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All the breath left my lungs.Was it that simple?
I didn’t know if I was ready to fight to win Ava back. I was still carrying a lot of hurt and I had questions, but I could acknowledge the truth. She was mine, and this strange medley of people was mine, too. As entwined as Ava, River, and I had been as kids, and as tightly meshed as I was with my twin, it had always felt like there was something more for us, too. Something bigger was out there.Was this why Ava had felt driven to go to the Palace? Should we have listened to her?
None of these questions were going to get answered sitting here. So, I sighed and eased down the ravine until we reached the bottom, then pointed our bikes toward our people.
Toward home.
six
Idashedbackacrossto the bedroom I’d woken up in and launched myself back onto the bed. I quickly crossed my legs and snuggled my feet down under the comforter. The chill of the stone balcony had seeped through my socks, and my feet felt frozen. I could only imagine how the giant alpha was doing, running through the forest with bare feet. At least Ryder had shoes on, he appeared to have slept in them. As if he hadn’t yet decided if he was staying.
“Hello?” I asked, a little breathlessly, as I pressed the answer button.
A barrage of questions assaulted me, each one tumbling over the following one. Maia seemed both furious she’d slept through the raid on the town last night, and worried to find out I was gone when she woke up this morning. Lexie just yawned loudly as she tried to tell Maia to slow down.
“Okay, can we try that again? One question at a time?” I asked, a little sheepishly.
Maia huffed, sounding annoyed. She made me smile. She’d been so withdrawn during our time together at the Palace. I loved to hear her so animated now. Even if it was a lot to take in.
“Fine, are you okay?” she asked, as Lexie spoke over her to ask, “Why are you breathing so hard?”
“Maybe because there’s a man between my thighs?” I answered Lexie’s question first, trying to lighten their anxiety with an awkward joke. It didn’t work.
I had to yank the phone away from my ear to avoid the screeching. I pulled it back hastily when I heard Lexie faintly yell, “Sam, get the chopper!”
“Stop! You don’t need the chopper. I’m fine. Sorry, I was joking. I ran into my room to take your call in private, and I clearly have no stamina.”
Maia let out a little kitten growl, but Lexie was laughing. “Don’t worry us like that!” Maia said, letting out a deep breath.
“Why would you worry if I was having sex?” I asked. While I appreciated their concern, I wasn’t exactly sure why they were concerned.
“Okay, truth bomb,” Maia said. “We’ve never talked about it, but I always assumed you were a virgin. The same as the other omegas at the Palace. Despite how hot Cary is for you, you guys barely make eye contact. Now that you can finally choose a partner for yourself, I want you to know you have time. You don’t need to rush anything.”
“What if it doesn’t feel as if I’m rushing anything? What if it feels like I’ve been waiting forever?” I’d never talked about this stuff to anyone before. Even with Maia. Before the Crash, it had seemed pointless. Our fates had felt so precarious. It felt nice to talk it out now with women I trusted.
“That’s okay, too,” Lexie said, as she jumped in before Maia could respond. “As long as it’s your choice and you feel ready. But there are a few things you need to know that I only recently figured out. Being with a prime alpha changes things.”
“A prime alpha?” Maia squeaked. “Are we talking about the giant, feral alpha you told me about just now?” They clearly hadn’t had much time to catch-up with each other yet either.
“Yeah, he’s definitely got that big-dick, prime energy. If he’s been in a cage for who knows how long, it’s no wonder he’s feral. Could you imagine Damon if he hadn’t found Hunter as a teenager, and no-one had touched him with affection or comfort in years? Or Sam without Dio? For both of them, touch from their pack mates calms their beasts.”
Maia was quiet for a heartbeat. “I don’t even want to imagine.”
“Do you think that’s why he relaxed when Cary touched his chest before he passed out?” I asked Lexie.
“Yeah. Uh, I do.” She sounded distracted, as though she was thinking.
“You’re both omegas. That sounds like it could get complicated,” Maia said.
“Ava,” Lexie said a little sharply, as if she had just thought of something, “the twins said they had your clothes and blankets stuffed into his air vents. I think the Palace believes you’re his scent matched mate. It explains why they mostly left you alone. They had other plans for you. Your scent may have been the only thing keeping him somewhat sane. Or they could have been torturing him with it.” Lexie’s voice had softened while she spoke and she sounded near tears by the end. Her emotions had been erratic since her omega finally came out to play. I could picture Maia hugging her quietly.
The thought of the Palace lab techs torturing the giant alpha, who had been nothing but protective with me, made me feel nauseous. And now he was gone. His absence left a familiar ache in my heart that had me rubbing my chest. Even though I’d only known him hours, rather than years like the twins. There was no doubt in my mind he was my mate. Yet he also appeared to be Cary’s, and I was surprisingly okay with that. I suddenly wanted him back with a ferocious need that scared me. Even if Cary was the one he needed right now.
I must have whimpered, because Maia asked, “Ava, are you okay there? What’s going on? Dammit, I hate having these talks over the phone. We need to be there with you.”
“The alpha ran just now, and it aches. I think Lexie’s right.”
“Shit. Do you guys need back-up?” Lexie’s voice had firmed, and she sounded serious. As if she was about to marshall an army. I wouldn’t put it past her. If we were staging a rebellion, she was clearly our general. Even Damon and Sam deferred to her. She had a unique ability to inspire people to act and make them feel empowered.
