“Tell me thetruth, Little Omega.”
“I...” I stalled out at the dark bond command. Darn. My eyes darted back to Vandle, Sin, and Karma. Vandle’s eyes were narrowed as he watched us. “Um...” I fought my scowl, trying to get around the order. “I’m going to try really hard not to.” My voice was a wisp.
Phantom groaned, sinking down onto the bed.
“If you were pack lead and your omega said that to you, would you be satisfied with the answer?” Vandle asked.
I mulled the question over, clearly trying to parse it out. “Probably... not?”
I glared as I caught a faint smirk on Sin’s face at my answer.
None of them got it.
Ineededthe keys.
“It’s not long until we’re out, can you wait just a bit?” Karma asked.
Wait?
Now that the imminent threat of losing my fingers had passed, my instincts were all over the place.
I couldn’t get the image of the library keys out of my head. The little imperfect ridges—and they had good weight to them, like old castle keys.
The best kind.
Where was I going to find anything like them again?
Now they were gone…
I stomped down a little whine. “I can... try. But they’re... so... pretty.”
What if... what if I could snag themrightbefore the appeal...
No one would know, and then we’d be free, and I’d have them for my nest forever...
“Crescent.” Phantom got to his feet and crossed to me. The brush of his thumb on my chin snapped me back to the present. “Youwon’tsteal any more keys until the appeal.”
My lips parted in shock. That was acommand.
A little whine of distress slipped out of my chest.
What?
“None?”My voice was shrill.
Not onetinykey?
“Little Omega,” Phantom said. “You’re going to get us killed.”
But the keys... I glanced around the room. “Did you...?” I tried to tug away from Phantom, but he blocked me in place.
And the special rut cage key... That had been from when Sin had claimed me in front of the whole of Anarchy.
If that one was gone, was I even his anymore?
I shoved past him, breaking from his grip and stumbling over to Karma, who was sitting up straight, eyes flitting between me and Phantom like he wasn’t sure what to do.
I seized his arm, tears beading at my eyes. “Undo it!” I begged.