Silence settled over them once again.
Slowly, Ehlian rolled onto his back, casting a quick glance at Hayce. He lay still, turned away from him. Ehlian wanted to ask how the visit had gone, but they weren’t a bloody couple. And yet, he still found himself trying to gauge Hayce’s emotional state. He felt nothing.
He turned his head on the pillow again, this time letting his gaze linger. Hayce’s thoughts and feelings never seeped through the pack bond, kept tightly behind a mental shield. It was impossible to tell what he was thinking.
Ehlian looked back at the ceiling. He still felt oddly displaced, a little hollow. He had no idea what was wrong with him, unable to stitch his thoughts together.
Once more, his eyes drifted back to Hayce. His gaze was long, almost endless, fixed on the back of Hayce’s head, burning through him.
“If you want something, Ehlian, you need to ask for it.”
Ehlian knew he was making his second mistake today. Astop right nowalarm blared in his head, but it was too late—his whispered, soft words were already slipping past his lips. “I’m cold.”
Hayce shifted, turning towards him, and Ehlian was gathered into warm arms, his back drawn against a steady chest that felt like a shield. His cold feet slid between Hayce’s, seeking and finding their warmth under the covers.
Slowly, that hollow feeling was replaced by peace. It felt like Hayce had been away for a week, not just a day. The visit had been unexpectedly long, and Ehlian couldn’t shake his curiosity.
“Did the visit go well?”
Hayce didn’t respond.
“Was it…” Ehlian hesitated, then decided to push. “Was it your brother?”
“I’m not going to tell you anything,” Hayce said. “So stop probing.”
Figures. Why would Hayce ever want to share anything with an omega who was nothing more than one of his many playthings? He had made it very clear what he wanted from Ehlian, and what he didn’t. Ehlian’s position at the very bottom of the pack’s hierarchy was a clear indication of that.
Still, he couldn’t get it out of his head. Whoever the visitor was, they must have had enough power and influence to convince the guards to stretch their meeting with Hayce for a whole fucking day. Could it have been Hayce’s attorney? A private investigator? Could Hayce be innocent, with undeniable proof finally uncovered? But that would mean there was a real possibility of Hayce walking free. And if he left, Ehlian would be left behind, free to be claimed by any alpha.
By Grasson.
He felt cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.
Soft fingers brushed his hair away from his neck as Hayce slipped a little closer. “Did something happen while I was away?”
Ehlian shook his head faintly. “No.”
“Then why are you so tense?”
“I’m not,” Ehlian said quietly. “Aric was there with me. Nothing happened.”
“You feel restless,” Hayce said. “Tell me.”
Ehlian cursed the pack bond inwardly. He couldn’t get used to being read so easily. “So you won’t tell me anything, but I should?”
“Ehlian.” Hayce’s voice dropped, the pleasant heat of the alpha order slid through the pack bond. “Tell me.”
Ehlian bit his lip, his voice coming out sharper. “Don’t do that. I’m not your omega.”
“You are not,” Hayce said like it was nothing, like he hadn’t just given Ehlian an alpha order. “But you are in distress. You shouldn’t keep things from me, whatever is bothering you. We are in prison, it’s not the place—”
“I know we are in prison.” Ehlian sighed. He wasn’t sure if he wanted Hayce to know how much he needed his protection. How much he needed him. It was a soft spot. But he was already lying in his arms. It couldn’t get any weaker than that, could it? “And will you still be here… until I’m released?”
“It’s unlikely I’ll be transferred to another prison. Not anytime soon.”
That wasn’t what Ehlian meant. Why had he even thought there was a chance Hayce was innocent? He was being unreasonable. Naive. Crazy. Everything he had read and heard about his case pointed in the opposite direction. And he had seen how smartly Hayce used his power, how he could wield it as a weapon and injure. Not that 665 hadn’t deserved it. That sick bastard shouldn’t have been allowed anywhere near an omega.
“Yeah, but,” Ehlian pushed again, unable to stop himself from wondering about that visitor and the reason they were here. “What if you—”
