Grandma slumps, resigned. “All I ever wanted was to keep my family safe.”
Closing the distance between us, I take her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “And you have. You taught me how to take care of myself and protectmyfamily. You raised me to be someone that you could be proud of, and have always trusted my judgment before. So trust me when I say Ineedto do this.”
She tugs my hand, pulling me into a fierce hug and exhales heavily. “You’re just like your father; he was never happy here either. Even if they hadn’t died, it was only a matter of time before he left me, too.”
My stomach twists with her bittersweet resignation. Before things can get any heavier, Myles clears his throat, pulling something from his pocket. “Actually, I have something that might help with that.” Sliding the silver band across the table, he waits until one of the other elders picks it up before explaining, “It’ll prevent anyone from force bonding you. So long as the user is wearing that bracelet, it won’t matter if someone spikes their drink before a one night stand or assault; it’ll prevent the bond from being created. No power boost. No mark appearing on their skin.”
One of the elders narrows his eyes on Myles. “Why would we need these here? You cannot believe we’d allow anyone to remain in the compound if they showed so much as a hint that they’d harm one of our own!”
“No, of course not,” Myles stammers, caught off guard at the vehement objection. “But if anyone wished to leave, this would offer a layer of protection. Without the risk of being forcibly bonded, death is the only real threat from the outside world, right? So if people started wearing these every time they lefttheir homes, they’d be safe to have a real life. Be able to live without fear.”
The other elder’s face begins to redden as he interjects, “It’s one thing to gamble your own lives, but another to convince these people to leave the only safe home they've ever known to risk theirs unnecessarily.”
Myles’ eyes widen as the elder tosses the bracelet back on the table in front of him. “If our wards can be broken, so can this paltry piece of metal. You haven't even tested it!”
Red creeping up his neck, Myles refuses to take it, gritting his teeth. “At least I’m trying to give your people a chance instead of hiding them away to rot underground, convincing them to be afraid of their own shadows. I get it; hundreds of years ago, life sucked and you guys were victims. But times have changed since you stepped foot in the world, and you’re stuck in an echo chamber validating your fears every time you rescue someone from a shitty situation. But guess what? There aregoodpeople too. Yet, you never see them because you don’t look for those, you look for people that need you. The world is bigger than what you’ve made it out to be, and it isn’t fair to the people born here to grow up in a bubble simply because you’re ignorant of what’s changed in the last thousand years.”
He turns on his heel and stalks out of the room. Grandma picks up the bracelet he left behind. “Wait, take this with you.”
Myles stops in the doorway, shoulders tense, but refuses to turn around. “Keep it. Maybe one day you’ll come to your senses and see that somewhere in your quest to ensure mimics don’t have their choices taken away from them? You became hypocrites doing the same damn thing.”
He storms off without another word, and I give my grandmother one last hug, knowing I have no intention of ever returning here after this. “All he wants to do is offer our people an extra layer of protection. How can you fault him for that?”Shaking my head in disappointment, I add, “Roman knows how to contact us if you change your mind.” When I reach the door, I tighten my grip on the handle. “Oh, and by the way? We’re taking Kiara with us.”
I yank the door shut and bolt down the tunnel, leaving their muffled shouting behind me where it belongs.
Chapter 13
Ledger
“Iknow old people hate technology and change is scary, but for fucks’ sake,” Myles complains, throwing his arms up in frustration. “Anything that could offer these people a little more protection they should pounce on if they're that afraid!”
Kiara snorts. “Don’t take it so personally, it’s not really about your tech. It’s about trustinganythingto protect us when the world has let us down every time it counts before now. Could you imagine them simply accepting it worked and sending everyone off into the world? Most of us don’t have a damn clue how to survive up here, hence why I didn’t leave before you guys showed up and offered to let me tag along.”
She twists her arm so the sunlight glints off of her silver bracelet. “And even if thesedoprotect us from being bonded against our will, it doesn’t stop people from trying. So try not to take it too personally. You created something amazing; they’ll come around eventually. And if not,” she shrugs. “At leastIappreciate your efforts.”
As the gas station comes into sight, I gently nudge Ever’s shoulder. Lost in her head as she’s been since we landed inthe wasteland, she startles, making me frown in concern. “We don’t have to do this right now, you know. We can come back whenever you’re ready. Tomorrow, next week, or never. No pressure.”
She sighs heavily, staring at the rundown town just visible behind the shriveling tree line. “No, I know. But… I need the truth at this point so I can let it go and move on. Otherwise my imagination will keep me up at night and drive me crazy.”
I take her hand, as much for me as for her. Coming back here… it dredges up every shitty memory I’ve done my damndest to repress. Having my mate step foot in the same zip code as the monster that tried to break me as a child is really fucking with my head, not to mention my control. If anyone from this town so much as looks at her, let alone tries totouch her? All bets are off. They’redead.In the most brutal, agonizing way possible to warn off every other idiot that thinks they can take her from me.
Won’t lose any sleep over defending her, but this place threatens to turn me into a feral beast I don’t want to be. That my mate wouldn’t recognize. If she ever flinched away from me in fear after seeing the brutality I’m capable of? I don’t know how I’d live with myself.
Taking one last deep breath, I open the door to the gas station that was more of a home than mine ever was, holding it until every single member of our makeshift family is safely tucked away inside. Nothing’s changed in the last sixteen years. The same tattered map is plastered to the wall, much worse for wear after being stabbed by countless, desperate dreams of escape from this wasteland. The aisles are set up exactly the same as I remember too, and the old coolers hum as they work overtime to combat the late summer heat.
“Be with you in a minute!” Oscar rasps before rounding an aisle, rubbing his lower back and forcing a weary smile. It hits me hard, seeing how much he’s aged since I’ve seen the manlast. When I was a kid, he seemed larger than life; a permanent fixture of the town. But seeing him now? I don’t know if it’s because time has caught up with him, or I’ve grown up enough that the rose colored glasses of childhood have faded away.
As soon as his gaze settles on Ever, Oscar’s lips part in surprise. “You came back.” Voice breaking, he croaks, “You weren’t supposed to come back.” When his gaze falls on Kiara, or namely, her tattoo marking her as a center, all the remaining color drains from his face, and his eyes swiftly dart to the clock on the wall, eyes filling with panic. Hobbling forward, he tries to shoo us out, ushering us back towards the door. “You all need to leave.Now!”
I plant my feet. “We're not going anywhere until we get answers.”
“You were supposed to send me a letter, not come back!” he growls, and my eyes widen in surprise. I can’t remember a single moment when Oscar ever lost his patience, let alone snapped at a single soul. “They aren'tsafehere! You need to leave, before-”
The bell above the door chimes, and in waltzes the one person I wished to never see again, flanked by two of his favorite lackeys. The last sixteen years haven’t been kind to my father, but there’s no mistaking the man. Over six feet of broad-chested muscle, he’s gained a beer belly, and there’s more grey in his hair than brown. The one thing that’s stayed the same, though? The cruel glint in his eyes, taking us in with contempt. He comes to an abrupt stop, nostrils flaring before he sneers, looking down his nose at me.
“Well, well, the prodigal son returns.” His eyes flick to Ever and Kiara. “And he brought presents to worm his way back into the pack.”
One of his men makes no effort to hide his slow perusal of my mate. “Damn fine gift, though.”
