Bird purrs.
Then he jangles the ugly Rej bracelet. “Giving up wealth and privilege was worth it. When I thought that I’d lost everything, I realized that I had never had anything in the first place. I’d always been trapped in a gilded cage. Family, pack, and friends. I only discovered them when I was living downstairs with the staff.” He pulls himself free of my hold on his hair, before gesturing around at the cell. “Now, I’ve woken up in a cell but I’m in the arms of my scent match.”
I study Bird. “You don’t regret this.”
“How could I? I spent years staring at elite packs, desperately yearning that one of them would want to bond with me. I was a hopeless romantic, yeah? Now that I have found you, we have each other. It’s all I want. Do you know, Mom never allowed me out of the hotel. It was a cage for me my entire life. This is just another one.”
I hug Bird tightly.
He freezes, surprised. But then, he loops his arms around my neck.
I didn’t think that I would meet anyone who had been more controlled than I have been. Yet Bird has never been allowed outside a single hotel, whether as an elite or as a Reject.
Despite that, he has retained his optimistic outlook.
I must protect him.
Iwillsave him.
He has an entire world to explore and blue skies to fly free in.
“I need to breathe,” Bird gasps.
“Oh, sorry.” Sheepishly, I let him go.
Bird’s eyes are dancing with amusement. “Can you teach me to be as strong as you are?”
I snort. “Dream on, Little Bird.”
“You don’t know how stubborn I can be.”
I lean closer, until my lips graze his. “Or how hard a teacher I can be. I will push you, until you’re begging, Omega. Prepared to be drilled hard?”
“Are we flirting right now?” Bird’s playful gaze meets mine. “Because that sounds fucking hot.”
What?
Suddenly, heavy footfalls clatter outside the hallway.
“Shit.” I shove Bird away from me, throwing the blanket over his head. “Don’t move.”
Those footfalls don’t belong to Colette.
If the warden believes that Bird is still in the coma, then surely I can convince him to leave him with me for longer.
Right?
My heart is beating wildly in my chest.
I leap up protectively in front of Bird but I don’t leave the safety of our rubber raft in the middle of the metallic sea.
Mr. Baskerville strolls to the door in one of his stained suits. He is wearing a pair of wiry glasses. He pushes them up his nose as he peers first at the bundled Omega on the mattress and then at me.
“Push Seventy-one onto the floor,” he commands.
I bare my teeth and shake my head.
I’m trembling.
