Hopefully once all the misunderstandings surrounding Adela’s original admission to the asylum are cleared up, they can mend their relationship.
Swallowing roughly, I turn to give them privacy.
Just in time too, to see Leslie reuniting with her nephew, and Ozzy clapping Sam on the shoulder.
I watch as multiple FBI agents interview patients and employees from the news station. Some patients who have been malnourished are being carted away in ambulances. Paige, Tilly, Lars, and the asshole whose name is apparently Peter Carson, and that alpha I still don’t know the name of are being cuffed and led away for questioning.
All thanks to my genius idea to live stream from the courtyard, everyone saw exactly what they did to incite the riot that nearly lost us Adela.
Thornfield Asylum for the Criminally Insane is officially done.
“Guys?” I lean my head back on Kole’s chest. “I think I’m ready to go home.”
Turnip chitters on my shoulder as if to say,“That is an excellent idea.”
forty-two
Jo
Mabel crosses her arms as she looks at my brother’s pack. “I agreed to give you five minutes.”
Declan looks at Nolan, Rory, and Aidan before standing. Nolan won’t even look at Mabel, while Rory has this wide-eyed, hopeful expression on his face. Aidan looks stoic, as usual, but I sense an undercurrent of trepidation.
From my spot behind the guys where they sit on their couch, I’m out of the way but still visible to Mabel if she needs my support.
I’m not going to ask Aidan for help with the file the Vasiliev twins gave me on my mama’s death yet. I’ll probably wait untilafter this thing with Mabel has had some time to settle. It feels…wrong, asking them to do something so personal for me while they’re in such a rough place emotionally.
“We were never trying to hide it from you or get to you under false pretenses,” Declan says earnestly. “Each of us have felt drawn to you from the moment I carried you out of that underground lab. Nolan shielded you with his body when we were being shot at during the escape. Rory’s been obsessed, and you saw Aidan’s reaction to Kole touching you firsthand.” He lets out a breath, looking at her pleadingly. “What else could explain that besides a true scent match?”
Mabel sighs, looking between the guys, a resigned expression on her face. “Is that all?”
Nolan, his jaw tight, snaps, “What do you mean, is that all? What else is there?”
Mabel flinches slightly at his tone, but holds her ground. “I mean…is that the only reason you want me to stay? Because you have this idea in your head that we’re true scent matches?”
“It’s not anidea,” Rory jumps in, “we canfeelit—you’re ours.”
“Yours.” Her voice goes flat. “If that’s all you have, then I think it’s time for me to go—”
“You said five minutes,” Declan pleads.
“Fine,” she snaps, allowing me a glimpse at a Mabel I’ve never seen before. Gone is my timid baby sister, and in her place is an omega that’s been to hell and back and will no longer be pushed around. “Allow me to fill the time. If you can give one genuine reason for bein’ interested in me beyond the scent match, I’ll consider stayin’. Somethin’ real. Nothin’ to do with my looks, and nothin’ you figure out by watchin’ me for ten seconds.”
“This is bullshit,” Nolan mutters, crossing his arms. “You haven’t let them close enough to get to know you.” I blink, staring at the back of the alpha’s head. What the hell happened in the last three days to cause such a change in his attitude?
Mabel crosses her own arms, mirroring his stance. “Let me put somthin’ out there for y’all.” She swallows, her throat bobbing. “I spent six months bein’ tricked into fallin’ in love with the pack who bought me from my daddy, only for them to force-bond me during my first heat. After that, I endured a year and a half of their cruelty.” She meets their eyes. “I do not intend to beownedby anyone ever again. Even if we were scent matches, I would not be yours.” She gives Rory a scathing look, who shrinks back slightly. “So if you cannot give me a reason you want to be with me other than the claim you feel over me due to this…’true scent match’, we have nothin’ to talk about.”
She turns to leave, but Declan’s broken voice has her halting. “I’m sorry.”
Mabel sighs. She doesn’t turn around when she says, “Maybe…maybe if we had met a year or two down the line things would’ve been different. I woulda had time to heal. But you…you’re not equipped to give me the time or space I need before thinkin’ about anythin’ like a pack.”
When nothing but silence greets her, her shoulders slump slightly before she leaves.
Sighing, I push myself off the wall. “Sorry guys.” I frown, taking in everyone’s dejected looks. “I tried.”
“I know, Jo.” Declan’s voice is rough. “I know.”
Rory leans back. “I’ll wait.”
