“Don’t you dare go with him, Wren! You’ll be throwing away everything you worked for and dishonoring your family name! Don’t be a whore like your mother.” Her words hit the mark, and Wren balls her hands into fists at her side.
For a second, I fear she’s swayed her, but then my girl squares her shoulders and lifts her chin as she reaches for me, and my beast goes wild.
She chose me, maybe not as an eternal mate just yet, but fuck, it kind of feels like that when she presses her hand into mine, and I get to feel her soft skin for the first time in over a week.
I’d never admit it, but I’ve been going crazy without her around, missing her the way I’ve never missed anyone. I’d gone so far as to try and visit her dreams, but either she isn’t dreaming, or she isn’t sleeping…
Judging by the heavy makeup around her eyes, I’d say it’s probably the latter.
I make sure to keep myself between her and her aunt as we move down the trail toward the dorm, and with Felix as her silent bodyguard, she doesn’t dare approach her.
Sadly, that doesn’t keep her fucking lips from flapping.
“Enjoy your freedom while you can, Wren. It won’t last.” With a huff, she turns and stomps back toward the main building, which hopefully means she’s leaving.
Wren makes it a few more steps before she breaks, her knees giving out, and the most heartbreaking whimper rips its way out of her.
“Shit, baby.” I scoop her up into my arms bridal-style, and she buries her face into my chest. Her sobs break my heart as her tears soak my shirt, and I hold her tighter. It doesn't escape my notice that, while there aren’t many, some students linger.
“Let’s get you out of here.” I walk to the end of the path, but instead of going right, I take a left, heading back to my apartment.
Fishing my phone out of my pocket, I text the guys to let them know I have her and where we’re going. Sometimes I envy Julian’s ability to speak into minds, though I’m not sure I’d want to be in anyone else's mind. I’m attached to Wren’s emotions, and that’s more than enough for me.
Wren is quiet during the walk, and I’m not sure if she’s in shock or sleeping, but I hold her close and try to offer her comforting words.
I know she’s mad at me right now, and she has every right to be, but I also know she needs this. I can feel her emotions calling out to me.
It’s not until I get her in the door, flip on the lights, and sit her on the kitchen counter that I see the damage her aunt has done.
My back aches as I hold back the beast that wants nothing more than to rip her aunt’s spine from her body and feed her to a wendigo, or maybe just a pen of pigs. My wings are just beneath the surface, but I can’t let him take control, not if I want to be here for her. That, and I’m not sure he won’t try to fuck her, not with the way he craves her. No, this is new territory.
“How bad is it?” Her eyes still shine with tears, but they no longer fall, and I grit my teeth against the urge to pull her right back into my arms and make a run for it. The world doesn’t deserve her, not if it’s going to treat her like this.
Hasn’t she been through enough?
“It’s not too bad.”
Thank the gods I’m not Julian because that was a terrible lie.
Her lips pull up in the ghost of a smile, and I cringe when it makes the cut bleed again.
“You don’t have to lie. This isn’t my first time being taught a lesson,” she huffs, and her eyes are sad when she looks up at me.
“That wasn’t a lesson, Wren.” My voice comes out harsher than intended, and I have to take a deep breath to get a grip. I’m not mad at her; I’m mad for her. “That was abuse. Nobody should ever put their hands on you like that.”
“And they won’t be ever again.”
We both nearly jump out of our skin when Julian chimes in, moving down the hall and into the kitchen.
“Jesus, Julian, make some noise or something,” I tell him, gripping the counter as I fight against my shift. He didn’t scare me so much as he startled my beast, and the last thing he needs right now is more reason to try to force his way out.
I watch as Wren’s brows dip in confusion as she looks from Julian back to me.
“I thought you locked the door,” she says after a second, and yeah, how I’ve been able to keep our past a secret is kind of shocking because even after all that, she’s quick.
“I have a key, love.” Julian holds up a little key ring I’ve never seen before, twirling it around his finger as he moves around the counter. He’s making a beeline for Wren, and honestly, I’m not sure if it’s on purpose or just second nature at this point.
“You have a key to everything, huh?” She rolls her eyes but doesn’t actually seem upset, maybe mildly annoyed at best. I’m not sure what I’m missing, but I know it’s something.
