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"Can you get us back to the village?" I asked, trying to distract myself.
"I'm sorry." Lex gestured all around us. "I'm not sure when I left the boundary or how far I've gone. It feels like it was far, but fast at the same time."
Tzidal nodded, assuring the siren it was okay.
"I thought magic doesn't affect you like us," I said. "Like with the witch's spell? It didn't sway you."
"This magic doesn't affect just me," Lex said, "it affects the land. It's different than something that flows through you. It's in the air and the ground. There's no pushing it away or stepping around it."
"So you can't get us back to the village?" Joon asked again, running a hand down Tzidal's arms.
The itch to run my hands over Blue was all-consuming, so instead, I pushed my fingers through my hair. I jerked the roots hard, trying like hell to focus.
"No. I'm sorry." Lex's deep grey eyes conveyed just as much disappointment as mine.
"We're nowhere near Aberdeen," I said, noticing the cut of the mountains next to us. They had been so far this morning.
"Where are we?" Joon turned to look at the horizon with me.
"We're near Ossory," I nodded, sure of it. "The palace is just on the other side of this forest."
"Well," Tzidal shivered, "I guess that just saves us some time. We were headed that way anyway."
"Let me go," Blue mumbled.
I looked down, and his expression slammed into me. There was so much pain in his big, hypnotic eyes. I wanted to move away from him and give him space, but I couldn't. His grief was pouring into the air in waves, fusing me to him. I needed to keep him close and safe. My wolf demanded it.
"Get off me," he said louder. His cheeks were a deep pink, and his mouth was in a tight line. It was clear he was trying so damn hard to look fierce. He wiggled, small grunts and pants leaving his throat, but he didn't budge an inch.
"Byriel," Tzidal said with a mother edge in her tone, urging me to move.
Slowly and with great effort, I stood, watching the omega carefully. The second Blue was on his feet, he jerked to run, but I gripped his arm and slammed his little body to mine. He balled up his fists and pushed them into my chest, his nose scrunched with anger.
"I thought alphas were supposed to be mighty warriors, capable of anything!" Blue snarled at me. The twist of color in his eyes seemed to swirl faster as his rage saturated the air. Fat tears dripped down his face, and his shoulders shook as he started to cry. I wanted to lick his cheeks and tuck him inside my chest, safe from all danger and torment.
He sucked in a harsh breath, then, just as quickly, the fight left his body, and he pressed his forehead to my chest, going limp in my arms. The poor creature was so distressed he couldn't even focus on a single emotion.
I wrapped my arms around his back. It took everything in me not to scent his hair.
"But you couldn't stop them," Blue sobbed. His voice was so small. Just like him. "Those alphas came into my home and killed everyone." He tipped his head back, looking right into my soul. "It's all my fault."
"It's not your fault," Tzidal whispered, her voice cracking as she spoke.
Pulling in a slow breath, I tightened my hold on his trembling body, but I didn't speak. I knew if I did, I would promise the world to try to make this better. I wanted to promise him revenge and vow to take the life of whoever destroyed his pack, but there was no point. I heard the alpha talk while they ravaged Blue's village. They were looking for the marked wolf.
I couldn't admit that Haxa might be right, but it was almost impossible to believe. I just couldn't imagine my father deciding that ripping through villages was a reasonable plan for finding a needle in a haystack. Attacking, stripping, and killing villagers would only invite rage and revenge.
My hold on Blue tightened further as I thought of those guards forcing him to take off his shirt.
The fear that surrounded him.
The tears dripping down his face.
His velvety, unblemished skin.
"You're hurting me," Blue sniffled, trying to push a small space between us. "Let me go." I loosened my arms but kept him pressed against me. He pushed against me again.
"We need to take you home," Joon said, his voice still holding too much authority given how upset Blue was.
