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Soren’s jaw clenches, but he reluctantly releases me when I take a step forward. Silas and Vae sandwich me between them as we make our way toward the stairs, but before Silas reaches the first step, Soren slams his palms against the bars of his cell, making the iron rattle and groan.
“Where do you think you’re going? Where Idril goes, I go.”
His eyes narrow, flashing a green so bright it looks like sunlight reflecting off a grassy field.
Vae laughs. “No chance. You think we’ll be able to interrogate her with you snarling and growling like a fucking beast?”
He tosses the keys in the air and catches them deftly without even looking. “You can wait here. I’ll even have a Beta bring down a nice big breakfast.”
My stomach churns with nausea. I’m terrified I’m going to throw up, and just as afraid to tell anyone.
“This is bullshit!”
His eyes lock with mine, and I shake my head, pleading silently with him to let this go. I need to do this, and I need for it to be over. He looks so confused, and it’s clear he doesn’t understand why I’d want to face the firing squad alone.
It’s alright, I mouth. His eyes search mine for three long heartbeats. Then he exhales and releases his white-knuckled grip on the bars. His eyes change, bleeding back to his normal moss-green.
“When she gets back, I want her in my cell,” he snaps. “Do you understand?”
“I’ll have to ask Gav,” Vae answers, but it’s not a no, which is what I’d been expecting.
We’re halfway up the stairs when Soren’s voice rings out one last time, each word weighed down with Alpha authority.
“And fucking feed her, you piece of shit!”
The climb finally catches up to me once we reach the landing. I take two steps away from the stairs before I have to stop and bend over, panting as I struggle to catch my breath.
Vae quickly realizes I’m no longer following. He whips around, eyes wide with panic, like he thinks I might’ve run away in the whole three seconds since I stopped walking.
“When’s the last time you ate?”
I glance up at him through the curtain of hair blocking my view. Black dots appear in my vision, and I have to close my eyes as the room starts to spin.
“Yesterday morning.”
Vae frowns, but doesn’t respond. He doesn’t snap at me to keep walking, though, either, so that’s something.
Unfortunately, Silas doesn’t care if I can breathe or not, and he groans dramatically. “Are we going to eat or what?”
Anger rushes through me. Gods forbid I’m allowed two minutes to keep myself from passing out. Silas could never handle what I’ve lived through. One day chained to the wall of my father’s basement would leave him begging for his mother.
I straighten, and my glare lands on Silas.
“Lead the way,” I reply scathingly.
Vae and Dax are my Mates.
Silas, Cage, and the rest of them… they’re nothing to me.
We have to cross half the castle and up another flight of stairs, but eventually my surroundings start to look familiar, and I realize where we are. I’m not surprised when Silas shoves open the door to a familiar dining room—the same room I was brought to my first morning at HQ.
Branwen, Gav, and Daxen are already seated. Kane’s missing, but that makes sense. Soren told me last night he would be in the woods with a few of his Pack, patrolling the perimeter.
When she hears us walk in, Branwen turns in her seat. Her gaze lands on me, and her mouth curls into a genuine smile.
It vanishes the moment she gets a good look at my appearance.
“Gods, are you in the same clothes as last night?”
