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HAYLEY
Unexpected Ally
MYA SWIPES THE blade with a scream. I shriek, my whole body going numb. A figure materializes behind her so fast that it takes my mind a second to catch up. Monroe protects Mya’s throat with his arm, taking a deep cut to his forearm from his wrist to his elbow. He swears with a growl and snatches the blade from her grip.
“Get her! The fucker manipulated her mind. You need to break it, Sawyer.” Monroe carries Mya into the room.
She flails, kicking and screaming, the high-pitch of her voice ringing in my ears. My eyes blur with uncontrollable tears, and I freeze in my spot, trying to grasp what the hell is happening. Knox touches my cheek, getting me to look at him. I throw my arms around him and break down, unable to control the grief swelling inside me as I realize that Garnet slit her own throat and Mya nearly did the same.
“Hayley, look at me,” Knox says, guiding my head back until I peer into his sapphire blue eyes. “I’m sorry about your friend. We had no idea that Aris had gotten into their heads. Something must’ve triggered their manipulation. They could’ve been walking around for who knows how long like a bomb on a timer, waiting for something to set it off.”
I grimace at his words, trying to figure out what any of that means. “He manipulated them to kill themselves? I don’t understand. Why would he? They bring him money. He—” I yell in anger, letting my voice fill the room.
“Mya, don’t fight.” Sawyer’s voice snaps through the air, stealing my attention. “I won’t hurt you.”
I shift in Knox’s arms, summoning the courage to stare at my best friend now hanging placidly in Sawyer’s arms. Her arms hang by her side. Gripping one arm across her back and clasping her face with the other, Sawyer leans in so close that only an inch of space remains between their mouths.
“You’re going to feel some pressure while I connect to your mind on an uncomfortable level. It will hurt a bit, and I’m sorry.” Sawyer keeps his voice low as if he speaks to a frightened child. His hulking body towers over her, and seeing her look so fragile twists my stomach.
“Hayley, please,” Mya says, keeping her eyes locked on Sawyer’s as she talks to me—but she sounds weird. Almost like a recording and like she’s not really there.
Sawyer growls under his breath, his fangs extending. Mya releases a tiny whimper, her body turning completely limp as he focuses on her with his silver eyes. Tears stream down her face. I clutch onto Knox, using him to support me. I can barely stay still watching this. Her features twist with her pain.
Fuck. I don’t know if I can handle this. It’s one thing to be on the receiving end of mind manipulation when it involves protecting someone, but this is different.
“Mya, you will forget whatever Alexander Aris put in your head. You are the only one in control of your mind.” Sawyer leans so close that their noses touch. “Do you understand? You will not be controlled by Alexander.”
Mya heaves a few breaths, her body reacting to the mind manipulation. A wail rips from her mouth, her pain smacking the air from my lungs. Sawyer clutches her tighter, refusing to let her go. I cover my ears, the sound unbearable. I hate this. I hate everything about Sawyer digging into her mind, but it’s worth it. I would rather her survive this and not die because of something Alexander did. She’s my best friend, and it’s bad enough that she’s dealing with this alongside me.
“Hayley, hey. Hey. Concentrate on me,” Knox says, twisting me back to him to steal my attention from the madness unfolding. “He’s almost done.”
I turn and let Knox help me cover my ears, his big palms hiding mine as he gently presses down. I study the blue color of his eyes and wonder what it looks like in real sunlight. I don’t know why I even think about it. I haven’t been in direct sunlight, and only UV lights.
What am I even thinking about? Such a thing would be impossible. He can never go out in the sun, and I’m pretty sure that neither can I.
A vicious snarl startles me, and Knox snatches me, lifting me off my feet. I stare in shock as Opal shoves Monroe, sending him tripping over Garnet’s body. Flashing her fangs, she yells in anger and tries to launch at Sawyer and Mya. Her eyes shine silver as she grabs the back of Mya’s costume.
“If you pull her away, I might accidentally damage her brain,” Sawyer says, his deep voice rumbling with his words. “I’m trying to help her.”
“You killed one of my gems.” Opal yanks a dagger from a hidden sheath. “I’ll take your heart. Now release her!”
Monroe intervenes and tackles Opal, knocking her into the wall. The two of them flash their fangs, the scary-ass growls of their voices igniting a spark of panic inside my chest.
“Opal, please don’t,” I say, my voice shaking as I find my words. “This wasn’t them. They’re trying to help. Alexander did something to them. He got into their minds. Garnet surprised us.”
“I’m so sorry, Ms. Aris,” Monroe says, using Opal’s formal title. “I couldn’t get here fast enough for her.” He points at Garnet’s body, taking a second to snatch the blanket from my bed to drape over her body, blocking my view of my fallen friend.
Opal stands frozen, her whole body rigid with her devastation and anger. Her eyes rove over the blanket covering Garnet and to Mya, hanging limply in Sawyer’s arms. A dozen emotions cross her gorgeous face, and tears sparkle in her eyes.
I slowly ease away from Knox, forcing him to let me go, despite knowing he doesn’t want to take his hands off me. “Opal, they’re telling the truth. Alexander did this. He’s punishing me.”
Opal doesn’t respond to me and silently strolls to where Garnet’s body hides under the blanket. She lowers herself to the floor and rests on her knees, heaving a few shallow breaths as she gets the nerve to pull the blanket down. My lip trembles and tears fill my eyes, seeing the blank stare and blood all over Garnet. Her sisters will be devastated. They’ve been here since I was a teen and were part of the show before I was. They do everything together. I can’t believe this happened.
“Are you certain it was Alex?” Opal asks, her voice stern and sharp with her words. “It could’ve been one of you setting this up. Alexander knows how much these girls mean to me. We have an agreement.”
I shuffle my way closer to her and kneel by her side, wrapping my arm around her. “You don’t really believe I’d let them do this. Have you ever seen one of the Bella Crew members hurt a donor? They wouldn’t. This was Alexander getting back at me.”
Closing her eyes, Opal bows her head, whispering something that sounds like a plea under her breath. I hug her close, listening as Sawyer commands Mya to fall asleep and to forget he was ever in her mind.
