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She grits her teeth. Those motherfuckers. Those pieces of shit monstrous—
“Yup. That’s where we’re headed now,” Abel promises him. “My friend has been in contact with your mom and dad—they’re very excited to see you.”
“Is your friend an Alpha?!” Connor asks excitedly.
“He is. Do you want to meet him?”
“YEAH!”
As they exit the building, Hazel finally breathes a sigh of relief.
* * *
“There’sa lot you didn’t tell me,” Hazel muses to Abel as she watches the tearful reunion of Connor’s family hours later. “I don’t understand how you made this all happen, but I’m grateful.”
They’re standing in the parking lot of the abandoned building, observing as Connor’s mother holds him tightly, weeping quietly. Abel’s friend, who she’s come to know as Draven, stands idly by the SUV they appeared in.
“Connor’s parents are on our—myside,” he says. “They’ve been searching for him since he was taken away, and Draven had access to nearby hospitals and documents. He reached out to me to tell me Connor was alive, right after we…right after everything.”
She knows what he’s referring to.
After the broadcast, and after the Betas took her away.
She leans closer to him subconsciously, and he wraps an arm around her shoulders. His scent is strong, richer than normal, and it’s easy to close her eyes and drown in the sensation.
“So, the downside of teaching you all how to hack,” she murmurs. “They made you all into super weapons and spies.”
“They never thought we would use it to our advantage, but we did. When I heard they brought a child to the island, that’s when I knew I had to do something.”
Connor’s mother meets Hazel’s gaze for a moment, a peculiar emotion etched on her face. Then she mouths a ‘thank you.’
It’s much different from the last time she saw her.
Hazel gives her a small smile back, a weight lifted off her chest.
“I started visiting the restricted area after they took him away,” she admits quietly. “That’s when I started questioning everything. I just…I couldn’t understandwhy.”
Draven looks pointedly at them both, then nods at Abel.
“I have to go,” Abel says quietly. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the keys to the car. “Draven will drive me out, and you can drive back with Connor’s parents. They’ve agreed to corroborate whatever statement you give and to provide you with a lawyer.”
Nausea churns in her gut as she meets his guarded eyes. He looks at her, eyes narrowed. “Go back, Hazel,” he says, his voice strained. “Forget this. Forgetme.”
Time freezes. She should go back. The right thing to do is to put all this behind her and reunite with Ava.
She can’t move.
Abel grasps her shoulders and pulls her to the side, away from everyone’s line of sight. “You stay here one minute longer,” he hisses, “and I’m taking you with me. I don’t give afuckif you regret it later.”
His scent swirls around her, potent and wild, and she sees a hint of desperation in his eyes.
She sucks in a breath, trembling in his hold.
It’s not from fear. Not anymore, at least.
His fingers dig into her shoulders. “Less than one minute now, sweetheart. I swear on everything Iwilltake you with me. You need to leave.Now.”
Words fail her.
