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He was small for his age. Part of that was omega genetics, but I knew the other part was due to being severely neglected most of his life. His dark red hair was still damp, hanging nearly to his shoulders and curling around the edges. Dressed in a thin white shirt, I could see the dark outlines of bruises on his back.
“Please talk to me,” I tried again, aching to hug him, but knowing he’d reject my touch. Or, worse, be triggered by it.
He hiccuped and turned his face to look at me. One golden brown eye found me. “H-Haze?”
I nodded, tears filling my eyes. There was dried blood around the corner of his mouth.
With a gut wrenching sob, he turned to me fully. I barely had time to process that his other eye was practically swollen shut, the other corner of his mouth also bleeding, before he hurled himself at me, snot dripping from his nose.
I fell back from the force, and he practically crawled up my body, sobbing.
“I didn’t… I couldn’t… Wanted to… Made me…” His broken words were punctuated by hysterical gasps as my arms wrapped around him. I rolled us to a half sitting position, trying to make sense of what he was saying.
“Shh,” I murmured, stroking his hair. “I’m here now. I won’t?—”
… leave you.
I couldn’t finish the lie. Fear coiled in my belly like a viper, threatening to poison me from the inside out. We were running out of time.
Logan’s head jerked up, his eyes meeting mine as he sniffed, smelling my own sweet scent soured with fear. His good eye widened. “Oh, shit, Haze. I didn’t even ask you if you were okay.”
I looked over his shoulder, forcing a smile. “I’m fine.”
His hand came up, shaking as it touched the bruise blooming on my cheek. “You’re hurt.”
“So are you,” I pointed out.
With a tremulous breath, Logan eased away from me until we were sitting across from one another on the floor. He squared his shoulders and lifted his chin a notch even as terror pulsed off him in waves I could taste.
“Tell me.”
I couldn’t. Not yet. Saying it made it real.
“You first,” I whispered.
Something in my gaze made him soften. And then tears welled in his eyes all over, but he kept them in check. “Your heat triggered mine.”
I scooted back until I felt the wall at my back, my heart cracking. “I’m so sorry.”
“It wasn’t your fault,” he murmured, shaking his head. Sun glinted off the red strands, making his hair look like it was glowing.
“Do you want to talk about it?” I asked, wanting to hide from the gory details, but ready to listen if he needed me to.
His eyes went flat and a hand fluttered up to his mouth, touching his jaw. “I… I can’t. Not right now.”
My gaze flicked to the dried blood crusting around the edges of his lips. I dipped my head. “High Alpha called a meeting. He said he’s marrying me tonight. Claiming me in front of everyone.”
Logan jumped to his feet, wringing his hands. “We have to leave.”
I shot a look at the locked door. “We can’t.”
His breathing quickened, his chest heaving. “When they come for you, I’ll make a distraction. You run for it.”
Now I stood up. “And leave you?” Incredulity saturated my words. “Not a chance.”
He surged forward, grabbing my hands. “Hazel, you have to run. They can’t do to you…” He started shaking so hard his teeth chattered.
“Logan—”
