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“They had lots of sneaky ways of breaking us,” she replied in a dull tone that had me worried. River glanced over at me. He looked helpless for the first time in his life. River was a fixer. He’d spent a lifetime fixing my messes when my emotions got the better of me. But he couldn’t fix this one. Only I could.
“Over the last decade, we learned every skill we could to make sure when the time came to get you out, we’d be ready. We set up hideouts around the country, and networks with anyone we thought could help. We went AWOL from the military when we realized they were never going to let us anywhere near your debut to claim you,” I said, my voice almost matching her dull tone. I felt suddenly lost and empty. I needed her in my arms, but I’d destroyed that possibility.
“He’s telling the truth about the hideouts. He took me to one today. It’s where we got the dirt bikes from. It was full of supplies and looked like it had been there for a long time,” Wolf said.
I shot him a grateful glance, but he just raised a stern eyebrow at me in return.
“Yet the whole time, you were so mad at me.” Her voice sounded so small. She always hated when people were mad at her.
I couldn’t deny it, not when I had just vented that anger on her. So I just nodded. I was going to have to make it up to her and prove myself to her.
“I’m sorry.” The words felt even more painfully inadequate the second time, but they were true. She just nodded absently back at me, and my heart ached.
“Ryder, can you give me a hand with the stew?” Nick asked. River nodded at me, so I shifted back and got up reluctantly.
Nick’s jaw was tight, and he looked frustrated, so I avoided making eye contact. He helped me get the pot off the fire, then handed me a bowl and some fresh bread. “Give this to her.”
Before I could move away, he grabbed my wrist and yanked me closer. “She needs you,” he hissed into my ear. “Do better.”
It was a bold move from the seemingly easy going beta. He knew I could put him on his ass in a heartbeat, yet he’d stepped up to try to get her what she needed. He was a solid guy. I couldn’t fault him, because he was right.
All I could do was nod. Again. I passed her the food, then went back for more and handed it around. It was simple yet delicious. River and I had been living on protein bars and MREs for weeks. They were nourishing, but empty. The hot food warmed me up inside and melted some of the ice that seemed to have settled in my chest.
As soon as she finished eating, Ava moved back over to Wolf’s lap and snuggled in as if she belonged there. His whole body relaxed into her, and he wrapped his arms protectively around her.
“Could you…?” He was purring before she even asked. She closed her eyes and was out before Cary got a blanket settled around her.
We waited for a few minutes until we were sure she was completely asleep.
“Hit me with it,” I said, knowing I deserved whatever was going to happen next.
twelve
“Nobodyherehasleda charmed life. We’re not judging you. We’re just worried about her,” Cary said. He reached over and brushed some hair out of Ava’s face. He didn’t seem jealous over her, or possessive of her around us, which surprised me. Omegas were supposed to be jealous of other omegas. Probably another Palace lie. He’d actually relaxed a little since hearing the twins’ story. He hadn’t been this welcoming towards them last night.
Even if Cary was understanding of Ryder’s situation with Ava, I wasn’t so forgiving of anyone messing with her. “Hurt her again. I’ll hurt you,” I growled.
I glared at Ryder. He nodded, taking me at my word. I noticed the way he’d slumped forward, and I figured he was beating himself up enough for both of us right now.
“You’ll have to get in line behind Nick. He already gave me a warning,” Ryder said. I leaned forward slightly and held up my fist to bump into Nick’s. He looked surprised, but gave me the fist bump. He’d settled in close beside me, next to Ava. Nick kept glancing from me to her legs, as if he wanted to pull her feet into his lap, but was unsure what my reaction would be.
“Should we take her shoes off, make her more comfortable if we’re sleeping out here?” Nick asked. He didn’t seem to be asking anyone in particular. So I just grunted at him.
“I think that means ‘tag, you’re it,’” Cary replied, and his lips curved up in a small, affectionate smile aimed at the beta. Nick just shrugged. He shot me another quick look before he gently unlaced her boots and slipped them off her feet. He worked slowly, as if I really was a wild creature and might take a bite out of him if he startled me. I noticed he propped her feet up on his lap when he was done, under the pretense of moving them closer to the fire. I tried not to smile. He had a calm, yet protective, energy I liked. He was going to be good for our pack.
“I thought you’d be the one mad at me,” Ryder said to Cary. He seemed surprised we weren’t kicking his ass more. “Or maybe a little jealous of us suddenly wanting to claim her, seeing as you’re together.”
Cary’s eyebrows hit his hairline. “We’re not together. Not in that way. Not yet.”
Ryder’s mouth opened, but no words came out. It surprised me too. I assumed they were a couple, given the way they gravitated toward each other.
“Last night was the first time I’ve even seen him hold her hand,” Nick said with a cheeky grin, teasing Cary. “Cary’s usually standing silent and stoic at her side, like some kind of stone gargoyle.”
Cary laughed and threw a twig at Nick, and the sound was a fresh vanilla ice cream scented breeze through my soul. I liked that Nick could bring out Cary’s smile and that gorgeous laugh. Cary seemed aloof most of the time.
“Why?” Ryder asked quietly. Cary glanced at him, and I hated the wary look that stole back into his eyes. He seemed okay about Ava being mated to the twins, but nervous of himself around them, which put me on edge. He’d approached me instinctively that first night. His need to help had overridden any thought for himself, but now he seemed to retreat from everyone except Ava and Nick.
“It’s never been like that between us. It couldn’t be. Not here.” That got my attention. Cary was an omega, too, but his emotions were closed off. His entire demeanor shouted trauma. I forced down another growl, taking a deep breath of Cary and Ava’s mingled scents instead. Trying to stay in the moment and not let my thoughts get too wild. The more time I spent with them, the clearer I felt, but I could feel that wild, feral energy hovering. It felt ready to jump back the minute they disappeared.
