“I’m sorry, Son,” he mutters, the words weighted, but they don't completely calm the chaos inside of me.
The air grows stilted as my mother clears her throat. “I’m sure there is much for us to discuss, but we’re close to finally engaging him, and I want all of the pieces in place before we sit down and talk. If you would like, Rory can guide you to the nicer rooms to rest. You’re going to need it,” my mother breathes, and I glance around the room, seeking guidance, which comes in the form of Elodie, who shuffles closer to me once again.
Her fingers curl around mine as I nod at my mother.
“Now what?” I ask, but before she can answer, a grunt comes from the back of my little family. I turn, and my gaze collides with Rion's, who stands taller, his muscles flexing as he exhales slowly.
“Now I need someone to show me to my father.”
31
RION
My heart races as I stare at the steel door, embracing the familiar weight of my axe in my right hand. Of all the people in our small group, I would never have expected Kael to be the most prepared. I was stunned when he had a spare set of clothes for Elodie, but when he handed me my favorite weapon of choice, all I could do was blink at him as I muttered my thanks.
What's even more insane is how needed it is in this moment.
Twisting the axe in my hand, I try to take a few more steadying breaths, desperate to take all the emotion out of my stance, but it's impossible when the entire thing is formed by just the feelings inside of me. And none of them are good.
Exhaling, I shake out my shoulders and reach for the door, but before I can slip the key into the lock, Ocean darts in front of me, eyes wide as she nips at her bottom lip.
I’m instantly reminded that I’m not alone in the small space.
Far from it.
Elodie, Rion, Kael, and Ocean insisted on staying with me instead of taking the offer to find somewhere to rest, and it’s not lost on me that those actions are examples of a strong pack. After living my life under the horrors of the Strachan Pack, to find myself in far superior company, to know what it feels like to have a pack I can rely on, it feels almost expected that it’s not actually wolves that surround me.
Even now, I feel the essence of family around me, except it’s the annoying little sister I never asked for. Only the tightness in her frame and the flash of panic in her eyes make my eyebrows knit in confusion.
“Ocean?” Elodie murmurs, blinking at her friend with uncertainty as she remains plastered to my left side, while Kael and Thorne stare expectantly, just as bewildered by her sudden movement as Elodie and I.
Ocean folds her arms over her chest as she clears her throat, forcing herself to stand taller.
“Are you going to kill him?” she asks, and I blink at her, unsure what it is she wants me to say, but we both know the answer is yes. When I don’t immediately answer, her gaze dips for a beat before she exhales, slowly dragging her eyes around the room nervously before settling back on me. “I need to know. Because if you don't, I kind of have to,” she states, making my head rear back in surprise.
The first thing I acknowledge is that what I thought was obvious is clearly not. The second thing, and more importantly, why is she saying that?
“Why?” I rasp, needles ripping through my throat as I try to speak, and she shakes her head.
“So many reasons,” she mumbles, avoiding my gaze, and I grunt.
“I’m definitely going to need more than that,” I push as Elodie places her hand on Ocean’s shoulder in comfort.
The sister I never wanted leans into Elodie, taking strength from her as she inhales slowly. It’s the longest five seconds of my life before she brings her eyes back to mine, all while my pulse thunders in my chest.
“I was sentenced to Institute Thirteen for killing someone,” she states, and Kael scoffs.
“We all were.”
I roll my eyes as Ocean glares at him through narrowed eyes, but she doesn’t acknowledge him with words as she sighs. “That someone was a member of the Strachan Pack,” she rasps, and my spine stiffens.
“What?” I blurt, my eyes wide with panic as Elodie’s gasp echoes around us.
“You heard me, but that’s not the worst part,” she admits, exhaling with a heavy puff. “I’m talking to you about this because I kind of consider you my second bestie, after Elodie, of course,” she starts, and I muster a small grin.
“I knew it,” I say with a wink, but the usual laugh I expect from her doesn't come. Her eyes gloss over instead.
“Your father caught me after I killed the guy, and he… well, he’s the reason I once took that same potion I gave to Elodie in her bid to run,” she admits, and understanding washes over me.
