“I’ll know it’s clear when I’m done,” Apollo growls from under his hoodie and face mask that he quickly removes, shoving in his pocket.
I pull my earpiece out since he’s here now.
“I almost fucking shot you. Maybe a heads-up next time?”
“Maybe if you locked this properly,” the Alpha hisses back as he secures the door. He pulls a laptop out of the front of his hoodie and starts clicking away at the keyboard. I watch him with wide eyes as he pulls something else out of his pocket and starts scanning the room. Thor rolls his eyes, turning to us.
“You two can relax. No one can see or hear us in here. Just let him get the crazy out of his system. Then we can talk.” Thor shakes his head before stuffing the gun back into its hiding spot.
“I am not crazy, asshole. I’m well informed on how fucking evil this world is. On how easy it is to exploit weakness.”
“And you think I’m not?” Thor barks, barely raising his voice, but he’s clearly frustrated with Apollo. Probably feels guilty for pointing his gun at him.
“Have you ever been tied to a bed for three months and beaten until you present because your captors are hoping you’ll be an Omega?” Apollo shoots back over his shoulder, still scanning. “Or how about being strung up by your wrists in a communal shower butt naked for two days with no food or water?” Apollo’s laugh is dry. “And that was just the first six months. I still have five and a half years to cover. Hm, let’s see, have you ever—” When the Alpha turns around, finally facing the three of us, he snaps his mouth shut, eyes going wide. He takes in the sight of us and frowns, then he glares, suspicious of our reactions.
I have tears in my eyes that I’m trying to hold back.
Beau is shaking like a leaf, his skin pale. Guilt and sadness are flowing off of him in waves.
Thor’s vibrating with barely restrained rage, fists pumping at his side, jaw clenched tight.
Apollo takes a step back from the bigger Alpha as he continues to glare, then pops open his knuckle knives, ready to strike.
“All because of me,” Beau mutters, too quiet for the others to hear.
It’s not entirely true, or anyone and everyone Beau has ever liked in the slightest would be leverage. Apollo was an easy victim. Young, alone in the world with no one to fight for him. He had nobody to look for him once he was taken. I suspect the biggest reason he was kidnapped was that Apollo knows about the kill switch. That might even be the catalyst. It would make sense.
Because if Beau doesn’t know, if he never told Apollo, then how does the Alpha know?
“No, I haven’t,” Thor says gently. He unclenches his fists and crosses his arms over his chest, making it clear he’s not a threat to Apollo. The other Alpha watches him closely still but no longer looks tempted to stab.
Well, he looks less tempted, anyway.
“Stop that,” Apollo grunts, his eyes on me now. “No pity,” he adds with a growl, glaring daggers my way.
“It’s not pity, brat. This is called compassion and sadness,” I growl right back, matching his glare with one of my own. “This is empathy. Not sympathy.” I sniff, angrily swiping at my tears.
I hate that I cry when I’m pissed. Now Apollo thinks I pity him when that couldn’t be further from the truth. I admire his strength. The tears are a product of the visceral hatred coursing through my veins right now.
No outlet. No one to take it out on.
None of them know me, and that’s the truth. Tatum does. Now. But I hid a lot until I was sure I could trust her. Until I was sure she wouldn’t abandon me. Or report me to the authorities, honestly.
Part of me wants to snap at him. To spew all the words I’m holding in, but this isn’t about me. It’s about Beau. Maybe one day I’ll tell Apollo all of the ways his scars match mine. How I have to fight every day not to fucking stab someone right in the eye for crossing a boundary they aren’t even aware I have. It’s something I think he can relate to.
Apollo snaps me out of my spiraling thoughts when he fucking smirks at me, tilting his head to the side and pulling his bottom lip between his teeth. That should be illegal.
“I see it, little killer,” he whispers, and my eyes go wide. I watch him as he slowly walks toward me and Beau. “You’re bloodthirsty.”
Hells, he’s sexy.
Why am I surrounded by an unholy level of sexy right now? While all my clothes are on too.
“Don’t tease her,” Beau grunts. “Her scent is overwhelming enough without you riling her up.” The Omega beside me shakes his head. “I’m not usually… I mean, I haven’t felt this way before. Why am I so…?”
“Horny?” I offer, shooting him a playful smile. “Could be a lot of reasons. I have been told I smell really good though.” I wink. “Or it could be those two getting all growly.” I gesture between them as Apollo retreats to his laptop across the room. “Or it could be that you’ve suppressed everything that makes you an Omega for so long that it’s starting to catch up to you. Chemical hormones be damned.”
“If you’ve never had a heat, or—” Thor clears his throat, turning away from us to rummage through the backpack he brought up here before continuing, “Or taken an Alpha’s knot, then it’s possible all of those things are contributing.”
