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His touch made me feel calmer. For a moment, I considered crawling into his embrace and letting him hold me. I’d be protected and safe in his arms. Part of me ached for it. Holding myself back was harder than I thought it would be. The mating bond was growing. Alec had been right. Even Viki was right. I was feeling something for Tyler.
“I am not okay.” I wasn’t even referring to my injuries. The thought of having feelings in any way for this piece of shit was not okay. None of this was okay.
Ace leaned down and spoke quietly. “Show him the mark,” Ace whispered. “How long have you been lying to us, you little bitch?”
He had kept his tone low enough that nobody aside from me could hear him. I didn’t know how to respond. He wasn’t outing me in front of everyone, but he knew.
“This ends now, Dad. She’s my mate. I will not have her disrespected like this.” Tyler stood and grabbed a blanket off a chair. He walked over to me and draped it over my shoulders.
Grateful, I pulled it around me. I was fighting against the warm feelings toward Tyler but I wasn’t going to turn down something to cover myself with. Especially now that Ace brought up the mark. I had to change the subject. Tyler couldn’t know about that. I needed to get myself out of here but this chance was over. Time for a change of plans.
“Can you take me back to my room?” I asked Tyler in my most pathetic tone.
He helped me to my feet. “Of course.”
“She’s playing you,” Ace said.
“I’ve heard enough from you,” Tyler said. “Come on, Lola. You can get some rest and we’ll complete the bond tomorrow. I’m not going to make you do it now.”
I nodded and walked along with Tyler. My mind was at war with my heart. For some reason, there was a small part of me that was terrified about leaving Tyler. I’d reacted when I saw him threatened and I’d saved him. Stupid instincts. If I’d let that bookcase fall on him, he might be dead. The bond would be broken and I’d be free. Well, Ace would probably have killed me, but it was possible I could have fled in the aftermath.
I didn’t want anything to do with Tyler. Why had I saved him?
Mating bonds should be outlawed.
On our walk back to my prison cell, well, the room they kept me in, I reminded myself of all the terrible things Tyler had done to me. But that kiss in front of the caves kept forcing its way into my memories. I wasn’t going to let the bond win. I was going to choose my own path. Tyler wasn’t it.
“Sit,” Tyler said as he stopped in front of the bed.
I obliged, hoping that if I played the docile, injured damsel in distress, he’d leave me sans bindings. There was a window in this room and that was my ticket out of here.
“I’m sorry for my father,” he said.
“It’s not much different than how you treated me,” I said, unable to help myself.
“I told you, I’m working on it,” he said.
A knock sounded on the door and then it opened. Viki stood in the threshold. “Why don’t you let me help her get cleaned up.”
“Sure,” Tyler said. “I’ll come check on you soon.”
I forced a smile but internally, I was fighting the urge to vomit. Thank the gods. The sick feeling Tyler gave me was back. The moment of strange attachment to him seemed to have passed. I had to get the fuck out of here before something like that happened again.
Viki walked into the room, then closed the door behind her. “Before you try it, there’s three guards outside your window. I know why you ran, and I’m glad you had your chance, but it’s over now. You’re not going to be able to get away from this. Your best bet is to let the bond connect you so you can enjoy yourself a little.”
I glared at her.
“I saw how you rushed to Tyler. The bond is there. If you stop fighting it, you might find happiness.” She opened a drawer and pulled out a washcloth, then walked over to the bottle of water on the table. After pouring a little water on the cloth, she started to wipe my face.
Her words had rendered me too numb to react. Defeat began to sink in, making me feel like I’d lost everything. How was I going to do this? I couldn’t be with Tyler and I wasn’t sure I could get away.
Silent tears rolled down my cheeks but I didn’t even bother to wipe them away. After all I’d faced, and all I’d fought for, how was it possible it would end like this?
“Ace saw the mark. He’s going to kill you tonight while everyone is sleeping unless you complete the bond before he gets his chance,” Viki said.
My eyes moved to hers and panic sent my heart racing. “You’re sure?”
She nodded. “Like I said, you’re out of time.”
I swallowed hard, returning my gaze to my hands so I didn’t have to look her in the eye anymore. This couldn’t be the end for me. There had to be more to my story.
Soft footsteps sounded on the floor but I didn’t look up. The door opened and closed. My mind raced, my heart beat so quickly I thought I might be having a panic attack. How badly did I want to live? I’d flirted with thoughts of death in the past. Some days, I’d even wished for death to find me. But I’d had a taste of freedom. Even if Alec had violated my trust in the worst possible way, being with his pack had shown me what was possible. I had to believe that not everyone there was in on his betrayal. Happiness or at least some kind of life beyond this was possible.
I had to fight.
I stood and dropped the blanket to the ground. It didn’t take long to find the light switch so I could see better. Then, I walked to the dresser and was rewarded with drawers stuffed of random old clothes, towels, and sheets. It was a hodgepodge of fabric. After a few minutes of digging, I found clothes that would work.
Dressed in actual underwear, a pair of gym shorts, and a faded old tee, I started to feel hopeful again. I had clothes on, that was a good first step. Now, I just needed to figure out the way out of here.
