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The male who’s kept her prisoner. Who’s hurt her.

With narrowed eyes, I watch him slide a cell from his pocket. He swipes at the screen and presses the device to his ear. My growl intensifies as he backs away, step by wary step until he’s crossed the threshold of the cell and into the hall.

My instincts bathe in satisfaction at the violent way his hands tremble while locking the door, terrified green eyes bouncing between me and the lock.

Only once I hear the door slamming shut at the top of the stairs do I register the soft touch of fingers against my cheek. My attention narrows, blurring around the edges before snapping into focus. The touch feels like a spark against my skin, and the growl rumbling through my chest changes, morphing into a purr.

When I look down, the most beautiful blue eyes are looking back at me.

“Idril,” I breathe. “My Mate.”

She’s so small beneath me, but Fates, she’s so large at the same time. So full of life. I can feel it now, overflowing with something ancient and powerful that I can’t quite wrap my mind around. Even her skin seems to be glowing. Cheeks bright with vitality. Seeing that makes my purr strengthen, and she sighs in contentment.

I lift my hand and gently reach down and smooth a strand of silken white hair back from her face.

I cup her cheek in my palm and lean down until my forehead rests against hers. I can’t find the words to explain what I’m feeling. Can’t find anything even remotely adequate to express the love in my soul and the intensity of my devotion to her. There’s so much to say—so many questions to ask—and part of me wants to beg her to tell me I’m not the only one feeling this throbbing, untamed, uncontrollable new Bond.

But I don’t have to say a word. Like she already knows, she raises a shaking hand and presses it against my bare chest—directly on top of where our Bond pulses the strongest.

Her full lips tilt up at the corners, and she peers up at me through long lashes. Then, like she already knows my soul better than I know it myself, she whispers, “Yes. Yours, Soren. Always yours.”

Chapter 10

Vaelenor

It’s been two days. Two days since the fucked up trial by Alpha Command. Two days since Soren went feral out of godsdamned nowhere and I had to run like a scared little bitch before the wolven tore out my throat.

Two days I’ve spent suffocating in self-hatred and guilt. Two days spent going on extra patrol just to kill something, some fucked up part of me hoping that doing some good might even out the cosmic scales.

Which is ridiculous. Like some dead Severed could make up for Alpha Commanding an Omega into a seizure.

Lenora laid into Daxen, but that didn’t stop her from laying into me as well when I went to visit Caelan last night. Didn’t stop her from reminding me that I’m a piece of shit for using my biology to overpower someone I was made to protect. Didn’t stop her from threatening to cut off my balls if it ever happens again.

Somehow, I doubt Daxen was issued the same threat.

I deserve it, though. I know I do. I can’t sleep. Can’t eat. It feels like there’s something under my skin, burrowing into my muscles and making me itch.

I got bitched at three times during breakfast this morning for “squirming” before I finally got sick of hearing it and escaped to spar in the compound training room.

Fuck. I have to stop doing that. I didn’t escape this morning. I ran away. Exactly like the coward Soren said I am.

I was hoping to fight off some of the twitchiness, but of course that didn’t work. A shower didn’t work. Patrols, surveillance, and killing Deadwalkers haven’t worked.

My Alpha instincts are spiraling—have been since the day I laid eyes on the Omega—but the other day… something cracked. Splintered apart.

I was standing there, watching as Idril fell to the floor, curled her hands into fists, opened her mouth, and released the most gut-wrenching, heart-shattering, soul-crushing scream I’ve ever heard.

That's when it happened.

That’s when my instincts shattered.

I swear I felt the world tilt on its axis before spinning out of control as Idril screamed in agony and pain, and I just… stood there. Stood there trying not to get sick as her raw, wordless screams turned into screams for Caelan. For her mother.

And I just… stood there. Stood there like a worthless piece of shit while the Omega rushed over to Idril, turning her on her side so she didn’t choke if she seized.

Which is exactly what happened.

Right there, on the floor of the room where we eat breakfast of bacon and eggs and fucking apple tarts. Her body jerked and shook and⁠—