, but we would have to meet them there.
Phantom, Karma, and Vandle were afraid in the bond. For a time, Vandle and Phantom had been silent, which usually meant sleep, but I guessed they’d been out cold.
Theywerealive. Were they hiding somewhere, too? Their fear could be from being separated from us.
Dread gripped me, though, whispering that they weren’t just hiding—thatsomethinghad happened to them.
Crescent hadn’t slept. Neither of us had. We could sleep on the other side.
I held onto that like I held onto her, taking one minute at a time.
The night had been filled with the dull ambience of thumping and yells of madness, with the occasional footsteps.
Those that were hunting us.
I didn’t know who it was, but it didn’t matter. We just had to get out.
Then I felt a flood of panic and a shot of pain through the bond. It wasn’t physical pain we could feel, but the panic, the adrenaline, it was familiar enough to translate.
Crescent startled up.
Panic erupted, and I couldn’t tell which of the others it was.
“What was that?” she whispered.
Another sharp spike of that pain.
I drew her closer. “They’ll be okay.”
There was no way for me to know that.
“We’re so close.” She was looking up at me desperately. “They… they can’t leave us now.”
The next blow through our connection was so sharp—so full of panic that she flinched. I tried to settle myself.
“Vandle.” Her pretty golden eyes matched the trembling in her voice. “It’s Vandle. I can feel it.”
“He’s… strong.” My words were weak, though my conviction was not what it needed to be for her. The fury and fear from Phantom and Karma told me something, though.
They were together.
Their panic had hit moments before Vandle’s pain had, as if they’d known what was about to happen.
“We have to?—”
“We can’t leave.” That I knew. We didn’t know where they were, but I had to keep her safe.
My mind felt like it was ripped in two.
I had to focus on her. Here.
But they were my alphas.Myalphas.
I’d chosen them.
