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I almost groaned as I felt the knife in my grip. My breathing was heavy. But this time, I hesitated.
“You paid already. You destroyed yourself. You kept me safe.”That’s what Dusk had said.
But was this what destruction looked like? If I had destroyed myself, I hadn’t done a very good job.
And now I wanted happiness?
“You paid.”
Dusk’s yellow eyes turned golden, and Shatter was there instead, looking up at me, purring for me in her nest.
Trusting me to care for her.
Trustingmeto care for her…
The knife shook. Faceless shadows lay still, always in the periphery, reminding me that I could never pay enough.
But could I protect her like this? With trembling knives and scarred skin? What happened when I ran out of skin to scar?
“You paid…”
I shut my eyes and for the first time in my memory, I lowered the knife.
Slowly…
Shakily…
Then—“Fuck!”
Agony rent me apart.
I collapsed, knees slamming against carpet as fire tore through my blood. A growl ripped from my chest, and the knife dropped from my fist.
My aura split the air uncalled, splintering into a million fragments as it did.
I felt, even through the pain, the moment it turned on me. Myownaura, the thing that made me an alpha, began to consume me.
I fought it, even as the world began to fade.
Ihadto fight it.
I couldn’t pass out. It wouldn’t stop—this poison, I knew if it killed me, it would devour them next.
Ransom.
Dusk.
From where I lay I fumbled until I found my knife again, blade cutting my skin. Keeping me here. Keeping me alive.
Relief was the smallest breeze in a storm as I gripped it.
It was the only thing that would save me.
Dusk was wrong.
All my payments had come due,rightfucking now.
TWENTY-NINE
