He's on the floor now, his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking. I stare at him and I feel something move through me that I have never felt before. Not grief. Not fear.
I want him to suffer.
I want him stripped down to nothing, broken and bleeding with his guts hanging out. The exact way he left my parents on the floor of their own pharmacy. I want him to feel every single thing he made them feel, and I want it to last, and I am not ashamed of it.
Not even a little.
Then I hear tires squeal outside.
Two car doors slam shut in rapid succession, hard enough to rattle the windows.
I exhale slowly through my nose.
They're here.
The Driveway
Cliff
I slamthe car door hard enough to rock the vehicle on its wheels. I'm already moving toward the house before the sound finishes echoing off the driveway.
Raff is right behind me.
I hit the front door at full speed, throwing it open, and my eyes sweep the entryway, kitchen, then living room.
I see Adam and Elowen first, the pair standing together near the edge of the room, both of them holding each other tight.
Perrin is standing in the middle of the living room, his fists loose at his sides and his jaw set, and his eyes fixed on the far corner of the room with the focused, murderous patience of a man guarding something.
Perrin is standing over someone. The beta’s fists are tight at his sides, his jaw set. He looks ready to kill.
"Is everyone okay?" I step forward, and Perrin shifts, allowing me to see the stranger on the floor.
He's a skinny fucker with dark greasy hair. He’s sittingwith his legs bent and his arms wrapped around his middle. He's rocking back and forth slowly as he mumbles, "I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry."
Over and over again, barely audible, like a prayer.
Raff moves toward Perrin and puts a hand on his back, pressing once, checking. Perrin nods and I move to the omegas.
They're holding each other, Adam's arms wrapped around Elowen's back, her face pressed into his chest. Adam looks up when I reach them, and the relief on his face is immediate.
"I'm so glad you're here," he whispers. "This is Milo. He worked with Elle at the Morder. I let him in. I thought—" He stops, and his eyes go glassy. "I thought it was okay to invite him in.”
“It’s okay, baby.” I whisper as I hold his chin with my thumb and forefinger, turning his head slightly, checking him over. He's pale, but his eyes are clear and nothing on him looks hurt.
I release him and turn to Elowen.
My hand cups the back of her head, tilting her face up so I can see her. Her eyes are red and wet. Our bond is so flooded I can barely breathe through it.
“I’m sorry, Cliff,” Adam’s chin quivers. “I didn’t think?—”
"He was just being polite," Perrin says from across the room, his eyes still onMilo. "Anyone would have done the same."
I nod once, then turn to Elowen.
"Elle." I angle my head down. "What happened, baby?"
She opens her mouth, but nothing comes out at first.
